What's new
By:
USCHO Fan Forum

This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

  • The USCHO Fan Forum has migrated to a new plaform, xenForo. Most of the function of the forum should work in familiar ways. Please note that you can switch between light and dark modes by clicking on the gear icon in the upper right of the main menu bar. We are hoping that this new platform will prove to be faster and more reliable. Please feel free to explore its features.

Irish hockey '12-'13: Why would you not wanna go there?

Re: Irish hockey '12-'13: Why would you not wanna go there?

I realize it's early in the season and there is no NHL...yet, but where is everyone? Are we not excited about the start, the team, the season? Do we not want to discuss Mario Lucia's progress, Steven Summerhays' play or the killer OOC schedule? This past weekend I talked nothing but college hockey with a particular Maine fan and thoroughly enjoyed it (while in the process learning some serious dirt about some future HE leaguemates :eek: ).

At least typing to myself doesn't appear as crazy as talking to myself...

Even though the students are on break, the band will be in attendance at the games (yay!) and I believe the games are even nearly sold out. Not bad for a Thursday-Friday series.

While UMD split last weekend, they scare the bejeezus out of me. Well, more specifically, their special teams, Mike Seidel and Austin Farley scare me. Seidel is in his senior year and already has 3G and an A in 2 games. His 3 goals were all PPG's. Freshman Farley also has 4 points in the early going, all 4 coming on the PP. So far, the Bulldogs have scored 5 PPG's on 14 chances. That's better than 35% on the PP. {cue bloodcurdling scream} I know it's too early to think that stat will remain that high and maybe it was their opponent's porous defense on the PK, but I distinctly remember a game in St. Paul a year and a half ago that was lost solely because of UMD's PP and our porous defense on the PK. UMD's PK in their 2 games has been quite solid at better than 92%.

Aaron Crandall should be in net for UMD. His numbers in their win were quite good with a save % of .926, while his numbers in their loss were much less impressive, including a save % of .857. Overall so far, he's got a GA of 2.52 and a save % of .896.

And while ND won both games last weekend, they did so without the benefit of a PPG. Maybe that's a good thing because they don't need the advantage of a man-up to score. Maybe that's a bad thing because they don't capitalize on all opportunities. Either way, they have gone 0-fer 7 chances on the PP. The flip side is they have killed off all 8 penalties, some of those against a notoriously powerful PP team (Maine). Lee, Tynan and Schneider all have 2 points so far. Summerhays has Jordan Pearce-like numbers so far with a save % of .962 and a GA of 1. If you counted the exhibition game (he played about 34 minutes of that game), his GA would be 0.77. However, in reality, those numbers are bound to change. Right?

TR once said, "Believe you can and you are halfway there."
 
Last edited:
Re: Irish hockey '12-'13: Why would you not wanna go there?

Jeff_Jackson_for_Pres. said:
I realize it's early in the season and there is no NHL...yet, but where is everyone? Are we not excited about the start, the team, the season? Do we not want to discuss Mario Lucia's progress, Steven Summerhays' play or the killer OOC schedule? This past weekend I talked nothing but college hockey with a particular Maine fan and thoroughly enjoyed it (while in the process learning some serious dirt about some future HE leaguemates :eek: ).

At least typing to myself doesn't appear as crazy as talking to myself...

Even though the students are on break, the band will be in attendance at the games (yay!) and I believe the games are even nearly sold out. Not bad for a Thursday-Friday series.

While UMD split last weekend, they scare the bejeezus out of me. Well, more specifically, their special teams, Mike Seidel and Austin Farley scare me. Seidel is in his senior year and already has 3G and an A in 2 games. His 3 goals were all PPG's. Freshman Farley also has 4 points in the early going, all 4 coming on the PP. So far, the Bulldogs have scored 5 PPG's on 14 chances. That's better than 35% on the PP. {cue bloodcurdling scream} I know it's too early to think that stat will remain that high and maybe it was their opponent's porous defense on the PK, but I distinctly remember a game in St. Paul a year and a half ago that was lost solely because of UMD's PP and our porous defense on the PK. UMD's PK in their 2 games has been quite solid at better than 92%.

Aaron Crandall should be in net for UMD. His numbers in their win were quite good with a save % of .926, while his numbers in their loss were much less impressive, including a save % of .857. Overall so far, he's got a GA of 2.52 and a save % of .896.

And while ND won both games last weekend, they did so without the benefit of a PPG. Maybe that's a good thing because they don't need the advantage of a man-up to score. Maybe that's a bad thing because they don't capitalize on all opportunities. Either way, they have gone 0-fer 7 chances on the PP. The flip side is they have killed off all 8 penalties, some of those against a notoriously powerful PP team (Maine). Lee, Tynan and Schneider all have 2 points so far. Summerhays has Jordan Pearce-like numbers so far with a save % of .962 and a GA of 1. If you counted the exhibition game (he played about 34 minutes of that game), his GA would be 0.77. However, in reality, those numbers are bound to change. Right?

