Maine Hockey 2013-2014 - Red Light District

[BlackI]

Re: Maine Hockey 2013-2014 - Red Light District

Here is a look at Maine's road schedule over the last two and a half months:

@Vermont - L
@Vermont - L
@Quinnipiac - L
@UMass-Lowell - T
@BC - L
@UNH - L
@NotreDame - W
@NotreDame - L

All of these teams are in the top 20. Now, that is a tough schedule. The only game Maine got dominated in was the BC game. Other than that there are a couple games where you would say Maine played well enough to win but couldn't close the deal(UNH, Notre Dame). Overall you would have to say if you ignore the record and look at how Maine is playing on the road you have to like it. However looking over the games one of the loses to Vermont the game winner was scored inside of 3 minutes left in the game. The loss again Quinnipiac was score with 1 minute left in the game. Both games against Notre Dame ended with goals scored inside 2 minutes to go in the game. The two exceptions seem to be when Maine tie Lowell late to force the tie. And when Maine scored late against UNH to make the game interesting.

Maine has two more opportunities on the road against Northeastern. Interestingly enough if I do an average rank of those teams I get 11. This just happens to be where Northeastern is.

Another interesting fact is that Northeastern split on the road against Notre Dame as well.

Don't want to get the cart before the horse since Merrimack is the next opponent. But the games against Northeastern are going to have the same feel as this series against Notre Dame... a lot on the line.

This season in hockey east is very exciting because of how much parity there is in the league. For all intents and purposes, these teams are playing playoff games down the stretch.

Looking forward to watching Northeastern play BC tomorrow night.

 

[Ma#1ne Hky]

Re: Maine Hockey 2013-2014 - Red Light District

Anyone know of someone with One Frozen 4 ticket package for sale...looking for a buddy...any info would be great. Pay face value along with Mailing/Insurance charges or will travel.

 

[rufus]

Re: Maine Hockey 2013-2014 - Red Light District

Move on.... nothing to see here Just a simple learning experience Better to have it now than in the playoffs. Keep the perspective , we were fingernails away from sweeping the golden domers in their own barn. I saw a lot of things out of these guys I really liked this weekend.... huge hearts for one thing ....Red has a teaching opportunity out of this one.

Huge hearts, yeah, and they fight and battle all over the place. They just haven't developed that iron-hard single-mindedness, that killer instinct to step on their throats and put teams away when they can. But that comes with experience, and lots of games under the belt. It'll be there one of these days.

Notre Dame impressed me, they look like a lot better team than their record indicates. Good with the puck, creative, scrappy, quick and hustling.

 

[umhockey91]

Re: Maine Hockey 2013-2014 - Red Light District

Huge hearts, yeah, and they fight and battle all over the place. They just haven't developed that iron-hard single-mindedness, that killer instinct to step on their throats and put teams away when they can. But that comes with experience, and lots of games under the belt. It'll be there one of these days.

Notre Dame impressed me, they look like a lot better team than their record indicates. Good with the puck, creative, scrappy, quick and hustling.

They just don't have a "Johnny Hawkey".

 

[ck1969]

Re: Maine Hockey 2013-2014 - Red Light District

They just don't have a "Johnny Hawkey".

Johnny Hockey doesn't play defense.

 

[rufus]

Re: Maine Hockey 2013-2014 - Red Light District

They can keep their "Johnny Hawkey". I'll settle for a couple more Cam Browns, Blaine Byrons, and Eric Schurhamers.

I like the guys we've got. Like their hearty, their competitiveness, and their grit. Add a few more just like them, season and stir, and I like where we're sitting for the future. Way more oprtimistic about the future of this team than I was a year ago at this time.

 

[umhockey91]

Re: Maine Hockey 2013-2014 - Red Light District

Johnny Hockey doesn't play defense.

But he does score goals.....and from what I saw over the weekend, the Irish could use a sniper as well.

