Boston College Eagles 2011-2012 season thread

[FiveHole12]

Re: Boston College Eagles 2011-2012 season thread

Thoughts from Maine...

I hate throwing a kid under the bus, but if Patch doesn't pick up his game very soon, I think this team may be better off rotating 5 D.
And while I'm on the D, why does the entire D core all of sudden seem to think its a good idea to center passes in front of their own goal with 3-4, sometimes all 5 opponents in the zone? I mean wow... there were many perfect centering passes to the team in blue.
Just leave Barry Almeida on the ice for the full 2:00 of all power plays. For that matter, leave him on the ice for an entire penalty kill. Maybe we can start winning some games... Almeida 7, Opponent 6.
I have no problem with Jerry's goaltending decisions this weekend, but I think Milner deserves another shot. His last start was a 2-1 win vs N. Mich. on Dec. 30, and the other 2 tenders are currently inconsistent at best. Not sure whats going to happen going forward, but we need someone to step up big in net or we're in big trouble.

Not sure what else to add except that we looked very good at times against Maine. Sure we had some boneheaded plays and terrible penalties, but Maine was a darn good opponent and capitalized on our mistakes. Their power play is something else and ranked #2 in the nation.

Really surprised we didn't come away with 2 points on Sunday after we tied it. Man, that 3rd period was as exciting as it gets on both ends of the ice (31 SOG between the 2 teams in the period), but BC dominated for long stretches in their zone. I thought for sure we were going to score and walk away with a 5-4 win. Eh, that's hockey.

Very entertaining weekend of hockey. Unfortunately we came away with nothing.

 

[BCeagle]

Re: Boston College Eagles 2011-2012 season thread

Got back from the Patriots game and it's a relief someone won this weekend. All in all, I had a good time at the game. Brady didn't really have a sharp game. They really should have lost with the turnovers by Brady and some key plays at the end. Moore knocking the ball out of the hands of the receiver in the end zone for a sure TD and the missed FG. WOW that was a game the Patriots didn't deserve to win but we'll take it.

Other good news, Bruins beat the Flyers again in OT.

We need some of that luck rubbing off on our BC Hockey team. BC could and should of had 4 points over the weekend but we all know what this team is going through right now. Cross should hold a team meeting and straighten out this mess they're going through. Time to play sound hockey and not sloppy and stupid hockey. The penalties killed them and giving up SH goal is also indicative of the sloppy and non chalant play of late. They are not that talented (like last year) and they cannot continue to play error prone hockey else they're done this season. Yeah well, it's too bad the ref got in the way on one of the plays that led to a Maine goal but still you've got to play better than that. They don't seem to play a full game anymore for some reason, they play good hockey for 10 minutes and have a 2-0 lead, then they stop playing for some reason. This team has lost its edge and someone needs to give them a wakeup call before it's too late.

 

[Kenny]

Re: Boston College Eagles 2011-2012 season thread

Very entertaining weekend of hockey. Unfortunately we came away with nothing.

My thoughts exactly.

This team needs to start outworking opponents. As previously mentioned in the thread, they do not have the talent to turn it on and off, they need constant energy from every line. The silver lining is they are in every game. If they pick up some momentum and start pulling out a couple of these close games, we will all feel better.

 

[claver2010]

Re: Boston College Eagles 2011-2012 season thread

Every mistake for this team ends up in the back of the net but the goalie issues are only magnified when they have trouble scoring.

Time for some senior leadership to right the ship.

As for Kreider & the Rangers' pressure, even York said that they wouldn't leave him alone all summer even after committing to stay at BC.

 

[Nick Papagiorgio]

Re: Boston College Eagles 2011-2012 season thread

Am I reading this wrong or did someone on this thread say Kreider was mailing it in? The kid is a gd maniac (and has been playing with a mean streak lately), seems NHL-ready to me based on what I've seen this year, and has been one of the most consistent performers this season for the Eagles. Most of the other guys would have trouble convincing me they are ECHL-ready (especially one particularly high draft pick) or D1-ready (the back half of the defense).

I'm surprised we haven't seen Barone yet given the bizarro goaltending decisions here lately. Maybe Jerry can give him his first career start in the Beanpot as a feel-good story. Or if they somehow back into the NCAAs, that is a great time to try him out as well.

