BU: '22-'23 Season: Sail The Boats

[Thiessen'sBetter]

I think NU has best shot if they make it due to Levi and I see them as a more physical team

This is the most inconsistent HE year I can remember. At different times BU, NU, UConn, PC, BC, Lowell and Merrimack have all looked like legit NCAA tournament teams at the minimum and at other times they've each looked awful. Even UNH and Maine have played real well recently. The league tournament is going to be fun and crazy and will likely have an unlikely winner.

With NU off, watched most of that game tonight. Agreed with whoever brought up the comparison to after the Beanpot last year...they look indifferent and unengaged. Difference is, you have a real smart and good coach now.

[J.D.]

Before the mini slump BU was looking like a sure thing for #1 seed in Manchester. Now it's down to a 2 seed but could end up in Bridgeport with QU and maybe Harvard. But when you lose hold of a 1 seed it just becomes a little more volatile in terms of where you end up playing.

[mookie1995]

You think how they finished last year after the Beanpot this year it started at the Beanpot. Will see if Pandolfo can do anything about it

Albie Pandolfo was supposed to change all of that!!!

[chickod]

Need a win, and it's going to probably have to come with shutdown defense. Their first goal was a good shot, but the guy just walked in to a great shooting position with no one aware of him. Those things need to stop.

Yeah, well, we don't HAVE a shutdown defense. Remember how everyone bragged about how well we "activate" the defenseman? How they get into the play and help to generate offense? It's gonna be tough to change DNA overnight. Merrimack got behind the defense all night long. They could have had six goals. This is a free-wheeling team and they really can't come from behind. They score when they have the lead because other teams have to take chances, and that just plays into their skillset. But when we HAVE to score and the other team can stay back and just clog up the game, we really haven't shown that ability.

[chickod]

Before the mini slump BU was looking like a sure thing for #1 seed in Manchester. Now it's down to a 2 seed but could end up in Bridgeport with QU and maybe Harvard. But when you lose hold of a 1 seed it just becomes a little more volatile in terms of where you end up playing.

The way they're playing right now they could be in the Mars regional and it wouldn't matter. I don't care about the seed...let's just win a game. Small steps.

[defkit]

- Similar to the Bruins, it was likely that they would hit a rough patch at some point. Needless to say, though, the coaches (and captains) need to figure out how to right the ship.
- I don't know if the dimensions at Merrimack are smaller, but they sure seem like it. Which requires that the team be able to maintain possession with a Warrior in their face most of the time, which they struggled to do. As someone posted earlier, when they are up against older, physical teams, they struggle. We have forwards that will play the physical game (Tuch, Peterson, Skoog), but a lot of guys that generally don't.
- Having only 5 "somewhat" reliable d-men is hurting them - it is hard for Fensore to get his wheels going or Hutson to be able to do hi "juking" when they are playing as many minutes as they are. I'm a little surprised that Jarman has played 3 straight games, given the other options for the #6 slot.
- L. Hutson had a tough game. As noted above, he seems be losing the "juking" advantage - I think teams are figuring out how to defend it better. He also took the wrong guy on the play that led to the third MC goal. And then with the Commesso pulled, he literally gave the puck to MC twice.
- A couple freshmen have hit a wall - Q Hutson and Kaplan. They need to find that next gear.
- These three losses have all been away from Agganis. Hopefully getting back on home ice gets them a W and the confidence to win 3 of the last 4 on the schedule (at least).

[Bomber]

