Northeastern 2022-23: Unfinished Business - Great Expectations

[McBain75]

UNH as both a university, it's fans insight and a hockey program in general are so out of touch with what hockey is in what college hockey in 2022 is

I think it has to be realistically maddening for the section of the fanbase that remembers when they were a regular top-4 Hockey East team and a national title contender. From afar, it doesn't seem like they have any idea there of how to get back to that. Is it a matter of facilities that have fallen behind? Lack of funding? Lack of vision/enthusiasm? Or a combination of those?

 

[RossiRules]

I think it has to be realistically maddening for the section of the fanbase that remembers when they were a regular top-4 Hockey East team and a national title contender. From afar, it doesn't seem like they have any idea there of how to get back to that. Is it a matter of facilities that have fallen behind? Lack of funding? Lack of vision/enthusiasm? Or a combination of those?

Man the UNH peeps are all over me as I posted similar rhetoric on their blog. The issue is very complex. Gone are the days when a top player was only destined to a BC, UNH or BU as near guarantee. I think in UNH's case, DU was an excellent coach and knew where to find and grab slightly undervalued players that were pretty good and sometimes overlooked to play his system. Now, there are many quality players everywhere you look. The pool is bigger as their are far more kids playing from all over the country. Their are also lots of local tallent now too, that actually considers NU. How many kids from MA currently, more than half the roster? Compare that with my 1980s teams when Fern had to use every connection he had to stack the lines with mostly undrafted Canadian kids he knew where to find from his days as a scout and player. He did this for us to be marginally competitive. That said, not only are their more players but there are also more serious programs with big budgets gone are the ALH, Fairfield's and Iona's of D1 and similar schools that fielded programs without even a rink. I believe we are adding a couple more teams next year. Also, their is parity in HE now and in hockey in general. Scheduling an Atlantic Hockey non conf game isn't as guaranteed a W as it was just 10 years ago. Look at newer D1 adds that have become successful fairly quickly QU, UMass Amherst which didn't even have a team until 1993, then their is the wild card of HE...the education a vast majority of players will never see a day in the NHL and only about 1/3 to 1/2 D1 players ever plays any form of paid hockey. Today the education is important as most hockey players do earn a degree, the quality of the education and the value of the education now matters. Having a fan base isn't really that big a deal. I've seen the numbers and most program fans or not, only break even, there are some exceptions, but many lose $ too. Crap the best NU pure goal scorer of the 1980s Rod Isbister could have played pro and didn't even want too, he had a lumber company to go run and not all players thought about the value of the education. I think that's part of the landscape change. NU has been successful recently as a result of the recruiting made possible thru gradual improvements in the coaching staff, upgraded facilities, bigger budgets etc, etc. However, in NUs case, the rising tide that lifted the university to a national powerhouse academically also likely lifted hockey under the rising tide lifts all boats principle. The decision to nix football eventually helped too. I see programs like Maine, VT and NH, as state schools with smaller budgets and endowments with larger fiscal concerns regarding all sports especially in any sports that don't derive television revenue. Losing a coach like Dick, Jack or Jerry can take years or decades to recover from. Also recent upgrades to facilities helps, look at Bentley just.built a gorgeous rink, Quinnipiac did a few years ago and so will UConn. if all other variables were equal do some players use modern facilities as a decision breaker...
Thoughts?

 

[Split-N]

Don't underestimate the role Jimmy Madigan played in NU's rise from the outhouse to the penthouse. He earned a reputation when he was in university development (aka fund raising) for being able to sell refrigerators to Eskimos and used that talent once he became head coach to put the program on a sound and sustainable financial footing, including endowing the HC position. Wins and losses aside, what Jimmy accomplished administratively in only a few years is remarkable.

 

[RossiRules]

Don't underestimate the role Jimmy Madigan played in NU's rise from the outhouse to the penthouse. He earned a reputation when he was in university development (aka fund raising) for being able to sell refrigerators to Eskimos and used that talent once he became head coach to put the program on a sound and sustainable financial footing, including endowing the HC position. Wins and losses aside, what Jimmy accomplished administratively in only a few years is remarkable.

