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Michigan State's Eternal Optimist Thread, 2014-15 edition

Re: Michigan State's Eternal Optimist Thread, 2014-15 edition

Very excited to finally see a real game. I know that UMass swept us last year but given what each team returns + being at home, we should sweep this series. Well, it is hockey and **** happens so I will say that we should at least look like the stronger team most of the weekend. If not, then I will be nervous about the rest of the season's chances.

They will play a ton of freshman so I expect our experience to be a factor. Although, their average age in years is quite a bit older than MSU.

Still wish we got a game in somewhere last weekend. We'll probably not be up to game speed yet.
 
Re: Michigan State's Eternal Optimist Thread, 2014-15 edition

Gameday!

Also, on the topic of the arena feeling cooler: First off, it definitely is. Walked through it a few days ago when it was humid out just to cool down a bit. Saw the team practice for the two minutes I was in there and I'd say the temp was around 55 or 60. I don't think it has to do with the new lighting though, because that was in place last year and the temp seemed the same as years past. I think it's mostly from the new refrigeration. I did public skate once or twice last year and felt like a t-shirt would've been fine because it was so comfortable on the ice, let alone in the stands.

My least favorite renovation so far has been the digital clocks. Maybe it's just nostalgia but those blaring red lights from the digital make Munn a little less homey than the analog clock that was probably there before I was born.
 
Spartanforlife4 said:
My least favorite renovation so far has been the digital clocks. Maybe it's just nostalgia but those blaring red lights from the digital make Munn a little less homey than the analog clock that was probably there before I was born.
Click to expand...

Teachers that I know have told me that along with signing their name with cursive, young people have trouble reading conventional clocks. You can probably blame them.

But that game went as I expected. I thought we played a fine game for the first of the season. Fairly good puck possession in the offensive zone at times which felt nice. Although, UMass might be a poor team so take it with a grain of salt.

Nevertheless, 5 goals and a couple "goal scorers" goals was nice to see. Berry and Deblouw got on the board; 2 guys who I think are key to an offensive resurgence for us.

UMass was pretty aggressive out there. I think they have potential to become a fairly dangerous team eventually but our experience was too much. I was also impressed with that big defenseman of theirs. He's a good one.

I also see that they have chosen to continue to ruin the stick salute. Weeee...

But, solid performance tonight. Anything other than a sweep will be disappointing.
 
Re: Michigan State's Eternal Optimist Thread, 2014-15 edition

Likes:
The immediate thing that stuck out was that we finally learned how to maintain control of the puck. There were so many instances where I thought it was going to hop over a guy's stick and out of the zone, which seemed to occur over 50% of the time last season. We kept it in most of the time tonight and that obviously made a difference. I'd like to say it's the new refrigeration system making better ice, but other teams didn't seem to have a problem with the puck skipping last season.

Looked like guys were actually picking their spots they wanted to shoot at tonight. Last year it was more of a "Just throw it at the net because I don't know how much longer we can hold onto the puck" type of offense.

Fog and lights were a nice addition to the intros. Amazing that Munn has better ice graphics than the Red Wings.

Dislikes:
The shorthanded goal. Seriously, what the eff?

Joey Pants as PA. He's good on his morning show, but he needs to tone down the voice inflection. He's too excited about everything, even when UMass scored he said it in the same tone as he did MSU goals. And definitely no need to repeat "shorthanded/full strength". It's not like he's awful, but it just sounds more like a minor league game than what MSU games have sounded like in the past.

Glass seems way too flimsy. Maybe they want it that way so when players get checked the glass has some give, but there was a group of 12 year old girls that were able to make it move pretty well just by pushing on it.

The old guy getting hit by the puck. Not sure if anyone else saw it, but about five minutes in a dude took a puck straight to the forehead. Seemed like he just wasn't paying attention, even though he was looking at the ice, because everyone else around him moved. I think they took him away in an ambulance.
 
Re: Michigan State's Eternal Optimist Thread, 2014-15 edition

Pretty awful day yesterday for the Big Ten. OSU got squashed by Miami, UNH killed UM, NMU beat UW in Green Bay, and PSU tied UAA in Fairbanks but fell in the shootout.

The only conference team to win yesterday? MSU. I'm pleased as punch about that. Great to see a five up on the scoreboard, too. Let's get the sweep.
 
I didn't see it, but how do you draw a 5-minute cth with 3-ish minutes left, after the other guys just tied it? Anybody see enough of it to judge worthiness of call?
 
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Re: Michigan State's Eternal Optimist Thread, 2014-15 edition

The only thing that could've gone worse tonight was getting shutout.

Graphics board was shut off because it froze last night.
Zamboni was broken and couldn't put down water, simply smoothed the snow over the existing ice so it was basically slush at the end of the game.
Puck shuffle froze.
Freshmen in the band, combined with what I think was a random undergrad leading it tonight, caused a performance that was nothing short of awful.
And of course, that failure of a sequence in the last five minutes of the game.

