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Michigan Tech post season thread, hunting for hardware!

Re: Michigan Tech post season thread, hunting for hardware!

Much like the last Mankato series, I let it sink in for a few hours before posting. Hard to be objective right after a tough loss. I really can't pin this loss on the refs. I can not argue any of the calls they made and towards the end Tech was digging their own hole, especially the Watson penalty. That could have been a major, but at that point the ship was already 2/3 under water and Leo and Kate were in the water looking for a life boat that wasn't coming so it didn't really matter anyway...

Much like the MacNaughton, yes it would have been great to win the tourney, but clearly Mankato once again stepped up and did what they needed to do when it mattered. Tech had their chance to win and had the Mavs on the ropes but couldn't close the deal. I hope this will be a good lesson for the players they can build on, and the taste it left with them can only motivate them for practice this week and their game next weekend which appears to be headed for an all Huskies showdown.

The season goes on and we've already accomplished all of this:
Finished the season tied with Mankato for the most wins in all of D-1 hockey.
Secured home ice for the WCHA playoffs for the first time in 20+ years.
Finished second in the WCHA standings.
Missed the MacNaughton Cup by a single point.
Swept a first round playoff series at home and didn't allow a single goal.
Made it to the Final Five and had the lead in the championship game with 20 minutes to play.
Made the NCAA field for the first time in 30+ years.
And...T.B.D.

If someone typed up this list in September, tell me who wouldn't have taken this in a heartbeat and called this a successful season? Anyone who says they would not have is full of more than black and gold spirit. In my opinion, the Huskies have exceeded all expectations this season. Yes, they have been close to so much more, but just getting there is part of the growing process.

I was also surprised that the team wasn't on the ice after the game, but if Mel was as upset with the refs as some have posted above, maybe that was his message to the league. I can't believe they didn't know they should be out there or someone didn't tell the team.

So it appears we are headed to Fargo and it looks like it Tech will certainly get their chance to show that the WCHA is every bit the conference the NCHC thinks they are with one or maybe two games against NCHC teams. To be the best you have to beat the best and Tech will get another chance next weekend to do just that...

Go Tech!
Ryan J
 
Re: Michigan Tech post season thread, hunting for hardware!

I don't recall seeing Michigan stay on the ice after that game. I'm pretty sure I didn't see Downing and Hyman collect their tournament team awards.

I don't see it as classless to have to watch the other team celebrate and take pictures. That's torture.
 
Pure Mel said:
Yes! I was shocked Mel actually pulled his guys off and off for good. I guessed he was going to do a short locker talk and back out....Nope! Pretty classless....
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Nobody stuck around on the ice that lost this weekend. Wherever you are pulling that classless label from, you are way off base.
 
Re: Michigan Tech post season thread, hunting for hardware!

3rd Period penalties
Eick's first "interference" call, weak at best.
Eick's second "interference" call, awful. He hit the guy with the puck right there. That had been going on all night long. Why would you start calling it now when most refs would start to put the whistle away?

That first four minutes of the third changed the whole mindset of players in the game. Yes, the Huskies needed to be more mentally tough and play through it. But for eff's sake, call the effing game consistent from start to finish! You don't call 4 penalties in the first 40 and then 6 in the final 20. These games haven't warranted that. The refs inserted themselves when they didn't need to and it changed the whole scope of the game.

Then by the end, the Watson's penalty, guy never went to the puck and waited for the contact from Watson then spun himself towards the boards. That hit looked worse than it was. Yes, a two minute board has been called in that situation most times this year and should have been called there. But the penalty on Roy was horse manure. Gervais started chopping him, Roy chopped back, then Gervais runs into Roy while he's trying to skate up ice and flops like a fish. Absolute crap.

Regardless, the Huskies needed to stay 5x5 and didn't. Problem is, they didn't deserve to be shorthanded on half those calls.
 
Re: Michigan Tech post season thread, hunting for hardware!