Yeah but we really aren't that good now. I see a .500 team under the current coaching staff. I think Levi was a bit lucky last year and carried the team. This year they are slow at times, play to the level of the competition and are the most undisciplined team I have seen since Cronin 2006. I think BU is the 1st real test this year and we will need to play a lot better than we did tonight. I was at homecoming tonight and BC isn't a good team this year yet we haven't been able to dominate them because we are not disciplined. Granted to win a shoot out and take 2 of 3 points after being down 3 goals with 10 mins left is a noble effort. However we should have buried this BC team this year and instead we have two ties because we take bad penalties

 

[PullTheGoalie]

Rossi, why so glum? Step back, take a breath. Are the Huskies as good as you'd like? No. But they're not the pits, either.

 

[HockeyRef]

Rossi, why so glum? Step back, take a breath. Are the Huskies as good as you'd like? No. But they're not the pits, either.

UNH fans...hold our collective beers.

 

[Split-N]

I've seen this act too many times in the past, but it has always been NU finding a way to yak it up at the last second...especially against BC. So, credit where it's due for not accepting their fate and mailing it in when they found themselves down by three halfway through the third.

Still, the discomfiting fact remains that until the last few minutes, they spent most of the game out on the perimeter while BC was going right up the middle, getting penetration, and crashing the net, especially on their PP. You're not going to score many goals shooting from the outside. Gotta find a fix. Fast.

 

[RossiRules]

Rossi, why so glum? Step back, take a breath. Are the Huskies as good as you'd like? No. But they're not the pits, either.

Because it's all about the pairwise this team was predicted to win HE and finally perhaps win a tournament game, their 1st in like 40 years so from my experience, I see them as a hot mess on the ice, not all the time and granted they have some starters hurt but the kids you put in to fill holes can't be undisciplined penalties kill.

 

[OnePack]

A tie here is just brutal for the pairwise. BC is having a crap year yet they look like pros against us.

this team just gives up for larger swaths of the game. The whole middle 40 minutes they stood around. These games where they come out strong for 5 minutes and then don’t show any urgency until late in the third is just really frustrating to watch.

the team is undisciplined and I’m starting to think coaching must be somewhat to blame. The power play has been horrible with Keefe being HC. McDonoughs “office” is all they know, and it’s 4 of our 7 ppgs, 5 if you include finding ritzy for the tip. Penalty kill tonight looked lazy, not even fighting for neutral pucks.

we are also good for at least one icing a game where all they had to do was take one more step to get over the line. Just lazy. Last night it was messuri. I realize this is a small point but it sums up their inability to get the little things right and collective failing of little things leads to lost games.

 

[RossiRules]

A tie here is just brutal for the pairwise. BC is having a crap year yet they look like pros against us.

this team just gives up for larger swaths of the game. The whole middle 40 minutes they stood around. These games where they come out strong for 5 minutes and then don’t show any urgency until late in the third is just really frustrating to watch.

the team is undisciplined and I’m starting to think coaching must be somewhat to blame. The power play has been horrible with Keefe being HC. McDonoughs “office” is all they know, and it’s 4 of our 7 ppgs, 5 if you include finding ritzy for the tip. Penalty kill tonight looked lazy, not even fighting for neutral pucks.

we are also good for at least one icing a game where all they had to do was take one more step to get over the line. Just lazy. Last night it was messuri. I realize this is a small point but it sums up their inability to get the little things right and collective failing of little things leads to lost games.

What he said...exactly.

 

[Ryecheers]

There are some reasonable assessments here.
Although a tie hurts us, a loss would have been worse. BC has plenty of talent. Perhaps they are adjusting to a new coach they never expected to play for. They may be much better later in the season.

