Re: 2016/2016 Lowell Thread: Hoping for Chicago
Down to 9th in the pairwise after Wisconsin defeated OSU tonight.
Down to 9th in the pairwise after Wisconsin defeated OSU tonight.
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2016/2016 Lowell Thread: Hoping for Chicago
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Re: 2016/2016 Lowell Thread: Hoping for Chicago
Unfortunately it probably will. 2 of our regulars will not be able to make it tonight. I bet a lot of others will be arriving late.
Huge game tonight. Hopefully the early start doesn't kill the crowd turnout.
Unfortunately it probably will. 2 of our regulars will not be able to make it tonight. I bet a lot of others will be arriving late.
Re: 2016/2016 Lowell Thread: Hoping for Chicago
This team's disgusts me with an unwillingness to stay out of the box. Good bye NCAAS unless they pull a shocker tomorrow
This team's biggest flaw is discipline... the penalty box parade needs to stop
This team's disgusts me with an unwillingness to stay out of the box. Good bye NCAAS unless they pull a shocker tomorrow
This team's disgusts me with an unwillingness to stay out of the box. Good bye NCAAS unless they pull a shocker tomorrow
Are you familiar with the PWR?
Re: 2016/2016 Lowell Thread: Hoping for Chicago
I'm not sure I can remember the last time the Hawks lost a game in such a fashion. Up by two with seven minutes to go, just play hard, play smart and stay out of the box. Nope, give up a soft goal and then take an offensive zone penalty that leads to the tying goal. Then give up the game winner with seconds left.
It's will tough to bounce back after this one. BU is about to get swept by MC.
Great crowd tonight despite the early start.
Worst loss of the Bazin era, period. Metcalf was garbage all night and he cost them the game. Almost every shot he got in front of provided a rebound. Pathetic and embarrassing.
I'm not sure I can remember the last time the Hawks lost a game in such a fashion. Up by two with seven minutes to go, just play hard, play smart and stay out of the box. Nope, give up a soft goal and then take an offensive zone penalty that leads to the tying goal. Then give up the game winner with seconds left.
It's will tough to bounce back after this one. BU is about to get swept by MC.
Great crowd tonight despite the early start.
Middle Street
Well-known member
Re: 2016/2016 Lowell Thread: Hoping for Chicago
Lowell still has time to right the ship. A win tomorrow and they are fine. That said is BU really gong to drop 3 straight?
Talk about a front running team. How many times this year has Lowell blown two goal leads more than once in the same game?
All those stats about Bazin teams never losing with 2 goal leads or losing when leading in the 3rd. This is the season where those are starting to regress.
Lowell still has time to right the ship. A win tomorrow and they are fine. That said is BU really gong to drop 3 straight?
Talk about a front running team. How many times this year has Lowell blown two goal leads more than once in the same game?
All those stats about Bazin teams never losing with 2 goal leads or losing when leading in the 3rd. This is the season where those are starting to regress.
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riverchief1
Well-known member
Re: 2016/2016 Lowell Thread: Hoping for Chicago
Couldn't make it tonight, DVRd game, and didn't watch any score updates prior to just watching it. In a state of shock right now with a 3-1 lead and game seemingly in hand and it all unraveled in a matter of minutes. The past three games they absolutely had to win to keep pace with the others in the standings and home ice bye in HE tourney is now seriously in doubt. I'm not too worried about NCAAs yet due to pairwise but unless they fix things fast, we'll be back in the position we were two years ago when they had to win the HE championship game to get the autobid and couldn't.
As for tomorrow, given parking and ticket costs at BU, I'm reconsidering going as the past three games have me seriously irritated with the team, putting them in a position they shouldn't be in. The only hope for tomorrow is Lowell is Lowell in that they seem to play down to their opponent and then sky high when they're playing a higher ranked team. That, and the fact that BU is playing their third game in five days and just got swept by Merrimack may work in Lowell's favor or BU is instead really ****ed off and takes it to a Lowell team who is regressing. Which Lowell and BU teams will show up?
Couldn't make it tonight, DVRd game, and didn't watch any score updates prior to just watching it. In a state of shock right now with a 3-1 lead and game seemingly in hand and it all unraveled in a matter of minutes. The past three games they absolutely had to win to keep pace with the others in the standings and home ice bye in HE tourney is now seriously in doubt. I'm not too worried about NCAAs yet due to pairwise but unless they fix things fast, we'll be back in the position we were two years ago when they had to win the HE championship game to get the autobid and couldn't.
