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Mercyhurst 2017-2018

slapshot willy said:
Two nice wins by the Lakers puts them in first place in the CHA. The team played with confidence, filled the net, so hopefully this keeps up for the rest of the season for the remaining conference games. Two goals against in 2 games also fantastic. Great to see.
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Ya, but can you really get that excited when the two games in question are against nothing more than a D3 level team?!?! No offense to any D3 teams, at least half a dozen of which would beat RIT, and at least half a dozen more D3 coaches that would easily outcoach the twit currently running RIT into the ground. The Hurst did what they were expected to have done against such a lowly and faltering program.
 
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Lindsay said:
Doing what you were expected to have done is half the battle. There’s upsets every week that speak to that point. I’ll take the 4 league points and be excited! :)
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...about moving into first place in the standings. Thaťs always a good thing.
 
Lindsay said:
Hahah, yes Shelfit!
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As opposed to getting overly excited about beating a bottom feeder like RIT. ;) I'd really like to see them go back to play the likes of Plattsburgh, Norwich, Elmira, and Middlebury. Throw in Adrian, Gustavus, and River Falls and you'd have 7 tough games for RIT. It would be very interesting to see if they would win any of those 7 games. They might be able to win 3 games at most.

RIT is on a 14 game winless streak and there's a good chance they could finish 0-10-0. Their only real chance to break their winless streak will be against Lindenwood.
 
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shelfit said:
As opposed to getting overly excited about beating a bottom feeder like RIT. ;) I'd really like to see them go back to play the likes of Plattsburgh, Norwich, Elmira, and Middlebury. Throw in Adrian, Gustavus, and River Falls and you'd have 7 tough games for RIT. It would be very interesting to see if they would win any of those 7 games. They might be able to win 3 games at most.

RIT is on a 14 game winless streak and there's a good chance they could finish 0-10-0. Their only real chance to break their winless streak will be against Lindenwood.
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Yea, we’ll have to wait and see. Lindenwood has beat everyone in the CHA except Robert Morris so far this year so who knows. Lindenwood may also attempt some sort of a second half push.

Do you know if RIT knew they would not be able to give athletic scholarships, at the time they decided to go D1? Seems like a huge handicap to overcome. Curious what the motivation to go D1 is, for a school in that situation.
 
Lindsay said:
Yea, we’ll have to wait and see. Lindenwood has beat everyone in the CHA except Robert Morris so far this year so who knows. Lindenwood may also attempt some sort of a second half push.

Do you know if RIT knew they would not be able to give athletic scholarships, at the time they decided to go D1? Seems like a huge handicap to overcome. Curious what the motivation to go D1 is, for a school in that situation.
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They knew because the men's team was already a non-scholarship D1 hockey program several years before the women's team became D1. The big difference seems to be the men's coach actually has a clue, and a touch of professionalism and class, so his reputation is good. The women's coach, not so much, and that's being very polite. Let's just say his players quickly lose respect for him while they're on the team, opposing coaches don't respect him, refs don't respect him, you name it. Get the picture?!
 
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shelfit said:
They knew because the men's team was already a non-scholarship D1 hockey program several years before the women's team became D1. The big difference seems to be the men's coach actually has a clue, and a touch of professionalism and class, so his reputation is good. The women's coach, not so much, and that's being very polite. Let's just say his players quickly lose respect for him while they're on the team, opposing coaches don't respect him, refs don't respect him, you name it. Get the picture?!
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Yea. I hope they get it figured out. As far as I can tell it’s a school with a long hockey history, nice facility, impressive academics, in a hockey town. All good things! The lack of scholarships would be a hindrance, but with the right administration and coaches I think it could be overcome. Maybe not to a point of winning national championships, but at least to being competitive in their league.
 
Re: Mercyhurst 2017-2018

Mercyhurst completed the series sweep of Lindenwood with a 5-1 win in Erie today. 5 different players scored for Mercyhurst. They jumped to a lead in the first minute of the game on a Celine Frappier goal and steadily pulled away from Lindenwood thereafter. The final goal of the game came at 19:15 of the 3rd period on Michele Robillard’s first of the season. The win brings Mercyhurst’s record to 12-12-2 on the season.

Not too much excitement across the CHA this weekend. The higher ranked team swept each series. Most notable was that Syracuse swept Penn State on the road in back to back OT games. Syracuse is the first CHA team to sweep Penn State this year. Also of note, RMU had an unbelievable 12-1 victory over RIT on Friday, only to need third period heroics and overtime to win today against the same RIT team.

Next weekend Mercyhurst travels to Syracuse for a pair of league games.
 
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I think Mercyhurst is playing better hockey than Robert Morris is right now, and their timing couldn't be better. This run to the conference tournament is going to be a good one!
 
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Big weekend series for the Lakers coming up (for the Orange also). Mercyhurst has been playing very good lately, hopefully they keep their foot on the gas. The team seems to be well balanced right now with the goal scorers, pp & pk units and the regular lines grinding it out.
 
slapshot willy said:
Big weekend series for the Lakers coming up (for the Orange also). Mercyhurst has been playing very good lately, hopefully they keep their foot on the gas. The team seems to be well balanced right now with the goal scorers, pp & pk units and the regular lines grinding it out.
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Huge weekend! I’m curious to see if they’ll have Nuutinen at all, or if she has already left for the Olympics. I hope Tanskanen goes off, after the Olympic snub. I believe she had a 5 point weekend last outing vs Syracuse. Nuutinen if course provided the OT winner in game two.

Something I’m really encouraged by out of Mercyhurst right now is that the goaltending is performing. McDonnell appears to have stole them the win in Bemidji, a few weeks back when they were without Nuutinen and Tanskanen. The day before Blair played well, just didn’t get the win. Can’t do much in hockey without great goaltending so I’m happy to see it coming together for both goalies.
 
