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MSU Spartans 2011/12 - Alum in Sportcoat behind Bench

Re: MSU Spartans 2011/12 - Alum in Sportcoat behind Bench

There seems to be an extremely amplified ECHO in here.

= = = = = = = = =

So that one will be tomorrow, right? This is probably not an ideal team to have to face right away to open the second half, given where the health of the team is concerned. There's a good reason we got out-shot 23-2 in the third period last Friday. We were basically playing 3 lines. Tonight we were fortunate to get Walrod and Nill back (and Walrod played great), but when you're down to five d-men for the last 20 minutes, bad things are going to happen.

It also doesn't help when your team leaders (or is that singular?) inexcusably give the puck away in the defensive zone with a lazy pass to the middle of the ice. Happened twice. Same guy. Could have been worse on the scoreboard.

I cannot explain the one-timer opportunities on the 5-3 that WEREN'T taken, but Knapp's teammates collapsed down low on defense and with good backchecking thwarted most dangerous scoring chances on the night. We had maybe 2 or 3 odd-man rushes that continued all the way to the net.

So it's going to be a tough stretch here, and it isn't going to get any easier with an equally large Lake Superior team visiting soon.

On the other hand, we get our 2nd-leading goal scorer back (Merrifield), and get everyone else back to 100%, we can get that winning mentality (not to mention goalscoring) back.
 
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Re: MSU Spartans 2011/12 - Alum in Sportcoat behind Bench

owslachief said:
There seems to be an extremely amplified ECHO in here.

= = = = = = = = =

So that one will be tomorrow, right? This is probably not an ideal team to have to face right away to open the second half, given where the health of the team is concerned. There's a good reason we got out-shot 23-2 in the third period last Friday. We were basically playing 3 lines. Tonight we were fortunate to get Walrod and Nill back (and Walrod played great), but when you're down to five d-men for the last 20 minutes, bad things are going to happen.

It also doesn't help when your team leaders (or is that singular?) inexcusably give the puck away in the defensive zone with a lazy pass to the middle of the ice. Happened twice. Same guy. Could have been worse on the scoreboard.

I cannot explain the one-timer opportunities on the 5-3 that WEREN'T taken, but Knapp's teammates collapsed down low on defense and with good backchecking thwarted most dangerous scoring chances on the night. We had maybe 2 or 3 odd-man rushes that continued all the way to the net.

So it's going to be a tough stretch here, and it isn't going to get any easier with an equally large Lake Superior team visiting soon.

On the other hand, we get our 2nd-leading goal scorer back (Merrifield), and get everyone else back to 100%, we can get that winning mentality (not to mention goalscoring) back.
Click to expand...

Friday i thought we played well, given the short bench. Miami played quite well i thought and we had plenty of opportunities to put more than 1 goal up. Knapp made some good saves.

However, i was not able to go to the saturday game and by all accounts it was very disappointing. Looks like Miami took it to us not unlike all our losses(and some wins) against them the last few years under Comley.
 
Re: MSU Spartans 2011/12 - Alum in Sportcoat behind Bench

Pirateasaurus said:
Friday i thought we played well, given the short bench. Miami played quite well i thought and we had plenty of opportunities to put more than 1 goal up. Knapp made some good saves.

However, i was not able to go to the saturday game and by all accounts it was very disappointing. Looks like Miami took it to us not unlike all our losses(and some wins) against them the last few years under Comley.
Click to expand...

MSU played 5 good periods. But you could see the defeated look and body language speak volumes after Miami got that second goal on Saturday. When you don't score on numerous power play opportunities - takes a lot of starch out of a team. We had our best-looking power play of the weekend near the end of the second period, but that behemoth of a goalie was up to the task.
 
Re: MSU Spartans 2011/12 - Alum in Sportcoat behind Bench

USCHO published an article today saying that Gatt will be able to play next year (as will be the case for the other UAH transfers). You can read that article rightchere.
 
Re: MSU Spartans 2011/12 - Alum in Sportcoat behind Bench

It appears Merrifield has been practicing this week and will play Friday. Hoomaian is iffy, and Grassi is definitely out. With a week of practice, I'm looking for an improved A.J. Sturges this weekend. Obviously, he was "thrown into the fire" last Saturday, but it was good for him to get those minutes.
 
Re: MSU Spartans 2011/12 - Alum in Sportcoat behind Bench

Good series. Started out slow both games but didn't stop playing and fought back. 30 seconds from a full six points, but five ain't all bad. I'm thinking we need to get all six next week with the road trip coming up after that.

