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Nescac '12-'13

Re: Nescac '12-'13

As this conversation devolves, it becomes painfully clear that the only real negative to the NESCAC schools starting their season on a reasonable date is that it gives bored hockey fans too much time to whine about which coach is meaner, why it's the parent's fault, etc. ad nausem. Time to drop the puck folks.
 
Re: Nescac '12-'13

"Coach Arena hasn't been winning because he's well liked but because the Amherst admissions office has been more cooperative as of late. "

I can assure you that while Amherst has shown more support for their hockey program in recent years, that this has more to do with the new athletic director than it does any lowering of standards by the admissions office (by this I mean, the ability to recruit more players but not ones with lower scores). There is also little doubt that they have nowhere near the level of academic flexibility that Bowdoin or Middlebury has; nor should they as Amherst and Williams are much tougher schools to be admitted to relative to the general student body. In short, Amherst and Coach Arena haven't enjoyed success because they've had some advantage over Midd and Bowdoin, but rather because they playing field is starting to be leveled and as a result they've been able to compete with the traditional powerhouses in the NESCAC. Regardless of who you root for there is so much parity in the league now that I think it's going to be a long time before we see another NESCAC team go 20-1 in conference games like Amherst did last year.
 
Re: Nescac '12-'13

puxrex said:
As this conversation devolves, it becomes painfully clear that the only real negative to the NESCAC schools starting their season on a reasonable date is that it gives bored hockey fans too much time to whine about which coach is meaner, why it's the parent's fault, etc. ad nausem. Time to drop the puck folks.
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Amen
 
Re: Nescac '12-'13

canadianhockeyguy said:
"Coach Arena hasn't been winning because he's well liked but because the Amherst admissions office has been more cooperative as of late. "

I can assure you that while Amherst has shown more support for their hockey program in recent years, that this has more to do with the new athletic director than it does any lowering of standards by the admissions office (by this I mean, the ability to recruit more players but not ones with lower scores). There is also little doubt that they have nowhere near the level of academic flexibility that Bowdoin or Middlebury has; nor should they as Amherst and Williams are much tougher schools to be admitted to relative to the general student body. In short, Amherst and Coach Arena haven't enjoyed success because they've had some advantage over Midd and Bowdoin, but rather because they playing field is starting to be leveled and as a result they've been able to compete with the traditional powerhouses in the NESCAC. Regardless of who you root for there is so much parity in the league now that I think it's going to be a long time before we see another NESCAC team go 20-1 in conference games like Amherst did last year.
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How does the new AD help? They still have to get through admissions. Amherst used to rely more heavily on junior players than did Midd. This year it looks as if most of the Amherst players are Prep products which would might indicate a toughening of standards. Bowdoin depended on juniors more than Midd, too.
 
Re: Nescac '12-'13

neumyer said:
How does the new AD help? They still have to get through admissions. Amherst used to rely more heavily on junior players than did Midd. This year it looks as if most of the Amherst players are Prep products which would might indicate a toughening of standards. Bowdoin depended on juniors more than Midd, too.
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You can't go by NESCAC rosters as many omit info about junior hockey backgrounds. This year, most of Amherst's first-years are junior jockey veterans -- not so much for Bowdoin this year.
 
Re: Nescac '12-'13

d3follower said:
You can't go by NESCAC rosters as many omit info about junior hockey backgrounds. This year, most of Amherst's first-years are junior jockey veterans -- not so much for Bowdoin this year.
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So maybe Amherst is softening their standards? I know, for instance on the football boards, Williams fans are complaining that toughened standards for football have reduced the program to a mid NESCAC team as opposed to an annual 8-0 record. Football posters say that admissions will have to lower requirements and more TIPS will have to go to football to get them back to an 8-0, 7-1 program every year. Perhaps Amherst hockey is getting additional TIPS that went to other sports in the past?
 
Re: Nescac '12-'13

I was told by an Amherst admission officer that the past couple of years the hockey program has received more TIPS because other of the school's athletic teams are filling their rosters with more highly qualified student/athletes who are "A" bands. Those teams do not use their allotment of TIPS and the surplus "B" and "C" TIPS are being being picked up by other sports, among them men's hockey.
 
Doubleminor said:
I was told by an Amherst admission officer that the past couple of years the hockey program has received more TIPS because other of the school's athletic teams are filling their rosters with more highly qualified student/athletes who are "A" bands. Those teams do not use their allotment of TIPS and the surplus "B" and "C" TIPS are being being picked up by other sports, among them men's hockey.
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Amherst goalie was great tonight. Hamilton looked much better than last year. Want to see Amherst offense break out at home
 
Re: Nescac '12-'13

I attended a spirited game between Williams and Bowdoin in Brunswick last night, a 2-0 Polar Bear win. I expected Bowdoin to be an excellent team, given the quality of the seventeen veteran players who dressed for the game. What I didn't expect was such a solid Williams team. The Ephs obviously don't boast the same level of talent as the Polar Bears, but they played a smart defensive game -- quite physical but without taking unnecessary penalties (unlike the Polar Bears...) -- and got good goaltending from Sean Dougherty.

