Michigan State 2009-2010

[aallenpollreisz]

Re: Michigan State 2009-2010

I don't know who was counting, because that's impossible. Both sides were pretty well filled in.

I'm assuming the drop in season ticket renewals has something to do with it.

Those who would generally no-show a decent percentage of games in past seasons would still be counted toward paid attendance, and, given the economy and last season's disaster, I'm assuming many of those individuals - if not all of them - don't hold season hockey tickets anymore.

Now that the season ticket base has been shed down to a small core of die-hards, we can have larger-looking crowds in comparison to some games last season, yet our paid attendance figure will still be pretty weak.

If this game were played last season, and if the same exact crowd were to show up, I'd be certain the announced figure would be beyond 5,000.

 

[Pirateasaurus]

Re: Michigan State 2009-2010

That must be it. I've been puzzled as to why seemingly equal or greater sized crowds are being announced well below what was typically the norm last year. Oh well, i guess as long as there are butts in the seats like tonight.

But yes, too bad the students weren't around for this weekend. I am sure that a few new fans would have been made, especially after tonight.

 

[GhostofAchilles]

Re: Michigan State 2009-2010

Buffalo Sabres fan here. Could anyone give me a scouting report on Corey Tropp? I know the kind of season he's having stats-wise, but I really the thoughts on him as a player from the people who watch him every week.

 

[Gomer]

Re: Michigan State 2009-2010

Machine
Hard worker
Not a prima donna by any means.

 

[Pirateasaurus]

Re: Michigan State 2009-2010

http://statenews.com/index.php/article/2010/01/when_opportunity_knocks_

Good article on Perlini in the State News today.


And Tropp is a good catch for an NHL team. He is great offensively 1 on 1 and can throw his weight around pretty well every once in a while. I have noticed that when rushing the puck into the zone, he is really good at either burning defenders altogether or putting sweet moves on them and then taking a shot through them at the tops of the circles such as his goal at Yost.

I really hope he sticks around for his senior year as well as Petry. I am not counting on either but if they both stick around, i think next year's team could be pretty special. Even without them, i think next year is something to get pretty excited about. They have both been great this year.

 

[aallenpollreisz]

Re: Michigan State 2009-2010

So, we have the Irish in two days. I'm sure somebody has some analysis regarding the series, right?

And who is making the trip down to South Bend on Friday? (Aside from myself, that is.)

 

[owslachief]

Re: Michigan State 2009-2010

So, we have the Irish in two days. I'm sure somebody has some analysis regarding the series, right?

And who is making the trip down to South Bend on Friday? (Aside from myself, that is.)

It's never fun looking forward to playing a good team that was made to look bad on its home ice the previous weekend.

Two things in MSU's favor are they're better offensively than when they faced Notre Dame last time, and Notre Dame is coming off a short week. I don't know if Rowe or Forfar will be on the top line, but it's worked well when it had to be done.

I don't know why the Spartans couldn't get 3 points from this weekend.

 

[STATEdude3]

Re: Michigan State 2009-2010

I will be satisfied with a split. I know this is a series we should win, but given the recent happenings with Notre Dame and the loss of Sucharski for Friday night, I just don't think we will have quite enough drive to get things done.

Saturday will be a very emotional night at Munn, as the Spartan Hockey family remembers Amo. I am not sure if this emotion will spill to the players as I'm not sure how in touch the players are with history, but I am sure the emotion will spill over from the stands to the ice. I think they will play inspired.

 

[SmartAxe]

Re: Michigan State 2009-2010

It's never fun looking forward to playing a good team that was made to look bad on its home ice the previous weekend.

Two things in MSU's favor are they're better offensively than when they faced Notre Dame last time, and Notre Dame is coming off a short week. I don't know if Rowe or Forfar will be on the top line, but it's worked well when it had to be done.

I don't know why the Spartans couldn't get 3 points from this weekend.

From an outsider's view, I thought Rowe and Gazely (sp?) were two of the best players wearing green last weekend. Having either one fill in on their top line should be an almost seamless move, I bet.
Also credit the PK units, they looked real good over the weekend. The Lakers couldn't get anything going on the PP all weekend and a good part of that was due to how Sparty played the PK. Keep up that intensity on the PK and they should do well against the golden domers this weekend.
This is a series that those of us in Laker Land will be watching from afar with great interest.