As for tomorrow, given parking and ticket costs at BU, I'm reconsidering going as the past three games have me seriously irritated with the team, putting them in a position they shouldn't be in. The only hope for tomorrow is Lowell is Lowell in that they seem to play down to their opponent and then sky high when they're playing a higher ranked team. That, and the fact that BU is playing their third game in five days and just got swept by Merrimack may work in Lowell's favor or BU is instead really ****ed off and takes it to a Lowell team who is regressing. Which Lowell and BU teams will show up?
Re: 2016/2016 Lowell Thread: Hoping for Chicago
The game lowlights. https://youtu.be/8HKvTtp3Od0
Norm's post game press conference.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jom6O56orPw
Coach Madigan's post game press conference.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOw_PJNcBwA
The game lowlights. https://youtu.be/8HKvTtp3Od0
Norm's post game press conference.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jom6O56orPw
Coach Madigan's post game press conference.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOw_PJNcBwA
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riverchief1
Well-known member
Re: 2016/2016 Lowell Thread: Hoping for Chicago
Where have you gone, Connor Hellebuyck (or Kevin Boyle for that matter), Riverhawk nation turns its lonely eyes to you
Worst loss of the Bazin era, period. Metcalf was garbage all night and he cost them the game. Almost every shot he got in front of provided a rebound. Pathetic and embarrassing.
Where have you gone, Connor Hellebuyck (or Kevin Boyle for that matter), Riverhawk nation turns its lonely eyes to you
Re: 2016/2016 Lowell Thread: Hoping for Chicago
Well aware we have dropped 8 slots in 8 days. We'll aware this happened 2 years ago. Show me something tomorrow in a rink that has given us crushing losses the last 2 years with o.t. pps to boot
Are you familiar with the PWR?
Well aware we have dropped 8 slots in 8 days. We'll aware this happened 2 years ago. Show me something tomorrow in a rink that has given us crushing losses the last 2 years with o.t. pps to boot
RHawkobserver
New member
Re: 2016/2016 Lowell Thread: Hoping for Chicago
Been holding off comments to see how this team would progress and respond especially coming off the Christmas break entering into the latter part of the season and the all important stretch of HE games. It is obvious the plan to play a number of road games during the break against weak opponents backfired and set this team back. They were able to string some wins together but did not play with urgency and consistency and allowed many bad habits to come back into their game. They were able to pad their non-conference record but this did very little to prepare them for the tough HE teams ahead.
This team has struggled all year with inconsistent play. Top teams may go through this from time to time in a season but almost every game the common theme has been not playing 60 minutes and with a sense of urgency. This inconsistency is no real surprise and can be attributed to a number of things that have been characteristic of this team for the last few years and also a few things that have really surfaced this year. Puck management, an inability to support the puck and the large number of turnovers this team makes every game really factor into the inconsistent play we see almost every game. What is more concerning and what we have not seen in past Lowell teams is consistently being outworked each night by the opposing team and in many instances being out-coached. Quite frankly, with the exception of #5, the work ethic of this team does not even come close to what we have seen in past years. A lack of physical play, swinging on checks, not stopping and starting in the defensive zone, coasting on the forecheck and back check, not competing and winning 50-50 battles, not getting to net front are all common place in the Lowell game. In the past, Lowell was always a threat to come back if they were down and had the ability to finish and close games off. This year we have seen that this team does not come back when they are down and recently have not been able to finish games off when they have a lead.
Teams have figured out how to play Lowell and Lowell has not come up with a consistent game plan to counter this. Play a very aggressive and physical forecheck on the defence shutting down the walls and then clog the neutral zone and collapse to the front of the net. If your goalie makes the first save then you will be ok as you can probably count on one hand the number of goals Lowell has scored this year 5 on 5 on second and third chance opportunities. When I say out-coached, I have watched a number of teams make in-game adjustments and virtually neutralize Lowell's attack. Unfortunately I have not seen the same level of in-game adjustments on the Lowell side and I watch this quite closely. Every game we hear the proverbial comment from Coach Bazin saying he will have to watch the tape in order to provide some feedback/comments on what took place. Based on these comments and based on what takes place in the game suggests that Lowell is not making many in-game adjustments. Look at the last 2 games against Providence as an example where the Friars made adjustments in-game and Lowell did not. Another case in point is the coaching staff's continued strategy through the neutral zone when teams trap and clog it up. For whatever reason, the team continues to try and stretch their forwards. The defence stop skating and attempt to make a long pass through several zones to a forward standing still. The forward chips the puck into the zone with no numbers or speed and thus they are not able to establish a forecheck.For whatever reason this team struggles with the concept of coming through the neutral zone with speed and support and being able to make a 3 foot pass to the person with speed who can then either enter the zone or area chip the puck where it can retrieved with numbers. If you watched any of the World Juniors you saw both the USA and Canada attack through the NZ with speed and a 5 man unit making short 3 foot passes and always having players in motion supporting the puck.