I blame it all on the jerseys. It was Script Saturdays, where were the scripts?
 
Re: Michigan State's Eternal Optimist Thread, 2014-15 edition

owslachief said:
I didn't see it, but how do you draw a 5-minute cth with 3-ish minutes left, after the other guys just tied it? Anybody see enough of it to judge worthiness of call?
Click to expand...


Happened right in front of me. It was a worthy call, Hoomaian went a step out of his path to hit the guy. He didn't mean to go for the head, but he definitely meant to get him.
 
Re: Michigan State's Eternal Optimist Thread, 2014-15 edition

Spartanforlife4 said:
Zamboni was broken and couldn't put down water, simply smoothed the snow over the existing ice so it was basically slush at the end of the game.

I blame it all on the jerseys. It was Script Saturdays, where were the scripts?
Click to expand...
Actually, per the radio broadcast, the compressor failed just before puck-drop. If it were just the resurfacer being broken down, we could have pulled out the old, stinky diesel resurfacer from 1960-whatever to do the job. (Not the electric one MSU just sold, but the super-old one with the conveyor belt. It was in the '07 national championship parade. It was the thing that got us all high as kites between the second and third periods the night MSU raised the national championship banner.)

Obviously, that needs to get fixed ASAP, and I'm sure it will be before the next home game. But, for right now, we really don't have an on-campus sheet of ice to practice on. (Insert my constant gripes about MSU not having a second on-campus sheet here.)

Also, no script on a Saturday night? That sucks. Were they not ready yet, or is this Hollis putting his rebranding fist down again?
 
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Re: Michigan State's Eternal Optimist Thread, 2014-15 edition

Spartanforlife4 said:
Happened right in front of me. It was a worthy call, Hoomaian went a step out of his path to hit the guy. He didn't mean to go for the head, but he definitely meant to get him.
Click to expand...

Brutal. Some things never change. Taking stupid penalties last season was overshadowed only by an impressive lack of scoring. Hard to find a win the next three weekends.

Some interesting news from Future Spartan land ... forward David Keefer was projected to join the 2017 freshman class, but he's put up good numbers in his first year at Muskegon. 7 points in 8 games, including 4 goals, and a +5 are good for 3rd, 1st and 1st respectively for the Lumberjacks. Might be he replaces someone for the 2016 incoming class, supposedly TA's best one yet. Oops I just had an optimism moment.
 
Re: Michigan State's Eternal Optimist Thread, 2014-15 edition

aallenpollreisz said:
Actually, per the radio broadcast, the compressor failed just before puck-drop. If it were just the resurfacer being broken down, we could have pulled out the old, stinky diesel resurfacer from 1960-whatever to do the job.
Click to expand...

I thought the melt-down happened in the last 4 minutes. My bad ;)

By the way, there are 2 perfectly good sheets to practice on. It's called Suburban Ice. I'm sure the part-owner can get them some ice time :D
 
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Re: Michigan State's Eternal Optimist Thread, 2014-15 edition

Any of you guys coming out east for this weekend? Any local MSU fans be attending?

A lot of us hang out at Beer Works before the game, just down the street from the Tsongas. Be nice to meet you.
 
Re: Michigan State's Eternal Optimist Thread, 2014-15 edition

Would love to make the trip, but we'd saved our $$ for planes, trains & automobiles to Durham.

Kids, a trivia question:
Can you tell me who from current MSU Hockey was there the last time MSU visited Agganis?

Tom Newton, assistant coach
Rob Woodward, volunteer assistant coach - who also *gasp* cheers from the press box!
 
Re: Michigan State's Eternal Optimist Thread, 2014-15 edition

owslachief said:
Would love to make the trip, but we'd saved our $$ for planes, trains & automobiles to Durham.

Kids, a trivia question:
Can you tell me who from current MSU Hockey was there the last time MSU visited Agganis?

Tom Newton, assistant coach
Rob Woodward, volunteer assistant coach - who also *gasp* cheers from the press box!
Click to expand...

ME! Oh wait...you said from MSU Hockey. Hope the team got here OK. We've had some nasty weather the last 24 hours.
 
Re: Michigan State's Eternal Optimist Thread, 2014-15 edition

owslachief said:
Would love to make the trip, but we'd saved our $$ for planes, trains & automobiles to Durham.
Click to expand...
I'm very sorry to hear that; the Tsongas is much better than the Whittamorgue. Hopefully you'll have a chance to visit another year.
 
Re: Michigan State's Eternal Optimist Thread, 2014-15 edition

Whelp, we allowed 3 goals in 2 games this weekend and went 0-2. Not exactly what I had in mind.
 
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