Declaring Our Independence: UAH 2010-11, Part the First

[Back check]

Re: Declaring Our Independence: UAH 2010-11, Part the First

gfm is right i can't talk about any recruits not already announced or where the player/parent has mentioned it publically...that said i do know that the fact that uah is playing in front of scouts every night due to their schedule is getting noticed...opportunity to play earlier and be seen all appealing points...

I guess you are talking about pro scouts there to watch players (from other teams) already drafted?

I wonder if next year's schedule will be as strong as this year's.

[gfmorris]

Re: Declaring Our Independence: UAH 2010-11, Part the First

The players I've talked with would probably agree, but they're also a pretty realistic bunch and knew they got fed into the grinder to open this season. I sense some optimism still, at least in terms of the back half of the season, and that the team will learn a lot from this experience, even if it hurts now. It's just a rough way to learn. It's cliche, but the team is better than their record indicates.

They've been in many of the games, which is good.

GFM

[jyoung]

Re: Declaring Our Independence: UAH 2010-11, Part the First

I'm quite sure that the players expect this of themselves.

GFM

The players I've talked with would probably agree, but they're also a pretty realistic bunch and knew they got fed into the grinder to open this season. I sense some optimism still, at least in terms of the back half of the season, and that the team will learn a lot from this experience, even if it hurts now. It's just a rough way to learn. It's cliche, but the team is better than their record indicates.

[gfmorris]

Re: Declaring Our Independence: UAH 2010-11, Part the First

Geof's comment pretty well sums it up.

Well, yes, but ...

The thing that I can't help but think is that the schedule is good for the program's visibility, and necessary to be taken seriously, but extraordinarily tough from a hockey perspective. Where are the easy series? You can learn a lot in failure, and we've seen the guys the last three seasons come around to realizing what worked for them, to coming down to losing by one goal to a Frozen Four team. That said, UAH's teams have had a schedule where they regularly faced teams of roughly equal talent; now, they're playing Big 4 teams pretty much every weekend. Every weekend, literally: the break between the Providence home series and the RPI tournament was the first weekend off in seven weeks. There is little rest for the weary, with a trip to Cornell before four games against [s]MAAC[/s]AHA schools before Christmas.

I don't know what to expect this weekend, but I EXPECT at least three wins in the four RMU/MC games. Expect. If the guys pull those out, they'll be showing that they're learning from the coaches and from themselves, and that keeps them from going winless in 2011. Pick up wins against those teams and you get some confidence. Punch the Beavs in the nose for at least a split [better a sweep]. Go for a split or better against Merrimack in Nashville---better would be the goal, since a Nashville series will probably get some higher visibility. Going to CC and UNO consecutive weekends will be very hard, but with some confidence and momentum? Yeah, you have a puncher's chance, especially against CC. Then, finish strong against Ferris and show them that you know how to beat them on their ice, too.

I'm quite sure that the players expect this of themselves.

GFM

[tnlong]

Re: Declaring Our Independence: UAH 2010-11, Part the First

... From the sounds of things, the team played its best game of the year?

... But UConn's a bottom-half Atlantic Hockey squad ...

Geof's comment pretty well sums it up.

[gfmorris]

Re: Declaring Our Independence: UAH 2010-11, Part the First

I know I'm a Merrimack fan, but do any of the UAH fans know the promotional codes for the games in Nashville? Thanks for any help in advance.

'Mack fans are welcome! Sadly, I don't know.

GFM

[irishfan85]

Re: Declaring Our Independence: UAH 2010-11, Part the First

I know I'm a Merrimack fan, but do any of the UAH fans know the promotional codes for the games in Nashville? Thanks for any help in advance.

[gfmorris]

Re: Declaring Our Independence: UAH 2010-11, Part the First

Talbie got his second shutout, and didn't hurt himself this time.

GFM

[UAHStatman]

Re: Declaring Our Independence: UAH 2010-11, Part the First

6-2 UAH over UConn. I'll take it, happily so. Where's our offense been hiding? I wasn't even around the last time we put up 6 in a regular season game.... the last was Feb 1st, 2008 against Robert Morris. (I started attending UAH later that summer).

Heck, the last 5 goal offensive splurge from us came way back in January of 2009 against Niagara (Jan 31, 09) and Robert Morris (Jan 9, 09).

Anyone actually get to see the game?

Oh and I wish they'd call us either AL-Huntsville or Ala-Huntsville. Alab-Huntsville looks horrible.

I listened to the games via RPI's radio crew. Saturday's game was one of the more "refreshing" games I've heard in a long time. TWENTY shots on goal in the second period?! Nice.

[gfmorris]

Re: Declaring Our Independence: UAH 2010-11, Part the First

Pick your All-Decade Team! I'll accept entries here as well.

GFM

[Back check]

Re: Declaring Our Independence: UAH 2010-11, Part the First

Nice to hear about the win over UConn. From the sounds of things, the team played its best game of the year?

[jyoung]

Re: Declaring Our Independence: UAH 2010-11, Part the First

Seabass took another *********g CTH major. At this rate Shane Stewart is going to be long forgotten. He has to have shattered the season record for major penalties, and has to be coming in on the season PIM mark before the halfway point in the season. I'm beyond done. This team needs to roll four lines to be fresh enough to grind out a 60-minute game, and when they're down to 11 forwards just 6:35 into the game, ...

Don't get me wrong. I love Seabass's intensity. I love that he brings energy every time he hits the ice. I love that he chirps and get in other teams' heads. I do not love that he hasn't figured out that the refs Really Do Give a Crap About Contact to the Head this year and adjust his game accordingly. He's better than this but just flat-out isn't playing like it.

