Irish hockey '10-11-Everyone bets on a sure thing, but it takes guts not to fold.

[IrishHockeyFan]

Re: Irish hockey '10-11-Everyone bets on a sure thing, but it takes guts not to fold.

Tough one to watch. WMU was on their game from the opening faceoff and Notre Dame was, to put it mildly, not. We looked a lot like the team from the first third of the season that made lots of mistakes, and chased them all over the ice. Summerhays played better than getting pulled after one period would seem to indicate and Johnson played quite well in relief, but other than that we were missing in action. Our power play was as bad tonight as it's been yet this year and we made an awful lot of mistakes with the puck.

Now we need to regroup and see if some solutions to some still nagging issues can be found. Our passing was soft as a marshmallow tonight, and we still need to find some consistency between the pipes. And if there was going to be a time for this team to stop taking ill-advised shots, now is as good as any.

We came a long way this season after last year's wander through the forest. A very long way. I must say, this team not only embraced the Suck. They THROTTLED it. And now as a reward the stakes get higher and the games get tougher.

 

[SwedishJustice22]

Re: Irish hockey '10-11-Everyone bets on a sure thing, but it takes guts not to fold.

I have really no words for tonights performance so I will keep it at that enjoy this bye week and come back refreshed.

 

[Jeff_Jackson_for_Pres.]

Re: Irish hockey '10-11-Everyone bets on a sure thing, but it takes guts not to fold.

Perspective time. The last time ND had 2 players with at least 40 points each was Erik Condra's sophomore year. His partner in that stat was freshman Ryan Thang. The last time ND had 2 freshmen with at least 40 points each? The 1969-70 season when John Noble (59 pts.) and Paul Regan (47) combined for 106 points, a much different scoring era than now. T.J. Tynan and Anders Lee have 46 and 40 points, respectively. And they aren't finished yet.

One year ago, after 36 games, ND's top 4 guys had a combined point total of 91 points and were about -15 in +/-. This time around after 36 games, ND's top 4 guys have 143 points and are a combined +53.

When Tynan and Lee are both kept off the score sheet, thankfully a rare occurrence, ND is 1-5 in those 6 games.

ND is one of only 3 teams in the league to have been shut out only once (Miami and LSSU are the other two). WMU is the only team in the league this season to score in every game on their schedule. Every other team suffered at least 2 blankings.

Last season in October, there were high expectations that came crashing down with a thunderous boom at the end of the season. This season in October, many of us simply hoped for 5th place and a first round bye. Who would have expected an 8-game unbeaten streak going into the last night of the season? Who would have thought the regular season trophy would be within our grasp as late as the waning moments of the last night of the regular season?

Tonight is the first time all season that the team played the entire game like the young ones they are. Other games have had freshmen shifts, even freshmen periods, but tonight they were not loose. I'm glad that the last several weekends have been close, hard-fought games. They were like play-off hockey. And if this young team can have the success in the post-season that they've had the last month of the regular season (tonight's game notwithstanding), I like our chances.

 

[BII]

Re: Irish hockey '10-11-Everyone bets on a sure thing, but it takes guts not to fold.

Tough one to watch. WMU was on their game from the opening faceoff and Notre Dame was, to put it mildly, not. We looked a lot like the team from the first third of the season that made lots of mistakes, and chased them all over the ice. Summerhays played better than getting pulled after one period would seem to indicate and Johnson played quite well in relief, but other than that we were missing in action. Our power play was as bad tonight as it's been yet this year and we made an awful lot of mistakes with the puck.

Now we need to regroup and see if some solutions to some still nagging issues can be found. Our passing was soft as a marshmallow tonight, and we still need to find some consistency between the pipes. And if there was going to be a time for this team to stop taking ill-advised shots, now is as good as any.

We came a long way this season after last year's wander through the forest. A very long way. I must say, this team not only embraced the Suck. They THROTTLED it. And now as a reward the stakes get higher and the games get tougher.

