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 Huskies 2023-24: Is the MacNaughton coming home? <>

JohnsonsJerseys said:
Regardless of how this season ends, it's time to start the search for a new head coach. In a season where Mankato was rebuilding and Tech had its best shot to win the conference in years, we're now going to have to fight just to have home ice in the first round of the conference playoffs, much less go any further. Offense continues to be almost non-existent and if Tech can't win games with one of the best goalies in the country in net, what is it going to be like next season when he is gone? Coach Joe seems like a nice guy, loves the UP and all that, but I feel like we've seen his ceiling. If we're struggling to be a 0.500 team in a conference that can't even put ONE team in the top 20 nationally, what's it going to be like when a few of the other teams get their act together again?
Click to expand...

I'm hesitant to pull the trigger, but I'm starting to agree. On paper, we should've been competing for the MacNaughton Cup. I don't know where exactly this season went sideways, but it felt like it started with the Marcinkevics drama back in October/early November and snowballed from there. They did start to turn it around in November, other than that home loss to Ferris. December was OK, even though they backdoored their way into the GLI title. But ever since Jan 1, the offense has completely dried up and it's been ugly.

However, there are things that give me pause. I believe Joe's contract is up at the end of this season, as he last signed a 3-year extension in April 2021. Since then, he's made the NCAAs twice. There are recruits in the pipeline that look very promising, thanks to the work done by Shelast and Murray to restock the cupboard after COVID. That said, the NCAA games resulted in a pair of lopsided first round exits and zero goals scored, so I definitely hear what you're saying with regards to "ceiling". Plus, with his contract up, letting him go at this time would not require a costly buyout of any remaining years.

It's hard to say what AD Sanregret is thinking. It used to be that any coach going into their last year without an extension was a leading indicator - an implied "pi55 or get off the pot" message. So maybe we wait a month and see how the conference playoffs go. If they fail to get home ice and/or are done after the first round, I'd say that would make the strongest case for a change.
 
Regarding this weekend. I attended both games, And the BG fans were super nice to me both nights. Kudo's to them for being gentlemen

I think there are several reasons why we are a better team than we were 4 weeks ago. It's the back end of the line up, and it's coaching. The back end is a lot better than they were. For instance, I noticed Friday that Nordstrom was really pushing the play, especially on the forecheck. It was causing so many problems for BG. I think being in the lineup a lot has made those players better. Defensively too we are better. Guys who were turning the puck over or getting it stolen from them, are doing a much better job. Jed and Casper in particular I noticed as having improved a good bit..
As a whole we were slower tonight to our checks in the offensive zone, we gave them more time and we didn't do as good a job backing each other up. But overall the Staubers, Nordstroms, Rasmussen were much better. in particular, I noticed tonight Pederson, who did great job down low, had good energy and just would not give up. . That energy translated into a goal. I also noticed Bronte. his speed really is a weapon, especially late in the game when the other team is tired, they just had major problems dealing with it and it caused them no end of turnovers and problems and hemming them in late in the game. BG ended up running around and not in a good position for the breakout.I believe they ended up playing their top D men against Bronte's line and by doing so tired them out.

Second, we rolled 4 lines tonight. The bottom two lines played a lot down the stretch. it helped.. the top guys weren't worn out, and i'll tell ya, BG was.
Looking at last night, if we play with that much pace and physicality every game we'll be in the final four. I realize it's tough to do every night but that was really impressive. Just how hard our guys played. Tonight we didn't do it, except for 15 minutes at the end of the game. Still, it was the third and fourth-line players that made our team go this weekend. The top two lines were very good and they have been good, but the difference was the bottom two lines came to play.
 
Agree, I thought the D played their best 2 games of the year this weekend. The d scored big goals tonight. #26 big goal and then followed up by #17
 
So with 2 games to go, the Huskies could now finish anywhere from 2nd to 5th.

2nd happens if:

A) Mankato sweeps Bemidji and Tech sweeps St. Thomas (Tech owns tiebreak with Bemidji)
B) Tech earns 4 points or more and Bemidji earns 4 points or more (Tech owns tiebreak with Mankato)

5th happens if:

A) St Thomas sweeps and NMU sweeps (NMU finishes 4th, Tech 5th)
B) Tech gets 3 points or less and BG gets 5 points or more (Tech 5th, STT owns tiebreaker with BG if they tie)

The likely finish is either 3rd or 4th which will be determined essentially head-to-head with St. Thomas (barring a BG sweep or 5 point weekend). St. Thomas will hold the tiebreaker if that comes into play.
 
I felt like tonight our guys just didn't quite have it. At times yes, but too many odd man rushes for them, too many lackadaisical plays defensively. We should have known St Thomas was playing for the tie not really pushing. We have to be just as good defensively as they are. If we got the tie we'd have a home playoff birth locked up now. And too many shots at the goalie and not making him move to make a save.

I thought on their goal we let up and it cost us. I still feel we are a lot better than earlier, but this was a winnable game. Our mental approach needs to be better. I liked Bartle, he didn't play a lot but he had energy.
 
When winning the first game in a Best of 3 playoff series, the Huskies are 13-0 in advancing. 10 of those were settled in 2 games, three series had to go to the third game.

When losing the first game in a Best of 3 playoff series, Bowling Green is 3-16 in advancing. They forced a third game five times and won the series vs NMU in 2012, vs LSSU in 2013, and vs Bemidji in 2016.
 
Just to clarify: if the Tommies win, they get the home game. If the Lakers win, Minnesota State travels to Houghton.
 
The Tommies lead 2-1 through 40 minutes but they look gassed. They're not even dressing a full lineup, and other than the two PPGs they look pretty toothless.
 
Some things we could do better. We favor the Mosley side of the rink on the pp too much. it's real obvious. The non puck carriers on the pp were pretty stationary.
we didnt have as much energy as we needed most of the game.
Mankato beat us to pucks too often.
sometimes you get bounces. i'm glad we did.
 
Tech definitely got the bounces! I watched the game and Tech was the better team from start to finish. with that said Works definitely kicked the puck in, and on the penalty shot, that was not a penalty to reward even a penalty shot. 2 gift goals and terrible officiating. If Tracy did not play outstanding Tech would have won 6 or 7 to 3
 
Puckstopper467 said:
Tech definitely got the bounces! I watched the game and Tech was the better team from start to finish. with that said Works definitely kicked the puck in, and on the penalty shot, that was not a penalty to reward even a penalty shot. 2 gift goals and terrible officiating. If Tracy did not play outstanding Tech would have won 6 or 7 to 3
Click to expand...

100% agree on the Works goal, should not have counted. But the penalty shot was the right call, the D clearly played the puck with his hand inside the crease and that's an automatic.

It was nice to see Mankato endure a shock ending themselves for all the times they have been on the good side of one in the playoffs. This one had to be the most bizarre I've seen.
 
question, can you slide the puck in the crease to the goalie? I thought closing your glove on the puck in the crease was a penalty

never sure of the rule
 
Idk something is off about #32 rank and getting into the tournament. That will be crazy. And I bet they squeak out a round #1 win on top of it.
 
He was hurt when he got here, played a few games and is now out indefinitely. I can't remember the last game he played, but he was never a factor much. We also have a couple of others who are out long term.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top