TR once said, "Believe you can and you are halfway there."
Click to expand...

I'm here. I think everyone is just football crazy right now.
 
Re: Irish hockey '12-'13: Why would you not wanna go there?

Well that just blew. At least we scored a PPG. Other than that...

Our blue line stunk, save for the hit Shayne Taker threw late in the 3rd. Stephen Johns started the game well, but after Kevin Lind was shown the gate, it seems that Johns' decision-making ability followed Lind to the showers. And what is up with our Dmen going down low? I mean behind-the-goal-line-low. Taker is about the only one I don't cringe at doing that because he has quite a bit of offensive skill.

Steven Summerhays played well with the exception of the 3rd goal. That was kinda soft. However, he did not get help out there. It seemed as if the 5 guys in front of him forgot there's a puck on the ice. No communication. Crappy passes. Dangerous drops.

And I hate to beat a dead horse from last season, but w.t.f. is up with having the 4th line out there on the PP?! Or worse yet, in the waning minutes of a game where we do not have the lead?

And I hate to beat the dead horse's colt from last season, but w.t.f. is up with waiting until more than half the game had passed before getting into double digits in shots on net?

So Andy Ryan will dress in place of the DQ'ed Lind. Who will dress in place of the players who passed up a chance at a shot, dropped the puck back to a guy in maroon or took a stupid penalty to negate a PP?

Get in sync boys. I want a win tomorrow night.
 
Re: Irish hockey '12-'13: Why would you not wanna go there?

I'm back peeps. Sorry for the long absence. It was an interesting summer to say the least.

Maybe it's just me but after sitting in the same seats for every game for the past 5 years (well not literally the same seats but you get my drift) I still just have a hard time understand that so called power play of ours. It seems to be nothing but passing around the perimeter, waiting for the perfect lane to open. Maybe its just me but what ever happened to the idea of putting someone in front of the net to block the netminders field of vision and then just taking shots and trying to get a rebound, a tip, anything. Last time I checked you actually have to shoot to score (something that they did not do, at least registering a shot on goal, at least twice last night).

This team just confuses me sometimes. I am not the great hockey mind that I wish to be in my mid 20's, but I just can never trust this team as much as I want to. I will always ride the ship whether it sinks or arrives at the main goal of a National Championship. Its just like they are a puzzle that is missing a piece or two and can't quite figure it out.

Maybe its just me. I am far from panicking this early in the season. I just wish we knew what we were dealing with a little better.
 
Re: Irish hockey '12-'13: Why would you not wanna go there?

My first real game here at Notre Dame. Saw a lot of the same things that you two have already posted. Is Johns really one of the best options to be on the blue line for the PP? Maybe that was just a poor game for him as you said JJFP.

Just too many predictable passes on the PP, not enough shots taken early, and couldn't cash in on the few point blank chances. Maybe it's just a matter of chemistry...
 
Re: Irish hockey '12-'13: Why would you not wanna go there?

I agree with SwedishJustice. I would rather them shoot the puck and crash the net, forget looking for the perfect lane. I bet they'd get a lot more "ugly" goals that way. The funny thing about "ugly" goals, though, is that they still count. Passing has to get better too. Stupid penalties, especially with CCHA refs calling the game and a lights-out PP like Duluth's, is probably not a good idea either.

P.S. Bryan Rust had another great game. It looks like he'll be the breakout star this year. So far very impressive. I also really love that line (Tynan, Rust and DiPauli). I still don't like the Anders Lee line. Maybe JJ should consider replacing Schneider with Austin Wuthrich who is stuck in fourth line pergatory. Also, i'm hoping that third line gets going soon. They seem to hustle well, but don't seem to get too many direct chances.

Let's get a split tonight.
 
Re: Irish hockey '12-'13: Why would you not wanna go there?

Jeff_Jackson_for_Pres. said:
...where is everyone?
Click to expand...

Asked and answered, huh...? One who has been absent forever is the other early arriving Irish hockey poster, Chicago's own IrishHockey. Wonder where he's been. And some of us are only here in spirit anyway.

I think the first three games just may be be how the season goes all year. We have some scoring talent, but it looks like it will come in bunches. 3 or 4 goals one night, 1 the next.

Something that is becoming quite evident is that within that huge Junior class, a class that managed to net around 80 goals as Freshmen but perhaps 50 or so last year, we really only have two dynamic scoring threats. How long before Jackson tries them together again to come up with one line that will score regularly?

I think a number of the class of 2014 scored way more than what we will see over their remaining 3 years, or at best played as well as they ever will. Looking to many of the Junior forwards or defensemen to consistently put the puck in the net may be a recipe for frustration throughout the season. Costello may provide similar punch to his freshman season (pun firmly intended), but he needs to stay healthy. I think coming into the 2010-11 season most people knew that Lee and Tynan had the stuff to pile up some points. Perhaps Costello's 12 goals or Gerths 8 caught some other teams off guard. Not anymore. We had the primary and secondary scoring to win. Last year it was nearly non-existent, as teams knew who to shut down. Throw in a year's worth of up and down goaltending and there's your .500 season.

