Lowell vs Northeastern, home and home

[UMLFan]

Huge weekend for two of the three teams that have new coaches this season. Lowell (hosting the first night) comes in at 12-6 overall (7-5 in HE) and Northeastern is 8-9-3 (4-9-2).

Lowell currently is 6th in HE, 2 points out of the last home-ice spot, but with four games in hand on Maine. NU is currently out of the playoffs, in 9th place, four points behind the River Hawks (and having played 3 more games).

Lowell last at NU right before the break 3-2, partially due to a rather questionable decision by their coach. The season tie-breaker is on the line this weekend as well ...

 

[SkinsFan09]

Re: Lowell vs Northeastern, home and home

NU will be back on track now that the other 2/3 of their 1st line returns to the ice this weekend.

 

[northeastern]

Re: Lowell vs Northeastern, home and home

Vermeersch has to be more intelligent passing with the puck.. he blew one taking a selfish shot on Millan.. missing a wide open Saponari for goal. That was one of the few plays i remember from all of last wknd! That & lack of discipline on the part of some upper classmen.

We play like that again.. it'll be lights out. We can still make the playoffs & play with anybody. Just need to get it back together.. yet again.
Go Huskies

 

[Ryecheers]

Re: Lowell vs Northeastern, home and home

I've been a real critic of Vermerschin the past, but I have to credit him with a huge improvemnt that he has made this season. He plugged a major hole as a center on the second line and has distributing the puck far better than in the past. I can forgive him for occasionally reverting to his old habits. He is dong far more for this team tghan I had expected.

 

[Huskies01]

Re: Lowell vs Northeastern, home and home

Vermeersch has to be more intelligent passing with the puck.. he blew one taking a selfish shot on Millan.. missing a wide open Saponari for goal. That was one of the few plays i remember from all of last wknd! That & lack of discipline on the part of some upper classmen.

We play like that again.. it'll be lights out. We can still make the playoffs & play with anybody. Just need to get it back together.. yet again.
Go Huskies

It was A. Reid, not Vermeersch who did not pass the puck, and honestly, he had the shot there to take. He could have made the pass there, but he took the shot. Its a good thing to see him wanting to take a shot in that spot and not defer to an upperclassman. He missed, but I have no complaints on that play. Vinny has not exactly been hitting the back of the net much there this year. Its not like he did not pass to MacLeod or a Ginand if we had one of those. The rule on this team should be to take the shot if you have it.

As for this weekend, NU skated around UML like they were red cones in the first meeting, and if not for some stupid passing and bad finishing would have been up way more then 2-0 before UML attempted their quaint comeback. They may complain about pulling the goalie early, but they are also assuming that they manage to score one more time. Lets say you dont pull the goalie there, and maybe do not get another shot, or maybe NU gets an empty net with 30 seconds left. That same play almost worked for NU this weekend, they got within one against bu but could not find the 2nd goal.

Positives for NU from last weekend, ROY Karlsson got back on track against bu, Rawlings continues to play strong hockey, and the team lost two one goal games while missing two of their top six forwards against the one and two seed in the conference.

IF NU plays like this did last time, they skate away with a sweep this weekend. If they play like they did this past weekend where they get frustrated with the refs, forget to pass to each other, and just played a selfish game, they will get swept. There is nothing daunting about this UML team, outside of the fact they have a few more wins this year then they did last. Noses to the grindstone for NU, and lets get four points.

 

[UMLFan]

Re: Lowell vs Northeastern, home and home

There is nothing daunting about this UML team, outside of the fact they have a few more wins this year then they did last. Noses to the grindstone for NU, and lets get four points.

I hope that the Huskies listen to you and don't even bother showing up since it's such an easy four points.

 

[Patman]

Re: Lowell vs Northeastern, home and home

I hope that the Huskies listen to you and don't even bother showing up since it's such an easy four points.

I'm hoping Huskies01 gives the pre-game speech to the NU players this weekend.

----

I'm starting to worry that Lowell is losing the mentality that had them come out on fire to start the season. Work hard, do not quit, every play, play smart. These 2-3 spurts against is mental composure (especially that 2nd goal at UVM... how does the d-man let that happen?!). Hopefully with the Russian in the line-up and the energy this situation is bringing will allow the team to play with another level of zeal... adding another weapon is always a boost to the psyche.

Make no mistake... put in the effort and the goal is within reach... but you cannot rest otherwise it will be taken from you. This team needs to want all four points... they need to live and believe that they're dangerous and they're bringing the danger with them.

 

[Patronick]

Re: Lowell vs Northeastern, home and home

Lowell has been guilty of playing to their compeition this season, and if they can avoid that trap this weekend they'll come away with the sweep.