We now know why they brought in 4 goalies this year and even though the future looks strong, we are seeing the impact of asking a freshman goalie to carry the load especially as games get tighter and have more meaning. A lack of physical play and the ability to quickly close and shut down the opposing team's cycle in the Lowell's defensive zone has become evident this year. Last year the defence's ability to do this was a key to their success. The defensive structure has regressed and we see both defence and forwards standing still and watching the puck instead of winning battles, not turning pucks over and picking up their checks. In the offensive zone, the forwards have had some success off the rush but an inability to protect and support pucks down low and create zone time has really resulted in very few goals being scored off the cycle and at net front. When you look at the forward group as a collective they are small, quick and all bring the same element to their game. They are easily knocked off the puck and as a result do not protect the puck well, do not keep pucks alive, do not create much zone time and do not create second and third chance opportunities. Although the defence are contributing offensively, it is primarily on the power play. 5 on 5 there is little zone time and as a result the defence are limited and not creating the same offensive chances as in previous years as a result of poor puck possession.
We are also seeing a lack of depth in the line-up especially scoring and the offensive side of the puck while 5 on 5. It is very obvious that this team struggles when the number one line is not producing. There has been some secondary scoring from the power play but not consistently 5 on 5. You have seen recently that Coach Bazin has broken up the first line in attempt to create some more scoring through the line-up but has quickly had to reunite them because of a lack of depth and an inability of the first line to create offence when they have been split up. If this team has any hope of advancing deep into the playoffs they will need to generate some secondary scoring 5 on 5.
Finally I would say it appears there is something missing from the chemistry of this team. I look at the inconsistency and the way they have come out the last 3 games with a lack of effort even before the home crowd at Tsongas Centre. I don't see a willingness to sacrifice for one another and as a team as we have seen in years past. This leads back to a lack of consistency, urgency and a lack of discipline. I hear Coach Bazin talk about building culture and playing Lowell hockey but I see a coaching staff that seems to not hold their players accountable in building that culture. Too often it appears that players who take bad penalties, make selfish plays and turn the puck over repeatedly, cheat the game by not working hard each shift, do so without scrutiny. The coaching staff seems content to continue to reward these players with power play time and placing them in situations regardless of whether they are playing well or have earned it or not. Asking certain lines and players to play the hard minutes in the defensive zone and then replacing them every time there is an offensive zone face-off does not lend itself to good chemistry and usually does not lend itself well to a team wanting to sacrifice and play for one another. Whatever the case, this team needs to do some soul searching. We hear Coach Bazin talk about the process and how they focus on trying to improve each week. It will be interesting to see how this process unfolds, what adjustments and changes the coaching staff makes as it attempts to solidify the line-up for the playoffs and what character this team has as they head down the stretch and into some important games with the HE leading teams. Tomorrow night's test against BU should be a good indicator of where this team is heading.
Been holding off comments to see how this team would progress and respond especially coming off the Christmas break entering into the latter part of the season and the all important stretch of HE games. It is obvious the plan to play a number of road games during the break against weak opponents backfired and set this team back. They were able to string some wins together but did not play with urgency and consistency and allowed many bad habits to come back into their game. They were able to pad their non-conference record but this did very little to prepare them for the tough HE teams ahead.
This team has struggled all year with inconsistent play. Top teams may go through this from time to time in a season but almost every game the common theme has been not playing 60 minutes and with a sense of urgency. This inconsistency is no real surprise and can be attributed to a number of things that have been characteristic of this team for the last few years and also a few things that have really surfaced this year. Puck management, an inability to support the puck and the large number of turnovers this team makes every game really factor into the inconsistent play we see almost every game. What is more concerning and what we have not seen in past Lowell teams is consistently being outworked each night by the opposing team and in many instances being out-coached. Quite frankly, with the exception of #5, the work ethic of this team does not even come close to what we have seen in past years. A lack of physical play, swinging on checks, not stopping and starting in the defensive zone, coasting on the forecheck and back check, not competing and winning 50-50 battles, not getting to net front are all common place in the Lowell game. In the past, Lowell was always a threat to come back if they were down and had the ability to finish and close games off. This year we have seen that this team does not come back when they are down and recently have not been able to finish games off when they have a lead.
