#6 UNH, Home and Home with #12 Merrimack, Fri 2/11 Sat 2/12

[John_Fuller]

Re: #6 UNH, Home and Home with #12 Merrimack, Fri 2/11 Sat 2/12

You know folks, it really doesn't matter if DeSimone is "a dirty player" or not. A leg check is a leg check no matter which hockey player throws the knee. I wasn't there or have seen a replay but if reputable UNH fans are saying it was a leg check, I have to go with that view. Knee on knee hits will never go away in hockey because sometimes the moment gets the best of the individual. In the end you hope no one gets hurt. It really is a shame that DaCosta will probably not play tonight judging by the comments. That does taint the game a little bit. Let's hope for both teams that DaCosta injury doesn't cost him the rest of the season or the playoffs. One thing is for certain...we really are going to see how good Merrimack is tonight. I will be heading over there to take in tonight's festivities. Regardless of the DaCosta saga a win by Merrimack puts them in the HE regular season title hunt by holding the tiebreakers against UNH, BC, and BU. Of course, it's very early with six games left and the outcome of DaCosta's injury will have a significant impact on where Merrimack winds up at the end of the season three weeks from tonight.

One last point...if DaCosta's injury is significant which costs Merrimack in the end, I guarantee you all that kneeing and/or leg checking will become a point of emphasis in the 2011-2012 calendar year.

 

[walrus]

Re: #6 UNH, Home and Home with #12 Merrimack, Fri 2/11 Sat 2/12

The only reason I wanted to go to Maine Merrimack was to see Decosta, now he's history? If he played for BU half the UNH team would be suspended by now

 

[WildShawn]

It should already be a point of emphasis..though that just means its called an absurd amount in october and november and ignored the rest of the season...

 

[WildShawn]

The only reason I wanted to go to Maine Merrimack was to see Decosta, now he's history? If he played for BU half the UNH team would be suspended by now

While dacosta is a superstar player, merrimack has a lot more worth watching than him...i didn't notice him nearly as much as barton or even collins last night, and stollery is great on the blue line..solid all around game..

 

[JB]

Re: #6 UNH, Home and Home with #12 Merrimack, Fri 2/11 Sat 2/12

Admittedly my view is skewed as a sit in a corner and the play was at center ice, and the motion of the skaters was essentially parallel to the lines. However I was watching the area of the play - even though off the puck. From my angle there was a bunch of traffic and it didn't seem like either player had time to setup a leg check. Generally leg checks happen when a player has the puck and has the other guy beat and a leg is stuck out to trip up the player, most times to stop a scoring chance. This didn't look to be that style of play. A guy near me seemed to think DeSimone was pushed-squeezed toward DeCosta, didn’t look that way to me. From my angle a leg could have been "stuck out" and it would have been tough to tell. Seems a weird spot for an intentional leg check and my first impression was it was just a crappy play where to players got tangled.

Hope DeCosta is OK; unfortunately he was completely non-weight bearing even at the end of the game - never a good sign.

As for the game: Congrats MC, they played an excellent game a deserved to win. UNH clanged 2 posts with Canata down and out but MC scored once for UNH. I will however state I hate MC game. Like watching paint dry. They are very good at what they do, completely trapping the neutral zone. Against a trap as solid as MC's you need to be patient but still bring emotion. You need to dump and chase and win board battles, UNH was too passive. When UNH got the puck in zone they did have some chances but too often they couldn't get in, credit to MC. In all too little passion from the Cats hope tonight is different.

As for the refs thankfully there incompetence didn’t affect the outcome. The Linesmen were particularly horrible. With four refs on the ice how can a linesman repeatedly be so out of position? Icings seemed to be coin flips several waved off that should have been called and even more called that should have been waved off. Thankfully they were so bad it seemed to come out even in the end. Finally MC first goal, they review then the guy comes out and conferences with the other 3 refs for what seemed like 5 minutes. Dude you just watched the video was it a goal or not? Pathetic!

 

[walrus]

Re: #6 UNH, Home and Home with #12 Merrimack, Fri 2/11 Sat 2/12

While dacosta is a superstar player, merrimack has a lot more worth watching than him...i didn't notice him nearly as much as barton or even collins last night, and stollery is great on the blue line..solid all around game..

