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MSU Spartan Hockey 2013-14: ____-ing the ____ again.

UMass weekend

UMass weekend

Are the Berkshires dreamlike on account of that frostin'?

The Spartans invade Amherst this weekend against what is supposed to be a HEA cellar-dweller. But with MSU's top 2 goal scorers from last season out for the next two weekends, arguably their best D-man sidelined until early December, plus the guy who many feel is their best freshman forward, the weekend to come could be interesting in either a surprisingly positive way, or as in kinda depressing.

The read on UMass is it seems they had a big problem scoring goals last season. There was another D-1 team that was like that last - somehow I can't think of the school ...
 
Re: MSU Spartan Hockey 2013-14: ____-ing the ____ again.

Getting smoked by a really bad UMass two nights in a row doesn't bode well for MSU. Looks like you'll be fighting it out for the basement with Penn St. and probably losing.
 
Re: MSU Spartan Hockey 2013-14: ____-ing the ____ again.

Well after that series I suppose the only way to go is up... And to hope that we have the greatest home ice advantage in the nation.
 
Re: MSU Spartan Hockey 2013-14: ____-ing the ____ again.

Mutha Fucha said:
Getting smoked by a really bad UMass two nights in a row doesn't bode well for MSU. Looks like you'll be fighting it out for the basement with Penn St. and probably losing.
Click to expand...
Looks like you're fightin it to get out of your mom's basement. You're off to not such a good start.

Spartanforlife4 said:
Well after that series I suppose the only way to go is up... And to hope that we have the greatest home ice advantage in the nation.
Click to expand...
Jeepers Holy Catfish. Looks like until we get all our guys back, we'll have to learn to stay out of the penalty box! <b>Six?</b> penalties in a row, 4 goals in a row given up. Not a good night for Yanakeff. I think the other guy's starting to show why he should be #1 goalie.
 
Re: MSU Spartan Hockey 2013-14: ____-ing the ____ again.

Geez. You know, the more I watch this team, the more I find myself saying, "Yeah, this is a 20-loss team this year."

This seems a lot like the 2008-'09 team. Lots of good, young talent, but, well, it's still young talent. Therefore, legs are going to fatigue much faster and a greater number of dumb penalties will be taken. I don't see Berry, Draeger and Sorenson solving the riddle, either.

I still don't see MSU dropping below fourth in the B1G, though. PSU has good top-end talent but not a ton of depth and OSU is a dumpster fire on its best night.
 
Re: MSU Spartan Hockey 2013-14: ____-ing the ____ again.

aallenpollreisz said:
Geez. You know, the more I watch this team, the more I find myself saying, "Yeah, this is a 20-loss team this year."

This seems a lot like the 2008-'09 team. Lots of good, young talent, but, well, it's still young talent. Therefore, legs are going to fatigue much faster and a greater number of dumb penalties will be taken. I don't see Berry, Draeger and Sorenson solving the riddle, either.

I still don't see MSU dropping below fourth in the B1G, though. PSU has good top-end talent but not a ton of depth and OSU is a dumpster fire on its best night.
Click to expand...

<strike>Interesting that you should write this after the Spartans outplayed a HEA team for 60 minutes.</strike> :o

I suppose I'm a little more up-beat about this, but maybe seeing a win changes one's outlook. To me this is a far more talented group than the one that joined us in Oct. 2008. You look at the one signature piece of the '08 freshman class (Daultan Leveille) and wonder how in the hell he snuck into the 1st round - an underachiever that rivals A.J. Thelen. Conboy was decent but a head-case. The 3 d-men were reliable but only became an asset to the program two to three years later.

You throw 6 freshmen out there in the first three games, have to try to kill a ton of penalties at UMass and then face the defending NCAA runner-up the next Friday, and you're going to see some tired legs. Anastos is still trying to find the right line combinations, but I liked what he did putting Keller out there on the top line Saturday.

Berry's going to take until maybe January to start potting some goals, but he and Draeger WILL make a difference. Sorenson will need to produce on a more consistent basis or he may be a healthy scratch on occasion.

As for this year's freshmen? I'm seeing a combination of size and speed from the likes of Maceachern and Haag that I didn't see 5 years ago. Joe Cox has a scorer's touch, and Holland already has 3 assists in 4 games as a blueliner. I also see Maceachern as both a grinder in the corners AND someone willing to go to the net - ala Justin Abdelkader.

Of course, I can be singing a different tune come Monday, and the next two to three years will probably show more consistently high-end freshmen classes, but at least this year's group has guys that Anastos had to battle for on the recruiting front.
 
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Re: MSU Spartan Hockey 2013-14: ____-ing the ____ again.

They outplayed BU for 60 minutes? Really? I thought it was a tie game going into the last five minutes. But, it was a good win for MSU.

BU left just about everything they had in A2 the night before and probably deserved a better fate. O'Connor was really good. I know their fans were up in arms about getttng swept.
 
Re: MSU Spartan Hockey 2013-14: ____-ing the ____ again.