Here's to hoping we meet again on the final Saturday of the season in Boston! Best of luck! I really enjoy watching Tech play and believe they'll do some damage in the tournament.

FWIW, I watched UND play most of their shakes this weekend too, and MTU was better.

I understand the frustration and wanting to play 5 on 5, but the game was 3-0 MSU 5 on 5. Just food for thought.

Also, the second Eick penalty was fairly dirty IMO. (In no way do I think Tech is a dirty team, just had a few guys get hot in a key spot, a learning thing that comes with experience in big games) He had that hit lined up before he got out of the box and buried Knowles right in the head with zero intention of playing that puck, which Knowles had dumped in before the hit occured. I think a more appropriate call could've been the head contact, and the officials were discussing giving a 5 for quite some time.
 
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Re: Michigan Tech post season thread, hunting for hardware!

We needed to score more in the first 2 periods.

Gould undressed a Mankato d-man, but missed the far side. That would have been a big momentum shift.

The announcers mentioned the pace slowed down, Tech may have gotten a little tired and could not press every inch of the ice as they had done in the second.
Add to that the fact that killing penalties adds to the fatigue and MSU had their opening and like all great teams, they took it.

I hope for something different than Fargo. St, Cloud always plays us tough, but would like to show Mr. Storm, he chose the wrong team.....
 
Re: Michigan Tech post season thread, hunting for hardware!

Jamie was sick as were several other players. there was hope the adrenaline would shake it off, but maybe not.
 
Re: Michigan Tech post season thread, hunting for hardware!

huskyfan said:
Jamie was sick as were several other players. there was hope the adrenaline would shake it off, but maybe not.
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Playing the old "players were sick" card?? C'mon, that's weak. Minnesota State is a better team.

Onto the NCAA's. Nothing like the excitement of the tourney.
 
Re: Michigan Tech post season thread, hunting for hardware!

HuskyNation said:
That first four minutes of the third changed the whole mindset of players in the game. Yes, the Huskies needed to be more mentally tough and play through it. But for eff's sake, call the effing game consistent from start to finish! You don't call 4 penalties in the first 40 and then 6 in the final 20. These games haven't warranted that. The refs inserted themselves when they didn't need to and it changed the whole scope of the game.
Click to expand...

This seems to be a pet peeve of Mel's and it was the case yesterday. Call the game consistently. I wish the team had handled it better, you could tell Pietila and Petan were frustrated with how they were talking to the refs.

Mankato is the better team. but if there's sickness I'd think fatigue would set in in 3rd, making the penalties in the 3rd that much harder to overcome.
 
Re: Michigan Tech post season thread, hunting for hardware!

Nuts and bolts!
Nuts and bolts!
You got screwed!

:(
 
Re: Michigan Tech post season thread, hunting for hardware!

So Fargo it is. It doesn't matter where they sent us, it's up to the team to play their best.
 
Re: Michigan Tech post season thread, hunting for hardware!

We're in the NCAAs, all games are tough at this point. Great to see we didn't draw the Gophers.


My only disappointment is we're an ESPN3 game. So can't use DVR to watch after work Friday.
 
Re: Michigan Tech post season thread, hunting for hardware!

mtu_huskies said:
We're in the NCAAs, all games are tough at this point. Great to see we didn't draw the Gophers.


My only disappointment is we're an ESPN3 game. So can't use DVR to watch after work Friday.
Click to expand...

Start to "not feel well" at lunchtime and time your exit.
 
Re: Michigan Tech post season thread, hunting for hardware!

I feel like we should get one more chance at Mankato, April 9.
 
Re: Michigan Tech post season thread, hunting for hardware!

****, we're ESPN3? I won't get to watch it then as I don't have cable so you can't watch online :(
 
Re: Michigan Tech post season thread, hunting for hardware!

geezer said:
Did he have a choice? I thought Tech didn't offer him.
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That's right. I don't think he had an option at Tech. I think Mel might have become iinterested after St. Cloud snagged him.
 
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