Michigan Tech 2017-18 The Joe Shawhan Era Continues - Getting Better Everyday

[rustedblades]

And now the scouting report is out. That is how you beat Tech.

The scouting report has been out on Michigan Tech. They can't play in the tough games. Unfortunately they may have run out of time to figure it out in time for a home playoff run. Let's hope they peak at the right time, soon!

I like this team!

[MTUHuskies]

Re: Michigan Tech 2017-18 The Joe Shawhan Era Continues - Getting Better Everyday

The scouting report is out on Michigan Tech. They can't play in the tough games. Unfortunately they may have run out of time to figure it out in time for a home playoff run. Let's hope they peak at the right time, soon!

I like this team!

I like the future.
I like the players.
I like the coaches.

I like this team!

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[gfmorris]

Re: Michigan Tech 2017-18 The Joe Shawhan Era Continues - Getting Better Everyday

How does "getting better everyday" line up with getting swept by the team who came into the weekend in 8th? The numbers say that Tech is in a free-fall.

GFM

[geezer]

How does "getting better everyday" line up with getting swept by the team who came into the weekend in 8th? The numbers say that Tech is in a free-fall.

GFM

You have a lot to learn about sports sloganeering, don’t you? 😜
Michigan Tech hockey: Free Falling!
To clarify, “getting better every day” is Shawhan’s slogan that he has repeated all year win, lose, or tie. I don’t expect him to switch to “we suck at ice hockey” until the season’s over.

[The Troll mtu86]

Re: Michigan Tech 2017-18 The Joe Shawhan Era Continues - Getting Better Everyday

SG: I had forgotten about the schedule change. No doubt that accounts for it. Games on the ice all day coupled with the compressor problems MS mentioned and you have a sure fire recipe for terrible ice conditions.

rustedblades: I agree, that play where Munson iced the puck was just bizarre or at least his reaction was. We figured he thought he had a guy down ice. Obviously everyone went to the bench for a line change. Munson, as you say looks at the bench arms raised, then starts banging the ice with his stick repeatedly. Appears to be very upset.. The first Husky coming off the bench towards him keeps giving him a 'calm down' gesture. Weird. A buddy I was sitting with about had a stroke. Suppose our D or forwards got that visibly upset with him after ever weak goal he lets in?? Added another person to list of no more packy with that little tantrum.

[rustedblades]

Re: Michigan Tech 2017-18 The Joe Shawhan Era Continues - Getting Better Everyday

How does "getting better everyday" line up with getting swept by the team who came into the weekend in 8th? The numbers say that Tech is in a free-fall.

GFM

I'd hardly call it free falling. Tech is struggling with consistent goaltending right now, that's about it. They are statistically better than last season in nearly all categories except goals against. Unfortunately that is a very important stat. Coach keeps saying scoring chances against are down significantly but the opposition is scoring with a lot less chances. Friday night was total domination by Tech, just can't outscore the couple mistakes that go in. Saturday was a combination of a lot of things going bad at once and Ferris playing a very clutch, grab, hook and hold style game.

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[rustedblades]

Re: Michigan Tech 2017-18 The Joe Shawhan Era Continues - Getting Better Everyday

SG: I had forgotten about the schedule change. No doubt that accounts for it. Games on the ice all day coupled with the compressor problems MS mentioned and you have a sure fire recipe for terrible ice conditions.

rustedblades: I agree, that play where Munson iced the puck was just bizarre or at least his reaction was. We figured he thought he had a guy down ice. Obviously everyone went to the bench for a line change. Munson, as you say looks at the bench arms raised, then starts banging the ice with his stick repeatedly. Appears to be very upset.. The first Husky coming off the bench towards him keeps giving him a 'calm down' gesture. Weird. A buddy I was sitting with about had a stroke. Suppose our D or forwards got that visibly upset with him after ever weak goal he lets in?? Added another person to list of no more packy with that little tantrum.

Troll, I just watched the icing on WCHATV. Meek was coming right at Munson like he is going to support him (roughly top of circle when Munson air mails it)
There was a Tech guy in their zone just off the bench making the circle they do when they are setting up the power play. It looks like Munson is going for him but he's in the middle of their zone and would be offsides if he accepts the pass. If Munson knows how they always set up, which you hope he would by now, he doesn't throw the puck there. You put it well, very bizarre. It's about midway through the 2nd if anyone is interested. Around the 10 minute mark.

