<> Michigan Tech Huskies 2021-22: STILL Our 100th Anniversary <>

[Lost_Husky]

The NCAA playoffs are probably lost at this point. I just don’t understand why Joe can’t light a fire under this team. He said our backs were up against the wall… in the 3rd period. Our playoff hopes were against the wall after we got smoked by BG last week. And we still played 5 periods of “out of sync” hockey, as Dirk described it, against one of the worst teams in the country, before finally feeling compelled to come back and tie it. I honestly can’t watch anymore of this.

That isn't a coaches thing. it is the players themselves that need to generate the energy. What could a coach say that the players don't already know? If the coaches need to pull the players along at this time of year, coaches need to re-evaluate who they recruit and players need to drop the athlete part and focus on being students. They had a normal week of R&R to get their heads back into things.

It was nice to see them fight back, but giving up points to FSU... Not acceptable for a team that was in line for an bid.

 

[John J. MacInnes]

It was nice to see them fight back, but giving up points to FSU... Not acceptable for a team that was in line for an autobid.

To clarify - the only autobids are for playoff champions in each league. Every team in a league right now is still in line for an autobid.

I ran the numbers on the weekend and only changed the two Tech-Ferris results to a pair of wins for the Huskies. That only moved Tech up to 10th, showing you how other results have such a big influence on positioning right now. Their RPI was .5598 and got just above SCSU, and RPI is the tiebreak in comparisons.

The biggest influence right now that Tech is fighting is the lack of quality win bonus points. Only Quinnipiac has a lower QWB in the top 16 than MTU has, so a win or two against Mankato would be massive to get that bump. A sweep would actually reel in UMass on QWB points alone.

 

[John J. MacInnes]

The goaltender duel was a draw last night. Pietila was hard done by for the one regulation goal, coming off a wicked deflection and giving him no chance. McKay's save on the extra attacker shot from Halonen in the 2nd period was one of his best of the season. The Mavs are really really good and in stretches they were almost unplayable, but the Huskies didn't blink. Can't imagine there are a lot of teams that would be happy to play against either one.

 

[JohnsonsJerseys]

On the upside, after tonight we'll never have to play 3v3 again this season...

 

[Redridge]

I thought it was probably our best game/ effort this year. The game speed was really fast. At times we were chasing, but I still thought it was well played. If we can stay out of the box and shorten lines a bit, especially towards the end of the periods, we can keep it competitive and finish that last second shot tonight.

 

[HuskyDut]

Note to the Huskies: there is no mercy rule in college hockey. When you have a 2-goal lead in the 3rd period against an inferior team, you do not get to stop playing (although it certainly appears you want to).

 

[John J. MacInnes]

Bumped up to 10th in the PairWise as of Sunday morning. That should mean the Huskies are now safely in the field for the NCAAs regardless of the semifinal result.

 

[HuskyDut]

Bumped up to 10th in the PairWise as of Sunday morning. That should mean the Huskies are now safely in the field for the NCAAs regardless of the semifinal result.

Yes, and for that reason I will quit complaining. An at-large tourney selection, regardless of how pretty it may (or may not) look along the way, is a success.

 

[oldish husky]

Bumped up to 10th in the PairWise as of Sunday morning. That should mean the Huskies are now safely in the field for the NCAAs regardless of the semifinal result.

I’m not sure if playoff status update at 9:45 last night was before or after the OT winner, but it says a loss drops us to 41% ncaa probability.

 

[Lost_Husky]

I’m not sure if playoff status update at 9:45 last night was before or after the OT winner, but it says a loss drops us to 41% ncaa probability.

Just checked and they have updated the odds. Tech has a 87% chance of making it.

Let's go Tech! One more win and we are solidly in.

 

[RapidsCity]

Note to the Huskies: there is no mercy rule in college hockey. When you have a 2-goal lead in the 3rd period against an inferior team, you do not get to stop playing (although it certainly appears you want to).

Inferior? Ferris didn’t get swept by Minnesota State.

 

[Lost_Husky]

Inferior? Ferris didn’t get swept by Minnesota State.

While Ferris is vastly improved from last years team, they were solidly #7 in the league. I don't know what it is, but their style of play frustrates us and shuts down our top line. Fortunately our depth came through.

