Utica College Pioneers 2014-2015: Bust. Let's try this again!

[sshablak]

Re: Utica College Pioneers 2014-2015: Bust. Let's try this again!

And it's great to see a sellout, two teams CAN exist in Utica.

[Fishman'81]

Re: Utica College Pioneers 2014-2015: Bust. Let's try this again!

So far it's been great. I was wrong about Vancouver bolting after a year or two. Having the Comets in town has been the best thing that happened to Utica since the inception of UC hockey. A real shot in the arm for the decrepit old burgh.

[sshablak]

Re: Utica College Pioneers 2014-2015: Bust. Let's try this again!

I haven't made it to a UC game this year so I have a few questions. Just as I thought they turned the corner going 5-1 with a loss to #5 Trinity 1-0, they get beat 9-0. Then allow two EAG in last two minutes for a tie the next night. What is going on with this team.

Last Q, fishman have laryngitis this year, I used to enjoy the banter here.

[Fishman'81]

Re: Utica College Pioneers 2014-2015: Bust. Let's try this again!

Shabby, I "watched" both NU games on the free feed (it's God-awful BTW, can't even see the puck), and the 9-0 speaks for itself... But Saturday's game was just another instance of this team failing to close-out a game.

Seen it a few times already this year: UC goes into a prevent-defense with the late lead, which works even worse in hockey than it does in football.

While it's human nature to attempt to preserve what you have, at least some of the blame for these collapses is on the coaching. The D won't pinch-in 6" to keep the puck in the attacking zone, which generally results in a shooting gallery in UC's end. Very frustrating to watch.

Still, I'm predicting a winning season, and a much better one next year.

[XCTiger]

Ran across an interview with assistant coach Eddie Olczyk and thought I'd share the link. From the article there is also a link to the "best atmospheres in DIII hockey". That should spark a little discussion.

http://thehockeywriters.com/pittsburgh-and-college-hockey-part-1-eddie-olczyk/

[bakdraft21]

Re: Utica College Pioneers 2014-2015: Bust. Let's try this again!

Ran across an interview with assistant coach Eddie Olczyk and thought I'd share the link. From the article there is also a link to the "best atmospheres in DIII hockey". That should spark a little discussion.

http://thehockeywriters.com/pittsbur...-eddie-olczyk/

nice article good share,I would think Olczyk would be a BIG help with recruiting,looks like Utica has a bunch already committed fro next yr as/collegecommittments.com

[Fishman'81]

Re: Utica College Pioneers 2014-2015: Bust. Let's try this again!

nice article good share,I would think Olczyk would be a BIG help with recruiting,looks like Utica has a bunch already committed fro next yr as/collegecommittments.com

Thanks for the link. A good read.

As far as The Aud being the #1 D-3 venue, I won't argue on the basis of the 20 or so D-3 barns that I've seen. The vast majority of them were nearly empty and what fans were there there seemed fairly apathetic. Having said that, I've never been to Oswego nor Norwich, both of which I'd assume to be "pits" for a rivalry-game. (I was at Platty for a near sell-out; it was as quiet as a morgue, but the students were off, so that impression doesn't count.)

Back to The Aud, though, the only true "sellouts" I ever remember there was when UC hosted playoff games (twice), and at those games there was an actual posterior in every seat... And both times, the people who were there had to go out of their way to buy tickets, so there was a great level of commitment and enthusiasm. Pretty much every other "sellout" there has featured up to 1000 empty corporate-bought seats, large blocks of which are reliably vacant week-in and week-out. I almost long for the early days of UC hockey, when 600 fans showed-up, and every one of them gave a sh#t.

[OSU2010]

Re: Utica College Pioneers 2014-2015: Bust. Let's try this again!

Thanks for the link. A good read.

As far as The Aud being the #1 D-3 venue, I won't argue on the basis of the 20 or so D-3 barns that I've seen. The vast majority of them were nearly empty and what fans were there there seemed fairly apathetic. Having said that, I've never been to Oswego nor Norwich, both of which I'd assume to be "pits" for a rivalry-game. (I was at Platty for a near sell-out; it was as quiet as a morgue, but the students were off, so that impression doesn't count.)