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[rustedblades]

Re: Michigan Tech 2017-18 The Joe Shawhan Era Continues - Getting Better Everyday

You have a lot to learn about sports sloganeering, don’t you? [emoji12]
Michigan Tech hockey: Free Falling!
To clarify, “getting better every day” is Shawhan’s slogan that he has repeated all year win, lose, or tie. I don’t expect him to switch to “we suck at ice hockey” until the season’s over.

I honestly believe and I think the coaches believe this team has a lot of talent and as Coach has said on several occasions the current vets (i.e. Auk, Birks, Lesperance, Anderson, Blacklock and maybe some of the juniors) didn't get the coaching attention they needed in previous years to prepare them to lead the team this season.

You see a lot of the underclassmen logging a lot of minutes which I think will pay big dividends down the road. Just need to shore it up between the pipes.

SG, any idea how the goaltending recruiting is going? I only see one on THG

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[geezer]

Re: Michigan Tech 2017-18 The Joe Shawhan Era Continues - Getting Better Everyday

I was surprised when Munson started Friday, shocked that he returned for the third period, and kind of horrified that he got the start on Saturday. Especially with Kero coming off a sweep where he appeared to be putting some confidence together. It’s got to be demoralizing for the entire team.
Other than that, and The injuries, the team is very good.

[rustedblades]

Re: Michigan Tech 2017-18 The Joe Shawhan Era Continues - Getting Better Everyday

I was surprised when Munson started Friday, shocked that he returned for the third period, and kind of horrified that he got the start on Saturday. Especially with Kero coming off a sweep where he appeared to be putting some confidence together. It’s got to be demoralizing for the entire team.
Other than that, and The injuries, the team is very good.

Not knowing anything other than what I've physically seen; I would start Kero and leave him in win or lose unless he totally blows a game. The guys, in my opinion, play best in front of him right now.

That's obviously without knowing anything about attitudes, how guys do in practice, etc.

Got to get some consistency there and build someone's confidence for the playoffs. I think home ice is gone, would be impossible to get knocked out of the playoffs and it really doesn't matter who they play so you may as well spend the next 8 games getting 1 guy ready for the playoffs and IMHO, Kero's the best option.

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[MTUHuskies]

Re: Michigan Tech 2017-18 The Joe Shawhan Era Continues - Getting Better Everyday

Not knowing anything other than what I've physically seen; I would start Kero and leave him in win or lose unless he totally blows a game. The guys, in my opinion, play best in front of him right now.

That's obviously without knowing anything about attitudes, how guys do in practice, etc.

Got to get some consistency there and build someone's confidence for the playoffs. I think home ice is gone, would be impossible to get knocked out of the playoffs and it really doesn't matter who they play so you may as well spend the next 8 games getting 1 guy ready for the playoffs and IMHO, Kero's the best option.

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I concur.

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[manurespreader]

Re: Michigan Tech 2017-18 The Joe Shawhan Era Continues - Getting Better Everyday

interesting discussion. i'm not sure I would go with Kero, he has not shown me he is any better than he was at the beginning of the season.
I was reading up on maybe the best athlete of all time, Roger Federer and how he manages to hold it together during a match to come back from a down patch, recover his game and win. I think the same thing happens in hockey. You have parts of the game that just do not go your way. Federer seems to just hang in there, not lose his cool and make shots. And keeps making shots. I think that's what you do in hockey, you just think about that shift and that shot and if you have a calm environment around you things turn around. it's when you don't have that calm environment things go from bad to worse. So Jerry York and guys like him, that calmness helps.

[manurespreader]

Re: Michigan Tech 2017-18 The Joe Shawhan Era Continues - Getting Better Everyday

The scouting report has been out on Michigan Tech. They can't play in the tough games. Unfortunately they may have run out of time to figure it out in time for a home playoff run. Let's hope they peak at the right time, soon!

I like this team!

Seems to me the scouting report says we struggle with an aggressive forecheck. Which we did, but we have made pretty good strides against that lately. Every team we have played the last two months sent two men deep against us.
Also ASU had a set play where the goalie shot the puck down to the off side winger at the blue line during a change trying to catch us out and it worked one time too.
Certainly there are areas we need to do better at, but goaltending is so big in relation that it makes everything else small.

[rustedblades]

Re: Michigan Tech 2017-18 The Joe Shawhan Era Continues - Getting Better Everyday

Seems to me the scouting report says we struggle with an aggressive forecheck. Which we did, but we have made pretty good strides against that lately. Every team we have played the last two months sent two men deep against us.
Also ASU had a set play where the goalie shot the puck down to the off side winger at the blue line during a change trying to catch us out and it worked one time too.
Certainly there are areas we need to do better at, but goaltending is so big in relation that it makes everything else small.