 

[JohnsonsJerseys]

I feel like Tech still lacks the necessary killer instinct, elite level mentality, winning attitude, etc (whatever you want to call it) that higher ranked team have built into their DNA. Too often Tech is trying to survive games against Ferris, StT, Michigan State, etc. If you can play a pair of 1 goal games against MSU, then you've set the bar at a certain level. Letting those lower ranked teams hang around in games and taking Tech to OT or even losses is not holding the bar at that high level. Tech needs to see those "must win" games on the schedule and just lick their chops at the chance to just dominate a team for the entire weekend from whistle to final horn. Clearly this year's team has potential, but they need to play at the level of that potential every minute. I don't know if it is lacking from the staff preparing the team to play like winners or simply the team not being able to find that level of compete every time their skates touch the ice. Regardless they need to find their highest level and maintain it for the rest of the season.

 

[John J. MacInnes]

Funny that if you were at the 8-1 win over NMU, you would have seen that Tech didn't play anywhere near their best game of the season to get that result. But look at it in isolation on the results page and most people point to that as the benchmark.

This team has a lot of intangibles that don't show up on the scoreboard - things that can win games when you get to the business end of the schedule. I for one am quite happy that they haven't peaked or played their best game yet. It's all going to come down to matchups and who gets the breaks, and I believe this team has a chance to make more than a little noise yet this season.

 

[manurespreader]

I agree 100%.

My nomination for MVP is Michael Karow.

 

[davyd83]

I feel like Tech still lacks the necessary killer instinct, elite level mentality, winning attitude, etc (whatever you want to call it) that higher ranked team have built into their DNA. Too often Tech is trying to survive games against Ferris, StT, Michigan State, etc. If you can play a pair of 1 goal games against MSU, then you've set the bar at a certain level. Letting those lower ranked teams hang around in games and taking Tech to OT or even losses is not holding the bar at that high level. Tech needs to see those "must win" games on the schedule and just lick their chops at the chance to just dominate a team for the entire weekend from whistle to final horn. Clearly this year's team has potential, but they need to play at the level of that potential every minute. I don't know if it is lacking from the staff preparing the team to play like winners or simply the team not being able to find that level of compete every time their skates touch the ice. Regardless they need to find their highest level and maintain it for the rest of the season.

St Thomas played Minnesota St to a one goal game Friday and Ferris beat them.

 

[Lost_Husky]

I feel like Tech still lacks the necessary killer instinct, elite level mentality, winning attitude, etc (whatever you want to call it) that higher ranked team have built into their DNA. Too often Tech is trying to survive games against Ferris, StT, Michigan State, etc. If you can play a pair of 1 goal games against MSU, then you've set the bar at a certain level. Letting those lower ranked teams hang around in games and taking Tech to OT or even losses is not holding the bar at that high level. Tech needs to see those "must win" games on the schedule and just lick their chops at the chance to just dominate a team for the entire weekend from whistle to final horn. Clearly this year's team has potential, but they need to play at the level of that potential every minute. I don't know if it is lacking from the staff preparing the team to play like winners or simply the team not being able to find that level of compete every time their skates touch the ice. Regardless they need to find their highest level and maintain it for the rest of the season.

Some good points. I do think this team lack a killer instinct, doesn't have natural scorers, and plays to their competition. That said, this is clearly an NCAA tournament caliber team who's goals against, PP, and PK don't get enough attention. This is an effort team who generally doesn't take a lot of penalties and can hold their own against anyone.

 

[JohnsonsJerseys]

St Thomas played Minnesota St to a one goal game Friday and Ferris beat them.

Yes, but MSU also beat U-Mass, SCSU, Providence, Duluth, ASU. And with the exception of LSSU, beat every team in the WCHA at least twice. So they can afford to let a couple slip through their fingers. Tech doesn't have that margin for error.
MSU outscored their opponents at a 3:1 ratio. Yes, three TIMES as many goals as their opponents. Looking strictly at their CCHA schedule, the ratio balloons to 4:1. That's insane dominance on the score sheet. Tech didn't even achieve a 2:1 ratio in either case. So yes, MSU did lose 5 games (all season), but in nearly every other game they didn't just win, they blew the other team out of the building.

 

[John J. MacInnes]

Congratulations to Dirk Hembroff and Mix93 WKMJ, named as the best play-by-play sports in Commercial Radio Market 4 by the Michigan Association of Broadcasters!

We know it goes further than just Market 4 that he's the best.

 

[John J. MacInnes]

With Tyrell Buckley unavailable, Marcus Russell gets the call on the blue line tonight. No Ryland Mosley in the lineup, Blais Richartz is listed as the left wing on the 4th line. Nick Nardella is the extra forward, so only 6 D are dressed.