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Nescac 2015-16

N

neumyer

Registered User
To get this thread started, I will post something.

Friday Predictions

7:00 ET Hamilton 2 @ (5) Amherst 4
7:30 ET Tufts 2 @ (1) Trinity 5
7:00 ET Connecticut College 2 @ Wesleyan 3

Saturday Predictions

7:00 ET Colby 2 @ Middlebury 4
4:00 ET Connecticut College 1 @ (1) Trinity 4
3:00 ET Tufts 2@ Wesleyan 3
7:00 ET Bowdoin 3 @ Williams 2

Sunday Predictions

4:00 ET Bowdoin 3 @ Middlebury 4
3:00 ET Colby 1 @ Williams 3
 
Re: Nescac 2015-16

Pretty decent predictions, Neumyer!

Middlebury played a great first four periods of their season, the next two....not so good.
 
Re: Nescac 2015-16

Euler18 said:
BOWDOIN GOALTENDING

Is there any Division III team in the east with worse goaltending than Bowdoin? The Polar Bears' supposedly number one goaltender suffers from a basic flaw: he can't stop pucks! Besides playing far too deep in the crease, his reflexes are poor and he reacts too late -- technically unsound in all aspects of goaltending. Considering the pounding Bowdoin absorbed from the U of New England last night (an 8 to 3 loss), the two freshman goaltenders don't seem much better. It looks like it'll be a long season for Bowdoin fans... The Polar Bears won't be able to win any game unless they score at least five goals. Many NESCAC schools are blessed with excellent goaltending. Why can't a program with the tradition, the facilities and the fan base of Bowdoin recruit decent goaltending?
Click to expand...
I wouldn't give up on Colannino too soon. He looked great in relief against Middlebury allowing no goals in 2 periods.
 
Re: Nescac 2015-16

Euler18 said:
BOWDOIN GOALTENDING

Is there any Division III team in the east with worse goaltending than Bowdoin? The Polar Bears' supposedly number one goaltender suffers from a basic flaw: he can't stop pucks! Besides playing far too deep in the crease, his reflexes are poor and he reacts too late -- technically unsound in all aspects of goaltending. Considering the pounding Bowdoin absorbed from the U of New England last night (an 8 to 3 loss), the two freshman goaltenders don't seem much better. It looks like it'll be a long season for Bowdoin fans... The Polar Bears won't be able to win any game unless they score at least five goals. Many NESCAC schools are blessed with excellent goaltending. Why can't a program with the tradition, the facilities and the fan base of Bowdoin recruit decent goaltending?
Click to expand...

By comparison, Colby seems to have a descent goaltender in Verrier. Excited to see what Friday brings!
 
Re: Nescac 2015-16

Thus far, the NESCAC has a losing record against other conferences with the exception of the NE-10. Middlebury doesn't seem to be as sound as years past. Is this a function of the lack of games compared to other teams starting in October, is the quality of play worse this season, was last year an aberration, or is this pattern a fluke that will work itself out?
 
Re: Nescac 2015-16

WhiteMule said:
By comparison, Colby seems to have a descent goaltender in Verrier. Excited to see what Friday brings!
Click to expand...

Verrier seems to have turned it around from last year. Any word on what's going on with Devin Albert? The Mules could use some scoring to go along with their current run of good defense and goaltending.
 
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Re: Nescac 2015-16

OhioMule said:
Verrier seems to have turned it around from last year. Any word on what's going on with Devin Albert? The Mules could use some scoring to go along with their current run of good defense and goaltending.
Click to expand...

Colby vs. Bowdoin 207th edition: 43 saves... I guess I can start to believe in Verrier, now. Albert is back and right away he gets a goal. They were rockin' in Waterviille tonight. Get out the broom!
 
Re: Nescac 2015-16

Perhaps the Middlebury assistant who left for an assistant position at Notre Dame will be a Bowdoin candidate. There was a lot of talk that he should have been a consideration for the Middlebury HC job when it opened up.
 
Re: Nescac 2015-16

OhioMule said:
Great photo to go with this article about Terry Meagher:

http://www.uscho.com/2016/01/07/meaghers-legacy-so-much-of-bowdoin-hockeys-future/
Click to expand...

Thanks for posting. Terry Meagher is, indeed, one of the greatest coaches in the history of college hockey. When he took over in 1983 not only was he able to maintain the high level of success the program had had under legendary coach Sid Watson, but he also guided the Polar Bears through the changes that college hockey has undergone over the past three decades while remaining faithful to his coaching philosophy. Terry deserves all the praise and all the respect he has commanded from Polar Bears fans as well as opponents.
 
Re: Nescac 2015-16

IN PRAISE OF BOWDOIN'S PETER CRONIN

As Bowdoin has struggled this season, one positive has been goaltender's Peter Cronin's performance. After a shaky start (in the opener against Middlebury), Cronin seems to have settled down, giving the young Polar Bears the opportunity to win games. A good example was yesterday's game at Trinity. Despite being outshot 15-1 in the third period, the Polar Bears were in contention until the Bantams scored into an open net with about a minute left in the game.
 