 

[umhockey91]

Re: Maine Hockey 2013-2014 - Red Light District

They can keep their "Johnny Hawkey". I'll settle for a couple more Cam Browns, Blaine Byrons, and Eric Schurhamers.

I like the guys we've got. Like their hearty, their competitiveness, and their grit. Add a few more just like them, season and stir, and I like where we're sitting for the future. Way more oprtimistic about the future of this team than I was a year ago at this time.

I like the guys that Maine has too. You do know that I was referring to Notre Dame......right?

 

[BlackI]

Re: Maine Hockey 2013-2014 - Red Light District

On the NHL channel right now they are replaying the Detroit/TampaBay game. Former Mainers Jimmy Howard, Ben Bishop, Teddy Purcell, and Gustav Nyquist played in the game.

 

[amherstblackbear]

But he does score goals.....and from what I saw over the weekend, the Irish could use a sniper as well.

Compton Family ice arena is my top away rink, after 1 visit. Not perfect, bit a very, VERY nice place to see a game.

That said, the Irish really didn't impress. Not surprised to see where they are in conference. The team I saw has some individual talent, but their teamwork leaves something to be desired. Not a lot of speed, not all that impressive passing the puck. They basically have size and strength. If Maine were as full of upperclassmen, they'd have taken 4 points.

Maybe its just a down year for ND?

Also, it was cool to see Mike Golic win the center ice goal contest (hitting an opening at the corner of the net). Guy scores, drops the stick like a mic, rapper-style, and the crowd roars. Good stuff.

 

[ck1969]

Re: Maine Hockey 2013-2014 - Red Light District

Compton Family ice arena is my top away rink, after 1 visit. Not perfect, bit a very, VERY nice place to see a game.

That said, the Irish really didn't impress. Not surprised to see where they are in conference. The team I saw has some individual talent, but their teamwork leaves something to be desired. Not a lot of speed, not all that impressive passing the puck. They basically have size and strength. If Maine were as full of upperclassmen, they'd have taken 4 points.

Maybe its just a down year for ND?

Also, it was cool to see Mike Golic win the center ice goal contest (hitting an opening at the corner of the net). Guy scores, drops the stick like a mic, rapper-style, and the crowd roars. Good stuff.

Were you sitting behind the Maine bench??

 

[walrus]

Re: Maine Hockey 2013-2014 - Red Light District

Compton Family ice arena is my top away rink, after 1 visit. Not perfect, bit a very, VERY nice place to see a game.

That said, the Irish really didn't impress. Not surprised to see where they are in conference. The team I saw has some individual talent, but their teamwork leaves something to be desired. Not a lot of speed, not all that impressive passing the puck. They basically have size and strength. If Maine were as full of upperclassmen, they'd have taken 4 points.

Maybe its just a down year for ND?

Also, it was cool to see Mike Golic win the center ice goal contest (hitting an opening at the corner of the net). Guy scores, drops the stick like a mic, rapper-style, and the crowd roars. Good stuff.

Golic is pretty good on the radio, seems like a funny guy.

More importantly what did you think of Maine?

 

[Fishman'81]

Re: Maine Hockey 2013-2014 - Red Light District

They can keep their "Johnny Hawkey". I'll settle for a couple more Cam Browns, Blaine Byrons, and Eric Schurhamers.

I like the guys we've got. Like their hearty, their competitiveness, and their grit. Add a few more just like them, season and stir, and I like where we're sitting for the future. Way more oprtimistic about the future of this team than I was a year ago at this time.

If Maine had 4 lines of Byron-types, they'd probably be undefeated, IMO.

He's only a Freshman, but he has NHL written all over him.

 

[ck1969]

Re: Maine Hockey 2013-2014 - Red Light District

If Maine had 4 lines of Byron-types, they'd probably be undefeated, IMO.

He's only a Freshman, but he has NHL written all over him.

Throw in 3 or 4 Lomberg's too and you're right.

 

[amherstblackbear]

Re: Maine Hockey 2013-2014 - Red Light District

Golic is pretty good on the radio, seems like a funny guy.