This team will probably need a formidable special teams effort -- including finding someone who is willing to take some shots on the power play and bury some of them -- and Summerhays will have to be one of the league's top netminders to have anything like the season that many in the media or Jackson's fellow coaches predicted. Fall short of top flight goaltending or getting little help for Lee or Tynan on a nightly basis and we could see another mediocre -- or worse -- season.

Fortunately it's just 3 games. Roles still need defining. On-ice chemistry is still to be developed. One of the more highly touted recruits the program has ever seen needs to heal up and hit the ice. As long as the 21 guys dressed each night compete, I'll take my chances on them.
 
Re: Irish hockey '12-'13: Why would you not wanna go there?

Unless a mistake was made on twitter, it looks like JJ is going with Mike Johnson tonight. Here we go again...

He's also benching Jared Beers and playing Ryan and Johnson's younger brother on defense. I don't have a good feeling about this.

Although, he is bringing up Wurthrich to play with Lee like I suggested earlier.
 
Re: Irish hockey '12-'13: Why would you not wanna go there?

NotreDameFan27 said:
Unless a mistake was made on twitter, it looks like JJ is going with Mike Johnson tonight. Here we go again...

He's also benching Jared Beers and playing Ryan and Johnson's younger brother on defense. I don't have a good feeling about this.

Although, he is bringing up Wurthrich to play with Lee like I suggested earlier.
Click to expand...

I was wrong, Summerhays is playing.
 
Re: Irish hockey '12-'13: Why would you not wanna go there?

4-1 Irish, final.

What a great bounce back game. Summerhays was great again. I really like these line choices on the offense, got a lot of balance scoring. Costello and Gerths got a goal. All around great effort.

Refs sucked though, but, you know, CCHA.
 
Re: Irish hockey '12-'13: Why would you not wanna go there?

I have to add to NDF27's kudos. If I gripe a lot, I have to praise a lot.

Another PPG is a continued step in the right direction. Lots of shots is an even bigger step in the right offensive direction. Steven Summerhays is always the right direction. A pretty goal by T.J. Tynan to bring him to within a point of the century mark (while still having nearly 2 seasons left). Robbie Russo remembering that it's good to rip it on the PP. A welcome back goal from Jeff Costello (along with a welcome back misconduct for a mouth that didn't stop until he took a seat--man I've missed him). And...wait for it...David Gerths (fanfare. fireworks.) with his first goal in what seems like a lifetime. That's what is meant by secondary scoring!

I can add several blocked shots from Thomas DiPauli and big hits from Stephen Johns to the list of kudos. And something else...I've noticed an immense leap in leadership and maturity from Shayne Taker and Tynan.

I think Coach Jackson was right when he said maybe the team was "too geeked up" last night. Tonight they were geeked just right.
 
Re: Irish hockey '12-'13: Why would you not wanna go there?

Better effort all around, obviously. Summerhays is really starting to grow into the role of the number one. Good shot selection. Good energy from all four lines. Just have to make sure to find the formula for some consistency and the good start will grow into the good season.

And credit to NDNation poster BIGSKYND for unearthing this bit of news about the 2014 IceBreaker Tournament. If true it's good to see this thing come here. Good for it to be on ANY campus rink.
 
Re: Irish hockey '12-'13: Why would you not wanna go there?

IrishHockeyFan said:
And credit to NDNation poster BIGSKYND for unearthing this bit of news...
Click to expand...
Does anyone else find it annoying that we have to find out extra info about our team and players from other papers/reporters/schools several states away rather than from Irish Illustrated, the Observer or the SBT?
 
Re: Irish hockey '12-'13: Why would you not wanna go there?

It's about time Thomas DiPauli got some flag love.

proxy.jpg
 
Re: Irish hockey '12-'13: Why would you not wanna go there?

Ya know, I've noticed that. I keep breathing life into ND's thread because I fear all college hockey sites are losing the battle of meaningful conversation (not that my banter has meaning...). These last couple classes my students have been discussing self-respect, integrity, unexamined lives, the whole Socratic reflection thing. They were to bring to class a symbol of their self-respect and explain its meaning. They asked me to bring in my symbol, too. I brought in my hockey stick. With INCH's demise and fewer postings on ND's thread and more "trolls" all over, my hockey stick took on an even more poignant meaning for me. For a very lengthy reason, it will always be my symbol of self-respect, but I fear more and more people view the red Chiclets (or whatever is akin to that in the real world) under their alias as their symbol.

Anyhoo. Mario Lucia strapped on the skates, and we've got our first conference play coming up in a few days. Parity is the name of this weekend's games in Marquette.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top