Also, does anyone know how to contact the Munn DJ? I have a request...
 
Re: MSU Spartans 2011/12 - Alum in Sportcoat behind Bench

Here's Tunes by T's website, and they have a contact page. I'm pretty sure T has an official Twitter account too, but I can't seem to find that at this time.
 
Re: MSU Spartans 2011/12 - Alum in Sportcoat behind Bench

aallenpollreisz said:
Here's Tunes by T's website, and they have a contact page. I'm pretty sure T has an official Twitter account too, but I can't seem to find that at this time.
Click to expand...

Thanks AA.

Big series coming up this weekend. There's a giant log jam in the middle seven teams in the conference. Completely disregarding the other games, a sweep puts us in 3rd. We still have those two games in hand also, but so do five other teams.
 
Re: MSU Spartans 2011/12 - Alum in Sportcoat behind Bench

I'm thinking about the Pairwise a bit more. (Yeah, I know, still a little early.)

We still need to recover from getting smacked around by Miami and a straight-up loss to LSSU this weekend would not be good for MSU going forward. I want six, but I think we need five points, especially when you consider the murderer's row on the schedule that's ahead.
 
Re: MSU Spartans 2011/12 - Alum in Sportcoat behind Bench

Oh yeah, I agree Pairwise is important too, but actually getting a home playoff series for once will also help toward Pairwise.
 
Re: MSU Spartans 2011/12 - Alum in Sportcoat behind Bench

aallenpollreisz said:
I'm thinking about the Pairwise a bit more. (Yeah, I know, still a little early.)

We still need to recover from getting smacked around by Miami and a straight-up loss to LSSU this weekend would not be good for MSU going forward. I want six, but I think we need five points, especially when you consider the murderer's row on the schedule that's ahead.
Click to expand...

Consider where we'd be if this team had converted on one more power play a game this Month. I like our chances against Lake State this weekend. We're getting healthier - nobody banged up from the Northern series, Grassi is 50/50 coming back for Friday but I think he'll be ready for Saturday. Despite the near-panic from the crowd in that almost-6-minute power play on Saturday in which we got off 4 shots. But they were 4 really good shots, set up by some pretty good work down low. The bikeophile was simply up to the task. For the first time this month MSU's not facing a behemoth in net.

I believe is sweep is not crazy talk.
 
Re: MSU Spartans 2011/12 - Alum in Sportcoat behind Bench

Spartanforlife4 said:
Oh yeah, I agree Pairwise is important too, but actually getting a home playoff series for once will also help toward Pairwise.
Click to expand...

Didn't you have a home playoff series two seasons ago??? ;)

Owslachief: I wouldn't discount Kapalka, either.
 
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Re: MSU Spartans 2011/12 - Alum in Sportcoat behind Bench

streaker said:
I wouldn't discount Kapalka, either.
Click to expand...

Not discounting anyone. But if you look at the netminders these guys have had trouble against, it seems to be the ones who fill out the frame. And the ones who top the CCHA statistically (Conner Knapp #1 (1 and 0 goals against, Jan. 6/7), Jared Coreau #3 (0 (in relief) and 2 goals against, Jan. 13/14). Kapalka was a wiz as a freshman, but he's behind both Yanakeff and Palmisano at this point.

So a change in stature may do us good ;).
 
Re: MSU Spartans 2011/12 - Alum in Sportcoat behind Bench

Spartanforlife4 said:
But does Kapalka go to the Bo Ryan School of Flopping like that "other guy"? ;)
Click to expand...

I know some guy named "Lerg" who did the same thing. I don't think either of us care as long as we win. (And that flopping habit comes from truly being run too much. Our officiating in the CCHA sucks.)
 
Re: MSU Spartans 2011/12 - Alum in Sportcoat behind Bench

Spartanforlife4 said:
streaker said:
I know some short guy in A2 that is 2-0-1 against the Spartans this season, too. :eek:
Click to expand...

But does Kapalka go to the Bo Ryan School of Flopping like that "other guy"? ;)
Click to expand...

That is correct. Despite the flop & chop, at least we carry the three point oh against him. That's a B average on a four point oh grade scale!

Vs. the other two I've mentioned, a paltry 0.5 and 1.0, respectively. That, my friend, will get your beloved Delta House chapter booted off campus.
 
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