Union College Dutchmen Hockey 2010-11: There's one way and that's to Atlantic City!

[TheValleyRaider]

Re: Union College Dutchmen Hockey 2010-11: There's one way and that's to Atlantic Cit

What a series. Union is a really good team

Pulling for you guys to get in the Tourny and make a big run. Good luck

[AnthonySaxe]

Re: Union College Dutchmen Hockey 2010-11: There's one way and that's to Atlantic Cit

Monumentally disappointing. We didn't deserve to win. We didn't play well, we were out-chanced, out-skated, and out-worked. That was not the Union team I saw all year.

[CU13]

Re: Union College Dutchmen Hockey 2010-11: There's one way and that's to Atlantic Cit

Congrats to Union on a great season and hopefully a successful post-season. It was a great three game series! Believe me, us Colgate fans are as surprised as you and the RPI fans. And we are beside ourselves with pride. Our boys played well.

[rdf8585]

Re: Union College Dutchmen Hockey 2010-11: There's one way and that's to Atlantic Cit

Refs were awful tonight. Didn't think they were too bad Friday or Saturday, but tonight they were horrendous. A lot of bad calls, missed calls. Union having 14 penalties is hard to believe. Colgate only had 6.

[UnionHockeyManiac]

Re: Union College Dutchmen Hockey 2010-11: There's one way and that's to Atlantic Cit

Words cannot express how I feel right now so I won't even bother. However, Priceless just posted this in the pairwise thread so this is making me feel just a little better:

A quick look can only get them down to T10. It looks like, win or lose tonight, they are in.

6) Yale, North Dakota, BC, Michigan, Miami, Denver, UMD, Union, Merrimack and Notre Dame have clinched.

Still though...I feel like I just got the wind knocked out of me with Union's loss tonight though. It's ****ing devastating. I also have no way of getting out of the house I rented in AC this coming weekend. That's ****ing depressing. I'm probably going to lose all of my money now that I'm not going to any hockey games down there.

[MarkEagleUSA]

Re: Union College Dutchmen Hockey 2010-11: There's one way and that's to Atlantic Cit

You may have lost the battle but it looks like the war's not over yet. Congrats a on great season and good luck in the tourney.

[cornellgradyalefan]

Re: Union College Dutchmen Hockey 2010-11: There's one way and that's to Atlantic Cit

I really feel for you guys. It's similar to what happened to Yale last year when they lost to Brown in the quarters. But Yale came back to have a great NCAA run, and you can too. Keep your chins up. You will be playing in 2 weeks.

[rdf8585]

Re: Union College Dutchmen Hockey 2010-11: There's one way and that's to Atlantic Cit

Union had nothing left in OT, but it never should have got that far to begin with. To lose these last two games on home ice, in the way they did and after the season they had, is something people will be talking about for years and years down there. Barring a deep NCAA run, these last two losses will leave a permanent taint on an otherwise outstanding year.

[Marmot]

Re: Union College Dutchmen Hockey 2010-11: There's one way and that's to Atlantic Cit

Still hockey left for you guys. Irrespective of the results of this weekend's series, consider (1) the overall quality of your program right now and (2) the fact that you are going to the NCAA Tournament!

[OsecnUC]

Re: Union College Dutchmen Hockey 2010-11: There's one way and that's to Atlantic Cit

Refs were awful tonight. Didn't think they were too bad Friday or Saturday, but tonight they were horrendous. A lot of bad calls, missed calls. Union having 14 penalties is hard to believe. Colgate only had 6.

Stop! Don't stoop to the level of complaining about officiating.

U couldn't get it done, at home. We lost, Colgate goes to AC, end of story. When you are the #1 seed in the tourny you are supposed to be able to overcome whatever is thrown your way. You have a bye, home advantage, play the "weakest" opponent (record-wise)... If a few calls don't go your way, you should be talented enough to overcome and win.

U was out played...again. 'nough said.

I'm ticked and this is not going to sit well.

[ADK11]

Re: Union College Dutchmen Hockey 2010-11: There's one way and that's to Atlantic Cit

Well we have a new nomination for the most heartbreaking loss in Union history . I thought the 5 OT losses, Ben Barr etc. were as bad as it could get, but with the expectations higher this feels even worse.

This series came down to momentum and confidence. Union had it all for the first 4 periods and it sure looked like Gate was seriously doubting that they could even compete. But it all seemed to change in the 2nd period last night when the Raiders started hitting more and playing harder and U mysteriously started to look tentative and lost their mojo. You could see Gate getting more confident and Union less confident as each period went by. Tonight was one of those games where as a Union fan you just kept waiting for the shoe to drop. The longer Colgate kept it close the more confident they got and the more pressure built up on Union. Tonight's game was way to wide open and Gate was able to get all kinds of speed through the neutral zone. The reffing and the ice didn't help, but as OsecnUC said, a good team should be able to overcome things like that playing at home. A very tough way for the seniors to end their Union careers at Messa.. now all we can do is scoreboard watch and see if/where U ends up in 2 weeks.

