What happened to the option "other" ?
While NAHA is on paper the odds on favorite, other teams not in the poll to consider are B-Water and Minnesota. The best team out of Ontario at this event is B-Water. Watch for them. Quality goaltending and a good 1-2 scoring punch up front.
but their coaches whistling for line changes was really odd/distracting and the MN players kept thinking the officials were blowing whistle.
Assabet beat MN JR Whitecaps Silver 1-0 - little controversial as a tieing goal that went in was waived off on the Whitecaps - goal signaled (puck went over line in goalie glove and official out at the Blue line over ruled?). What is the old saying when on the road you have to make your own breaks you aren't going to get any calls.
Assabet was the best team that the JWC Silver played in the tournament though Bluewater was the fastest and best team on transitional game. Clear to see Assabet girls have played together and are very well coached I loved thier coaching - but their coaches whistling for line changes was really odd/distracting and the MN players kept thinking the officials were blowing whistle. The Assabet team were doing 20-30 second shifts which really kept them fresh and effective the whole game. Assabet will play the MN Ice Cats this morning in the Semi Final - should be a great game.
Great tournament and NAHA imporved the level of competitiveness over a year ago. Being from MN I am amazed at the turnout of D1 and D3 coaches scouting the event - appears to be every program had people there.
What would we do without fathers and their video cameras!Puck in glove away from net. Blocker touches line. No goal.
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Assabet's Dog-whistle coach has to stop.
It's more than Bush-League. It's lame beyond words...It makes the girls look like dogs in a circus side-show.![]()
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Here's a thought, take advantage of the coach's lameness: Teach the girls to attack hard and look for a home-run pass whenever the opposing coach whistles. Usually when a coach whistles, all 5 players try to change at once, or at the very least, they pause to look at the bench. You can get some great scoring opportunities that way.
Guess you haven't seen this dog and pony show in action then. The coach whistles, the puck carrier gains center ice and deftly places the puck in a dead spot deep in the zone. The line comes off and the next goes on pretty much like clockwork. Very little chance to make the most of any opportunity.
Hux, you're leaving out the best part.... not only does the next line go on like clockwork, but they go on like GANGBUSTERS!! We're talking all out dead sprints by both lines, off the ice and back on the ice, such that the total accumulated time without immediate pressure on the puck carrier is often only about 3 seconds.
This consistent proficiency is also due to very astute decision making by the last forward to change, particularly deciding as to how much longer to pursue the forecheck before peeling off. Often, this very wisely judged continued relentless attack can reduce even the aforementioned 3 seconds to almost no time at all.
Some people hate the whistle.... I get that...but let's not lose sight of the intense effort both physical and mental exuded by every forward.
For several years I was on the opposing bench from this coach and this organization and though I might also have found the whistling to be distractive, I was always appreciative of the level and effectiveness of the girls' performance.
My point is mainly to say that just calling it "like clockwork" is a real understatment. There is much more going on than the dog-like behavior that some have compared them to.