Michigan Hockey 22-23, new coach, new players, new era

[MichVandal]

At the 10 minute mark in the 2nd, I looked at the scoreboard and could not believe Portillo had 36 saves halfway throrgh the game and we were losing.

Before that I had noticed a shot on goal total of 35-7. Portillo didn't stand a chance. I hope to see better puck control tonight

I almost expected Erik to be pulled. Not because he had a bad night, but to make a point to the team that they needed to play better.

[wolverineTrumpet]

At the 10 minute mark in the 2nd, I looked at the scoreboard and could not believe Portillo had 36 saves halfway throrgh the game and we were losing.

Before that I had noticed a shot on goal total of 35-7. Portillo didn't stand a chance. I hope to see better puck control tonight

[Hockeybuckeye]

Not trying to pick a scab but you guys should never have gotten rid of Mel.

[Maznblu]

What was that tonight? Just no effort at all. I think I've seen enough of Brandon Naurato. Decide which of the best college coaches is a good fit, then throw the checkbook at him.

[Hockeybuckeye]

The parasite is adorable and starting to catch on to some of the hockey cheers. I think she'll have the Blues Brothers dance down by the end of the season.
Sorry to hear of your Covid struggle, glad you are recovering.
Have fun at the women's game with the grandkids.

When will you starting her skating?
I was skating at 3 and my granddaughter is 4 and taking skating lessons. I got her hockey gloves and a nich stuck for Christmas. Instilling a love and appreciation for hockey in them at an early age will give them a lifetime of enjoyment. With yours learning the cheers and dance it sounds like you have her on the right path. When they still play that one Big Ten commercial with the pictures of the little girl at Yost it's one of my favorite parts.

[Lost_Husky]

Any reasonable person understood that he was going to return to AA when that job opened. I love Houghton with all my heart but realize what his wife sacrificed leaving AA for those years. I appreciate what he did for the program there. It had been a long time in the wilderness. My freshman year was the last year MacInnes coached so that goes back awhile.

Everyone knew he was going back to AA and was waiting for Red to retire. For me and my Tech fan friends, we understood why he left, it was how he left. The end of Mel's time at Tech felt more "Nick Sabin" than most other coaches who leave and go to that next tier team. Again it was a perception issue that would have been overlooked/forgotten about.

We wanted to like Mel. We wanted to cheer for him, even at Michigan (when he wasn't playing Tech) and see at him as the 2nd best coach in Tech's history. He was a Tech alumni after all. It would have happened if he had an ounce of grace/class. Now as MichVandal said he is relegated to pictures and stats.

[wolverineTrumpet]

Thanks go much for the offer but I've made plans to take my grandkids to OSU's women's hockey game (while streaming the Michigan game on my phone at the same time.)
Also having a bad week that the drive up would be challenging at the moment. Two months in a coma on a ventilator from Covid takes a lot out of you.
But wow, I can't believe the parasite is 3 now. I'll bet she's cute as the dickens!

The parasite is adorable and starting to catch on to some of the hockey cheers. I think she'll have the Blues Brothers dance down by the end of the season.
Sorry to hear of your Covid struggle, glad you are recovering.
Have fun at the women's game with the grandkids.

[Hockeybuckeye]

Are you looking for just 1 ticket? I have an extra ticket for most games (including both this weekend). It can be yours if you want it.

The parasite is 3 now.

Thanks go much for the offer but I've made plans to take my grandkids to OSU's women's hockey game (while streaming the Michigan game on my phone at the same time.)
Also having a bad week that the drive up would be challenging at the moment. Two months in a coma on a ventilator from Covid takes a lot out of you.
But wow, I can't believe the parasite is 3 now. I'll bet she's cute as the dickens!

[MichVandal]

I really do believe if Mel had no connections to Tech, he would be perceived as some big name/hot shot coach who thinks he is better than Tech. For Tech fans that is no big deal. The issue, that coach had multiple ties to Tech and should have known/behaved better.

That's something I certainly don't understand. When Mel started- it looked like we would have a home-home every other year with Tech, and everyone I knew loved that idea- although, I would also like to see all of the state's hockey programs. Still, hating our coach while seeing both teams play each other sure looked like a very possible path that was sustainable.

But for some reasons, that started fraying at the ends of the ropes. Given how it all played out, perhaps he was getting exposed from Houghton and was mad it was catching up here. Dunno. And I'm not all that interested in knowing the details- I'm more bummed that Manuel took so long to let him go than anything else. Maybe that turns out in the long run with Coach Naurato- but it was a huge risk to take instead of using the off season to find a coach.

But it's over, and he's not part of either program. Just pictures and stat books.

[model94]

From what I gathered, how Tech played in the NCAA (got blitzed by Denver), the way he left Tech, immediately called Michigan his "Dream Job," left the recruiting pipeline in a mess, and was perceived to have poached top talent from said pipeline,... All that, rightly or wrongly, was not perceived well in Houghton and taken as 'I couldn't wait to get out of there and I want to take all my good toys with me.' IMO, that feeling stemmed from him being a Tech alumni and the perception/feeling that he should be honorable/respectful towards Tech. Right or wrong, that was the belief.