[Red Cloud]

Re: Union College Dutchmen Hockey 2010-11: There's one way and that's to Atlantic Cit

now all we can do is scoreboard watch and see if/where U ends up in 2 weeks.

No ifs. You're in the tournament.

[rdf8585]

Re: Union College Dutchmen Hockey 2010-11: There's one way and that's to Atlantic Cit

Also depressing that now there's no more Union games down there for 7 months.... a world away right now. There's little to miss about winter, but these games are one of them.

[rdf8585]

Re: Union College Dutchmen Hockey 2010-11: There's one way and that's to Atlantic Cit

Ken Schott's postgame videos: https://www.dailygazette.com/weblogs...stgame-videos/

............

McGuire: A playoff loss, but not yet a lost season

Well now, everything dies, baby, that’s a fact
But maybe everything that dies someday comes back — “Atlantic City,” Bruce Springsteen

SCHENECTADY – That would be Atlantic City, as in where the Union hockey team will not be going for the ECAC Championships.

But while Union’s ECAC Tournament title hopes are over, its season in all likelihood is not.

This loss to Colgate just feels like death.

More @ http://blog.timesunion.com/hockey/a-...t-season/8236/

..............

FOX23 Report: http://www.clipsyndicate.com/video/p...deos&wpid=9616

[BaggySweater88]

Re: Union College Dutchmen Hockey 2010-11: There's one way and that's to Atlantic Cit

I don't often comment on these, but I awoke with some nasty heartburn and this series on my mind - and I guess you have to try to remember some positives, and hopefully I can get this stuff out of my head on to "paper".

The ECAC is top to bottom the toughest conference in college hockey. 10, 11, and 12the place all won their first round series. Last year Brown had the big upset, this year Colgate gets two. Colgate, as most everyone knows, is probably the best 12th place team the league has ever seen. They finished what, 4th last year - Brought back most of that team, have 6-7 NHL draft picks in their lineup, and are extremely well coached. I saw that Wagner kid on Friday and he looks very good, and I think Mihalik played lights-out for them. Smith and Day are obvious talents too.

I wasn't able to make tonight's game, but listened to the radio feed amd while I think Union was the more talented and deeper team, what can you say? Colgate played with nothing to lose, they played to win. Union sounded tentative, like they were playing not to lose at times, they just didn't sound as aggressive as I've seen them be this year. Pressure can be a tough thing, especially with a young team. It's incredibly disappointing, having the lead in the third period both games and not being able to finish them off. But again, give credit to that resilient Colgate squad. If they had rolled over in game two, I think their program and fans would have felt OK knowing they pulled off one first round upset, and would have been looking forward to next year with some of their young talent coming back. But they did more then that, they refused to give up or give in. And got some bounces which never hurts.

Speaking of which, anyone who was there, what happened on that game tying goal? The radio guys didn't seem to really know - shot from a sharp angle, then poof, into the net. Bad bounce? Bad play by Keith? Good deflection? Speaking of Keith, seems like a lot of talk about him going pro, anyone have any more information on that? Would be disappointing to lose him.

And the officiating - how bad was it? But regardless, Colgate found a way to neutralize the top power play. Don't go to the box. And they only went a couple times tonight (and last night). Radio guys were especially critical off the call that happened just before 'Gates third goal. But when you lead in the third period both games and can't get it done, you obviously can't lay all the blame on the officials.

Time to look for the silver lining - In years past, this would be it, season over, but because of the amazing year the team has had, they will live to fight another day in their first ever NCAA tournament game. Every team except for one ends their season disappointed somehow, and the positive here is that even though they had a tough and disappointing loss, they've got another new challenge ahead of them. Who knows, maybe another week of rest will help the guys rest and refocus, and they can make some noise on he national scene. The ECAC tournament is a doozy, long road trip, playing tough opponents in single elimination games - Almost a crapshoot at times. You play that tournament mostly to get that automatic bid, and Union doesn't need that this year. It's pretty fun how quickly this program has risen and gotten stronger and the expectations that are suddenly there. A few years ago we were thinking we'd never win a playoff series. Now we're expecting championships. And we're going to play in the NCAA tournament. A pipe dream not all that long ago.

Sports are so weird, so many things have to converge and go right, and so many things can go wrong. First round results, where teams end up in the standings, a odd call or fluke goal here or there - So much work and prep can be effected by so many factors, so many uncontrollable things... and you end up where we are tonight.

So it's disappointing obviously, but quite literally not the end of the season - and who knows, might even help them in a roundabout way. And we've never been able to say that before. Tip of the cap to the Raiders for a fantastic run. Looking forward to seeing where Union will be in two weeks, any chance they'll still be in the East? Would be awesome to go see that game.

And oh yea, a big tip of the cap to the Union College Dutchmen. I know this loss is going to sting, but it doesn't erase the season you've had - And you'll have a chance to show it in a couple weeks. What a year for the team and for the fans, and how awesome that it's going to continue - even with this little hiccup.

Alright, let's see if those Tums have kicked in...