BC Eagles 2020-21 - in memory of Steve Gerrish

[BCeagle]

This team kinda.... is not that great.

Might be time to blow the lines up and get back to basics like passing, passing, passing, shooting, passing, skating, passing, and passing.

Been a few months since they put forth a good 60 minute effort and looked like a competent TEAM that actually practices. I'd love to get an honest assessment from York on their practices. I can only imagine they practice like garbage.

Anyway, on a positive note, McBain was a beast out there. Take the split and move on but need to learn from these games ... I'll be honest the talent is there and the team just hasn't gelled so it's not time to panic. Aside from the stupid penalties on a daily basis, there aren't a ton of red flags. The PP will improve with Newhook back.

The passing I agree with

They always try to make difficult plays or passes instead of the short simple passes to the open man

Since December they have looked only good in spurts in each game but not complete games

Penalties are starting to be more costly each game for the last month or so

how many too many men penalties can you have ? getting to be too much of a bad habit

 

[cridge]

They haven't had any postgame pressers for men's hockey that I have seen. They have em for men's/women's hoops and women's hockey but never anything from York after home games.

I think they'll need the Newhook line to take off like last year for everything to fall into place. Deep team but not quite the 1-2 punch of the Cotton line and then Newhook line.

A big difference from this years team to last years team is forward depth. The fourth line didn't play at all in the third tonight. Last years fourth line was tough to score against because of McLaughlin.

 

[BCeagle]

You’re telling me you don’t see any problems with this team? We could not compete against the best teams in the Midwest the way we’re currently playing. We just made Vinny Duplessis look like Martin Brodeur. He’s a freshman making his first collegiate start and we score one goal against him. They were without Farrance, Commesso, Cockerill, and Amonte. We were without just Hutsko. I’m not saying BC is a mediocre team. We’re not. We’re a good team. Right now though, we’re not a great team. **Considering the individual talent on this team** we’re playing very poorly right now. Passing is choppy and inaccurate. The PP is a mess. Guys stand around at the blue line and take outside shots too much. We get very cavalier with the puck in our own zone. It’s ok to admit this team is not clicking. With the talent we have, we should be dominating games. Aside from the Northeastern game this past week, we haven’t dominated a game since the 9-0 win over Providence. We have (probably) the best goaltender prospect in the world, two legit first round picks who made up probably the best line in the country at the end of last year, multiple other studs like Helleson, St. Ivany, and Hutsko, excellent depth guys like McBain, Giles, and McLaughlin, and a bunch of freshman studs in Powell, Kuntar, Nesterenko, and Ambrosio. And yet, we look disjointed and sloppy a lot of the time. The coaching staff needs to fix this

Or perhaps the assistant coaches need to wake up and focus on solutions to the problems on the ice.

 

[J.D.]

A big difference from this years team to last years team is forward depth. The fourth line didn't play at all in the third tonight. Last years fourth line was tough to score against because of McLaughlin.

Chasing the game, I can understand rolling 3 lines. Plus they were down a couple forwards so there were a couple makeshift lines. The normal 4th line has been good but Shamburger is just a body.

 

[J.D.]

Or perhaps the assistant coaches need to wake up and focus on solutions to the problems on the ice.

There is one intriguing thing about the staff. You have a former goalie and two stay at home dmen. That might not mean much in the end but does make you wonder who is in charge of the PP.

 

[J.D.]

https://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2021/02/06_Weekend-Roundup-BU-Freshman.php

That has some York quotes

 

[DNAEagle]

Let's not start going down the coaching change road, the boo birds did that three years ago about York. He is just fine and so is his staff. This team is good, lots of high end talent, BU is good, lots of high end talent. BU was better this week end. The PP is a work in progress, more shorthanded goals than PP goals but there are still a lot of Freshman adjusting to this level. I think whatever is left of the season BC and BU will be at the top of the heap in HE at the end. W Luke Tuch is a load, he would look good in Maroon and Gold.

 

[J.D.]

York has had a lot of success with brothers, I never really paid attention to what happened with Luke Tuch. Whether BC was in on him and he wanted to do his own thing or if York felt spurned by Alex leaving after two years and stayed away. Very rare to see a BC/BU split on brothers! I remember it happening with the Kelleher brothers.

 

[J.D.]

The freshmen have been even better than I anticipated. They have really done their part and more so far. Especially Powell, Nesterenko and Ambrosio.

