BU 2021-22: Albie's Great Adventure

[brassbonanza]

I don't believe Mastro was benched or hurt - no one last night played anywhere near poorly enough to deserve a benching.

It was a not-so-well-kept secret that numerous players were fighting a stomach bug last night. That's why Vlasic didn't play. Would not surprise me if those who were more unwell didn't get as many late-game shifts.

 

[buoldtimer]

Did Mastrosimone get hurt or benched yesterday? Felt I didn't see him out there for 15 minutes when they shuffled lines. Thought I saw Carrabes playing where Mastro was for that time.

According to Albie postgame, Mastrosimone was "struggling", therefore the line shifts to give him a different look.

 

[brassbonanza]

According to Albie postgame, Mastrosimone was "struggling", therefore the line shifts to give him a different look.

I suspect "struggling" may have been more of a reference to sickness. Both him and O'Brien looked a step behind. Jay was one I heard was borderline to play last night due to the stomach ailment.

 

[Terrier86]

Things are looking better. Getting guys back certainly helps and the system has tightened up, so their playing more consistently. Goaltending has been consistently much better than the first 4-6 weeks, too. I think Boucher leaving was addition by subtraction, too.

Here's the rub - goal scoring has gone up against lower PWR teams but this will be difficult against the better squads. From week one of the season, I thought goal scoring was going to be this team's Achilles Heel. I still think that's true, but the good news is that with the top of HE down this year there's a chance we could pull through.

But, man we're going to have to keep playing tremendously in our own zone and get excellent goaltending. Possible, but probable? Time will tell.

 

[defkit]

I don't believe Mastro was benched or hurt - no one last night played anywhere near poorly enough to deserve a benching.

It was a not-so-well-kept secret that numerous players were fighting a stomach bug last night. That's why Vlasic didn't play. Would not surprise me if those who were more unwell didn't get as many late-game shifts.

Just one man's opinion, but if there is one player that I feel is still a little bit in the mode we saw at the beginning of the season (not a lot of attention to the defensive game) it is Mastro. He has a lot of skill and he hustles when there is a chance to score, but he seems to be less committed in the defensive end. I could be wrong, and I hope I am.

 

[kbz]

I suspect "struggling" may have been more of a reference to sickness. Both him and O'Brien looked a step behind. Jay was one I heard was borderline to play last night due to the stomach ailment.

I thought O'Brien was the best player on the ice last night. Tenacious on the forecheck and the corners. I said to myself that he was almost willing the team to win. I thought he should have been MVP (he had 2 points in first round) but understand why Peterson was. Working Beanpots as a student for Athletic Communications fka Sports Information, the ballots are collected with around 10 to 7 minutes left in the 3rd period and can be filled out "scorer of game winning goal", "NU goalie if NU wins", etc.

 

[Bomber]

Not exactly a Mona Lisa, but it'll do. : ) NU cut down a lot of scoring chances with great positioning and excellent stick work to disrupt shot attempts. And if multiple BU players were sick, that explains why they were less sharp than they have been during this hot streak.

Now, about this bye weekend... Can't they schedule a game with Bentley or something. #HotStreakWannaGetOutThere

BU Hockey: 31

 

[Scarlet]

With Team USA done (sob), how quickly can Commesso get back to campus? That might be one benefit of no games this weekend. It will give him time to travel home, rest and get used to the time zone.

 

[brassbonanza]

Not exactly a Mona Lisa, but it'll do. : ) NU cut down a lot of scoring chances with great positioning and excellent stick work to disrupt shot attempts. And if multiple BU players were sick, that explains why they were less sharp than they have been during this hot streak.

Now, about this bye weekend... Can't they schedule a game with Bentley or something. #HotStreakWannaGetOutThere

BU Hockey: 31

It was certainly a defensive Mona Lisa. The shot chart from the game tells that story: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FLnCRRQUcAA3j1v?format=jpg&name=small

Very, very few quality chances for NU and no big defensive mistakes. Complete team defensive effort.

 

[J.D.]

NU only had 19 shots total. 10 in the 3rd where they probably had the most in closing minutes. In this game BUs best defense was offense. Seems strange to say in a 1-0 game but from what I saw NU could never really establish possession in the BU end to then get shots. It was more BU skating circles around NU and controlling the puck in the NU end. Can't score if you never have the puck.

 

[hydrant]

Prop's to NU's defense for most of the game. Seemed to be all over BU sticks around their goal. Never had anything around the net until the goal.

 

[Rogie21]

NU only had 19 shots total. 10 in the 3rd where they probably had the most in closing minutes. In this game BUs best defense was offense. Seems strange to say in a 1-0 game but from what I saw NU could never really establish possession in the BU end to then get shots. It was more BU skating circles around NU and controlling the puck in the NU end. Can't score if you never have the puck.

Another strong effort by BU in the D-zone with 19 shots blocks (averaging 16/game in the 7-game streak) and aggressive back-checking. NU had only two shots 9 minutes into the third period, didn't get another until nearly the 13 minute mark. Three more--none too challenging--before BU scored on its 29th and final shot.

