BU 2021-22: Albie's Great Adventure

[defkit]

Also, is it me or does this new PA announcer seem to take forEVER to announce goals?

It's not just you. It's annoying. By the time they announce it, the excitement is gone. Announce it while the crowd is till fired up!

[Scarlet]

Kind of a sad state of affairs when I’m totally nervous and unsure even with a four goal lead. And yeah, just like that, two UMass goals in 26 seconds and now it’s 4-2.

[ericredaxe]

Commesso may have another game, or two before heading to China.

Duplessis is a good college goalie. Abel is also able. But Duplessis is expected to get the first call.



At least they started playing recordings of the pep band's music, instead of that truly awful music.

I would think they could find a recording of the Peter Gunn theme song to play when the team takes to the ice, instead of "Shipping Up to Boston."

I wonder how many people going to the games today even remember when Peter Gunn was the entry music?

[wysi]

I wonder how many people going to the games today even remember when Peter Gunn was the entry music?

They changed it? When I was still playing I used to skate out onto the ice for warmups playing Peter Gunn in my head.

[BU93]

They changed it? When I was still playing I used to skate out onto the ice for warmups playing Peter Gunn in my head.

I guess I didn’t realize it changed either! Of course I only see 1 or 2 home games in person a year since I graduated.

[BU93]

Kind of a sad state of affairs when I’m totally nervous and unsure even with a four goal lead. And yeah, just like that, two UMass goals in 26 seconds and now it’s 4-2.

I was feeling the exact same way. Nothing seems comfortable. After the way Commesso has played over 2 months, I wouldn’t have thought he would be beaten clean on a few. Breakaways, that’s a different story. He did make more than a few game savers throughout however. He was probably my player of the game to tell you the truth. UMass is a very good team, so it’s a great win. The season comeback is now for real with this win. Momentum is with us. Need to keep it up next weekend and then try to win the Beanpot back! Go BU!

[brassbonanza]

Didn't blow a 4-goal lead.

Let's hang a banner.

[Sean Pickett]

Kind of a sad state of affairs when I’m totally nervous and unsure even with a four goal lead. And yeah, just like that, two UMass goals in 26 seconds and now it’s 4-2.

Well, that happens in hockey games. I don't think BU played great after going up 4-0, but they played well enough to win.

I'm still working on the 2018-19 season stats (I'm halfway through the season), but so far I've identified 486 games (including tonight's BU game) from 2018-present in which a team took a 4-0 lead and they have gone 484-0-2. One of the ties was this season when Cornell lost a 4-1 lead, giving up 3 Clarkson extra attacker goals in the last 3 minutes of the game.

Sean

[defkit]

Usually it is the road team at a UMass game that takes a period to find their legs, but clearly in this game, it was the home team. Kudos to BU for making them pay by being aggressive and getting shots on goal to build up the lead. It was clearly needed as we saw BU looked gassed most of the third period.

Nice to see Phillips playing at another level. And of course to have Cockerill finding his game finally. Hope we get McCarthy back soon.

[Lemonade]

A win is a win in hockey East. I just listened to Albie’s post came and he stated “Commesso was throwing up between the fist and second periods with food poisoning”….and he played.

[Scarlet]

I honestly didn't fault Commesso on any of the goals. Well, maybe one. I thought he played pretty well. The fact that he played that well with food poisoning - good for him. And I do agree that a win is a win. Feeling better about it this morning. Not to take anything away from UMass (they are the defending national champs after all), but it's frustrating to not see them keep their foots on opposing teams' throats. When UMass scored twice in 26 seconds, it seemed BU forgot how to play. Momentum totally shifted and they looked scared. We should all be enjoying the fact that they beat the defending national champions in their own arena, chased their superb goalie out of the game, etc.

[Lemonade]

So what's the consensus more than halfway through the season? Is this team now "good"? Is Albie now good enough to keep? Granted injuries were a huge factor in the slow start to the season but you have to hand it to the team they have righted the ship and are getting wins.

[Rogie21]

I honestly didn't fault Commesso on any of the goals. Well, maybe one. I thought he played pretty well. The fact that he played that well with food poisoning - good for him. And I do agree that a win is a win.

Re-watched the four UMass goals on their highlight reel (and how bush league is it that the reel only shows UMass goals and hits on Terriers? Do any other schools do that?). First two were really good shots by their two most skilled forwards. Commesso was completely screened on the third--never saw it. And the fourth pin-balled off a UMass player, then off Gallagher and into the net.

Albie's mention of food poisoning recalls the 2018 NCAA regional when Oettinger was so good beating Cornell, then got food poisoning and wasn't nearly as sharp against Michigan.

[chickod]

So what's the consensus more than halfway through the season? Is this team now "good"? Is Albie now good enough to keep? Granted injuries were a huge factor in the slow start to the season but you have to hand it to the team they have righted the ship and are getting wins.

Disregarding for a moment these facts:
1. They almost blew a four-goal lead
2. The puzzling way (and even the announcers mentioned this) that they tend to play "to the competition" (and injuries and illness aside, they do)

This might have been the best they have looked in a while, particularly the power play. They were moving the puck AND moving themselves. No stationary "point to point" passes which makes them easier to defend. For a minute I thought I was watching the Bruins' power play with the movement, diagonal passes and one-timers (led by old friend Charlie McAvoy). When they are moving their feet like that, they are very tough to defend.

I can't make any comment on Albie - I don't know the man. I will say this...we should know by now that with the high draft picks (and didn't Zegras look good Monday night against the B's?) that it's going to take time to jell every year, because they are turning over their roster so extensively. That's just the way it is...the alternative is to be a "contender" but never have enough talent to win it all anyway, so that's sort of like "what's the point?" We really don't want to be a program that catches lighting in a bottle once every twenty years, do we?

[Lemonade]

Disregarding for a moment these facts:
1. They almost blew a four-goal lead
2. The puzzling way (and even the announcers mentioned this) that they tend to play "to the competition" (and injuries and illness aside, they do)

This might have been the best they have looked in a while, particularly the power play. They were moving the puck AND moving themselves. No stationary "point to point" passes which makes them easier to defend. For a minute I thought I was watching the Bruins' power play with the movement, diagonal passes and one-timers (led by old friend Charlie McAvoy). When they are moving their feet like that, they are very tough to defend.

I can't make any comment on Albie - I don't know the man. I will say this...we should know by now that with the high draft picks (and didn't Zegras look good Monday night against the B's?) that it's going to take time to jell every year, because they are turning over their roster so extensively. That's just the way it is...the alternative is to be a "contender" but never have enough talent to win it all anyway, so that's sort of like "what's the point?" We really don't want to be a program that catches lighting in a bottle once every twenty years, do we?

It certainly felt like that game was in question but UMass only got within 2 goals. A 4 goal lead isn't safe verse a team like Umass - they won the national championship for a reason. They never quit and are very well coached. What bothers me still is the lackadaisical effort in the D zone when they get penned in. They all just stand there and act like they are on the penalty kill rather than attacking the puck. This team also needs to improve its conditioning - it seems they lose gas in the 3rd period. That being said they are currently in 3rd in HE (they do have games in hand) but that's pretty solid from where they were.