In a ridiculous twist of scheduling, Friday will be Lowell's first HE home game since the beginning of December, when they beat BC in front of a sold out house. Not totally surprising (however still extemely humiliating) that they laid an egg against Northeastern and lost 3-2 the next night, although considering that was the Huskies only game of the weekend it's no wonder they came out flying. The 'Hawks have been lights out at home this season, and if they want to continue to be at the top half of a table they have to win the winnable games against teams on the outside looking in at the playoffs.

Lowell (14 pts) has only played 12 HE games to date and have games in hand against the rest of the league:

1 game - PC (15 pts)
2 games - 'Mack (19), UNH (11), Amherst (12)
3 games - BU (21), NU (10), Vermont (5)
4 games - BC (21), Maine (16)

Lowell's in a real good spot, but now is the time to pick up W's. 3 points this weekend would be acceptable but I'm expecting Lowell to sweep the outgunned Huskies.

 

[UMLFan]

Re: Lowell vs Northeastern, home and home

Hopefully with the Russian in the line-up and the energy this situation is bringing will allow the team to play with another level of zeal... adding another weapon is always a boost to the psyche.

Considering he hasn't played in a bit, I'd be really surprised if he played this weekend.

 

[Patman]

Re: Lowell vs Northeastern, home and home

Considering he hasn't played in a bit, I'd be really surprised if he played this weekend.

good point

 

[Huskies01]

Re: Lowell vs Northeastern, home and home

Lowell has been guilty of playing to their compeition this season, and if they can avoid that trap this weekend they'll come away with the sweep.

In a ridiculous twist of scheduling, Friday will be Lowell's first HE home game since the beginning of December, when they beat BC in front of a sold out house. Not totally surprising (however still extemely humiliating) that they laid an egg against Northeastern and lost 3-2 the next night, although considering that was the Huskies only game of the weekend it's no wonder they came out flying.

So what your really trying to say is your team is out of shape, and has issues playing on back to back nights matching other teams intensity. Interesting. So all those games in hand you have, may not be a good thing since its going to be lots of games over a short amount of time.

 

[boblav1]

Re: Lowell vs Northeastern, home and home

Lowell has been guilty of playing to their compeition this season, and if they can avoid that trap this weekend they'll come away with the sweep.

I just hope the Hawks remember the wake up call they got last weekend. NU is big and physical so they better be ready for two hard fought games. The Hawks will need 60 minutes of solid hard working hockey each night.

 

[northeastern]

Re: Lowell vs Northeastern, home and home

Win or lose.. love watching gms @ Tsongas.

Hopefully Huskies can continue playing well again on the road. I actually see NU winning Friday & Lowell coming back Saturday. Huskies have not played particularly well at home this season. They've fared about .500 on the road, but for NU that is a huge step in the right direction come playoff (hopefully) time..

 

[Stompey5]

Re: Lowell vs Northeastern, home and home

Lowell has been guilty of playing to their compeition this season, and if they can avoid that trap this weekend they'll come away with the sweep.

...

Lowell's in a real good spot, but now is the time to pick up W's. 3 points this weekend would be acceptable but I'm expecting Lowell to sweep the outgunned Huskies.

So beating @Notre Dame x2, @Michigan, @Minnesota means you have to play down to Northeastern? NU is 8-2-1 in their last 11 with both losses being 1 goal losses to top ranked BU/BC - I think fans on here are underestimating both teams

 

[Patronick]

Re: Lowell vs Northeastern, home and home

So what your really trying to say is your team is out of shape, and has issues playing on back to back nights matching other teams intensity. Interesting. So all those games in hand you have, may not be a good thing since its going to be lots of games over a short amount of time.

Or, more to my actual point, Lowell had a big stage game against BC, at home in front of 6K fans and played one hell of a game. The next night they went on a road and probably underestimated a middle of the road NU team who hadn't played in a week and lost a one goal game against a team who was desperate for a conference win.

Teams often experience a let down after a big game, especially when the next game is on the road against a determined, albeit lesser, opponent. It's certainly not a situation that's unique to Lowell.

The more important factor with the games in hand is that, of Lowell's 15 remaining Hockey East games, 9 are at home, where Lowell has been dominate so far this season. NU is strong in thier top 6, but aside from that fact they can't match up with Lowell. Their D corps is not as strong and while Rawlings has been playing better recently, he's not in Carr's league. NU's special teams are straight garbage while Lowell is one of the better teams in the league on the PP and PK. NU takes, on average, 4 more penalty minutes per game. That's going to be NU's downfall.

