NESCAC '15-'16 season

[HockeyEast33]

Re: NESCAC '15-'16 season

pretty decent predictions Swami...but not sure I agree with the first point [Conn] or the third Trinity]. Hard to make those statements without seeing some results since you have no clue about the players or coaches you're talking about at this point in the season. Let 'em play a few games.

Time will tell on both. CC has been inconsistent the last few years so that comment comes from previous experience and they will have to change their behavior to change my opinion - which they have the opportunity to do. Trinity comment is a total gut feel. We'll see - they hung with M'bury in the second game.

 

[obserbear]

Re: NESCAC '15-'16 season

Trinity comment is a total gut feel. We'll see - they hung with M'bury in the second game.

While I was unable to make the trip up to Middlebury, and watched both games on line, I thought Trinity really took it to the Panthers for most of the game Saturday. They were winning the battles on the boards, were a step quicker to the puck, and were it not for a really stellar effort in net by Neuburger, could easily have walked out of Kenyon with a split.

 

[CrossCheck]

Re: NESCAC '15-'16 season

Time will tell on both. CC has been inconsistent the last few years so that comment comes from previous experience and they will have to change their behavior to change my opinion - which they have the opportunity to do. Trinity comment is a total gut feel. We'll see - they hung with M'bury in the second game.

Trinity will be a tough out all year new coach or not. They are deep, have solid goaltending and have several girls who can score. As for Conn...The issue this weekend was not their goaltending but the fact they managed to score just 1 goal in the 2 games [and that was on a 5 on 3 PP]. Amherst goalie Dobbins was unreal [and had some puck-luck too]. But for her, it's a a split or possibly a Conn sweep.

 

[shelfit]

Re: NESCAC '15-'16 season

Time will tell on both. CC has been inconsistent the last few years so that comment comes from previous experience and they will have to change their behavior to change my opinion - which they have the opportunity to do. Trinity comment is a total gut feel. We'll see - they hung with M'bury in the second game.

CC's problem has always been just one person and unfortunately for all the girls over the years the problem has always been their head coach. It's hard to believe she has held on to that job this long. Only 3 seasons over .500 in 14 years? Awful. Plus she has a history of losing to teams that are supposed to be fairly easy opponents on paper. She simply gets outcoached too often and more regularly than she should especially considering the talent she has had over the years. The team's consistent underachievement begins and ends with the person behind the bench.

 

[obserbear]

Re: NESCAC '15-'16 season

All the teams back in action after the holiday. This weeks guess:

Bowdoin visits Norwich Friday and St. Anselm Saturday-still early but could be a long season for the Polar Bears; Norwich has it going after the East/West debacle and St As beat Holy Cross so I think PB go 0 fer the weekend

Amherst@Trinity-the Bantams looked pretty good losing to Midd 2-1; split

Colby@Hamilton-both teams have some nice results early; split

Williams@Wesleyan-the Ephs have been up and down early and I am sure regret the points lost at home to Hamilton; sweep for Williams

Conn College@Middlebury-Conn goal play made things close in the losses to Amherst; the Panthers need to score more playing even strength; 3 points for Midd

 

[bearcat]

Re: NESCAC '15-'16 season

All the teams back in action after the holiday. This weeks guess:

Bowdoin visits Norwich Friday and St. Anselm Saturday-still early but could be a long season for the Polar Bears; Norwich has it going after the East/West debacle and St As beat Holy Cross so I think PB go 0 fer the weekend

Amherst@Trinity-the Bantams looked pretty good losing to Midd 2-1; split

Colby@Hamilton-both teams have some nice results early; split

Williams@Wesleyan-the Ephs have been up and down early and I am sure regret the points lost at home to Hamilton; sweep for Williams

Conn College@Middlebury-Conn goal play made things close in the losses to Amherst; the Panthers need to score more playing even strength; 3 points for Midd

Bowdoin loses both non-conf games.
Amherst sweeps Trinity in 2 low scoring games.
Hamilton gets 3pts from Colby.
Williams gets 3pts from Wesleyan
Midd sweeps the Camels in VT.