The only point I was making about the staff is who is in charge of the PP? If I remember correctly even down the stretch last year the PP wasn't great. With St. Ivany, Warren, Helleson, Powell, Newhook, Boldy etc...there's really no excuse for the PP to not become a strength down the stretch. Up to the coaches to find the right system and combinations.

 

[Carmine Scarpaglia]

The only point I was making about the staff is who is in charge of the PP? If I remember correctly even down the stretch last year the PP wasn't great.

I feel like every year we complain serially about the PP around this time of the season. Statistically this is one of the worst we've seen in probably 30 years, but I am actually confident they will get it going.

FWIW, I'm not sure who got all high and mighty about the great teams out West but Wisconsin ran a train on #2 Minnesota this weekend. Every year we hear about the great teams out West from someone and then show up and run them out of the building in the NCAAs usually so let's not forget the history here. BC is bringing the C- game every weekend and went on like a 7-game undefeated streak through last night. The biggest question to me is if that nice start to the season was just a lucky set of performances or if this is their norm now.

If they can actually improve and practice things like passing and receiving passes they'll be fine.

 

[J.D.]

Probably somewhere in between. I think they will find another gear with Newhook back but they might not be able to match the chemistry they had with the top two lines last year. But at the same time McLaughlin has stepped up his game and could be mixed into a top six role if it comes to that. More difficult to find that chemistry with Hutsko out but they still have a balanced, deep team. No reason they shouldn't keep winning games even if deemed ugly compared to last season.

 

[eaglekeeper]

It’s more the 2nd and 3rd lines they should try different combinations with. Kuntar is an important piece. He usually wins the battles along the boards and behind the net and he has a good shot. It will come together.

Go Eagles!

 

[BCeagle]

There is one intriguing thing about the staff. You have a former goalie and two stay at home dmen. That might not mean much in the end but does make you wonder who is in charge of the PP.

I'm not looking for coaching changes with the assistants but as coaches the assistants on the bench should make the guys aware of the penalties that hurt especially too many men penalties, and taking unnecessary penalties that have hurt BC.

Even the BU broadcasters noted how BC always stayed high on the PP making it easy to defence and predictable for BU to figure out.

Surely as coaches you have to observe and take notes on what works and what doesn't in situations. Looking on the 5 minute PP for BC there was no sense of urgency and it looked really nonchalant and sloppy. BU for the most part didn't looked fazed by what BC was doing and BC never really put a lot of pressure working the PP. Then to take a penalty to negate the last minute of the PP is another example of poor hockey sense.

The PP has looked pathetic for quite a spell

Like someone said back to basics on passing and skating and decisions with the puck. They need to get with it.

It doesn't excuse BC with players out because BU had key players out too.

What it does say is the players on the ice and on the bench need to step it up and play smarter hockey and not just go through the motions at times

 

[theprofromdover]

Hutsko, out for season with injury, signs with Panthers. I loved watching him.

 

[J.D.]

He's too brittle for pro hockey but certainly a big loss. Better to get this news now rather than the players thinking he's coming back at some point. There is still enough talent to make a FF run. Need Knight on the top of his game and Newhook to lead the way up front.

 

[eaglekeeper]

Without Hutsko, BC will focus more on defense. With Knight this team can hold teams to 1-2 GAA every game. They have plenty of offensive talent to take advantage of their opponents mistakes without pressing and getting caught giving up odd man rushes. This style has won many NCAA games for BC over the years. Let’s hope everyone now feels a sense of urgency knowing Hutsko is gone. They might have to split up Boldy & Newhook.

The other thing I want to comment on is the HEA standings. Overall, I like the formula, but the one flaw is not discounting too few games BU has played. Looks like an interesting tournament, hopefully BC gets the RS title and home ice throughout.

Go Eagles!

 

[J.D.]

With every game being single elimination it will be even more wide open. Would be nice to play in your own rink though. UNH allowing 500 students at next game, is that something BC could consider? Or are they at the mercy of dictator Baker?

 

[Cross Check]

Hutsko, out for season with injury, signs with Panthers. I loved watching him.

Ouch. That is a big loss.

 

[DNAEagle]

Loved watching that kid play. His college career will always be unfulfilled. The end of last year was a huge disappointment for him I am sure as well as for all the other players. Losing him half way through this season is a real blow to the team and to the fans, although I can't blame him for that. Goalies in HE are breathing a sign of relief. Good luck to him, hope he can get over the injury jinx.

 

[J.D.]

UML on the docket. A team that has given BC fits. A split here wouldn't surprise me at all. Game is on NESN+.