Re: '12-13 Michigan Tech Season Thread: Screw the Election, Let's Play Hockey!
Mel Pearson show summary, as always email questions to Dirk
dj@themix93.com only 2 today:
They reviewed the GLI:
What did Red Berenson say to you after the UM game?
Just congrats and good luck tomorrow. He called last week and was excited for MEl and MTU, he watched the western game. Mel owes a lot to Red.
The reviewed the goals, Petan played great.
Tommy Brown got his first career goal, prob 9th on Dman depth chart. Played well, never complained when he wasn't. Good for him.
No PP goals for Mich, good job by Whitten, PK was good, blocked shots, didn't give second chances. ANd Pheonix played well.
2-3 on PP for Tech
Pheonix was in a zone, played well. Made it look easy.
On Western game:
Saturday gave us confidence, in both games we got the lead, and with Pheonix playing had confidence and momentum.
Early on Sunday they were in our zone, similar to UM games, but didn't get many Grade A chances like the UM game.
On first goal that didn't count, Mel wanted to comment on it. Incidental contact by JJ, just bumps goalie, JJ gets out of crease, Western Dman stick gets caught in Western goalies pad, Goalie recovers, play shot.
Refs said JJ interfered with goalie and didn't allow him to save shot, even TV guys thought it should be a good goal. Mel didn't agree.
Rix goal, good shot, bad goal, shows that getting puck on net, good things can happen.
No goals in 2nd, penalties took away from flow of 2nd.
Not sure any Western Forwards are a positive +/-, usually score on PP, good to keep that quiet.
Hietila goal, great play by Holmberg, good patience, Western goalie over played the puck, huge goal.
Kero ENG, hadn't played missing 2 series, played real well, his effort real good.
Lickteig, don't like to see that on him, but Western player got 2 game suspension. Upper body injury, doubt he'll be ready this weekend, hasn't skate with team yet. Probably wont play next two series.
A. Pietila PP goal from Hietila/Holmberg, have some depth to make 3 changes in lineup, all but one of our healthy skaters got to play in GLI
Real good PK job on Wester
Seigo made all tournament team, without any goals, was just solid all weekend, +2 against Western
Postgame of what was said in lockerroom, just so proud of them, winless in 7, no one was talking about us. Even before tourney, sent the team on Christma Eve, hopped they were back home having a good time with friends/family, but hope they were thinking abotu GLI and wanted them to come back playing hard.
On Blake Pietila and World Juniors:
Congrats to Blake, very proud of him, great rep of MTU, talked to him last night, he's in New York, still traveling home
Good for USA, the best players at that age group in the world
will get home today, give him a few days off, and see how we can get him through next two weeks,
Have seen both, players do well in 2nd half and struggle
Will be good to have him back
Before GLI was wondering how we'd score, losing 10 goal scorer and had only scored 6 goals in previous 4 games
Questions for Mel:
To what extent if any will winning GLI improve recruiting downstate MI?
Premiere holiday tournament. Exposure on TV like this, and beating two good teams helps sell program and we're heading in right direction.
Is the trophy going to be on display at the rink?
Mel's got an idea that we might try, he'll run it by some peopel. We'll talk about it next week. May try to give fans an opportunity to take their picture with it etc.
Preview of UMD Series:
Struggling a bit, didn't play great in Florida
Talented team, couple of very good freshmen
Big series for both teams, we need points in WCHA
Is home ice viable? Yes, half through schedule, need to sweep home games and split on road, if we can do that, we'll be right there for a chance to do that. Haven't shown that in 1st half, but have just scratches surface of how we can play.
Sova believes he'll be ready for UMD series. He got full go from Doctor last week, he did. Still not in game shape and will be rusty. We'll see going forward, not sure he'll be ready for Duluth, but he looks good in practice. He'll get thrown right in there.
We need to use our depth to beat them. Have to play 5x5, starting to get secondary scoring now, that will help a lot. UMD series last year was a huge boost.