 

[HockeyEast33]

Re: NESCAC '15-'16 season

Bowdoin loses both non-conf games.
Amherst sweeps Trinity in 2 low scoring games.
Hamilton gets 3pts from Colby.
Williams gets 3pts from Wesleyan
Midd sweeps the Camels in VT.

Bowdoin drops - other teams just better
Amherst-Trinity split - both good teams and it will be an even matchup - goaltending could prevail
Hamilton-Colby split - both teams inconsistent, low-scoring games
Williams-Wesleyan split - Williams still struggling to find scoring against decent goaltending since 2 seasons ago
Middlebury sweeps Conn College - Midd still POed about losing to Conn in the NESCAC tourney first round and missing the NCAA two seasons ago

 

[bearcat]

Re: NESCAC '15-'16 season

Bowdoin drops - other teams just better
Amherst-Trinity split - both good teams and it will be an even matchup - goaltending could prevail
Hamilton-Colby split - both teams inconsistent, low-scoring games
Williams-Wesleyan split - Williams still struggling to find scoring against decent goaltending since 2 seasons ago
Middlebury sweeps Conn College - Midd still POed about losing to Conn in the NESCAC tourney first round and missing the NCAA two seasons ago

What to make of the Midd vs Conn series this weekend? is Midd over-rated or is Conn decent?

Thoughts on Trinity? 0-4 seems surprising after last year's strong finish.

 

[HockeyEast33]

Re: NESCAC '15-'16 season

What to make of the Midd vs Conn series this weekend? is Midd over-rated or is Conn decent?

Thoughts on Trinity? 0-4 seems surprising after last year's strong finish.

Defer to CrossCheck for comments on Conn College other than saying that they have some talented players.

Trinity played Middlebury and Amherst the first 2 series - I would say the two best teams in the NESCAC so far this season. As I previously mentioned I expected the loss of Potter as coach to impact their performance this season as well. Not a huge surprise they are 0-4 to me based on this. They do have talented players.

 

[tjoneslo]

Re: NESCAC '15-'16 season

What to make of the Midd vs Conn series this weekend? is Midd over-rated or is Conn decent?

Conn College has been on several people's "Dark Horse" list for the past couple of years. You underestimate them at your own risk.

Middlebury was missing one of their first line forwards (Mandigo, due to an injury). And as obserbear noted: Panthers need to score more playing even strength. In the first game, Midd scored twice on the power play which was the difference in the game. The second one, Conn didn't take many penalties denying the Midd power play goal scoring opportunities.

Trinity, on the other hand, started the season playing Middlebury and Amherst. If there were two NESCAC teams mostly likely to beat Trinity it would be these two. The second game against Midd, they played them very close (in most cases out played them) for the whole game. I expect Trinity's standings to improve as they play other teams.

 

[obserbear]

Re: NESCAC '15-'16 season

I expect Trinity's standings to improve as they play other teams.

Even if they run the table they have only 24 points and have lost the tie breakers with the two teams appearing to be in the running for top seed. Looks like it may come down to the Middlebury at Amherst series 1/8-1/9 although Williams could still be in the hunt.

 

[CrossCheck]

Re: NESCAC '15-'16 season

Conn College has been on several people's "Dark Horse" list for the past couple of years. You underestimate them at your own risk.

Middlebury was missing one of their first line forwards (Mandigo, due to an injury). And as obserbear noted: Panthers need to score more playing even strength. In the first game, Midd scored twice on the power play which was the difference in the game. The second one, Conn didn't take many penalties denying the Midd power play goal scoring opportunities.

Trinity, on the other hand, started the season playing Middlebury and Amherst. If there were two NESCAC teams mostly likely to beat Trinity it would be these two. The second game against Midd, they played them very close (in most cases out played them) for the whole game. I expect Trinity's standings to improve as they play other teams.

Trinity [0-4] and Conn [0-3-1] are probably a coin-flip difference from Midd and Amherst....and both of them had the unfortunate scheduling problem in that they had to play both of those 2 top teams to start the year....look for Conn and Trinity to move up the standings as they play the rest of the league after Xmass.