While in a relatively small sample of games--13 over two seasons--Duplessis' career GAA is 1.62 which puts him atop the all-time BU goalie list, ahead of John Curry (2.07), Dan Brady (2.27) and Jake Oettinger (2.29).

 

[J.D.]

As for your weekend off it's because of the odd # of teams. No idea where things stand with adding a 12th team but it should be a priority. UML is off next weekend and PC is off final weekend of season.

 

[BU93]

So, just a weekend to watch other games. I took a look at our RPI related to the last team in the NCAAs over the last 11 tournaments. We stand right now at .5542 in the 14 position. The average to make the tournament over the 11 year period was .5355, with a high of .5430 and a low of .5261. So, if we can maintain our current number, we’re probably in good shape.

For this weekend I went through some likely scenarios and found the most likely ones leave us in 14 or 15. The key series this weekend is Clarkson. If they split with Colgate and Cornell, we remain in 14 and they go to 17. If they sweep those 2 teams they jump us into 14 and we go to 15.
With what is left for us on the schedule and a potential RPI:
4 wins - .5515
3 wins - .5448 (split with Maine)
3 wins - .5430 (split wit BC)
All of these keep us in 14 (ignoring other results)
All of those historically keep us in.

Of course, we don’t know our playoff matchups, but we obviously need to win games especially against teams below us. If we lost a game in UMass, it’s probably not as harmful.

The easy way is to of course win the Hockey East Championship, but I think there are other realistic avenues based on history.

 

[Sean Pickett]

So, just a weekend to watch other games. I took a look at our RPI related to the last team in the NCAAs over the last 11 tournaments. We stand right now at .5542 in the 14 position. The average to make the tournament over the 11 year period was .5355, with a high of .5430 and a low of .5261. So, if we can maintain our current number, we’re probably in good shape.

OK, say BU goes 3-1 (because we know they'll lose a game to BC or Maine), makes the HE semis and makes the NCAA's. That would make their record 21 or 22-13-3. Does Coach O'Connell deserve a new contract, and if so how long, or does he get replaced?

Sean

 

[BU93]

So, just a weekend to watch other games. I took a look at our RPI related to the last team in the NCAAs over the last 11 tournaments. We stand right now at .5432 in the 14 position. The average to make the tournament over the 11 year period was .5355, with a high of .5430 and a low of .5261. So, if we can maintain our current number, we’re probably in good shape.

For this weekend I went through some likely scenarios and found the most likely ones leave us in 14 or 15. The key series this weekend is Clarkson. If they split with Colgate and Cornell, we remain in 14 and they go to 17. If they sweep those 2 teams they jump us into 14 and we go to 15.
With what is left for us on the schedule and a potential RPI:
4 wins - .5515
3 wins - .5448 (split with Maine)
3 wins - .5430 (split wit BC)
All of these keep us in 14 (ignoring other results)
All of those historically keep us in.

Of course, we don’t know our playoff matchups, but we obviously need to win games especially against teams below us. If we lost a game in UMass, it’s probably not as harmful.

The easy way is to of course win the Hockey East Championship, but I think there are other realistic avenues based on history.

Sorry, mistake in our RPI going into tonight. It was .5432 or so. Still in the range of getting in historically.

Interesting hypothetical about Albie if we make the NCAA. It’s a “dilemma” I hope we are talking about next month.

 

[buoldtimer]

OK, say BU goes 3-1 (because we know they'll lose a game to BC or Maine), makes the HE semis and makes the NCAA's. That would make their record 21 or 22-13-3. Does Coach O'Connell deserve a new contract, and if so how long, or does he get replaced?

Sean

One man's guess - Make it to Garden for HE, make it to NCAA's, one or two year extension. Win HE Postseason Tournament, at least NCAA Regional Final, 3 year, extension.

 

[Bomber]

One man's guess - Make it to Garden for HE, make it to NCAA's, one or two year extension. Win HE Postseason Tournament, at least NCAA Regional Final, 3 year, extension.

Win the National Championship, life-time extension! : )

 

[defkit]

The worst case scenario: BU wins out the RS, makes it to the HE title game, loses in OT to UMass, and misses the NCAAs. That would have to make them one of the best teams to not make the tourney (in terms of how they are playing, not the season as a whole). Which would make the terrible first third of the season that much more frustrating. I know there were injuries, but it was clearly more than that.

Here's hoping that isn't how it plays out...

 

[Scarlet]

The worst case scenario: BU wins out the RS, makes it to the HE title game, loses in OT to UMass, and misses the NCAAs. That would have to make them one of the best teams to not make the tourney (in terms of how they are playing, not the season as a whole). Which would make the terrible first third of the season that much more frustrating. I know there were injuries, but it was clearly more than that.

Here's hoping that isn't how it plays out...

I don’t think there’s anyway they can win the RS title, or do you just mean they win their last four games?