What's new
By:
USCHO Fan Forum

This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

  • The USCHO Fan Forum has migrated to a new plaform, xenForo. Most of the function of the forum should work in familiar ways. Please note that you can switch between light and dark modes by clicking on the gear icon in the upper right of the main menu bar. We are hoping that this new platform will prove to be faster and more reliable. Please feel free to explore its features.

Michigan Tech 2014-2015

Status
Not open for further replies.
Re: Michigan Tech 2014-2015

When is too early to start looking at bracketology? Based on my calculations, I think we'd be the 1 seed in South Bend.

edit: actually, we'd probably be heading to Manch-vegas as the 1 seed.

edit2: and i think we'd get BC in the first round. since they'd have to break up the WCHA matchup between Tech and Alaska.
 
Last edited:
Re: Michigan Tech 2014-2015

bigblue_dl said:
When is too early to start looking at bracketology? Based on my calculations, I think we'd be the 1 seed in South Bend.
Click to expand...
Actually since it has been 30+ years since the last NCAA tourney birth for the Huskies, the little used "Oh my gosh, its been how long?" pity rule would be invoked by the selection committee and the Huskies would be taking on Bye in the regional round with the winner advancing directly to the Frozen Four.
Ryan J
 
Re: Michigan Tech 2014-2015

Broseph Stalin said:
What's JSR? John Scott? I have a picture that was taken when I saw Scott once. Then I had that picture autographed, a picture taken at that event, which I then had autographed. Look at a Land O Lakes butter package. Look at the Indian. Get it?
Click to expand...

Former poster JOHN SCOTT ROCKS who liked to stir the pot. Figured maybe he was back with a different screen name. :p
 
FadeToBlack&Gold said:
Former poster JOHN SCOTT ROCKS who liked to stir the pot. Figured maybe he was back with a different screen name. :p
Click to expand...

John Scott does rock. I can't argue with that statement, and neither can Kevin Westgarth or the Hale brothers from North Dakota. I love how he's the smartest guy on the ice unless he's with Parros and people think he's a caveman.
 
Re: Michigan Tech 2014-2015

Broseph Stalin said:
John Scott does rock. I can't argue with that statement, and neither can Kevin Westgarth or the Hale brothers from North Dakota. I love how he's the smartest guy on the ice unless he's with Parros and people think he's a caveman.
Click to expand...


Well, he is still a caveman, he's just the caveman that figured out how to make fire.
 
Re: Michigan Tech 2014-2015

geezer said:
remember last fall, Lake State started out 5-0 including sweeping eventual national champion Union, shot up the rankings early, we all know how that season turned out for them. I'm not sayin, I'm just sayin.
Click to expand...

To me it was worse in the 2012-2013 season when Lake State was 10-3-2 at Thanksgiving before tanking.
 
Re: Michigan Tech 2014-2015

geezer said:
remember last fall, Lake State started out 5-0 including sweeping eventual national champion Union, shot up the rankings early, we all know how that season turned out for them. I'm not sayin, I'm just sayin.
Click to expand...

LSSU started last season 4-0-1 but were a -58 in shot differential in those five games. Good luck sustaining that for very long. Tech, on the other hand, is +49 in shot differential so far.
 
Re: Michigan Tech 2014-2015

MaizeRage said:
LSSU started last season 4-0-1 but were a -58 in shot differential in those five games. Good luck sustaining that for very long. Tech, on the other hand, is +49 in shot differential so far.
Click to expand...

Michigan Tech is doing a ton of things right from putting up shots, blocking shots, scoring goals in the run of play and on the PP, the PK has been spectacular. They certainly haven't been perfect and the other team has looked the better for stretches but never for very long and Phillips has come up with the big saves when the team has needed him to. I love what I've seen so far and the way Mel talks in the post game about getting lucky with Michigan, etc...I know he won't let them get complacent. I also really like the mixture of leadership (with upperclassmen so far leading the way, not falling of a cliff) and young guys hungry to show they belong.

I love seeing the points come from all over but especially from the big names at the top who have so often crumbled on the the pressure of expectations. There is one sophomore and one frosh mixed in with all seniors and juniors in the top 8 in scoring thus far...with Pietila, Johnstone, Kero and Petan at the top, where they belong leading this team by example.

If there is anything the Huskies really need to work on its discipline. Being 1st in pentalies/game and 14th in the country in PIM/game is not going to work out for them long term. The good news is they've managed to stay away from majors and misconducts, but the rate of 7.5 penalties per game isn't a good one...You can't expect to go 6/7, 7/7 every night on the PK.
 
Re: Michigan Tech 2014-2015

I have been most impressed with the Huskies power play unit, which was on full display on Saturday vs Michigan. These guys see the ice very well and move the puck even better, especially Hanna on the point. Even at even strength Tech passed D-to-D very effectively to get shots on net.

On the PP I thought they tried to go through the box a bit too often. Maybe that is how you keep the other team honest and keep pressure off the point men. Make them stay down at the dots and respect the cross ice pass for the one-timer. Gosh knows Johnstone has showed that if he gets it cleanly, there is a good chance he buries it. I can remember seeing other teams put on clinics like this against us, but I don't ever recall seeing a Huskies team this confident with the puck during the man advantage.

The PK is a close second. Michigan passed the puck around the perimeter of the zone at will and Tech was content to just sit back in the box and let them play around the edges all night. Only when a Michigan player fumbled the pass did Tech put pressure on the puck handler. I'm sure that is part of the system they are being taught because they were very disciplined and very consistent in this manner.

I'm sure the staff will be talking at length about bad penalties. If you're saving a scoring chance that's one thing, but in your own offensive or the neutral zone, those are penalties that need to be avoided. A team that is clicking on the power play will bury you, just like Tech did to Michigan this past weekend. You give up four power play goals, you are not going to beat anyone in D-I hockey, much less a top team. Giving the other team even a half dozen chances with the man advantage, odds are they will bury one or more.

Overall, having the video package (as crappy as it is) this season is new to me. I have not watched the Huskies week to week since the late 1990s. The level of play at times is amazing and of course at other times you still want to look away or throw something across the room. Watching complete games and series gives a much more complete picture of the Huskies as a team and I like what I see this season so far. In some regards I've never seen a Huskies team do some of what is being done this year. From recent memory, the goal on the delayed penalty call Saturday night is one of the best examples of team play I have ever seen from the Huskies, or any team for that matter. It was a thing of beauty.

Ryan J
 
Re: Michigan Tech 2014-2015

Heard an interesting bit of analysis during the Devils v Blues games this evening. An NHL franchise with good special teams, when you add the PK and PP% together your goal should be to get about 105%, meaning you score more on special teams than you give up. It made me curious...
Michigan Tech through three weekends:
97.1% PK + 22.2% PP = 119.3%

Ryan J
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top