I'll still go but great players only come around so often and MC will spank Maine with or without Decosta. Its never good when a leagues star players go down

 

[sonar]

Re: #6 UNH, Home and Home with #12 Merrimack, Fri 2/11 Sat 2/12

1) I was at the game. 2) I sit directly in line with the area between the blue line and the red line. 3) A bunch of players were hustling to change lines for both teams. 4) The scramble resulted in two players getting tangled up at relatively slow speed. 5) One got injured .... one did not.

I hope DaCosta returns to help Merrimack with their historic season.

 

[acs64]

Re: #6 UNH, Home and Home with #12 Merrimack, Fri 2/11 Sat 2/12

I'll still go but great players only come around so often and MC will spank Maine with or without Decosta. Its never good when a leagues star players go down

I just find it extremely ironic that a player on a team, whose fanz have beetched about dirty players for years, leg checks the star player of a team which has been indicted for years as being dirty. And to top it all off, a BC fan known for beetching about MC's dirty play over the years comes on here and espouses that MC should now retaliate against the leg checkers team. Guess it gives new meaning to 'what goes around, comes around'. Or in other words, is there nothing but complete BS and bufoonery on this board?

 

[goblue]

Re: #6 UNH, Home and Home with #12 Merrimack, Fri 2/11 Sat 2/12

While dacosta is a superstar player, merrimack has a lot more worth watching than him...i didn't notice him nearly as much as barton or even collins last night, and stollery is great on the blue line..solid all around game..

And Ross looked pretty damm good as well, whether or not you count the beautiful wrister that sailed in untouched from the blue line. He moves well on the ice, carries the puck, and he's a big guy to boot.

 

[MCHOCKEY]

Re: #6 UNH, Home and Home with #12 Merrimack, Fri 2/11 Sat 2/12

Can I ask a simple question? Not to start any trouble or anything (although asking this question is going to surely start some), but how can ANYBODY say they saw the play...it was FAR away from the puck...and am I the only one that watches the puck during a hockey game? All I'm saying is 2 people have said they saw the whole thing. one says "It was 100% dirty, I saw him leg check him" and the other one says "It was just 2 players getting tangled...no intent"...Can we just all wait and see what the league sees and does/doesn't do about it?

 

[goblue]

Re: #6 UNH, Home and Home with #12 Merrimack, Fri 2/11 Sat 2/12

I just find it extremely ironic that a player on a team, whose fanz have beetched about dirty players for years, leg checks the star player of a team which has been indicted for years as being dirty. And to top it all off, a BC fan known for beetching about MC's dirty play over the years comes on here and espouses that MC should now retaliate against the leg checkers team. Guess it gives new meaning to 'what goes around, comes around'. Or in other words, is there nothing but complete BS and bufoonery on this board?

Hmmm. What about this UNH fellow that certain Mainers called "Smeeves"? Talk about "beetching".

Hey, if DeSimone's actions were intentional, the consensus on this thread is that he be suspended. In my opinion, if Umile believes it was a dirty act, then he should sit him tonight, whether or not HE rules in the meantime. I would like to think that Umile would take the high road here if called for, as any honorable college level coach should. He's done it before.

 

[acs64]

Re: #6 UNH, Home and Home with #12 Merrimack, Fri 2/11 Sat 2/12

Hmmm. What about this UNH fellow that certain Mainers called "Smeeves"? Talk about "beetching".

Hey, if DeSimone's actions were intentional, the consensus on this thread is that he be suspended. In my opinion, if Umile believes it was a dirty act, then he should sit him tonight, whether or not HE rules in the meantime. I would like to think that Umile would take the high road here if called for, as any honorable college level coach should. He's done it before.

You seem to have forgotten who the SMT's are. So, was Smeaves suspended by Umile after taking out Bishop's knee? I cant recall. As I say, the whole episode just drips of irony.

 

[WildShawn]

Re: #6 UNH, Home and Home with #12 Merrimack, Fri 2/11 Sat 2/12

Hmmm. What about this UNH fellow that certain Mainers called "Smeeves"? Talk about "beetching".

Hey, if DeSimone's actions were intentional, the consensus on this thread is that he be suspended. In my opinion, if Umile believes it was a dirty act, then he should sit him tonight, whether or not HE rules in the meantime. I would like to think that Umile would take the high road here if called for, as any honorable college level coach should. He's done it before.

There is precedent with Umile benching a star player after a dirty play when he benched Aikins for taking a run at one of the Maine goaltenders in Alfond, late in a frustrating game. So I wouldn't be surprised to see it, if he thinks it was intentional.