 

[owslachief]

Re: Michigan State 2009-2010

I will be satisfied with a split. I know this is a series we should win, but given the recent happenings with Notre Dame and the loss of Sucharski for Friday night, I just don't think we will have quite enough drive to get things done.

Saturday will be a very emotional night at Munn, as the Spartan Hockey family remembers Amo. I am not sure if this emotion will spill to the players as I'm not sure how in touch the players are with history, but I am sure the emotion will spill over from the stands to the ice. I think they will play inspired.

I understand that before the bouncyball last night there was a video tribute. Nice.

 

[IrishHockeyFan]

Re: Michigan State 2009-2010

It's never fun looking forward to playing a good team that was made to look bad on its home ice the previous weekend.

Two things in MSU's favor are they're better offensively than when they faced Notre Dame last time, and Notre Dame is coming off a short week. I don't know if Rowe or Forfar will be on the top line, but it's worked well when it had to be done.

I don't know why the Spartans couldn't get 3 points from this weekend.

I had forgotten that Notre Dame is considered a good team by many outside observers, but then again I have been watching them every week and it seems to have slipped from MY view...

The Irish are struggling right now. Most nights it seems as if there is a glass ceiling on goals and it is right above "2." They have been very inconsistent as well. One weekend I see good passing, guys taking care of the puck, and intelligent play. The next, none of that. One thing that has been fairly consistent is how bad the third period has been. Notre Dame has been outshot and outscored in the third, a problem that has gotten worse as the season has played out. Lots of points have evaporated in the third for Notre Dame (including one against the Spartans). Other than the game against North Dakota two weeks ago we have yet to see this team really battle back against anyone, especially in that final period.

Many of us thought they had turned a corner following the last series against MSU, but in the ten games since Notre Dame is 3-5-2, and looked pretty bad in a number of those games.

Teddy Ruth will miss the game Friday (sitting out for his game DQ in Sundays loss) and there is a chance Kyle Lawson will miss as well. Lawson was given a 10-minute misconduct in the Sunday game and Jackson has been fairly consistent in sitting players who get them for a game. He was so incensed at the officiating last Sunday though that I am not sure yet if the usual pattern will hold.

Safe travels to anyone venturing down here for the game Friday. Weather should be OK.

 

[Gomer]

Re: Michigan State 2009-2010

So, we have the Irish in two days. I'm sure somebody has some analysis regarding the series, right?

And who is making the trip down to South Bend on Friday? (Aside from myself, that is.)

I grew up down there... but won't be driving home for it =(

Have you been to the JACC?

 

[SpartyTAD]

Re: Michigan State 2009-2010

So, we have the Irish in two days. I'm sure somebody has some analysis regarding the series, right?

And who is making the trip down to South Bend on Friday? (Aside from myself, that is.)

Making the second trip to Indiana this season to watch hockey (hoping for one more weekend in Ft. Wayne) and my first to South Bend.

 

[aallenpollreisz]

Re: Michigan State 2009-2010

Have you been to the JACC?

I've always wanted to trek down to their rink, just to see if the building's as dumpy as everybody makes it out to be, but never had the opportunity until now.

 

[Gomer]

Re: Michigan State 2009-2010

I've always wanted to trek down to their rink, just to see if the building's as dumpy as everybody makes it out to be, but never had the opportunity until now.

I wouldn't call it dumpy... just unique. Imagine a large circular clearspan arena with a hockey rink tucked over into 1/3 of it and a curtain separating it from the rest of the empty space. Bleachers scattered about to provide seating. Ever been to Ferris? I don't think I'd call it dumpy exactly... but it's a bit down the scale from the Joyce.

They've got a formidable student section when they are in the game... but they can easily be taken out of the game. The culture is changing there a bit. but before the debacle that is the last decade of ND football, they had a pretty good sense of athletic entitlement. I've been to games so quiet there you could carry on a shouted conversation with some on the other side of the rink.

But as the hockey program has had some success, those kids are starting to figure out there is more to hockey than just hanging out in the arena.