Teams have figured out how to play Lowell and Lowell has not come up with a consistent game plan to counter this. Play a very aggressive and physical forecheck on the defence shutting down the walls and then clog the neutral zone and collapse to the front of the net. If your goalie makes the first save then you will be ok as you can probably count on one hand the number of goals Lowell has scored this year 5 on 5 on second and third chance opportunities. When I say out-coached, I have watched a number of teams make in-game adjustments and virtually neutralize Lowell's attack. Unfortunately I have not seen the same level of in-game adjustments on the Lowell side and I watch this quite closely. Every game we hear the proverbial comment from Coach Bazin saying he will have to watch the tape in order to provide some feedback/comments on what took place. Based on these comments and based on what takes place in the game suggests that Lowell is not making many in-game adjustments. Look at the last 2 games against Providence as an example where the Friars made adjustments in-game and Lowell did not. Another case in point is the coaching staff's continued strategy through the neutral zone when teams trap and clog it up. For whatever reason, the team continues to try and stretch their forwards. The defence stop skating and attempt to make a long pass through several zones to a forward standing still. The forward chips the puck into the zone with no numbers or speed and thus they are not able to establish a forecheck.For whatever reason this team struggles with the concept of coming through the neutral zone with speed and support and being able to make a 3 foot pass to the person with speed who can then either enter the zone or area chip the puck where it can retrieved with numbers. If you watched any of the World Juniors you saw both the USA and Canada attack through the NZ with speed and a 5 man unit making short 3 foot passes and always having players in motion supporting the puck.
We now know why they brought in 4 goalies this year and even though the future looks strong, we are seeing the impact of asking a freshman goalie to carry the load especially as games get tighter and have more meaning. A lack of physical play and the ability to quickly close and shut down the opposing team's cycle in the Lowell's defensive zone has become evident this year. Last year the defence's ability to do this was a key to their success. The defensive structure has regressed and we see both defence and forwards standing still and watching the puck instead of winning battles, not turning pucks over and picking up their checks. In the offensive zone, the forwards have had some success off the rush but an inability to protect and support pucks down low and create zone time has really resulted in very few goals being scored off the cycle and at net front. When you look at the forward group as a collective they are small, quick and all bring the same element to their game. They are easily knocked off the puck and as a result do not protect the puck well, do not keep pucks alive, do not create much zone time and do not create second and third chance opportunities. Although the defence are contributing offensively, it is primarily on the power play. 5 on 5 there is little zone time and as a result the defence are limited and not creating the same offensive chances as in previous years as a result of poor puck possession.
We are also seeing a lack of depth in the line-up especially scoring and the offensive side of the puck while 5 on 5. It is very obvious that this team struggles when the number one line is not producing. There has been some secondary scoring from the power play but not consistently 5 on 5. You have seen recently that Coach Bazin has broken up the first line in attempt to create some more scoring through the line-up but has quickly had to reunite them because of a lack of depth and an inability of the first line to create offence when they have been split up. If this team has any hope of advancing deep into the playoffs they will need to generate some secondary scoring 5 on 5.
Finally I would say it appears there is something missing from the chemistry of this team. I look at the inconsistency and the way they have come out the last 3 games with a lack of effort even before the home crowd at Tsongas Centre. I don't see a willingness to sacrifice for one another and as a team as we have seen in years past. This leads back to a lack of consistency, urgency and a lack of discipline. I hear Coach Bazin talk about building culture and playing Lowell hockey but I see a coaching staff that seems to not hold their players accountable in building that culture. Too often it appears that players who take bad penalties, make selfish plays and turn the puck over repeatedly, cheat the game by not working hard each shift, do so without scrutiny. The coaching staff seems content to continue to reward these players with power play time and placing them in situations regardless of whether they are playing well or have earned it or not. Asking certain lines and players to play the hard minutes in the defensive zone and then replacing them every time there is an offensive zone face-off does not lend itself to good chemistry and usually does not lend itself well to a team wanting to sacrifice and play for one another. Whatever the case, this team needs to do some soul searching. We hear Coach Bazin talk about the process and how they focus on trying to improve each week. It will be interesting to see how this process unfolds, what adjustments and changes the coaching staff makes as it attempts to solidify the line-up for the playoffs and what character this team has as they head down the stretch and into some important games with the HE leading teams. Tomorrow night's test against BU should be a good indicator of where this team is heading.
UVM Cat in Texas
Now UVM Cat in Georgia
I understand it was a tough loss, but do you know how ridiculous that sounds?Season is done
riverchief1
Well-known member
Re: 2016/2016 Lowell Thread: Hoping for Chicago
Who's heading down to BU later?
Who's heading down to BU later?
Re: 2016/2016 Lowell Thread: Hoping for Chicago
Mike and I will be there.
Who's heading down to BU later?
Mike and I will be there.
riverchief1
Well-known member
Re: 2016/2016 Lowell Thread: Hoping for Chicago
Now thinking of going after getting over last night's debacle. What section?
Mike and I will be there.
Now thinking of going after getting over last night's debacle. What section?
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