The Polar Bear veterans played like . . . veterans who understand the Bowdoin system inside out. I was particularly impressed by Tim McGarry and Ryan Collier at defense, and Harry Matheson at forward. It goes without saying that Steve Messina was outstanding in net. And, incidentally, the Polar Bears were missing 2011-12 leading scorer Colin Downey.

Three first years dressed for the game. Though his shot from the point is above average, Gabe Renaud appears to be primarily a solid defensive defenseman--good skater, strong on his feet and physical. Matt Rubinoff demonstrated an excellent understanding of the game, and played like a veteran at right wing on the top line, with John McGinnis at center and Dan Weiniger at left wing. I was unimpressed by Chris Fenwick. He's a big kid who skates reasonably well, but found himsef on the wrong spot on several occasions, including one in which he collided with a teammate. Maybe it was freshman jitters. I'm curious, however, whether we may see Dylan Shumburger this afternoon against Middlebury.

And, of course, Bowdoin-Middlebury at 4:00pm should be a dandy...
 
Re: Nescac '12-'13

This year when I visit a rink, I will award a Game Winning Goal (GWG) to schools that have guest wireless available and a Game Misconduct (GM) where it is not. Bowdoin and Colby both get a GWG this weekend!
 
Re: Nescac '12-'13

As a Bowdoin alumnus and supporter, I was disappointed by the tie with Middlebury Saturday afternoon, after the Polar Bears had built two-goal leagues on two occasions. Nevertheless, as a fan of Division III hockey, I consider myself privileged to have been able to attend such an outstanding hockey game between two excellent teams. The game was played with the speed, skill and intensity that characterize most of the matches between these two storied programs. It was college hockey at its best.

For Bowdoin, I was impressed with first-year defenseman Gabe Renaud, junior forward Ollie Koo, and senior defenseman Tim McGarry. McGarry has got to be one of the best defenseman in Division III this year. He's another one in a long line of great Bowdoin defenseman that include Bob Kullen, Bob Hall, John Vigneron, Gerry Ciarcia, Mark Pletts, Jean Roy, John Leonard, Kevin Potter, Paul Croteau, Mike Westerman, Kyle Shearer-Hardy, and Jordan Lalor, among others. (Maybe I should add John Landry, who made the All-America team as a defender, though he was a forward through most of his career.)

As to the Middlebury, all I'll say is that the Panthers are a very talented and, despite Beaney's detractors, very well-coached squad.

Is there a better Division III league from top to bottom than NESCAC?
 
Re: Nescac '12-'13

PrezdeJohnson09 said:
ECAC West and maybe even the ECAC East this season might have something to say about that....
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It's early in the season, but the following may be an indication of top-to-bottom strength:
NESCAC: The bottom team (Hamilton) loses two very close 0-1 games to the top team (Amherst); ECAC EAST: The bottom team (University of New England) loses 1-7 to the top team (Norwich). Does anyone in his right mind believe that the UNE has any chance of beating Norwich this year?
 
Re: Nescac '12-'13

Euler18 said:
It's early in the season, but the following may be an indication of top-to-bottom strength:
NESCAC: The bottom team (Hamilton) loses two very close 0-1 games to the top team (Amherst); ECAC EAST: The bottom team (University of New England) loses 1-7 to the top team (Norwich). Does anyone in his right mind believe that the UNE has any chance of beating Norwich this year?
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Amherst was the top team last year. They had losses from last season - there is no guarantee that they are the top team this year.
 
Re: Nescac '12-'13

NUProf said:
Amherst was the top team last year. They had losses from last season - there is no guarantee that they are the top team this year.
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Amherst has a great returning roster and really good recruits and should be a top team once again this year . .
 
Re: Nescac '12-'13

d3follower said:
Amherst has a great returning roster and really good recruits and should be a top team once again this year . .
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But they may or may not be THE top team in the league, and we don't know that Hamilton is going to be the worst. My money would be on the Jumbos or the Camels for that "honor"
 
Re: Nescac '12-'13

NUProf said:
But they may or may not be THE top team in the league, and we don't know that Hamilton is going to be the worst. My money would be on the Jumbos or the Camels for that "honor"
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Well, we don't know who will end up being THE top team but Amherst is almost as well equipped to make a run for the top spot this year as they were last year. Jumbos have made huge strides since the days of the interlock!!!! Not the team of your memories. But the Camels haven't changed much . .
 
Re: Nescac '12-'13

Amerst will be there again, their goaltending looked fantastic this weekend. Hamilton does not look like a cellar dellwer to me based on what I saw, but they will need to score some goals. They look to be very well coached. I am looking forward to seeing the other teams as the year progresses.
 
Re: Nescac '12-'13

Any word on Colin Downey? Top scorer from Bowdoin last year and has not played a game yet. Injury?
 
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