I watched the Friday night game live and the Saturday night game on line. Western played very well both nights but on Friday night Notre Dame was the best team I've seen all year. I still can't believe how much poorly the Irish played in the first period Saturday. I think that gave Western the confidence and drive they needed to fight ND off for the rest of the game. I hope both teams learned that from this point on they cannot let up for a minute. I am a loyal Western fan but I respect and amire what Jeff Jackson has done with ND. I have hopes that the Broncos are in the process of the same type turnaround the ND has made. Incidently, the guy that announces your online feed is an embarassment.

 

[A Shot and a Goal]

Re: Irish hockey '10-11-Everyone bets on a sure thing, but it takes guts not to fold.

Perspective time. The last time ND had 2 players with at least 40 points each was Erik Condra's sophomore year. His partner in that stat was freshman Ryan Thang. The last time ND had 2 freshmen with at least 40 points each? The 1969-70 season when John Noble (59 pts.) and Paul Regan (47) combined for 106 points, a much different scoring era than now. T.J. Tynan and Anders Lee have 46 and 40 points, respectively. And they aren't finished yet.

One year ago, after 36 games, ND's top 4 guys had a combined point total of 91 points and were about -15 in +/-. This time around after 36 games, ND's top 4 guys have 143 points and are a combined +53.

When Tynan and Lee are both kept off the score sheet, thankfully a rare occurrence, ND is 1-5 in those 6 games.

ND is one of only 3 teams in the league to have been shut out only once (Miami and LSSU are the other two). WMU is the only team in the league this season to score in every game on their schedule. Every other team suffered at least 2 blankings.

Last season in October, there were high expectations that came crashing down with a thunderous boom at the end of the season. This season in October, many of us simply hoped for 5th place and a first round bye. Who would have expected an 8-game unbeaten streak going into the last night of the season? Who would have thought the regular season trophy would be within our grasp as late as the waning moments of the last night of the regular season?

Tonight is the first time all season that the team played the entire game like the young ones they are. Other games have had freshmen shifts, even freshmen periods, but tonight they were not loose. I'm glad that the last several weekends have been close, hard-fought games. They were like play-off hockey. And if this young team can have the success in the post-season that they've had the last month of the regular season (tonight's game notwithstanding), I like our chances.

JJ, Thanks for the message. Denver finishes the regular season at home this coming weekend against Saint Cloud. DU is locked in a three way battle for second place in the regular season. The other teams battling Denver are Duluth and Nebraska-Omaha. As luck would have it for Denver, those two teams [Duluth and Neb-O] face each other in Duluth this weekend. DU has a one point lead over Neb-O and a two point lead over Duluth. The math is such that Denver is in a favorable position to finish in second place if it just pays attention to beating Saint Cloud and forgets about watching the out-of-town scoreboard.

Captain Kyle Ostrow has missed the last two series with an abdominal injury for which he underwent a surgical procedure. It's possible he could be back for this weekend's series, and if not, then perhaps for DU's first round conference playoff series. Good luck to your Skating Irish. College hockey is getting ready its most entertaining portion of the season. Have a good week.

 

[IrishHockeyFan]

Re: Irish hockey '10-11-Everyone bets on a sure thing, but it takes guts not to fold.

More or less a *bump* back to the front, but I've been wondering about something. Is anyone else besides me a little surprised still at the relative lack of coverage this team has garnered in the local press, such as the South Bend Tribune and Notre Dame centric online entities such as Blue and Gold Illustrated or the Rivals site?

Rivals does offer fairly regular coverage, but the vast majority of their hockey content is game recap related. Michigan's Rivals site seems to cover the hockey team much better, and while we are hardly the equal of UM when it comes to success or history, we've begun to build something exciting here.

Maybe I'm expecting too much. Maybe I'd be sorry if the team was more often front page news. But it seems to me they appear no more newsworthy now, going for their 4th NCAA bid in the last 5 years, than in that first good season under Jackson. The Tribune still offers the game recaps, and the occasional mid-week feature, but they've been doing that for years. This despite having closed out the last regular season at the Joyce by nearly winning the CCHA (not too shabby for a team most in the media and coaches pre-season polls picked to finish 5th) and being ranked in the top 15 in most of the polls nearly all year.