One thing the coach has mentioned over and over is the individualistic play hurting the team. You definitely saw it last night when some of the guys tried to overhandle and hang on to the puck too long. With an aggressive forecheck they get in trouble in a hurry if they don't move it. When the team was moving the puck quickly they looked very good. When they tried skating and dangling with it they didn't fare so well. Goes back to that buying to playing the right way the coach keeps talking about. I think the shortie was a result of such a play. As Dave Ellis says so often, the puck can move faster than you so move the puck. Certainly wouldn't have to skate nearly as hard and it is certainly much funner to watch.
This team can do it very well when they put their mind to it.

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[JohnsonsJerseys]

Re: Michigan Tech 2017-18 The Joe Shawhan Era Continues - Getting Better Everyday

So I'm back from attending the Ferris weekend in person... a few of my thoughts.

First, I think we should have just named this thread the off-season edition because this thread may last into 2019 considering the last one started in the preseason.

Friday game - A others have mentioned I believe Tech lost that game due to two soft goals by Munson (the first and the third). Even if you give up one of those a game that's really too many. And a second... well that just can't happen. When the goalie stares at he ceiling after the puck goes in, that's your clear indication it should have been stopped. There isn't enough scoring from Tech right now to allow two of those goals in one night. I too was shocked that Munson was back in net for the 3rd period on Friday. Makes me think Kero might have a minor injury. I agree that him getting a sweep last weekend and then finding the bench doesn't make much sense. Tech certainly could have won Friday night. The high point of the game was cashing in multiple times on the major penalty. That's what you have to do.

Ferris' rink felt like Houghton Co Arena. It's a tight little building and there was good attendance both nights (announced as sold out on Sat). The student section is pretty witty and they do their homework, which they put up on white boards behind the goal. They had prom photos of Huskies players, photos of Tech on road trip free days at the North Pole, and more written jabs that I could count. My favorite was "Hey Tech: Remember back when [previous coach] said he would stay..." I can't believe they didn't have a sign to hold up for home team goalie saves that read "SAVE FERRIS". Who knows maybe they beat that one to death in the 1990s.

Kinda strange that the visiting team has a lockerroom attached to the bench and Ferris has to walk 100 yards to get to theirs. Maybe the current visitors' facility used to be for the home team but they build something better remotely? Ferris also has some of the loudest, hardest glass I've ever seen. Frequently pucks shot over the goal came off the back glass so hard they ended up to the side of the net in front of the goal line. Very little give and that's got to be a long four years for Ferris players having to play there all the time.

I honestly thought Tech played BETTER Saturday night, but got zero breaks. Again gave up another bad goal which didn't help. I was again surprised to see Munson in net which only confirmed to me that Kero is not 100% physically. No reason to at least not being playing them as 1A / 1B at this point if all else was equal. Smith (Ferris goalie) is a pretty good puck handler (not at good as ASU's) and he frequently stopped the puck behind the net and rimmed it up the boards close to the blue line. It didn't start a break out ever time, but more often than not it did. The value of a puck handling goalie is huge for your D-men.

I too am sick of paired penalties when one is embellishment. In short one of the calls is wrong. If player #1 embellished, that means the only reason the ref made the other call is because the player "tricked" the ref into making the call. So if you think that's the case, then you don't make the first call and you just put the diving player in the box. If there is an actual infraction to be called, then it doesn't matter if the other player falls down or makes a scene. Don't hook, hold, trip, slash them and they won't do it. Calling both is the stupidest thing in hockey. It's one OR the other.

One thing Joe has harped on in the past was inconsistent officiating and that's what we had this weekend. At some points of the game ticky-tacky calls were being made. At other points, guys were slashing, whacking and grabbing and the whistles stayed silent. Either you're going to let them play all weekend and things will be more physical or you clamp down right out of the gate Friday night and you hold that standard. Honestly, it really shouldn't just be one weekend, but the league / season as a whole, but I would be happy to see a standard hold at least through a weekend with the same officials crew. I think about the only time the refs were doing the right thing was the end of the Saturday game where they just started sending pairs of players off as the play got really chippy at the end. On several occasions, Ferris D-men drove Tech forwards (who made very little attempt to stop) into the Ferris goalie. Of course the crowd went crazy there were no calls made, but I think no call was correct in those cases.

Overall, Tech was capable of taking six points from Ferris but they hurt themselves too many times. The missing players and soft goals did them in. If Tech were to have to come back in the playoffs and had a full roster, I would expect a VERY competitive series and a very reasonable potential for two Tech wins, even if it took three games.

Ryan