- Similar to the Bruins, it was likely that they would hit a rough patch at some point. Needless to say, though, the coaches (and captains) need to figure out how to right the ship.
- I don't know if the dimensions at Merrimack are smaller, but they sure seem like it. Which requires that the team be able to maintain possession with a Warrior in their face most of the time, which they struggled to do. As someone posted earlier, when they are up against older, physical teams, they struggle. We have forwards that will play the physical game (Tuch, Peterson, Skoog), but a lot of guys that generally don't.
- Having only 5 "somewhat" reliable d-men is hurting them - it is hard for Fensore to get his wheels going or Hutson to be able to do hi "juking" when they are playing as many minutes as they are. I'm a little surprised that Jarman has played 3 straight games, given the other options for the #6 slot.
- L. Hutson had a tough game. As noted above, he seems be losing the "juking" advantage - I think teams are figuring out how to defend it better. He also took the wrong guy on the play that led to the third MC goal. And then with the Commesso pulled, he literally gave the puck to MC twice.
- A couple freshmen have hit a wall - Q Hutson and Kaplan. They need to find that next gear.
- These three losses have all been away from Agganis. Hopefully getting back on home ice gets them a W and the confidence to win 3 of the last 4 on the schedule (at least).

Get outta here with this level-headed analysis. THE SKY IS FALLING! IT'S OVER!! THEY SUCK WORSE THAN STONEHILL!! FIRE JAY!!

: )

BU Hockey: Turn into the Skid And Drift to Victory

[J.D.]

The way they're playing right now they could be in the Mars regional and it wouldn't matter. I don't care about the seed...let's just win a game. Small steps.

I'm not sure it will matter much in the end. I remember watching Michigan-Minnesota a few weeks back and thinking "wow".

When is last time Hockey East had one team in tournament? Probably back in the 12 team format? Sean?

[chickod]

I remember watching Michigan-Minnesota a few weeks back and thinking "wow".

Well, we beat Michigan early in the year (2nd game...not the 1st one where they had a FIVE MINUTE 5 on 3), so it's not a matter of they're at "such a high level" that we can't compete with them. My point was that we couldn't beat Matignon playing the way we have played recently (and I won't even say "since the Beanpot" - more like before that). The really troubling realization is that I'm not sure we will be able to change our style of play, so in that sense, there are probably other Hockey East teams that would match up better.

But yeah, it's starting to remind me of the early years, when the Western teams just beat the crap out of the Eastern teams. And remember too, they HAVE won 53 out of the 74 NCAA Championships. Including 12 in a row from 1955-66. The longest dearth between wins for a Western school is 4 years (BC - 2012, Yale - 2013, Union - 2014 and Providence - 2015 [which would have been even if they had lost because they played BU in an all-Hockey East final]).

[chickod]

When is last time Hockey East had one team in tournament? Probably back in the 12 team format? Sean?

Never

[brassbonanza]

The rink at Lawler is absolutely below regulation, it's 200x80 with shallow corners.

[BU93]

Northeastern deserves to make the tournament, but it could be tough. We’re in, and if we win the HE tournament, it may only be us, although that seems unlikely at this point. So probably us and whoever wins the HE tournament (although I don’t put it past this team to catch some fire and win the thing). I would like to see us win our 2 remaining home games and sweep Vermont on the road heading into the postseason. Depending if we can right the ship, the road game at Providence to end the season could be a tough ask. I also see us staying East no matter what since it will only be about 4 or 5 eastern teams in.

[Jofa]

Well, we beat Michigan early in the year (2nd game...not the 1st one where they had a FIVE MINUTE 5 on 3), so it's not a matter of they're at "such a high level" that we can't compete with them. My point was that we couldn't beat Matignon playing the way we have played recently (and I won't even say "since the Beanpot" - more like before that

I don’t know if the Matignon reference is because you think that they are still a HS power (they haven’t been for 20 yrs) or that you know they are 0-16 this year.

[J.D.]

Bernie has seen enough hockey where he should know officials aren't looking to call that play too many men on the ice

[RossiRules]

Bernie has seen enough hockey where he should know officials aren't looking to call that play too many men on the ice

Exactly that's a marginal call and its never called. Refs might remember this action down the road and Jay should likely not have had this reviewed. However I do not remember a season with only one HE team in since 1984. That said, looking at the schedule...this is likely the year. NU did itself in losing to 3 really bad teams. That's why scheduling is so important if you schedule a patsey. Understanding that win or a tie might not be as good as a one goal loss against a top 10 team and thus you have the issue with the pairwise itself. The tournament should move to a world cup format with the more competitive conferences each receiving a certain number of auto bids.