Someone is interested in this team. They've sold out all of their home games and even as a road team they've been a good draw. Ohio State's biggest gate of the year was Notre Dame, amazingly attracting at least 1500 more people than either of the Michigan games played in Columbus. The local media needs to get the message. Perhaps Jackson needs to reconsider his blanket prohibition on allowing media access to his Freshman class. In another couple of weeks, if all goes well, the NCAA is going to mandate it anyway. And while I'm aware of the need to sometimes watch out for what you wish for, a little more attention in the press wouldn't be that hard to manage. This team has earned the recognition.

 

[Irish83]

Re: Irish hockey '10-11-Everyone bets on a sure thing, but it takes guts not to fold.

Any thoughts on who we are rooting for tonight?

 

[IrishHockeyFan]

Re: Irish hockey '10-11-Everyone bets on a sure thing, but it takes guts not to fold.

Any thoughts on who we are rooting for tonight?

Just anxious to play. We either play Alaska or Lake State. Alaska played us pretty tough here and won one game fairly easily, but Lake State just swept a team that blew us out of the building in Columbus barely a month ago. We looked better against Lake State, but that was in October. Two very different teams. We can beat either one, but if the team plays like moving on to Detroit is a foregone conclusion, either Lake State or Alaska will be the team moving on to Detroit. How's that for a non-answer answer?

 

[Laker Dude]

Re: Irish hockey '10-11-Everyone bets on a sure thing, but it takes guts not to fold.

Just anxious to play. We either play Alaska or Lake State. Alaska played us pretty tough here and won one game fairly easily, but Lake State just swept a team that blew us out of the building in Columbus barely a month ago. We looked better against Lake State, but that was in October. Two very different teams. We can beat either one, but if the team plays like moving on to Detroit is a foregone conclusion, either Lake State or Alaska will be the team moving on to Detroit. How's that for a non-answer answer?

I am hoping that LSSU plays at Notre Dame next weekend simply because of the fact that Notre Dame usually has an internet video feed for their home games, while Michigan does not.

 

[Jeff_Jackson_for_Pres.]

Re: Irish hockey '10-11-Everyone bets on a sure thing, but it takes guts not to fold.

I am hoping that LSSU plays at Notre Dame next weekend simply because of the fact that Notre Dame usually has an internet video feed for their home games, while Michigan does not.

You got your wish.

 

[ND Hockey]

Re: Irish hockey '10-11-Everyone bets on a sure thing, but it takes guts not to fold.

Perhaps Jackson needs to reconsider his blanket prohibition on allowing media access to his Freshman class.

You got your wish.
http://www.southbendtribune.com/article/20110306/SPORTS13/110309714/1130

 

[AnchorsAway]

Re: Irish hockey '10-11-Everyone bets on a sure thing, but it takes guts not to fold.

Any chance your freshmen will get playoff jitters this weekend? That'd be pretty convienient for the Lakers...Haha but in all seriousness, best of luck to you guys this weekend, although I don't think you'll be needing it!

 

[IrishHockeyFan]

Re: Irish hockey '10-11-Everyone bets on a sure thing, but it takes guts not to fold.

You got your wish.

I had an inkling.

Any chance your freshmen will get playoff jitters this weekend? That'd be pretty convienient for the Lakers...Haha but in all seriousness, best of luck to you guys this weekend, although I don't think you'll be needing it!

I think whatever jitters they had for games that meant a little more were dealt with in the season ending loss to WMU. It was a tremedous lesson in the value of focus.

 

[Jeff_Jackson_for_Pres.]

Re: Irish hockey '10-11-Everyone bets on a sure thing, but it takes guts not to fold.

As we gear up for the last playoff series to ever be played at the JACC rink, I am reminded of some of the highlights from my 34 years of watching players come, play and graduate. Looking through some of the programs, media guides and articles in my huge, dusty collection I see names like Scott Owens, Dan Bylsma, Ken Morrow, George McPhee, Bill Baker, Rob McClanahan, Tom Carroll, Tom Anastos, Rod Brind'Amour, Ryan Miller, Craig Simpson, Paul and Perry Pooley, Doug Weight, Brian Rolston, Glenn Healy, Marty Turco, Mike Knuble, Brian Gionta, Pierre Lamoureux, Enrico Blasi.

