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.

MSU Spartans 2016-17 (Volleyball Looks Like a Legit Alternative)

Re: MSU Spartans 2016-17 (Volleyball Looks Like a Legit Alternative)

Thursday Night at Munn: 4-1 FSU.
MSU is averaging 2.12 goals a game. Leading scorer's each have three goals. Goals against is 3.88.
Take away the Princeton game, Averaging 1.57 goals a game. And giving up 4.14. PP is anemic, 1/7 last night. PK has its moments, but gave up 3 on four kills last night.
Mr. Hollis: How much longer must we wallow in the mud at the bottom of College Hockey?
 
Re: MSU Spartans 2016-17 (Volleyball Looks Like a Legit Alternative)

I think, at this stage, it's pretty clear we're going to stay in the mud until Anastos figures it out or retires/resigns.
 
Re: MSU Spartans 2016-17 (Volleyball Looks Like a Legit Alternative)

Last night was extraordinarily disappointing. You could see that we were a better team. FSU is not fast, they are not skilled, they did not possess the puck, and they are not particularly physical. What they did do well was put bodies and sticks into shooting/passing lanes all night, especially on the PK. Their PK was legit very sound positionally and schematically. Their goaltender played well, too.

The 2nd period was the sloppiest I have seen in a while. Bobbled pucks, passes into skates or through our sticks, missed defensive assignments, you name it. These things constantly killed our momentum. The team's coming through the neutral zone together with speed, cross ice pass behind the target and bam, everyone has to hit the brakes. When we stopped killing our selves, we control play. We just can't score. Those 2 quick power play goals on the 5 on 3 and the ensuing 5 on 4 really seemed to suck the air out of our team.

The previously mentioned "Minney plays too low" issue was textbook taken advantage of on 2 of their goals.

This game felt like a big step back. FSU is not a good team.

Joe Cox did prove my "forwards can't play defense" theory incorrect with two nice stops on an incoming forward, though.

I am just going to take heart that for most of the 1st and 3rd periods I was frustrated simply for the fact that we were clearly better than our opponent.
 
Last edited:
Re: MSU Spartans 2016-17 (Volleyball Looks Like a Legit Alternative)

Pirateasaur said:
Joe Cox did prove my "forwards can't play defense" theory incorrect with two nice stops on an incoming forward, though.

I am just going to take heart that for most of the 1st and 3rd periods I was frustrated simply for the fact that we were clearly better than our opponent.
Click to expand...

Yes he played defense alright but I think he really struggled with the whole offensive part on the powerplay. No offense to the captain but he never has been an offensive powerhouse.. I have way more confidence in one of the freshman defensemen on the point then him.

I agree this one was really frustrating to watch just because we were clearly the more talented team. To Ferris' credit they play extremely sound hockey on the defensive end and had a pretty darn good goalie, but that is nothing new in a Bob Daniels team.
 
Last edited:
Re: MSU Spartans 2016-17 (Volleyball Looks Like a Legit Alternative)

Decatur Spartan said:
Thursday Night at Munn: 4-1 FSU.
MSU is averaging 2.12 goals a game. Leading scorer's each have three goals. Goals against is 3.88.
Take away the Princeton game, Averaging 1.57 goals a game. And giving up 4.14. PP is anemic, 1/7 last night. PK has its moments, but gave up 3 on four kills last night.
Mr. Hollis: How much longer must we wallow in the mud at the bottom of College Hockey?
Click to expand...

Hey, you have as many wins as the Football team.
 
Re: MSU Spartans 2016-17 (Volleyball Looks Like a Legit Alternative)

Pirateasaur said:
Last night was extraordinarily disappointing. You could see that we were a better team. FSU is not fast, they are not skilled, they did not possess the puck, and they are not particularly physical. What they did do well was put bodies and sticks into shooting/passing lanes all night, especially on the PK. Their PK was legit very sound positionally and schematically. Their goaltender played well, too.

The 2nd period was the sloppiest I have seen in a while. Bobbled pucks, passes into skates or through our sticks, missed defensive assignments, you name it. These things constantly killed our momentum. The team's coming through the neutral zone together with speed, cross ice pass behind the target and bam, everyone has to hit the brakes. When we stopped killing our selves, we control play. We just can't score. Those 2 quick power play goals on the 5 on 3 and the ensuing 5 on 4 really seemed to suck the air out of our team.

The previously mentioned "Minney plays too low" issue was textbook taken advantage of on 2 of their goals.

This game felt like a big step back. FSU is not a good team.

Joe Cox did prove my "forwards can't play defense" theory incorrect with two nice stops on an incoming forward, though.

I am just going to take heart that for most of the 1st and 3rd periods I was frustrated simply for the fact that we were clearly better than our opponent.
Click to expand...

I came away from that first period wondering how this team could actually be down 1-0. I felt like 5-on-5, MSU did everything better than FSU except finishing at the net. Yes - our power play was anemic. But for the most part I have no problem with the hustle we showed through the game. Just need goal-scorers ... plain and simple.

Seems this team (and blame it on youth) gets a couple power play goals against and the shoulders begin to sag. But even one of our junior players had a lapse - there's no way Gatt should allowed Rutkowski to sit right there at the net for that 3rd goal. That's the 3rd goal of the game, and as the saying goes it's the most important.

To Ferris State's credit, they're suddenly riding a hot goaltender, AND they forecheck like nobody's done that to us before. That's a physical team and it extends to defense too, where they come right out to you on the power play. Now, when your power play is manila and you're not moving ... they can do that.
 
Last edited:
Re: MSU Spartans 2016-17 (Volleyball Looks Like a Legit Alternative)

Sharp jerseys last night. Look like I'll have to add another one to my signature.
 
Re: MSU Spartans 2016-17 (Volleyball Looks Like a Legit Alternative)

Well, we pulled out a comeback to keep me from stepping off the ledge. Good win, really. We tend to struggle at Ewigleben and I can't remember the last time we overcame more than a single goal deficit to win a game. I believe we have a bye week and it's always great to go into one of those feeling good. A slumping NoDak is up next. Slumping, sure, but I would bet they are a Denver quality opponent.
 
Re: MSU Spartans 2016-17 (Volleyball Looks Like a Legit Alternative)

Pirateasaur said:
Well, we pulled out a comeback to keep me from stepping off the ledge. Good win, really. We tend to struggle at Ewigleben and I can't remember the last time we overcame more than a single goal deficit to win a game. I believe we have a bye week and it's always great to go into one of those feeling good. A slumping NoDak is up next. Slumping, sure, but I would bet they are a Denver quality opponent.
Click to expand...
The third period showed MSU to be really a different team than I've seen so far this year. To me the key was MSU's power play - not for what it produced (it didn't produce a single goal in the third), but for the effect it had on FSU. It produced some good chances, involved the best puck movement of the year and got FSU on its heals ... and clearly wore them down. I thought Smith was going to frustrate this team - until Cox broke through.
 
Re: MSU Spartans 2016-17 (Volleyball Looks Like a Legit Alternative)

On a positive note for at least one MSU Hockey Team, the Tier II team (think JVish) beat scUM last Friday night 4-1. Goalie had 39 saves on 40 shots! Takes them to 6-3 on the season. As opposed to the Varsity's 3-6 record.
And and to keep the thread on track: Volley Ball lost in 5 sets last night to #2 Minn, to fall to 23-6 on the season after beating scUM Wednesday night 3-1. They could do some good stuff in the NCAA Tournament.
 
Re: MSU Spartans 2016-17 (Volleyball Looks Like a Legit Alternative)

I thought the play at Ford Theater last night was uneven. The guy yelling in Latin was a bit over-the-top.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top