IMO, I know there were some hurt Tech fans when Mel left for Michigan and that would have died down in almost no time, but it seemed like every year there was something that U of M hockey/Mel did to Tech hockey that made Tech fans really really not like him/them. Fair or not, that is/was the perception. As they say, perception is reality.

Michigan was scheduled to come to Houghton during the Covid year (Tech's 100th year anniversary). Tech tried to reschedule and the word was Michigan (Mel) had no interest in playing hockey in Houghton. Again that was taken as a slight. Red was perceived to have been easier to work with/more honorable than a former Tech hockey coach and alumni. Perception not good.

Then all the GLI stuff happened. To MTU alumni/Tech fans that is considered the biggest hockey event of the season. To have a "co-host"/former Tech coach and alumni who knows the importance of that event to Tech and to do all that... Again, perception really not good, especially when MSU is/was considered reasonable to work with. (I understand why U of M wanted out and I don't blame them with the way World Juniors falls/PW is set up. It could have been handled in a much more responsible way.)

When the U of M investigation was ongoing, Tech fans saw that as a just rewards. For someone who could have been treated as the second best/influential hockey coach in Tech's history. Now he will be a footnote.

I really do believe if Mel had no connections to Tech, he would be perceived as some big name/hot shot coach who thinks he is better than Tech. For Tech fans that is no big deal. The issue, that coach had multiple ties to Tech and should have known/behaved better.

Any reasonable person understood that he was going to return to AA when that job opened. I love Houghton with all my heart but realize what his wife sacrificed leaving AA for those years. I appreciate what he did for the program there. It had been a long time in the wilderness. My freshman year was the last year MacInnes coached so that goes back awhile.

[model94]

Maybe you can clear up why there's so much hate toward Mel. He really brought back Tech's program, which seems to be a good thing. And I don't know of anyone down here hating him (other than the people that he abused)- mostly we are sad and disappointed in what happened. Just like most are bummed about the GLI, but accept what happened.

I don't get that either.

[Lost_Husky]

Maybe you can clear up why there's so much hate toward Mel. He really brought back Tech's program, which seems to be a good thing. And I don't know of anyone down here hating him (other than the people that he abused)- mostly we are sad and disappointed in what happened. Just like most are bummed about the GLI, but accept what happened.

From what I gathered, how Tech played in the NCAA (got blitzed by Denver), the way he left Tech, immediately called Michigan his "Dream Job," left the recruiting pipeline in a mess, and was perceived to have poached top talent from said pipeline,... All that, rightly or wrongly, was not perceived well in Houghton and taken as 'I couldn't wait to get out of there and I want to take all my good toys with me.' IMO, that feeling stemmed from him being a Tech alumni and the perception/feeling that he should be honorable/respectful towards Tech. Right or wrong, that was the belief.

IMO, I know there were some hurt Tech fans when Mel left for Michigan and that would have died down in almost no time, but it seemed like every year there was something that U of M hockey/Mel did to Tech hockey that made Tech fans really really not like him/them. Fair or not, that is/was the perception. As they say, perception is reality.

Michigan was scheduled to come to Houghton during the Covid year (Tech's 100th year anniversary). Tech tried to reschedule and the word was Michigan (Mel) had no interest in playing hockey in Houghton. Again that was taken as a slight. Red was perceived to have been easier to work with/more honorable than a former Tech hockey coach and alumni. Perception not good.

Then all the GLI stuff happened. To MTU alumni/Tech fans that is considered the biggest hockey event of the season. To have a "co-host"/former Tech coach and alumni who knows the importance of that event to Tech and to do all that... Again, perception really not good, especially when MSU is/was considered reasonable to work with. (I understand why U of M wanted out and I don't blame them with the way World Juniors falls/PW is set up. It could have been handled in a much more responsible way.)

When the U of M investigation was ongoing, Tech fans saw that as a just rewards. For someone who could have been treated as the second best/influential hockey coach in Tech's history. Now he will be a footnote.

I really do believe if Mel had no connections to Tech, he would be perceived as some big name/hot shot coach who thinks he is better than Tech. For Tech fans that is no big deal. The issue, that coach had multiple ties to Tech and should have known/behaved better.

[wolverineTrumpet]

Wish I could be there for the games. I'd like to see WT and the parasites. I was online the moments tickets went on sale and only a few scattered seats were available for both games.

Are you looking for just 1 ticket? I have an extra ticket for most games (including both this weekend). It can be yours if you want it.

The parasite is 3 now.

[Hockeybuckeye]

Wish I could be there for the games. I'd like to see WT and the parasites. I was online the moments tickets went on sale and only a few scattered seats were available for both games.

[MichVandal]

vandal, thanks for the heads up about weekend game timing. I miss 7:30 starts. For those of us that commute, it is hard to get to a game by 6:30. I tend to leave work early on Fridays, but my husband can't. He usually gets home around 6, to then drive to Yost and find parking..ugh. 7 pm starts we get there during the banner or at puck drop and that's with hurrying and no time for dinner.

Maybe we will see you this weekend! It's been a short while...