Re: Nescac 2015-16

Euler18 said:
IN PRAISE OF BOWDOIN'S PETER CRONIN

As Bowdoin has struggled this season, one positive has been goaltender's Peter Cronin's performance. After a shaky start (in the opener against Middlebury), Cronin seems to have settled down, giving the young Polar Bears the opportunity to win games. A good example was yesterday's game at Trinity. Despite being outshot 15-1 in the third period, the Polar Bears were in contention until the Bantams scored into an open net with about a minute left in the game.
Click to expand...

Huh...from "technically unsound in all aspects of goaltending" with poor reflexes and reaction time......to this. An amazing coaching job, obviously, in fixing all of the young man's obvious flaws, and all done in less than 2 months!

Cronin has been great, and was again last night. One of the things that had been plaguing him early was that he wasn't making the "big stop", and he did that on several occasions last night, especially late in the 3rd when UNE was really pressing for the go-ahead goal.
 
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Re: Nescac 2015-16

ColbyWMHB said:
Huh...from "technically unsound in all aspects of goaltending" with poor reflexes and reaction time......to this. An amazing coaching job, obviously, in fixing all of the young man's obvious flaws, and all done in less than 2 months!

Cronin has been great, and was again last night. One of the things that had been plaguing him early was that he wasn't making the "big stop", and he did that on several occasions last night, especially late in the 3rd when UNE was really pressing for the go-ahead goal.
Click to expand...

Euler18 is employed as a teacher and academic advisor at a D1 school in the Ocean State. He's had several nasty comments about the Bowdoin coaches, defensemen and goalies deleted. He changed his tune when I exposed him on this forum. He's a Brazilian Studies professor, academic advisor and expert on goaltending. He's a Bowdoin grad (71) and now feels obligated to praise the program. He'd hate to lose his lofty status among the Bowdoin alums so he's done a complete reversal. Unfortunately the moderator has deleted my previous posts concerning this and will likely delete this one. He's nothing more than a jock sniffing loser.
 
Re: Nescac 2015-16

ColbyWMHB said:
Huh...from "technically unsound in all aspects of goaltending" with poor reflexes and reaction time......to this. An amazing coaching job, obviously, in fixing all of the young man's obvious flaws, and all done in less than 2 months!

Cronin has been great, and was again last night. One of the things that had been plaguing him early was that he wasn't making the "big stop", and he did that on several occasions last night, especially late in the 3rd when UNE was really pressing for the go-ahead goal.
Click to expand...

Peter Cronin's improvement in a short span of time was impossible to predict and has been a pleasant surprise for followers of the Polar Bears. No going down too soon (exposing the top third of the net); no leaving rebounds in front. Against Williams last night Cronin was in complete control, and made at least two saves that should rank as spectacular and game-saving, the best coming on an attempted wrap-around by a Williams forward. Cronin moved quickly from one side of the crease to the other to make the stop. He's giving the Polar Bears a chance to stay in games even when they're badly outshot, as in the third period of the game against Trinity (15-1).

The Polar Bears have reverted to the 2-2-1 system which they used in winning championships in 2011, 2013, and 2014. The system (basically three "backs" and two forwards) has allowed players like defensemen Mitch Barrington and Danny McMullan to become more involved in the offense, while also taking advantage of the defensive skills of forwards like Spencer Antunez and Camil Blanchett. The system causes an occasional problem during changes, but it's nice to watch when players are able to stick to it, like last night.
 
Re: Nescac 2015-16

Well, that was interesting. Of the top four teams in NESCAC only one, Trinity, managed to win their quarterfinal.

#5 Middlebury, in their 11th(!) OT game of the season downs #4 Hamliton 2 - 1
#6 Amherst defeats #3 Bowdoin 8 to 5. At the end of the 2nd the bears were leading 4 to 2. Amherst scored 6 in the 3rd.
#7 Colby falls to the #2 Trinity 3 - 1
#8 Tufts plays the spoiler for the second year in a row, defeating the #1 Williams team 2 - 1.
 
Re: Nescac 2015-16

Middlebury showed a lot of heart in a season with so many ties, with a new coaching staff, to defeat Hamilton in OT. A team with so much depth and finally with most of their injured players back could be a serious contender for the NESCAC title. And Middlebury transfer Pulde seems to be thriving at Tufts now, knocking off the top seed again. I expect an exciting weekend!


tjoneslo said:
Well, that was interesting. Of the top four teams in NESCAC only one, Trinity, managed to win their quarterfinal.

#5 Middlebury, in their 11th(!) OT game of the season downs #4 Hamliton 2 - 1
#6 Amherst defeats #3 Bowdoin 8 to 5. At the end of the 2nd the bears were leading 4 to 2. Amherst scored 6 in the 3rd.
#7 Colby falls to the #2 Trinity 3 - 1
#8 Tufts plays the spoiler for the second year in a row, defeating the #1 Williams team 2 - 1.
Click to expand...
 
Re: Nescac 2015-16

I think this will be a interesting weekend.

To do the prognostication thing:

I'll take Middlebury over Amherst, even though Amherst managed an 6 goal 3rd vs Bowdoin, Midd's defense has managed them twice this year.

Trinity over Tufts. Tufts has a much better team than their 8th place finish, but Trinity much stronger than their 2nd place finish.

In the final I think Trinity will take the game from Middlebury. Despite the (sort of) close games between the two , Trinity is still on a roll from their National Championship from last year.
 
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