More importantly what did you think of Maine?

@ck: nope. Side balcony w/ FOMH on Friday. Behind the ND goalie for 2 periods on Sat.

Didn't want to say too much about Maine earlier. The ND series is 2 "home" games every other year, so definitely something I circle on the calendar. For the games to end the way they did . . . very frustrating. Didn't want to say too much in the immediate aftermath.

Basically, Maine looked more impressive to me than they did down in Florida . . . though some of the same problems were there. It's nothing that people don't already know. As a whole, this Maine team lacks size/strength. Part of that comes from being so young, and part of it is the way the roster is built. Either way, it is what it is.

IMO, Maine outplayed ND for almost all of Friday, and a solid majority of Saturday. That was impressive. And don't get me started on Saturday. I wouldn't say that Shea and Gravel had it in for Maine, but they absolutely called a game that minimized Maine's strengths and amplified ND's. It was basically impossible to commit interference, and ND had a field day with it, slowing down Maine in transition, checking guys who got rid of the puck 5 seconds earlier, and the play had moved 40 feet away. It wasn't until the 2nd period major that they decided they needed to crack down on ND.

Definitely a series where SOG were overrated. Maine didn't give ND a lot of space, which allowed Ouellette to post some gaudy stats. Not that he didn't make some grade-A saves, but a lot of Notre Dame's chances were more "B" or "C+."

Jeff Jackson commented about how Notre Dame wasn't ready for Maine's speed on Friday. Who am I to argue with a legend like him. To me, though, it wasn't flat out speed so much as quickness and finesse where Maine had an edge. Maine was better at stickhandling, working in traffic, and making tough passes, and while they didn't take as many shots as the Irish, they created some dangerous chances. Put it this way: when Maine got a scoring chance, everyone leaned forward or stood up. When ND took a shot, the ND students stood up.

I saw 3 or 4 real areas for improvement that Maine might address. First, their changes. On Saturday, especially, they had some brutal ones. Not so much too many men on the ice (though they took a penalty there), but changing in really marginal situations, giving ND several great chances that the Irish would never generate on their own. That tells me Maine was pretty desperate, and the most likely reason for that was ND's edge in size and physical play. Even when Maine didn't play like they were gassed, a lot of players probably were. That's the second area. Maine needs to get bigger. They don't need to get as big as Notre Dame. I would hope Red can add size without changing the way Maine plays too much. I like transition offense. Watching ND fly at Ouellette because they figured they'd never beat him cleanly . . . that reminded me of some of the darker days recently when Maine couldn't score. Anyway, getting outmuscled in the corners meant that that too many times late in the games, watching Maine clear their defensive zone was like watching Congress trying to pass a budget bill. Oops, this is D1. No more politics.

Third thing is finishing chances. Maine didn't do it. Yeah, they scored quickly on a 5x3 on Saturday, but then they still had almost 5 minutes of 5x4. Not scoring again during those 5 minutes may well have been the difference. Fourth would have to be faceoffs. Maine couldn't buy a faceoff win late in those games, and we all know how they turned out.

On the plus side, this team really is fun to watch. As much as I think Maine needs to get bigger, there's a place on the roster for kids like Cam Brown. Talk about compete level. He's got it. And Red definitely didn't shy away from giving the younger guys meaningful minutes, especially in big situations (PP/PK). Except Nugnes. He rode the bench. Someone paint his mask, so he doesn't stick out so much!

Anyway, it was encouraging for the most part, but all the optimism in the world doesn't remove the sting of Saturday night. 90 seconds from 4 points on the road. Obviously, Red is just getting started, and his recruits won't even begin to play until next winter . . . but these were the sorts of games where every Maine fan with internet access would be ripping into Tim. No getting around that. Hopefully, better days are ahead. From chatting with the "friends," it really sounds like Red's got it together. I have to think those better days are coming.

