theprofromdover
The Original Dope Detector
That's why I call him Xzlax.
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Friars Hockey 23-24: Season-Long Thread of Pain
- Thread starter PaulKorea
- Start date
That's why I call him Xzlax.
Confused observations as usual;
1. PC have scheduled 34 regular season games. So far their record shows a 64% win percentage. The midseason is over with only 9 games remaining. In a 34 game season the beginning is the first 11 games, the middle is the next 12 games, and the end is the final 11 games. It is now the start of the end of the season, not the midseason.
2. The next 4 games are going to be challenging with 2 games against Maine in Orono, (where I believe they are undefeated so far this season) and a home and away weekend with BU. The game after these 4 is vs UMass Lowell. Let's hope Zlax's prognostication about the next four is just as inaccurate as his call for PC to lose its final two BC games a couple of weeks ago. He didn't join other fans in celebrating the tremendous 4-3 win on Jan. 13, but not posting after positive results makes it easier to forget those I suppose.
3. Let's face it, good goalies stop most shots by positioning themselves so that shots will hit them in the chest. Most goalies these days are larger sized and that increases the odds of getting hit in the chest with good positioning. There are few players that can consistently hit the small openings that goalies allow, so players like Cutter Gauthier who often hit those spots with hard shots, are very noticeable. For most teams the majority of goals are the greasy variety. So hitting the goalie in the chest is not a terrible shot and can produce a rebound that results in a goal. It would be great if you could hit the small corners consistently when you are skating at high speed and shooting hard shots with a puck that is positioned 4 or more feet away from your hands. That is why elite players are elite. Zlax is evidently not a former player so just spouts off with no valid basis, grasping at straws to come up with more negative commentary. What kind of a person does that?
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PaulKorea
Not related to North or South
A very low-IQ poster is the correct answer.
Despite the predictions from the venerable one. the Friars on the road have played well in most of the Friday night games (sans that BC game a few weeks ago). I think they will do the same in Orno. Maybe the Czech will be back in the lineup. I also noticed, rather late, that Valente hasn't played in a few games, was he hurt?
All hands on deck for this weekend. Obviously going to need Svedeback to play well. He wasn't bad in the Saturday game. The first PP goal guy came pretty much in all alone from the side and the second goal was one of those upper corner snipes from the circle. I do think Friars need to be better shooting the puck on goal including making the goalie move more. There were a lot of pucks Saturday right at the UCONN goalie.
Before last year the Friars had a decent run up there although Maine was down in some. Always a tough place to play, hoping for at least one win out this weekend.
All hands on deck for this weekend. Obviously going to need Svedeback to play well. He wasn't bad in the Saturday game. The first PP goal guy came pretty much in all alone from the side and the second goal was one of those upper corner snipes from the circle. I do think Friars need to be better shooting the puck on goal including making the goalie move more. There were a lot of pucks Saturday right at the UCONN goalie.
Before last year the Friars had a decent run up there although Maine was down in some. Always a tough place to play, hoping for at least one win out this weekend.
The Zlax45
Registered User
Wait you AGREE with me???
I challenge anyone to watch that UConn/PC game on Saturday night and recognize how many shots are taken within the first five feet of the blue line or below the face-off dot on the wings.
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Sparkee
Blackbear
Good, we need a new alternator.
PK, hope you bring some luck. Sounds like a great environment. Maybe coach Leaman has some plays that worked well when he was there as a volunteer assistant under Shawn Walsh, that is where he got his start in the coaching ranks and the Black Bears won a national championship that year, I think it was 1999. Would love to visit one of these years.
Sparkee
Blackbear
He got a MS degree at UMaine. Before he was the volunteer assistant he was an assistant hockey coach at Oldtown Highschool. I think Grant Standbrook spent a lot of time with him according to memories of an interview of Leamen when he was at Union. A lot of Maine fans were hoping he would be interested in coaching Maine, but he got a big contract extension before being a candidate at UMaine. He’s a great coach. And Coach Barr coached under him at Providence and with him at Union.
Hope you are right, has been developing into a potentially great power forward, might be the secret ingredient!
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CharltonChu
New member
Watched that in my hotel in Nashville tonight. Think I was the only person on my floor shouting at the TV.
Extraordinary win for the Friars, another 4-3 beauty. Very much like the 1/13 comeback win vs BC except this one was away at ME who were undefeated at home and whose goalie was playing an exceptional weekend with one great save after another. In both BC and ME games, PC fell behind 1-0, 2-1, & 3-2 and came back to tie the game each time and then finally score the go ahead goal when it counted at the end of the game. Talk about grit, the game last night showed what it is.