Anyway, we're going to need another season or two to weed out the junk players on this roster. Recruiting is by all accounts fantastic and we need to get into those great classes ASAP, especially where the "supposedly good" defensemen are. Venti and Milner will be gone sooner rather than later and with Billett putting every save he makes right back into the slot, I'd like to believe Barone is our future 3rd stringer and BC will be looking hard at goalies right now in case Billett doesn't work out. Have to bring someone in with Milner's scholarship once he graduates so we have a freshman goalie with good potential to push Billett as a junior.

Aside from the rebounds and everything else from Billett on Saturday, he was going down quicker than Keith Johnson's 14 year old girlfriend on junior high school prom night and flew around the crease on his pads looking like Joe Pearce. I guess if Milner is Matti 2.0 we have Pearce 2.0 too now. Sweet. Anyway, at some point Friday night I came across the replays of the UMass goals from the 4-0 game on youtube and good Christ I can't even explain how horrible everything looked on those 2 on 1 goals. Horrendous. At that point I was convinced we needed to go to Milner on Saturday afternoon but no dice. I think Billett needs a lot of work but has potential. It's Milner's job and if he struggles I would let him work through it for a few games to see if he can respond. Let the kid get the work and see what happens.

The worst part about this weekend was that the results swept a fantastic weekend by Almeida right under the rug. First career hat trick and it has to happen in a shtshow game like that. Great for him though. Nice to see at least him and a few other guys can step up.

12 needs to bury one of his 12 good scoring chances a game. 21 needs... well, a kick in the rear.

 

[Hokydad]

Re: Boston College Eagles 2011-2012 season thread

Every mistake for this team ends up in the back of the net but the goalie issues are only magnified when they have trouble scoring.

Time for some senior leadership to right the ship.

As for Kreider & the Rangers' pressure, even York said that they wouldn't leave him alone all summer even after committing to stay at BC.

where did york say that? Not sure that was the case.

 

[claver2010]

Re: Boston College Eagles 2011-2012 season thread

where did york say that? Not sure that was the case.

At a BC alumni event in NYC

 

[TonyTheTiger20]

Re: Boston College Eagles 2011-2012 season thread

At a BC alumni event in NYC

Pwned.

 

[sterlippo1]

Re: Boston College Eagles 2011-2012 season thread

At a BC alumni event in NYC

yeah, someone on here or EA posted the link for that event and i read that same thing there

 

[Hokydad]

Re: Boston College Eagles 2011-2012 season thread

not what advisor, family or rangers said....

never a contract offered

 

[claver2010]

Re: Boston College Eagles 2011-2012 season thread

not what advisor, family or rangers said....

never a contract offered

"Never a contract offered" doesn't mean they weren't all over him all summer. The Rangers of late want to get their picks into their system ASAP, I find it hard to believe their 2009 1st rounder is any different.

 

[FiveHole12]

Re: Boston College Eagles 2011-2012 season thread

Am I reading this wrong or did someone on this thread say Kreider was mailing it in? The kid is a gd maniac (and has been playing with a mean streak lately), seems NHL-ready to me based on what I've seen this year, and has been one of the most consistent performers this season for the Eagles. Most of the other guys would have trouble convincing me they are ECHL-ready (especially one particularly high draft pick) or D1-ready (the back half of the defense).

He could certainly improve in the D zone. I know of one Maine goal Sunday that was on him. Maine was cycling and Kreider was in Mangene's hip pocket, until he broke for the back door of the net from the point. Kreider stayed with him but then quit just before the crease. Easy backdoor goal, uncontested.
Kreider was on the ice for 2 second period Maine goals Sunday and 2 on Friday, one the game winner... just sayin'.

Edit: I'm not saying Kreider's mailing it in. I don't think that at all. I just want to see him play a little tougher/smarter in the defensive end of the ice.

 

[Nick Papagiorgio]

Re: Boston College Eagles 2011-2012 season thread

I'm genuinely shocked hoky didn't know about Kreider being hounded by the Rangers all summer long. I thought everyone knew this...

 

[Hokydad]

Re: Boston College Eagles 2011-2012 season thread

I'm genuinely shocked hoky didn't know about Kreider being hounded by the Rangers all summer long. I thought everyone knew this...

Because they were not. He made it clear at the world tourn that he was going back, they respected that, zero contracts offered

 

[Nick Papagiorgio]

Re: Boston College Eagles 2011-2012 season thread

I think we're splitting hairs here as to whether or not he was offered means that they wanted him real bad and were trying to persuade him. It's not a secret, the papers in mid February had the story.