 

[amherstblackbear]

Re: Maine Hockey 2013-2014 - Red Light District

Other random thoughts:

I hope Shore is OK. He came back after getting hurt on Saturday, but he didn't look the same out on the ice.

As a university, Notre Dame takes pride to a new level. Obviously, having a rich athletic department helps, but . . .

Ushers who seek out people from away, and make it a point to welcome them, thank them for visiting, and guide them to their seats. Class.

Compton arena is new, but it isn't brand-new. I think it's three years old, and you'd never know that it didn't just open for business yesterday. Record-breakingly bad weather, mud and snow and ice everywhere outside, and when you get up to the balcony, you're walking on gold-ish colored floors that are clean enough to eat on. Stainless steel rails without so much a smudge, never mind a fingerprint. And that was true on Saturday, too (when there was a game the day before).

On the minus side, words can't express how stupid those shiny helmets look in person. Give it a rest, ND. You're taking the golden dome thing too literally.

 

[ck1969]

Re: Maine Hockey 2013-2014 - Red Light District

ABB did you get a chance to explore the campus a little? Asking becaue my son is considering ND (2 yrs away) but curious on your thoughts on the campus in general and the "vibe" so to speak.

 

[amherstblackbear]

Re: Maine Hockey 2013-2014 - Red Light District

ABB did you get a chance to explore the campus a little? Asking becaue my son is considering ND (2 yrs away) but curious on your thoughts on the campus in general and the "vibe" so to speak.

Nice place. Not sure if this is part of the equation (and not my business, either way), but as Catholic institutions go, it's obviously right at the top of the ladder, along with Georgetown. Neither will guarantee anything - it's up to kids to make their own future. But both will provide lots of opportunities, and national alumni networks. Both great campuses, but totally different vibes. Bearing in mind that those are both elite institutions, Notre Dame seems a little more "midwestern nice" and Georgetown is a little more "competitive, pre-professional." If you're comfortable in Maine, but looking to get out and see a bit more of the country, Indiana's a friendly place. Someone who's looking for a more urban/cosmopolitan feel might be drawn more to G'town.

As for the layout, Notre Dame's campus is really big, but not overwhelming. Typical midwest, where there's just tons of space everywhere. It takes a while to get from one end to the other. But it looks like things are in clusters - athletic facilities, academic building, residence halls, etc. So while the whole place is pretty spread out, it still has a nice, collegial feel.

 

[blackbearbandie]

Re: Maine Hockey 2013-2014 - Red Light District

Throw in 3 or 4 Lomberg's too and you're right.

I know it's in the past, but I can't help but imagine what things might have been like the year we had Flynn, Abbott and Nyquist together combined with the work ethic of this year's team. This year's team has so much heart, and Saturday's collapse in the final minutes will only help them as their Maine careers continue.

 

[ck1969]

Re: Maine Hockey 2013-2014 - Red Light District

Nice place. Not sure if this is part of the equation (and not my business, either way), but as Catholic institutions go, it's obviously right at the top of the ladder, along with Georgetown. Neither will guarantee anything - it's up to kids to make their own future. But both will provide lots of opportunities, and national alumni networks. Both great campuses, but totally different vibes. Bearing in mind that those are both elite institutions, Notre Dame seems a little more "midwestern nice" and Georgetown is a little more "competitive, pre-professional." If you're comfortable in Maine, but looking to get out and see a bit more of the country, Indiana's a friendly place. Someone who's looking for a more urban/cosmopolitan feel might be drawn more to G'town.

As for the layout, Notre Dame's campus is really big, but not overwhelming. Typical midwest, where there's just tons of space everywhere. It takes a while to get from one end to the other. But it looks like things are in clusters - athletic facilities, academic building, residence halls, etc. So while the whole place is pretty spread out, it still has a nice, collegial feel.

Thanks! I'm sure we'll be making a trip out there to check it out next year. (He likes Notre Dame more now since they've joined Hockey East and he can see Maine every other year.)