Re: BU season thread 4 - 2014-15 // destiny's children
Same article also says O'Connor returning which is still unlikely
Same article also says O'Connor returning which is still unlikely
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BU season thread 4 - 2014-15 // destiny's children
- Thread starter mookie1995
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Re: BU season thread 4 - 2014-15 // destiny's children
"Sports doesn't build character. It reveals it."
Think we can say that about O'Connor. I would have understood it if he didn't confront the media at all, or spent just a few minutes.
Don't know if you noticed the "Sports Quotes" they were flashing up on the Jumbotron. One was from John Wooden (paraphrased, but close):
"Sports doesn't build character. It reveals it."
Think we can say that about O'Connor. I would have understood it if he didn't confront the media at all, or spent just a few minutes.
Re: BU season thread 4 - 2014-15 // destiny's children
There is no surety that BU would have won without that epic flub and choke by OC but I would like to seen it play out for the last 8 minutes and would probably feel a lot better about a losing finish in another manner.
There is no surety that BU would have won without that epic flub and choke by OC but I would like to seen it play out for the last 8 minutes and would probably feel a lot better about a losing finish in another manner.
Difference is he quoted Grizz that he will be returning but just assumed O'Connor would as well. Written by someone who obviously hasn't been following team as closely as all of us... Don't know on the winning goal whether Grizz should have broke off his man or whether Sonerby at fault for getting beat?
Terrier520
Sungo
Re: BU season thread 4 - 2014-15 // destiny's children
Oh yeah. forgot about that part.
Oh yeah. forgot about that part.
Kdaddy1968
New member
Re: BU season thread 4 - 2014-15 // destiny's children
I wouldn't wish the way you lost on anyone.. well except BC. The one guy I really liked was #7 .. is he returning for you?
I wouldn't wish the way you lost on anyone.. well except BC. The one guy I really liked was #7 .. is he returning for you?
Terrier520
Sungo
Re: BU season thread 4 - 2014-15 // destiny's children
Honestly, with the way BU played in the third, I thought that a GTG was inevitable. I didn't think that it would be in such a painful manner, but I wasn't feeling positive about BU. Seems like they were playing too conservative, and just wanted to wait for an empty-netter.
Honestly, with the way BU played in the third, I thought that a GTG was inevitable. I didn't think that it would be in such a painful manner, but I wasn't feeling positive about BU. Seems like they were playing too conservative, and just wanted to wait for an empty-netter.
Terrier520
Sungo
Interesting point. I think everyone runs through the "what if" scenarios. Had that mistake not happened, would PC have scored? They totally outshot BU in the third. Say the game goes to OT and PC wins? Would that sting any less, the same, more?
I think what made it a fascinating season for me is that until the game ended, people really believed that BU could tie the game up, because they had been doing stuff like that all season. Let's say BU does tie it up after that mistake and PC pulling ahead. And then PC wins in OT? Does that hurt less? Possibly.
A loss is a loss. You cannot put this all on O'Connor. You can't. The team lost.
It's sort of amazing that these crazy things happen in these tournament games. It wasn't just a loss. It was a crazy unfortunate mistake that lead to a huge momentum shift. Last year, Minnesota scores with 0.6 seconds. The Yale Qpac championship game was so incredibly even till an end of period goal. And we all remember 2009. I love this tournament.
Terrier520
Sungo
Re: BU season thread 4 - 2014-15 // destiny's children
It's interesting what they say about learning experiences. The 2009 season started at the garden in 2008, when the senior class didn't want to battle for their lives again in a tournament. Well, this year, BU got really complacent. They thought they could just coast through the third period.
Maybe next year, the freshman-sophomore class comes out hungrier. New recruits get on board with the hard work ethic pushed by Quinn, and we pull off an Eagles-like run for a few years.
It's interesting what they say about learning experiences. The 2009 season started at the garden in 2008, when the senior class didn't want to battle for their lives again in a tournament. Well, this year, BU got really complacent. They thought they could just coast through the third period.
