I really can't see them doing better than an away hockey east tourney showing and not advancing. Same ole
I'm more optimistic than most, but it depends on their opponent how they will do. If they can also somehow finagle home ice out of their long homestand against the basement of Hockey East, that bodes even better. I will admit most likely scenario is a two game sweep loss on the road at either Matthews or Schneider.
After seeing the results of the last 5 games on the road I don't see how anyone could think they can win a series away
We had a pretty good beginning, a little national recognition and came close to making USCHO Top 20. Then the 7 game road stretch...
Despite a good season beginning (save for the 1st weekend), the last 7 games are a significant disappointment. In game order,
-Bears could/should have split with Northeastern. No go.
-Bears should have absolutely swept St. Lawrence, one of the bottom teams in all of D-1.
-Bears got smoked by UMass scoring 1 lousy goal each game.
-Bears lose to a mediocre Yale team and again score 1 goal.
So 1 goal in each of last 4 games. No bueno.
Young Thiessen has played a total of 7:02 so far giving up 3 goals to The Q. So much for having a solid #2 goalie who will give Sway a break now and again. “Open Net” has more playing time than Thiessen. Sad.
Pat Shea- 1 goal/1assist thru 19 games...really Patrick??
Entire Freshman class- 5 goals/11 assists thru 19 games...meh. Was hoping for better.
Team averages 5.5 penalties per game if my math is correct. That’s an improvement over past several seasons.
I see the 2nd half of the season as 7-8-0. I pray for better but it is important to be a realist. I’ll be at the Nebraska-Omaha game 1/4/20. That series should define how much fortitude this team can muster.
Merry Christmas to all my friends here on Fan Forum.
The optimist in me says 12-3, with the three losses in the road games against BC and PC.
The realist in me says 8-7, as they'll drop some to Connecticut like they always do, lose to Omaha in Portland, and lose both to Providence.
The pessimist in me says 5-10, as they limp to the finish line and don't sweep any series.
Neither 5-10 nor 8-7 will surprise me much, but 12-3 would floor me... Still, that's possible. As you say, the 2nd-half schedule is soft, and there are a lot of home games there.
Just saying, but HE has 5 teams in the PW top-16 right now, and the best OOC record of any conference. That circumstance might bolster Maine's PW (somewhat) as the season goes on, as long as they can finish strong.
I certainly don't see Maine as a tournament team at this point, but they *might* sneak in with a robust finish. (And a W or three v. BC, NU and/or PC will be critical in that calculus.)
Saw NESN picked a best player of the decade for every Hockey East team and went with Hutton...... woof. Nyquist is the guy and if you want to say “he was only there 2 years of the decade” then its Spencer Abbott..
Maine Hockey: I want to believe
43-21-4 (.662) in games I attended over 4 years as a student
104-47-14 (.669) in that time 3x FROZEN FOUR
11-20-2 in games I've attended since. (2-2-1 under Red)
Merry Christmas to all..! Good hockey on the Horizon, World Juniors begin tomorrow, Canada vs. USA @ 1pm from the Czech Republic. (NHL NETWORK) Dec.26 to Jan. 5
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