How many times have you watched your boys outplay the opposition and be down 1-0? Good goaltending makes that possible. State gave a full 60 minutes Saturday night. BU didn't - Thanks to having to chase after umaa for 3 periods Friday, BU looked a step slow the next night. I can only assume you're messin with me ;).
 
Re: MSU Spartan Hockey 2013-14: ____-ing the ____ again.

To be fair, aallen posted that after we were shellacked by Lowell Friday night . Saturday proved much better. Granted it helped, liked you said, that BU was a little tired from playing in AA the night before, and it also helped they took 7 penalties and we were actually able to get shots on those power plays. Should be interesting to see how the team does with Sorenson back. Granted it's AIC coming to town, but there will hopefully be some noticeable changes in fluidity.

Also wasn't a big fan of the attendance, especially coming off last year's 90% capacity. Granted it's the first weekend and there's still football going on, but there was the preseason #1 coming to town Friday and one of the traditional programs Saturday and I don't think we cracked 4500 for either. However, now that I look at the attendance from last year it didn't jump until late November when football was winding down, so I'm just going to attribute it to that.
 
Re: MSU Spartan Hockey 2013-14: ____-ing the ____ again.

Before anyone says something - shut yer pie hole :D
 
Re: MSU Spartan Hockey 2013-14: ____-ing the ____ again.

Well, I guess I'm happy with the sweep, though the last 12 minutes of Friday's game left a bit of a bitter taste in my mouth. That said, MSU did what it was supposed to do against a pretty bad AIC team, so I won't complain. A sweep is a sweep, and I'll take 3-3-0.

I think this weekend will be a big test. Tech has a lousy record, but they've played a brutal non-conference schedule. (Notre Dame, UM, Duluth, all on the road) It'll be the first road trip for MSU up to Houghton since, I think, 1984, so I'm sure their building will be amped. MSU absolutely cannot come out flat-footed like it did against Massachusetts.
 
Re: MSU Spartan Hockey 2013-14: ____-ing the ____ again.

OK, I'll fill in the blanks: MSU Spartan Hockey 2013-14: SUCKing the BIG ONE again.
 
Re: MSU Spartan Hockey 2013-14: ____-ing the ____ again.

Freddie said:
OK, I'll fill in the blanks: MSU Spartan Hockey 2013-14: SUCKing the BIG ONE again.
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Thanks - that's kinda funny.


Turnovers. Turnovers, turnovers, turnovers.

BTW, did I happen to mention TURNOVERS?

There is cause for concern - yes. I suppose some consolation can be derived from MTU being clearly better than (now) 3-6-1 would indicate. You only need to look at who they had to play on the road 6 of their first 8 games.

But good grief charlie brown, do we really miss John Draeger on defense this badly?
 
Re: MSU Spartan Hockey 2013-14: ____-ing the ____ again.

owslachief said:
Thanks - that's kinda funny.


Turnovers. Turnovers, turnovers, turnovers.

BTW, did I happen to mention TURNOVERS?

There is cause for concern - yes. I suppose some consolation can be derived from MTU being clearly better than (now) 3-6-1 would indicate. You only need to look at who they had to play on the road 6 of their first 8 games.

But good grief charlie brown, do we really miss John Draeger on defense this badly?
Click to expand...

Tech isn't a bad team... good goaltending, good sound aggressive system. They just have trouble finishing their chances. So, this weekend, add home ice comfort vs. a young team and they popped a few. I also think that they have become more disciplined since their first few games which took away from their offense (although they are dangerous on the PK.)

Can't say that MSU sounds any different on the road than some teams... offense dries up and they suffered a few defensive lapses.
 
Re: MSU Spartan Hockey 2013-14: ____-ing the ____ again.

streaker said:
Tech isn't a bad team... good goaltending, good sound aggressive system. They just have trouble finishing their chances. So, this weekend, add home ice comfort vs. a young team and they popped a few. I also think that they have become more disciplined since their first few games which took away from their offense (although they are dangerous on the PK.)

Can't say that MSU sounds any different on the road than some teams... offense dries up and they suffered a few defensive lapses.
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(verse)
On the road again
They can't stand to be on the road again
The game they love is here on home ice with their friends
And they just hate to be on the road again

(refrain)
On the road again
Like a horde of freshmen trying to work the power play
They're the best of friends
Insisting that the calls start going their way
And their way ...

Is on home ice again
(etc)
 
Re: MSU Spartan Hockey 2013-14: ____-ing the ____ again.

owslachief said:
(verse)
On the road again
They can't stand to be on the road again
The game they love is here on home ice with their friends
And they just hate to be on the road again

(refrain)
On the road again
Like a horde of freshmen trying to work the power play
They're the best of friends
Insisting that the calls start going their way
And their way ...

Is on home ice again
(etc)
Click to expand...

Willie Nelson's attorney just called. He says you owe Mr Nelson a royalty of $1.23 for the use of his song.
He suggests that (in order to save time and paperwork) just make the check payable to US Department of Treasury, and mail it directly to the Internal Revenue Service.
 
Re: MSU Spartan Hockey 2013-14: ____-ing the ____ again.

Article in this morning's LSJ says Matt Berry and John Draeger have been cleared for practice, effective Monday (11/18).

That could help.
 
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