MSU is usually pretty well represented.

Parking is? (was) free.

I expect nothing less than full war paint from you!

Are you guys taking 69 down to the 80/90 toll road?

 

[IrishHockeyFan]

Re: Michigan State 2009-2010

I wouldn't call it dumpy... just unique.


Parking is? (was) free.

Unique... that perhaps the nicest thing anyone has said about the Joyce Center... And yes, parking is still free.

More injury news for Notre Dame as well. They've finally released for public consumption that Billy Maday is out with a concussion and a separated shoulder from Sunday's game. He's likely done for the year. And in addition to missing Friday because if his DQ, Teddy Ruth may not play Saturday. This was news to me.

 

[STATEdude3]

Re: Michigan State 2009-2010

I had the chance to skate at the JACC last year. It is so open and spacious that the ice actually felt a lot larger. I am sure it feels a little more confined when the stands are full, but overall it was a strange adjustment to make.

Tom Anastos talked about ND's plans for a new arena this week, and it was encouraging news. He said he has seen their preliminary drawings and financial plans. He compared it to the new rink at Miami, which is one of my favorite places in college hockey.

As for this weekend...I am worried that the loss of Sucharski for Friday night will hurt MSU. It's not his play that we will miss as much as his leadership. Leadership and poise is ALWAYS important when going into a road series against a sleeping giant.

I am confident for the first time in 4 years that Rick Comley can out-coach Jeff Jackson. I believe that Jeff Jackson is one of the top 3 coaches in the college game, but head to head Comley has consistantly put together the more favorable line matchups and made the right moves to slow down Notre Dame.

This will be a tiight series. I think the home team will take each game.

 

[Pirateasaurus]

Re: Michigan State 2009-2010

We need points out of this series and i think this is a much better opportunity to take them from ND compared to earlier in the year. We need to take advantage of their injuries and suspensions as they will begin adjusting to new players/line combos this weekend. Sucharski being out for tonight hurts a bit but i have great confidence in our depth. I think goals will be hard to come by again as they were able to pretty effectively bog us down on their half of the ice back in November and i don't think we will suddenly be able to to just shred their system. We are gonna need to get rebounds and win the goal tending battle but i feel optimistic.

 

[IrishHockeyFan]

Re: Michigan State 2009-2010

I had the chance to skate at the JACC last year. It is so open and spacious that the ice actually felt a lot larger. I am sure it feels a little more confined when the stands are full, but overall it was a strange adjustment to make.

Odd, but it has always been rumored/assumed that in fact the ice is actually shorter than the standard 200'.

Tom Anastos talked about ND's plans for a new arena this week, and it was encouraging news. He said he has seen their preliminary drawings and financial plans. He compared it to the new rink at Miami, which is one of my favorite places in college hockey.

I love MUs rink as well, but I think when this thing is all said and done, (ground breaking in the coming months, puck drop for the 2011/2012 season) it isn't going to resemble Miami's as much as some think.

This will be a tiight series. I think the home team will take each game.

I think it certainly has the potential to be close, but with all the missing in action for Notre Dame I think it is also possible for it to get away from the Irish pretty quickly and the Spartans to come away with two big wins. I know Notre Dame needs to approach this series with more desparation than MSU because to borrow from JJfP over on the ND thread "its now or getting close to never."

 

[owslachief]

Re: Michigan State 2009-2010

Now THAT looked like 2008/2009 again.

What a complete lack of effort State put on the ice tonight - and there needs to be a good day's worth of soulsearching. I never thought I'd see State give up after that 3rd goal, but they did. Couldn't win a g*****n faceoff. Got completely outskated but - let's face it - a much better skating team. Tropp, Grant, where were you? You were nowhere to be found, while Notre Dame skated the puck into MSU's zone at will and spent most of the night there. Palmisano shoudn't be blamed, the guys in front of him who weren't interested in going to the boards or running guys off the puck - those are the ones to blame.
The game was an abortion, and all associated with the program should be ashamed.
Yes Notre Dame started to click and look like a top-4 team again, and MSU looked like a 9th-place team. If this is the "playoff hockey" Comley says State needs to play, and we see this again, State's looking at another year.

I am embarrassed.