 

[WildShawn]

Re: #6 UNH, Home and Home with #12 Merrimack, Fri 2/11 Sat 2/12

Can I ask a simple question? Not to start any trouble or anything (although asking this question is going to surely start some), but how can ANYBODY say they saw the play...it was FAR away from the puck...and am I the only one that watches the puck during a hockey game? All I'm saying is 2 people have said they saw the whole thing. one says "It was 100% dirty, I saw him leg check him" and the other one says "It was just 2 players getting tangled...no intent"...Can we just all wait and see what the league sees and does/doesn't do about it?

most sensible thing anyone's said about the situation all day.

 

[Salvo1017]

Re: #6 UNH, Home and Home with #12 Merrimack, Fri 2/11 Sat 2/12

I think this team has enough depth to cover them and keep them in home ice until the post season when hopefully Da Costa (not sure why everyone has a problem with spelling his name...) will return.

Collins has been on fire lately, and Barton and Cucci look as good as ever. I'm not too worried at this point, hopefully he's back soon...he was seen on campus today on crutches.

 

[JB]

Re: #6 UNH, Home and Home with #12 Merrimack, Fri 2/11 Sat 2/12

Can I ask a simple question? Not to start any trouble or anything (although asking this question is going to surely start some), but how can ANYBODY say they saw the play...it was FAR away from the puck...and am I the only one that watches the puck during a hockey game? All I'm saying is 2 people have said they saw the whole thing. one says "It was 100% dirty, I saw him leg check him" and the other one says "It was just 2 players getting tangled...no intent"...Can we just all wait and see what the league sees and does/doesn't do about it?

If we didn't debate items we only marginally know about what would be the point of this message board?

As for watching hockey live, I try to be aware of the puck at all times and watch it closely if there is a scoring chance, however when it is unlikely any one will score I do look at other parts of the ice. Particularly where there are a bunch of players or two players fighting for position. I find it the beauty of watching the game live. There is lots of stuff going on off the puck that sets up plays or prevents plays from being setup. It is also why many fans notice too many men on the ice - they are watching more than just the puck. I personally rarely see too many men as I am looking at other details (mostly, positioning and techniques) when not watching the puck (micro vs macro viewing).

 

[mookie1995]

While dacosta is a superstar player, merrimack has a lot more worth watching than him...i didn't notice him nearly as much as barton or even collins last night, and stollery is great on the blue line..solid all around game..

This is the most interesting part. I'm at Nashua now for a mite game but my interest is in Andover. We've read that "once de costa and cannata leave" it's back to 3-24-0 Mack. I really want to see how they come out and play with half of the theory in play.

 

[WildShawn]

Re: #6 UNH, Home and Home with #12 Merrimack, Fri 2/11 Sat 2/12

This is the most interesting part. I'm at Nashua now for a mite game but my interest is in Andover. We've read that "once de costa and cannata leave" it's back to 3-24-0 Mack. I really want to see how they come out and play with half of the theory in play.

we've heard it from DonkeyDad, and thats about it....

 

[JB]

Re: #6 UNH, Home and Home with #12 Merrimack, Fri 2/11 Sat 2/12

This is the most interesting part. I'm at Nashua now for a mite game but my interest is in Andover. We've read that "once de costa and cannata leave" it's back to 3-24-0 Mack. I really want to see how they come out and play with half of the theory in play.

At this point it is Cannata. Da Costa didn't really impress me last night - or this year against UNH. Cannata on the other hand had some saves that were really nice and his rebound control seems fantastic. Honestly I think last night he was the best player on the ice and by a substaintial margin.

 

[goblue]

Re: #6 UNH, Home and Home with #12 Merrimack, Fri 2/11 Sat 2/12

You seem to have forgotten who the SMT's are. So, was Smeaves suspended by Umile after taking out Bishop's knee? I cant recall. As I say, the whole episode just drips of irony.

I don't see much irony here. I see that a player got hurt last night, maybe/maybe not due to an intentional act. I trust Umile to do the right thing if he believes that DeSimone was reckless, and for HE to properly review it and if called for, to hand out a punishment that is appropriate to the offense. Quite frankly, nothing else really matters -- including your perceptions (or anybody else's) as to who is considered a dirty team, has a fan base that "beetches" about dirty play, etc. etc. "Glass houses" and all that.