Glad Ruffles broke out and had a good game. I hadn't been terribly impressed this season. I'm hoping that it's the start of something good for him, because he was arguably the best center at the end of last year [him or Cees, take your pick].

I'm certainly not going to disagree with you on your assessment, though I think I'd vote for Cees personally on best center last spring but you're right in that it's close.

The record for the team in PIMs is 186 in a season by Stewart, who had a record 467 in his career with the Chargers. He averaged 4.11 PIM per game, well ahead of just about anyone else in the top 10.

Seabass is at 89 as of today with more than half the schedule remaining. He had just 18 PIM last year in 23 games, meaning his current rate is 2.97 per game, still good enough for a likely top 10 finish in all time PIM at UAH. But if he keeps up at this blazing pace (6.85 per game) for 2010-2011 onward he will give Stewart a run for the record by his Senior year. I don't exactly relish that idea. Here's the breakdown:

10/07/10 - Ferris State
5-Min Major - Contact to the Head
10-Min - Misconduct

10/08/10 - Ferris State
2-Min Minor - Unsportsmanlike Conduct

10/15/10 @ Wisconsin
5-Min Major - Contact to the Head
10-Min - Game Misconduct

10/17/10 @ Wisconsin
No Penalties

10/22/10 @ Bowling Green
2-Min Minor - Hooking

10/23/10 @ Bowling Green
No Penalties

10/29/10 @ Michigan State
2-Min Minor - Tripping
2-Min Minor - Charging

10/30/10 @ Michigan State
2-Min Minor - Charging
5-Min Major - Charging

11/05/10 @ Ohio State
2-Min Minor - Hooking
10-Min - Misconduct

11/06/10 @ Ohio State
No Penalties

11/12/10 - Providence
2-Min Minor - Charging
5-Min Major - Checking from Behind
10-Min - Game Misconduct

11/13/10 - Providence
Player Suspended.

11/26/10 vs. Bowling Green
No Penalties

11/27/10 vs. Connecticut
5-Min Major - Contact to the Head
10-Min - Game Misconduct

Summary:
7 2-min minor penalties
5 5-min major penalties
5 10-min misconducts/game misconducts

The occasional infraction happens, and I can forgive most 2 minute things in a player (more easily if the PK does it's job), though I've never had much truck with getting Unsportsmanlike Conduct penalties. But it's the nearly every other game majors and misconducts that are absolutely unacceptable. We're not even talking fighting majors here, we're talking about hits to the head and other plays that have been the subject of a lot of open debate in the NCAA (as well as the NHL, AHL, and other leagues). The refs have been told to call it, and for the most part they've been right to do so. You can't play with that disregard for the rules or the other players anymore, and even though we're fond of him and the energy he brings, I can't in good conscious support seeing him on the ice unless he can show that he's learned to control his hits. It's not good for the team when he gets tossed, as then they've all got to work harder, and it's not good for the program to be known as goons. When the next most penalized players have just 24 minutes halfway through the season, less than 1/3rd of the leader, you must put your foot down. Heck, the rest of the team COMBINED has only 196 PIM, and 48 of those belong to deBruyn and Desmet (24 each). Of those other 94 penalties, only one of those (Desmet's Misconduct @ OSU) is a major or misconduct penalty.

[gfmorris]

Re: Declaring Our Independence: UAH 2010-11, Part the First

If you look at the box, Lou busted up everything. Even Cseter and Desmet were split up for the first time in their UAH career.

Seabass took another *********g CTH major. At this rate Shane Stewart is going to be long forgotten. He has to have shattered the season record for major penalties, and has to be coming in on the season PIM mark before the halfway point in the season. I'm beyond done. This team needs to roll four lines to be fresh enough to grind out a 60-minute game, and when they're down to 11 forwards just 6:35 into the game, ...

Don't get me wrong. I love Seabass's intensity. I love that he brings energy every time he hits the ice. I love that he chirps and get in other teams' heads. I do not love that he hasn't figured out that the refs Really Do Give a Crap About Contact to the Head this year and adjust his game accordingly. He's better than this but just flat-out isn't playing like it.

Glad Ruffles broke out and had a good game. I hadn't been terribly impressed this season. I'm hoping that it's the start of something good for him, because he was arguably the best center at the end of last year [him or Cees, take your pick].

I'm glad for a good 60-minute effort. The guys needed it. But UConn's a bottom-half Atlantic Hockey squad, and they go to Lynah next weekend, one of the toughest places to play in all of college hockey. Cornell seems to be having a down year, but it's their barn. UAH is the only team to play consecutive nights at Cornell this season.

GFM

[jyoung]

Re: Declaring Our Independence: UAH 2010-11, Part the First

6-2 UAH over UConn. I'll take it, happily so. Where's our offense been hiding? I wasn't even around the last time we put up 6 in a regular season game.... the last was Feb 1st, 2008 against Robert Morris. (I started attending UAH later that summer).

Heck, the last 5 goal offensive splurge from us came way back in January of 2009 against Niagara (Jan 31, 09) and Robert Morris (Jan 9, 09).

Anyone actually get to see the game?

Oh and I wish they'd call us either AL-Huntsville or Ala-Huntsville. Alab-Huntsville looks horrible.

[BigBlue2Ba]

Re: Declaring Our Independence: UAH 2010-11, Part the First

If you're sitting on the fence about attending in Nashville, until 5 PM today tix are half price through the Predators website...

http://predators.nhl.com/club/page.h...rom=SPLASH_FRI

You can get tickets on the 200 level for $4.75 (plus the ticketmaster fees)

D