The power play plan is an unimaginative mystery. There isn’t enough movement. We don’t force the opposition PK out of position in order to create open ice for one of our forwards to slip into. A lot depends on our personnel. Jerry Keefe has been hailed as the architect of our successful PPs for years. I’m certain that he hasn’t forgotten what workED. Perhaps the other teams have become overly familiar with our tactics. We have to adjust. IIRC, last year our PP was 0 for a lot in October. Then we adjusted and it became a real weapon again. We must evolve.
The players are not lazy. What they are guilty of is a failure to look to assist a teammate who is being strongly forchecked or is in a scrum against the boards. They hurt themselves badly with unnecessary penalties. Choupani’s penalty was a real killer. I didn’t see it, and I am curious as to what precipitated it. That not his “MO”.

Perhaps my biggest disappointment is with the play of our forechecking and defense. We give up too damn many shots and grade “A” opportunities. I shudder to think where we’d be with only average goalkeeping!

There were some positive other than the final result. Great work in the circle against a good faceoff team. Williams is improving with every outing and the coaches have rewarded him with more ice time and responsibilities. Could he be this season’s “Ritzy”? I almost forgot, Lund played OK :>)

In the 3rd period, I thought this was a game I would try to forget. The comeback made it a game that I will long remember!

 

[Split-N]

...a game that I will long remember!

I'm talking about Saturday. Out-everythinged in every phase of the game except goaltending. Allowed BC to come right down the middle and set up shop down low all night. The long casualty list and short bench didn't help matters and losing Struble (at least) for next weekend isn't going to make things any better.

EDIT: Add Aiden McDonough to the suspended list vs the PWR #1.

 

[CommAvHusky]

To be honest, when I saw we were voted first, my thoughts were "Great, now we're the hunted, everyone knows it, we can't fly under the radar." You'll see more teams early on see that as motivation.

On a side note, I did make it to the Whitt, my girlfriend was there for the first time and saw all the banners for UNH's NCAA appearances. She asked me "what happened since 2013?"

 

[Split-N]

The only target that's on them now is "easy win," unless and until they get their stuff together.

What's especially frustrating about the suspensions is that McDonough wears the "C" while Struble wears an "A." I absolutely understand that this is an emotional game and dust-ups are going to happen. But you have to pick your spots and your top forward and top defenseman putting themselves in a position where they can't play at least one game against still another hated intracity rival isn't one of them.

 

[Darius]

To be honest, when I saw we were voted first, my thoughts were "Great, now we're the hunted, everyone knows it, we can't fly under the radar." You'll see more teams early on see that as motivation.

On a side note, I did make it to the Whitt, my girlfriend was there for the first time and saw all the banners for UNH's NCAA appearances. She asked me "what happened since 2013?"

Not much.

 

[OnePack]

The only target that's on them now is "easy win," unless and until they get their stuff together.

What's especially frustrating about the suspensions is that McDonough wears the "C" while Struble wears an "A." I absolutely understand that this is an emotional game and dust-ups are going to happen. But you have to pick your spots and your top forward and top defenseman putting themselves in a position where they can't play at least one game against still another hated intracity rival isn't one of them.

The more I think about this the more I recognize how terrible a narrative it is. Definitely a low point for this team. I’m hoping a bulldozing by BU this weekend will be rock bottom, but unless something in the “culture” changes we are in trouble for the season and beyond

edit: score predictions
BU 6-2
BU 4-3

expect the playbook to be dirty goals and havoc in close on levi

 

[RossiRules]

So much for predictions..Levi stands on his head and we get 3 points

 

[Lemonade]

So much for predictions..Levi stands on his head and we get 3 points

I don’t think Levi had one difficult save all night. His defense seem to block every shot. Props to NU defense tonight.

 

[PullTheGoalie]

Very pleasant surprise. Defensively accountable. Not getting outshot by a bunch, not relying on Levi to carry the team. Lund with another goal. (I should have waited another couple of weeks before I commented on him!) Having Jack Hughes back helps a lot. Always good to beat BU. On to tomorrow.

 

[ericredaxe]

I don’t think Levi had one difficult save all night. His defense seem to block every shot. Props to NU defense tonight.

Well… in my opinion he made plenty of good saves… he was in position all night and the defense did play well… so none of them had to look “highlight reel” difficult.