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uncle_cliff
Member
If it weren't for some puck luck for Maine on Friday, the Friars could have come away with 4 or 5 points this weekend, which would have been huge. They now have to at least split with BU and win most of their games after that to stay away from the bubble and/or the need to win the HE title.
I thought the Friars had the better of play both nights too. The ME announcers on ESPN+ seemed to echo that sentiment for the most part, but were naturally rooting for the home team. Not so much puck luck Friday for ME, especially the great power play goal by Josh Nadeau who roofed his shot into the smallest open spot over the goalie. He and his brother Bradly are some duo. The problems I saw for PC were not solving the goaltending for ME and not getting puck luck themselves. There were a number of loud shots off the posts, the difference in those bouncing away from instead of into the net must be pretty darn slim. The crowd noise and packed arena made for an even more challenging match, that intangible is a big home team advantage. Wish Schneider was more like that more often.
7 games left in the regular season, but 3 of those vs BU. Exciting ending coming up, hope we hang in there. As the ESPN announcers said, PC is a very tough team to play.
7 games left in the regular season, but 3 of those vs BU. Exciting ending coming up, hope we hang in there. As the ESPN announcers said, PC is a very tough team to play.
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uncle_cliff
Member
By puck luck I was referring to the 3 hit posts as you mentioned, but all valid points here. Alfond is a tough place to play. Schneider is what it is and can get rowdy when a big team and a big victory are at hand. However, PC remains primarily a passionate BB school. I was at the Georgetown game and have never experienced anything like that before.
I've met the Maine announcers on a rare occasion when I've ventured up to Orono, and they are good guys. Most of the announcers at the other schools are good too. I say most, because I think PC's home announcers suck. Too many anecdotes/stories while play is in progress and the woman broadcaster, when present, is very annoying and more often than not just parrots back what the guy says. Awful.
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A big weekend this weekend and no one talking about it. Last night's game was something to watch. Mostly well played by both teams. BU got 2 goals as result of PC turnovers, one a short handed breakaway after PC lost puck at offensive blue line, the other after PC defense gave the puck up right in front of the goal. Friars tying it up on the PP in third was a nice goal.
Didn't realize BU goalie came from Brown, Friars must have seen him prior 2 years.
The Canadian frosh forward Celopbrini (sp) looks like a future first round pick for sure. Only 17 and I believe tied for the lead in the league with 42 points. Thought PC overall did a decent job covering him and the soph D man Hutson.
Didn't think the Friars would get through the 3 on 3 with the puck handling skills of BU especially since most of the 5 minutes was played in PC end.
Sevedeback played well, also had a little luck and came up big in the shootout. Malinowski shootout winner was a beauty through the 5 hole.
Up to Agganis tonight. Will the bad Saturday team show for the Friars or the one that played Maine and BC on Saturdays and won?
Seems like the PC frosh are getting their game back lately.
Going to need another good showing by our goalie up there.
2 points in the bag, a win tonight would be fantastic, a OT/shootout win would be great, a tie take the point and off to UML for a one game weekend next week.
Didn't realize BU goalie came from Brown, Friars must have seen him prior 2 years.
The Canadian frosh forward Celopbrini (sp) looks like a future first round pick for sure. Only 17 and I believe tied for the lead in the league with 42 points. Thought PC overall did a decent job covering him and the soph D man Hutson.
Didn't think the Friars would get through the 3 on 3 with the puck handling skills of BU especially since most of the 5 minutes was played in PC end.
Sevedeback played well, also had a little luck and came up big in the shootout. Malinowski shootout winner was a beauty through the 5 hole.
Up to Agganis tonight. Will the bad Saturday team show for the Friars or the one that played Maine and BC on Saturdays and won?
Seems like the PC frosh are getting their game back lately.
Going to need another good showing by our goalie up there.
2 points in the bag, a win tonight would be fantastic, a OT/shootout win would be great, a tie take the point and off to UML for a one game weekend next week.
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The Zlax45
Registered User
PC has now not won a game in regulation since Feb. 2nd and now are in a three way tie for 11th in PWR. Very quickly playing themselves out of the NCAA Tournament for the fourth straight year....
On the bright side, since Feb. 2nd PC beat Maine in Orono inflicting their first home loss this year, and this Saturday played BU to a tie and won the shootout in amazing fashion when Svedeback denied Q. Hutson, M. Celebrini and L. Hutson on their attempts.
It is fun this end of season to watch Zlax’s doom and gloom predictions fall apart. PC beats BC in January instead of getting swept, and get 4 points out of the matches vs ME and BU instead of 3, (at most). So I am encouraged to see another dour prediction that we will fall out of the running for an NCAA appearance, given his prognostication prowess that means PC is a lock!
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