I could go on ad nauseum just listing the players who've gone on to play in the NHL or the AHL or become coaches or referees. I've watched players from decades ago and watched their sons now. I've seen rule changes, programs go defunct, sleeping giants and fallen giants.

I remember when John Deasey had to suck oxygen between shifts when jaws were still wired shut when broken. I saw Kirt Bjork carried off the ice on a stretcher after being speared in the gut. I saw great comebacks by the Irish when they were down 4-1 on the road against UIC, only to score 3 third period goals to skate out of Chicago with a tie or down 3-0 at home against BG and win 9-8 in OT. And yes, I saw gut-wrenching losses at the hands of NMU at home in the playoffs or BC in Denver in the last game of the season. I've seen OT games, games shortened because the lights went out, games with thousands in attendance and games with hundreds.

I guess it's fitting that the last playoff series to be played at the JACC is against our coach's previous college team, since he is the one responsible for the new digs and hopefully many more playoff games to be played across the way.

LSSU comes here with a 5-3-2 record since the first weekend in February. ND is 5-1 in that same timeframe. LSSU has a GF in those ten games of 2.4 and a GA of 2.5. They have registered 2 shutouts. ND has a GF in their last 6 games of 3.0 and GA of 1.67. They have been shut out once.

The Lakers PP in those games is a healthy 21.3% while their PK is 84.8%. ND's PP in February is 14.3% and their PK is 82.1%.

ND has had 2 bye weekends in the span where LSSU has had no time off. LSSU has employed Kevin Kapalka in net the entire time. ND has shared time in net between Mike Johnson and Steven Summerhays, but I believe Mike Johnson will get the nod from here on out.

Both teams have had 13 different players register goals since the start of February. LSSU's Rick Schofield and Will Acton have been the big guns scoring nearly half of the 24 goals the Lakers have since February 4th. ND's offense is much more evenly distributed with Anders Lee the only one with more than 2 goals since early February.

If ND wins this weekend, they should be guaranteed a berth in the regionals. But all ND had to do was win their last home game and it would have guaranteed them 1st in the league and look how that turned out. Special teams look to be their Achilles' heel and time is running out to turn the man-up and man-down situations around.

To paraphrase Dr. Seuss:
"You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your skates.
You can steer yourself in any direction you take.
You're part of a team.
You know what you know.
You are the guys who'll decide where to go."

 

[Jeff_Jackson_for_Pres.]

Re: Irish hockey '10-11-Everyone bets on a sure thing, but it takes guts not to fold.

Oh yeah! Congrats to Craig P.! Or should I say, Dr. Craig P.?!

 

[AnchorsAway]

Re: Irish hockey '10-11-Everyone bets on a sure thing, but it takes guts not to fold.

As we gear up for the last playoff series to ever be played at the JACC rink, I am reminded of some of the highlights from my 34 years of watching players come, play and graduate. Looking through some of the programs, media guides and articles in my huge, dusty collection I see names like Scott Owens, Dan Bylsma, Ken Morrow, George McPhee, Bill Baker, Rob McClanahan, Tom Carroll, Tom Anastos, Rod Brind'Amour, Ryan Miller, Craig Simpson, Paul and Perry Pooley, Doug Weight, Brian Rolston, Glenn Healy, Marty Turco, Mike Knuble, Brian Gionta, Pierre Lamoureux, Enrico Blasi.

I could go on ad nauseum just listing the players who've gone on to play in the NHL or the AHL or become coaches or referees. I've watched players from decades ago and watched their sons now. I've seen rule changes, programs go defunct, sleeping giants and fallen giants.

I remember when John Deasey had to suck oxygen between shifts when jaws were still wired shut when broken. I saw Kirt Bjork carried off the ice on a stretcher after being speared in the gut. I saw great comebacks by the Irish when they were down 4-1 on the road against UIC, only to score 3 third period goals to skate out of Chicago with a tie or down 3-0 at home against BG and win 9-8 in OT. And yes, I saw gut-wrenching losses at the hands of NMU at home in the playoffs or BC in Denver in the last game of the season. I've seen OT games, games shortened because the lights went out, games with thousands in attendance and games with hundreds.