Back to The Aud, though, the only true "sellouts" I ever remember there was when UC hosted playoff games (twice), and at those games there was an actual posterior in every seat... And both times, the people who were there had to go out of their way to buy tickets, so there was a great level of commitment and enthusiasm. Pretty much every other "sellout" there has featured up to 1000 empty corporate-bought seats, large blocks of which are reliably vacant week-in and week-out. I almost long for the early days of UC hockey, when 600 fans showed-up, and every one of them gave a sh#t.

I've been to about a dozen D-III Venues, and I'd have to agree the Aud wasn't that great, there were alot of empty seats and alot of people seemed more interested in talking with each other than watching the game. Outside of Oswego which I'm biased towards I'd say the best rink to see a game at is the Ira in Geneso. The students get really into it and its a great atmosphere.

[Fishman'81]

Re: Utica College Pioneers 2014-2015: Bust. Let's try this again!

The Ira was a really great place to watch a game. The lighting was excellent, as were the sight-lines. The place was nearly empty on the night we were there, but (again) I think it was around some break in school.

[Fishman'81]

Re: Utica College Pioneers 2014-2015: Bust. Let's try this again!

Four W points- especially on the road - were great to get. Now all UC needs to do in the short term is to sweep Hobart at home.

I am certainly not predicting that, but it's possible... And if that happens, it'll keep the dream alive for another week.

[jcase]

Re: Utica College Pioneers 2014-2015: Bust. Let's try this again!

Four W points- especially on the road - were great to get. Now all UC needs to do in the short term is to sweep Hobart at home.

I am certainly not predicting that, but it's possible... And if that happens, it'll keep the dream alive for another week.

A home playoff game would be nice...

[Fishman'81]

Re: Utica College Pioneers 2014-2015: Bust. Let's try this again!

It's not beyond the realm of possibility that one or the other W team will get hot enough to garner a Pool C bid. Naz and Hobart obviously have the best shots at that, but UC might get a serious look if they keep playing at their recent pace (9-1-3), and win the tournament.

[Fishman'81]

Re: Utica College Pioneers 2014-2015: Bust. Let's try this again!

Excellent game tonight, despite the own-goal that ended it.


I figure that HC carried about 31 minutes of the contest to UC's 31 and change. I can't say that Utica was screwed, as much as I'd like to... Hobart deserved that narrow victory if anyone did. (And UC maybe caught a break on the reviewed goal; looked like a kick-in to me.)

I saw very few mental mistakes from either team; Idowu just losing his footing and allowing the breakaway was purely a physical error. The failure of Wells to hold the post on a seemingly harmless play in OT was the one glaring lapse in judgement I saw from either team.

Oh well, another near-miss. Need points tomorrow. I don't see UC finishing higher than 4th, but that works for me... Another home game to enjoy from this promising young team.

[jcase]

Re: Utica College Pioneers 2014-2015: Bust. Let's try this again!

Excellent game tonight, despite the own-goal that ended it.


I figure that HC carried about 31 minutes of the contest to UC's 31 and change. I can't say that Utica was screwed, as much as I'd like to... Hobart deserved that narrow victory if anyone did. (And UC maybe caught a break on the reviewed goal; looked like a kick-in to me.)

I saw very few mental mistakes from either team; Idowu just losing his footing and allowing the breakaway was purely a physical error. The failure of Wells to hold the post on a seemingly harmless play in OT was the one glaring lapse in judgement I saw from either team.

Oh well, another near-miss. Need points tomorrow. I don't see UC finishing higher than 4th, but that works for me... Another home game to enjoy from this promising young team.

Agree with all your comments. UC still has a great chance for 4th. Elmira, who comes to town for 2 next weekend, is currently in a tailspin so getting two points tonight would be huge. Noticed that Boby's been out (and Brissette in) since the Neumann debacle. Anyone know (or speculate) why?

[norm1909]

Re: Utica College Pioneers 2014-2015: Bust. Let's try this again!

Agree with all your comments. UC still has a great chance for 4th. Elmira, who comes to town for 2 next weekend, is currently in a tailspin so getting two points tonight would be huge. Noticed that Boby's been out (and Brissette in) since the Neumann debacle. Anyone know (or speculate) why?

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