As for Midd this weekend...but for the PP advantage in game one [12 min vs 6 including a 5on3 goal], Conn could have very easily won or tied both games. When playing 5 on 5 the games were very even. Goaltending was a huge difference [in Conn's favor] in both games.

 

[HockeyEast33]

Re: NESCAC '15-'16 season

Even if they run the table they have only 24 points and have lost the tie breakers with the two teams appearing to be in the running for top seed. Looks like it may come down to the Middlebury at Amherst series 1/8-1/9 although Williams could still be in the hunt.

No argument on Middlebury and Amherst - 1/2 this season. I'm not sold on Williams yet. 3-1 against Hamilton and Wesleyan isn't a great record and they lost to Castleton (admittedly a decent team they outshot badly). They did produce a few more goals against Wesleyan (but the Wesleyan goaltending was not sharp in the first game). Their defense is strong (5 goals in 6 games). Based on results to date, I'd definitely put Conn above Williams and Trinity as comparable. Williams finishes with Conn, Amherst, Trinity, Middlebury so the clarity on them won't come until late Jan at the earliest unless they lose against Bowdoin or Colby. Be interesting to see how they do against Elmira on January 2.

 

[Call It]

Re: NESCAC '15-'16 season

Middlebury was missing one of their first line forwards (Mandigo, due to an injury).

Ha...She shouldn't be but her daddy makes that choice

 

[bearcat]

Re: NESCAC '15-'16 season

Ha...She shouldn't be but her daddy makes that choice

really??

 

[bearcat]

Re: NESCAC '15-'16 season

No argument on Middlebury and Amherst - 1/2 this season. I'm not sold on Williams yet. 3-1 against Hamilton and Wesleyan isn't a great record and they lost to Castleton (admittedly a decent team they outshot badly). They did produce a few more goals against Wesleyan (but the Wesleyan goaltending was not sharp in the first game). Their defense is strong (5 goals in 6 games). Based on results to date, I'd definitely put Conn above Williams and Trinity as comparable. Williams finishes with Conn, Amherst, Trinity, Middlebury so the clarity on them won't come until late Jan at the earliest unless they lose against Bowdoin or Colby. Be interesting to see how they do against Elmira on January 2.

agree on all points...Williams is an unknown at this juncture. Trinity and Conn faced the tough schedules and proved they will be heard from as the season moves on...both will improve. Bowdoin heading down...Colby and Hamilton may be heading up...Wes is Wes...could be a long year in Middletown.

 

[Call It]

Re: NESCAC '15-'16 season

really??

Absolutely!

 

[obserbear]

Re: NESCAC '15-'16 season

Absolutely!

Absolutely Ms Mandigo works hard, gives Midd a gritty, grind it out presence in the corners and at the top of the crease and plays with maximum effort on every shift!

 

[obserbear]

Re: NESCAC '15-'16 season

Polar Bears score 2 late 3rd period powerplay goals and defeat UMass-Boston 3-2 with 1st year Lattanzio in net. GO U BEARS!!!

 

[obserbear]

Re: NESCAC '15-'16 season

Quote Originally Posted by bearcat View Post

"All good points [I think Amherst has a bit of a history when it comes to shot mis-counting I recall from some posts last year].

I think Middlebury will have trouble with Amherst...more physical, a bit faster and big advantage in net.

As for Williams...I think you may be vastly over-rating that team...They have played 2 of the nescac basement dwellers and done 'ok'...but I don't think they will finish the year in the top 4 in the conference....we will know more come January".


I understand Middlebury has inexperienced goalies (a collective 10 games to date), but they have a team .927 saves % through 6 games and have hardly been playing the Sisters of the Poor. You are not recruited to play goal for the Panthers if you are a sieve.
The January 8-9 Midd at Amherst games should be for conference hosting rights.
Williams schedule allows them time to gel. They play Conn, Trinity, Amherst and Middlebury after January 22 and get 6 of the 8 games in the friendly confines of Lansing-Chapman.