Re: Mercyhurst 2017-2018

In their 4-0 win over Syracuse the Lakers’ Vilma Tanskanen put up three power play goals, the first hat trick of her college career. Brooke Hartwick also scored, and Kennedy Blair posted her second shutout of the season.

I watched about half the game on Syracuse’s free stream. The broadcast was excellent, even providing RMU and Penn State updates as the game went on.

The game itself was enjoyable to watch. Mercyhurst outshot Syracuse 42 to 22. In the second period the pace got quite slow, which surprised me given the league ramifications of the game, and the time of year. The RMU Mercyhurst series looked like playoff intensity hockey and this game, while Mercyhurst executed, at least in the second everything looked in slow motion. In the third though, Mercyhurst scored early and was energized with each goal. A win is a win.

Despite all the splits, I feel RMU and Mercyhurst are a step ahead of Syracuse, although nothing is set yet in the standings in the league. Currently RMU and Mercyhurst have 21 points each. Syracuse is at 17, Lindenwood 12, Penn State 11, and RIT 2. Last year Mercyhurst earned 23 points the whole season.

No one in the CHA has games scheduled next weekend. In two weeks the Lakers take on Penn State, in Erie.
 
Re: Mercyhurst 2017-2018

https://www.mercyhurst.edu/mercyhurst-olympians

The above link includes info on Mercyhurst’s four Olympians, three of whom will be playing women’s hockey.

Sophomore Emma Nuutinen will be playing for Finland, her second Olympics. In her first Olympics she scored one goal, though Finland did not medal. Emma wears number 22 for Finland.

Meghan Agosta is playing in her fourth Olympics, and wearing an A for Canada this year. She is the only 4 time Olympian on Canada’s squad. Meghan graduated from Mercyhurst in 2011, and wears number 2 for Canada.

Bailey Bram is playing in her first Olympics, after centralizing but being released in 2014. Bram graduated from Mercyhurst in 2012, and wears number 17 for Canada.

Bram’s story is interesting to me. Has anyone made a Canadian or. USA women’s hockey Olympic team for the first time being six years removed from college before? (Other than the 1998 Olympians). It strikes me as rare. Bailey making the team is a huge credit to her, possibly also a reflection of Canada liking older rosters, but I think it’s a nice reflection on the CWHL as well where Bailey has played post college, most recently for the Calgary Inferno.

That there is high level women’s hockey as good as or better than NCAA for people to play in and develop after they graduate college is a testament to the hard work and dedication of all involved with the CWHL. To see Bailey overcome that first centralization, find somewhere to play for the next four years and now compete at the Olympics; that’s a beautiful Olympic story.

For those who watch the Canadian coverage of the Olympics, I would be interested to know if the CWHL gets any press as the Olympics play out. Like when they say where the girls played, is it CW or college team or just hometown? I read in an article yesterday that 17 Players on the Canadian women’s team most recently played in the CWHL, 3 at Wisconsin, Wakefield in Sweden, D’Aoust at McGill, and Agosta for the Vancouver Police hockey team (sidebar, I love how she just totally does her own thing playing men’s league or whatever, and then nbd comes back to being a hockey star). Definitely seems like the CWHL is a story in an of itself and I hope it gets some press and that often sought after post Olympics bump in interest and growth.

With respect to the Mercyhurst Olympians.... well I am just so proud of and happy for the program and I will be cheering for all of the Olympians.

As for the Mercyhurst Lakers of 2017, they are currently tied for first place in the CHA and take on Penn State at home this weekend.
 
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Re: Mercyhurst 2017-2018

Biggest weekend of the season for Mercyhurst starts tonight at 7 when they play RMU in Erie. Atmosphere at the rink should be fantastic, hopefully lots of students there making some noise. I imagine RMU will have a good amount of fans as well; I believe their roster has a bunch of southern Ontario kids and Erie’s proximity to Canada lends itself to parents attending. This is the closest thing to a home playoff game the Lakers will get, given their tournament set up in Buffalo and not being a top four nation wide team. Should be incredibly fun.

RMU has the lead in conference points by two. Difference is essentially Mercyhurst’s league play opening loss to Lindenwood. RMU and Mercyhurst split with each other last time out, each has a loss to Syracuse, and each has a win and three ties against Penn State this year.

Gooooo Lakers!
 
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Should be a good atmosphere, and I'm sure each team will be pumped. Some of the girls know each other and serious bragging rights will be on the line and a hopeful pass to the CHA tourney semis. But Syracuse is sitting close behind; it will be an exciting last 2 weekends of hockey.
 
Re: Mercyhurst 2017-2018

Even being a Penn State fan, this is a series I'd love to go to - and I hope Mercyhurst sweeps Robert Morris.
 
ZedLeppelin said:
Even being a Penn State fan, this is a series I'd love to go to - and I hope Mercyhurst sweeps Robert Morris.
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That’s the spirit! :)

1-0 Hurst after two periods. Didn’t watch the first but based in shots looks like RMU dominated. The reverse was true in the 2nd. Goal was Knott from the slot off a rush on a power play. Fiesler and goalie Kennedy Blair assisted.
 
Re: Mercyhurst 2017-2018

Lindsay said:
That’s the spirit! :)

1-0 Hurst after two periods. Didn’t watch the first but based in shots looks like RMU dominated. The reverse was true in the 2nd. Goal was Knott from the slot off a rush on a power play. Fiesler and goalie Kennedy Blair assisted.
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("Go Mercyhurst!", he says under his Penn State breath) :D
 
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