Maybe next year, the freshman-sophomore class comes out hungrier. New recruits get on board with the hard work ethic pushed by Quinn, and we pull off an Eagles-like run for a few years.
Kdaddy1968
New member
Re: BU season thread 4 - 2014-15 // destiny's children
He played a great game. I wish UVM had a few like him.
He played a great game. I wish UVM had a few like him.
You say this like it's fact. They thought they could just coast? That's what you saw? It's not what I saw at all.
Terrier520
Sungo
Re: BU season thread 4 - 2014-15 // destiny's children
In the third period? Yeah, that is what it looked like to me. It looked like that in the North Dakota game, too. Yes, they had a lead, but they'd send one forechecker, wouldn't cycle, would dump from the blue line, change and make a stand at center ice.
Compare how they played at the Frozen Four from how they played against Lowell, and you'll see two different teams.
In the third period? Yeah, that is what it looked like to me. It looked like that in the North Dakota game, too. Yes, they had a lead, but they'd send one forechecker, wouldn't cycle, would dump from the blue line, change and make a stand at center ice.
Compare how they played at the Frozen Four from how they played against Lowell, and you'll see two different teams.
defkit
Well-known member
Re: BU season thread 4 - 2014-15 // destiny's children
Well, when you are protecting a one goal lead, you look to keep the shifts short so you don't get caught with guys on a long shift. That leads to a lot of dumping and changing, which results in only one forechecker. So sure, they were less aggressive than they would be if they needed a goal, but I didn't think they sat back on their heels.
Well, when you are protecting a one goal lead, you look to keep the shifts short so you don't get caught with guys on a long shift. That leads to a lot of dumping and changing, which results in only one forechecker. So sure, they were less aggressive than they would be if they needed a goal, but I didn't think they sat back on their heels.
Terrier520
Sungo
Re: BU season thread 4 - 2014-15 // destiny's children
Yes, but BU has been really good this year on keeping the pressure in the offensive zone. BU's splits were out of this world this year, and I don't think it was them being conservative that paid off.
Yes, but BU has been really good this year on keeping the pressure in the offensive zone. BU's splits were out of this world this year, and I don't think it was them being conservative that paid off.
defkit
Well-known member
Re: BU season thread 4 - 2014-15 // destiny's children
The whole "relying on the third period" thing reminds me of 1989-90. On three separate best-of-three playoff occasions, BU lost the first game and won the next two (Northeastern in the HE playoffs, North Dakota and at Michigan State in the NCAAs), but when they needed to win the one and only game, they lost (at Maine in the HE Semis, against Colgate in the Final Four).
The whole "relying on the third period" thing reminds me of 1989-90. On three separate best-of-three playoff occasions, BU lost the first game and won the next two (Northeastern in the HE playoffs, North Dakota and at Michigan State in the NCAAs), but when they needed to win the one and only game, they lost (at Maine in the HE Semis, against Colgate in the Final Four).
Re: BU season thread 4 - 2014-15 // destiny's children
But you CAN'T "compare" it; that's the point...as I said last night, there's a reason why experience is beneficial in almost anything in life. You can't compare a November 3rd period comeback to last night. That building was electric. Those guys KNEW it was the biggest game of their lives. To me, they played like even a lot of NHL teams in the same situation...nobody wanted to be the "guy" who made a mistake. It's natural for them to be tentative. You don't want to take a chance and then leave a 2 on 1 the other way. All the things you said are the result of nerves. I don't think it was a conscious "we've got this one" attitude.
It's tough to close the deal and Providence had a LOT of older, experienced players who knew how to finish once they smelled blood. I knew that it would come back to bite us eventually...and as far as it "hurting less," I think maybe losing in one of the earlier games would have been less magnified. But I'd be lying if I said I didn't see the tying goal coming...it was VERY obvious and I said it to the people next to me (who all agreed).