"I wish he turned pro last year. I hope he turns pro next year. . . . I hope he's with us," Tortorella said after the Rangers practiced Tuesday in Greenburgh. "He's a sophomore now and we're anxious to get him involved in pro hockey because we think he's got some good stuff to offer and want to get him tracked up here with us as soon as possible."

The 19-year-old Kreider, the No. 19 pick in 2009, won a gold medal with Team USA at the World Junior Championships and an NCAA title at BC as a freshman. The Eagles are ranked No. 2 in the nation this season, with Kreider, a 6-2 left wing, totaling nine goals and 20 points in 26 games.

"It's definitely something that gives me confidence that (Tortorella) said that, but honestly I feel like that's so far away right now," Kreider said Tuesday in a phone interview. "We're just concentrating on winning another championship.

"You have to put (turning pro) in the back of your mind and when the season's over, it's something I'll sit down with my family and my coaches and come to a decision."

Stepan and McDonagh both departed Wisconsin after last season. Stepan is third on the Rangers in points (32) and McDonagh increasingly has earned Tortorella's trust in 17 games on the blue line since a midseason call-up from AHL Connecticut.

"McDonagh and Step decided to come out and that's their call. And it's Kreider's call also, as far as staying in," Tortorella said. "I don't get into personal matters. . . . I think education's important and I think this is a family decision.

"But from a coach, we want to sink our teeth into (Kreider) as quickly as possible to get him into a situation where he becomes a Ranger as quickly as possible."

“I had conversations with Ryan (McDonagh), I had conversations with (Derek Stepan) over the summer, and I had conversations with Kreider also. McDonagh and Step decided to come out, and I think that’s their call, and it’s Kreider’s call also as far as staying in (college). Selfishly for us, we want to get him to us and get working with him immediately.

I'm not trying to get into a p!ssing match but simply google "kreider tortorella" and it's pretty obvious they have wanted him to turn pro for a while now. Add in what York had to say at the NYC Alumni event and I am not willing to believe he was fibbing (nor did he really have any motivation to do so).

 

[Hokydad]

Re: Boston College Eagles 2011-2012 season thread

Of course they want him to come out, he is a first rd pick. My point was they were not "all over him all summer". Not true at all. They respected his choice and left him alone, zero offers. Of course the HC at dev camp gave him his view.

Not all over him all summer. That was my point

 

[FiveHole12]

Re: Boston College Eagles 2011-2012 season thread

Anyway, we're going to need another season or two to weed out the junk players on this roster.

I don't see any junk players out there. I see a team working their butts off and coming up short. Are some guys pressing right now? Absolutely. But goal scoring wasn't the issue this weekend. It was goals allowed that was the problem, and most of it had nothing to do with the goalies. Better team D would help. And in the D corp, we sometimes have guys trying to make plays when it would best to just flip the puck out of the zone. The breakout pass isn't always there. Play within themselves, play smart, and this team can turn this all around. A lot of talent on this squad, IMO. Clamp it down in the D zone and good things will happen.

 

[Zudnic]

Re: Boston College Eagles 2011-2012 season thread

I don't see any junk players out there. I see a team working their butts off and coming up short. Are some guys pressing right now? Absolutely. But goal scoring wasn't the issue this weekend. It was goals allowed that was the problem, and most of it had nothing to do with the goalies. Better team D would help. And in the D corp, we sometimes have guys trying to make plays when it would best to just flip the puck out of the zone. The breakout pass isn't always there. Play within themselves, play smart, and this team can turn this all around. A lot of talent on this squad, IMO. Clamp it down in the D zone and good things will happen.

Steve, you are such the optimist. The defense seems to be the obvious problem, but York himself said that scoring offense is an issue: “We looked at [Brian] Gibbons and Joe Whitney, Cam Atkinson and Jimmy Hayes, those four accounted for so many goals last year,’’ said York. “We thought that might be an area of concern, and it certainly has." (from the Globe 1/20/12).

Sitting at 8 in PWR tied with Merrimack. Starting to get a little antsy as BC inches closer to the bubble.

 

[FiveHole12]

Re: Boston College Eagles 2011-2012 season thread

Steve, you are such the optimist.

LOL. If we get swept by UNH this weekend that may change.

 

[sterlippo1]

Re: Boston College Eagles 2011-2012 season thread

LOL. If we get swept by UNH this weekend that may change.

the offense did start to perk up vs Maine. If they had played halfway intelligent hockey there were 4 points for the taking or at least 3 so i'll play optimist for once in my life and look forward to getting back on track starting with stronger defensive play and cutting down on silly mistakes Friday night. we need to start somewhere ,and soon........