I guess it's fitting that the last playoff series to be played at the JACC is against our coach's previous college team, since he is the one responsible for the new digs and hopefully many more playoff games to be played across the way.

LSSU comes here with a 5-3-2 record since the first weekend in February. ND is 5-1 in that same timeframe. LSSU has a GF in those ten games of 2.4 and a GA of 2.5. They have registered 2 shutouts. ND has a GF in their last 6 games of 3.0 and GA of 1.67. They have been shut out once.

The Lakers PP in those games is a healthy 21.3% while their PK is 84.8%. ND's PP in February is 14.3% and their PK is 82.1%.

ND has had 2 bye weekends in the span where LSSU has had no time off. LSSU has employed Kevin Kapalka in net the entire time. ND has shared time in net between Mike Johnson and Steven Summerhays, but I believe Mike Johnson will get the nod from here on out.

Both teams have had 13 different players register goals since the start of February. LSSU's Rick Schofield and Will Acton have been the big guns scoring nearly half of the 24 goals the Lakers have since February 4th. ND's offense is much more evenly distributed with Anders Lee the only one with more than 2 goals since early February.

If ND wins this weekend, they should be guaranteed a berth in the regionals. But all ND had to do was win their last home game and it would have guaranteed them 1st in the league and look how that turned out. Special teams look to be their Achilles' heel and time is running out to turn the man-up and man-down situations around.

To paraphrase Dr. Seuss:
"You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your skates.
You can steer yourself in any direction you take.
You're part of a team.
You know what you know.
You are the guys who'll decide where to go."

Kapalka has been our rock this whole season, he's prone to a bad game here and there but he has had quite a few gems to go with it (4 shutouts) not the least of which was his 48 save shutout last Friday against the Buckeyes.

Schofield and Acton have been hot lately (although rare is the time when Schofield isn't hot lol) but Domenic Monardo is usually our 2nd most dynamic player behind Schofield, he has been slower as of late. Zach Trotman is our best offensive defenseman, a draft pick of the Boston Bruins, he is a big kid with a powerful shot. Even though he is a sophomore, he has been the leader of a group of blueliners that at times has featured 3 freshmen in the lineup.

Lake State's game is to limit shots to the perimeter in the defensive zone and hope for offense to come from odd man rushes..our set-up in the offensive zone is not very complex and we have issues controlling the puck for extended periods of time so it is relatively easy to defend. For us to have a chance at this series it is going to take Kapalka standing on his head, Schofield, Monardo, and Acton all showing up multiple times on the scoresheet, our defense to play sound positional hockey and our special teams to play at the highest levels they have this season, along with some of our second tier players like Chad Nehring, Fred Cassiani, Nick McParland, and Kyle Jean contributing offensively and even then we would be lucky to squeak out this series in three games. In any case I hope it is a clean and competitive series!

 

[Third Family Member]

Re: Irish hockey '10-11-Everyone bets on a sure thing, but it takes guts not to fold.

Woo Hoo! Dr. P! Well deserved honor. And no labs blown up along the way!

 

[Jeff_Jackson_for_Pres.]

Re: Irish hockey '10-11-Everyone bets on a sure thing, but it takes guts not to fold.

Woo Hoo! Dr. P! Well deserved honor. And no labs blown up along the way!

How do we know this for certain?

 

[Craig P.]

Re: Irish hockey '10-11-Everyone bets on a sure thing, but it takes guts not to fold.

Thanks!

How do we know this for certain?

In point of fact, although it's very difficult for computational folk to blow up a lab, we <em>did</em> have a go at burning down Cushing (air conditioning failure on the room housing our group's computing cluster).

 

[IrishHockeyFan]

Re: Irish hockey '10-11-Everyone bets on a sure thing, but it takes guts not to fold.

Oh yeah! Congrats to Craig P.! Or should I say, Dr. Craig P.?!

Wow, great news Craig P. Congratulations and best wishes going forward. I've always said hockey fans are the smartest sports fans around. Wait a minute, I'M a hockey fan...