If you have to point out one flaw, it's the thing that created the whole third period comeback thing in the first place...and that's our lack of a killer instinct all year. We should have put this away with that fourth goal and we just couldn't do it. THAT'S inexperience and it's a hard lesson to learn. When you seemingly score at will in every critical situation all year, there is a tendency to think it will happen forever. That's what experience teaches you. As DQ said, the ONE thing that you need in this situation is the one thing they didn't have - experience. You can't simulate that. But they'll have more of it next year.
I'm not sure that the "motivational" thing and the "sting of losing" thing will last another whole year. Next year's team is going to have to chart their own, unique course. What we CAN take away from last night is that DQ has turned this program around and has cleaned up the carnage left by the previous "administration."
But you CAN'T "compare" it; that's the point...as I said last night, there's a reason why experience is beneficial in almost anything in life. You can't compare a November 3rd period comeback to last night. That building was electric. Those guys KNEW it was the biggest game of their lives. To me, they played like even a lot of NHL teams in the same situation...nobody wanted to be the "guy" who made a mistake. It's natural for them to be tentative. You don't want to take a chance and then leave a 2 on 1 the other way. All the things you said are the result of nerves. I don't think it was a conscious "we've got this one" attitude.
It's tough to close the deal and Providence had a LOT of older, experienced players who knew how to finish once they smelled blood. I knew that it would come back to bite us eventually...and as far as it "hurting less," I think maybe losing in one of the earlier games would have been less magnified. But I'd be lying if I said I didn't see the tying goal coming...it was VERY obvious and I said it to the people next to me (who all agreed).
If you have to point out one flaw, it's the thing that created the whole third period comeback thing in the first place...and that's our lack of a killer instinct all year. We should have put this away with that fourth goal and we just couldn't do it. THAT'S inexperience and it's a hard lesson to learn. When you seemingly score at will in every critical situation all year, there is a tendency to think it will happen forever. That's what experience teaches you. As DQ said, the ONE thing that you need in this situation is the one thing they didn't have - experience. You can't simulate that. But they'll have more of it next year.
I'm not sure that the "motivational" thing and the "sting of losing" thing will last another whole year. Next year's team is going to have to chart their own, unique course. What we CAN take away from last night is that DQ has turned this program around and has cleaned up the carnage left by the previous "administration."
Terrier520
Sungo
Re: BU season thread 4 - 2014-15 // destiny's children
When I said Lowell, I didn't mean a November game. I meant the Hockey East championship game. Or even the Beanpot championship game. When they played conservative, they got in trouble.
All year, BU has been a hard-charging, fast-skating team that kept their opponents in the D zone, and eventually wore them down. They were like BC, opening holes in the opponent's defense. So why, in the third period of two consecutive games, did they suddenly shift to a Vermont-style trap defense? It nearly burned them against UND, and it did against Providence. Nine of the first 12 shots in the third period last night were from PC. So it's BU that was worn down by the third.
As to the worry of giving up an odd-man rush: How many times has something like that hurt BU this year? How many goals have they given up on the rush? It's a serious question, because I can't think of many, if any. That's where you trust O'Connor — to make the save on the odd rush.
ETA: The game's over, and yes, Providence took control in the third period and won. I would have just wished that BU played their game all three periods.
When I said Lowell, I didn't mean a November game. I meant the Hockey East championship game. Or even the Beanpot championship game. When they played conservative, they got in trouble.
All year, BU has been a hard-charging, fast-skating team that kept their opponents in the D zone, and eventually wore them down. They were like BC, opening holes in the opponent's defense. So why, in the third period of two consecutive games, did they suddenly shift to a Vermont-style trap defense? It nearly burned them against UND, and it did against Providence. Nine of the first 12 shots in the third period last night were from PC. So it's BU that was worn down by the third.
As to the worry of giving up an odd-man rush: How many times has something like that hurt BU this year? How many goals have they given up on the rush? It's a serious question, because I can't think of many, if any. That's where you trust O'Connor — to make the save on the odd rush.
ETA: The game's over, and yes, Providence took control in the third period and won. I would have just wished that BU played their game all three periods.
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