If Lowell plays as they've shown they can they'll pick up four points this weekend.

 

[SkinsFan09]

Re: Lowell vs Northeastern, home and home

Lowell has been guilty of playing to their compeition this season, and if they can avoid that trap this weekend they'll come away with the sweep.

In a ridiculous twist of scheduling, Friday will be Lowell's first HE home game since the beginning of December, when they beat BC in front of a sold out house. Not totally surprising (however still extemely humiliating) that they laid an egg against Northeastern and lost 3-2 the next night, although considering that was the Huskies only game of the weekend it's no wonder they came out flying. The 'Hawks have been lights out at home this season, and if they want to continue to be at the top half of a table they have to win the winnable games against teams on the outside looking in at the playoffs.

Lowell (14 pts) has only played 12 HE games to date and have games in hand against the rest of the league:

1 game - PC (15 pts)
2 games - 'Mack (19), UNH (11), Amherst (12)
3 games - BU (21), NU (10), Vermont (5)
4 games - BC (21), Maine (16)

Lowell's in a real good spot, but now is the time to pick up W's. 3 points this weekend would be acceptable but I'm expecting Lowell to sweep the outgunned Huskies.

Northeastern has easily as much talent as Lowell. Our schedule has also been much harder. We've played Minnesota, Notre Dame twice, Michigan, BU and BC three times...

We essentially were minus our 1st line this weekend and barely lost to BU and BC. And as far as Rawlings not being in Carr's league, congrats for him racking up stats against the likes of UConn, Minnesota State and RPI.

Their save percentage is .928 apiece except Rawlings has faced far tougher competition and has played in 19 games to Carr's 14 so not sure where that funny statement comes from.

 

[SkinsFan09]

Re: Lowell vs Northeastern, home and home

So beating @Notre Dame x2, @Michigan, @Minnesota means you have to play down to Northeastern? NU is 8-2-1 in their last 11 with both losses being 1 goal losses to top ranked BU/BC - I think fans on here are underestimating both teams

Both teams are very good at this point in the season. Northeastern's special teams blow and that is crucial but they also have more talent in their top six, only 4/6 of which were playing this weekend. The upgrade from Dongara and Stone to Pimm and Ferreiro is huge.

 

[UMLFan]

Re: Lowell vs Northeastern, home and home

Unlike a couple of people who think this is going to be a sweep (from both sides) ... I think I'd be shocked if there was a sweep. These two teams are more evenly matched than either side would like to give the other credit for. Rawlings has been outstanding this season, as has Carr, but as noted, against higher end competition (can't really argue that). Both teams are coming off losses, so they're both going to be looking to rebound this weekend.

 

[Huskies01]

Re: Lowell vs Northeastern, home and home

Or, more to my actual point, Lowell had a big stage game against BC, at home in front of 6K fans and played one hell of a game. The next night they went on a road and probably underestimated a middle of the road NU team who hadn't played in a week and lost a one goal game against a team who was desperate for a conference win.

Their D corps is not as strong and while Rawlings has been playing better recently, he's not in Carr's league. .

First, our D corps is so far ahead of yours its not even funny. But you are right about Carr and Rawlings, they are not in the same league. Rawlings is Major League compared to Single A short season for Carr.

Of the two goalies, one of them is playing at the highest level he ever will, the other one will a future pro. Here is a hint, Rawlings is the pro.

 

[Patronick]

Re: Lowell vs Northeastern, home and home

So what your really trying to say is your team is out of shape, and has issues playing on back to back nights matching other teams intensity. Interesting. So all those games in hand you have, may not be a good thing since its going to be lots of games over a short amount of time.

Northeastern has easily as much talent as Lowell. Our schedule has also been much harder. We've played Minnesota, Notre Dame twice, Michigan, BU and BC three times...

We essentially were minus our 1st line this weekend and barely lost to BU and BC. And as far as Rawlings not being in Carr's league, congrats for him racking up stats against the likes of UConn, Minnesota State and RPI.

Their save percentage is .928 apiece except Rawlings has faced far tougher competition and has played in 19 games to Carr's 14 so not sure where that funny statement comes from.

Lowell has played BCx3 and BU as well. The difference is 2-2 > 0-4. You can only play the teams on your schedule. NU had a tough non-con schedules, no argument, but it's easier to compare in conference games. The fact remains that NU hasn't gotten it done in conference.

As for Carr vs Rawlings: ok, throw the non-con out the window if you think it pads Carr's stats that much.

HE Games
Carr: 2.20 GAA/.924 SV%

Rawlings: 2.61 GAA/.925%