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.

Northeastern 2024-25: Last Days (Maybe) for the Old Barn

In previous years, the bad starts have been tough to overcome but better play did eventually come. Something about this year just seems worse, though. I don't hold out much hope for this season.
 
I thought they played the first with some great energy and were skating well but it all fell apart pretty quick.
 
Was hoping that the bad start was attributable to a world-class opponent (Denver), a goalie that stood on his head (Maine) a phony major penalty that cost a game (PC), and generally bad puckluck. But in truth, attacking zone play IMO has been beyond dreadful. Just endless cycling that usually gets blown up by an errant pass and hardly ever produces high percentage shots. And what shots they do get seem to be squarely into the opposing goalie's pads. Result: 2.33 GF through nine games, which would certainly be lower without the five scored against Stonehill. That's just not going to cut it in this league.

Overall, way too much listless O-zone play. Everyone from the Captain to the stickboy needs to start acting like their hair is on fire.
 
Last edited:
Well I hate to be right, but I usually am. Not the worst start in the 41 year history of HE, that's reserved for Greg Cronin's 2004-05 squad that won 3 games. However even that team had a league win against UMass November 11th, 2005. So, this is officially the worst start without a league win since the formation of HE in 1984. The 05/06 squad picked up their next league win at Lowell on Feb 8th, 2006. I actually do think we might have a league win by then, but two? I really don't see one on the horizon and certainly not this year. We have some D out but I don't think we have any way to score...lol. We are awesome at faceoffs but suck at puck possession
 
Last edited:
RossiRules said:
Well I hate to be right, but I usually am. Not the worst start in the 41 year history of HE, that's reserved for Greg Cronin's 2004-05 squad that won 3 games. However even that team had a league win against UMass November 11th, 2005. So this is officially the worst start without a league win since the formation of HE in 1984. The 05/06 squared picked up their next league win at Lowell on Feb 8th 2006. I think we might have a league win by then but two? I really don't see one on the horizon and certainly not this year. We have some D out but I don't think we have any way to score...lol
Click to expand...

We do have the ability to score, but unfortunately that ability is limited to our first two lines. The other two lines have “amassed” 1 goal and 5 assist over the first 10 games. The two centermen on the bottom six lines each contributed one assist through roughly 45 games. Neither player has scored his first goal as a Husky!
This team was expected to have an experienced and capable defense, yet they give up >30 shots per game. Only one player is +1, which is understandable when the team may or may not score each weekend.
There is talent here, but it has been hidden beneath an avalanche of poor passing, blown opportunities, and a general lack of awareness of what is going on. We do win lots of faceoffs, but promptly donate the puck to our opponents.
For the past ten years or so, we have had superior recruiting classes and have had very competitive teams. Something(s) has changed. Jerry & Co. has some serious tweaking to do - and soon.
Considering what we have seen so far, we can only hope for an occasional upset. If it doesn’t happen tonight, let’s hope it happens in the first round of the Beanpot.
 
Rye, I have to dispute your 'we have the ability to score'' statement. After 12-13-15 up front, where is that ability? I'm with you on the need for the staff to 'tweak something' re: recruiting. There has been a gradual slide in the recruited talent since Madigan stepped away. The ability to sell this program isn't going to get any easier with the Arena situation. Ironically, the Arena situation might buy Keefe a couple of seasons. How many Coaches would be interested in taking the job before a new Arena is on the horizon? I'm not an alum but I've has season tickets for over 20 years now. The uncertainty of where they'll be playing and the downward trend of the program have this old man wondering about renewing his seats in the future.
 
There’s definitely been a noticeable slide in recruiting and the ability to develop and retain the talent we do recruit. With out trying to be overly negative the program may be bleak until a new arena gets built. I know all fans complain about their coaching but I’m not sure Keefe has one any one over. Most of his wins early on came on the back of Levi who propped up a mediocre offense.

Unbelievable how unprepared 75% of the team looks when they step out in the ice.

It’s also tough seeing the decline in fans here, on DHD and Reddit.
 
Ryecheers said:
We do have the ability to score, but unfortunately that ability is limited to our first two lines. The other two lines have “amassed” 1 goal and 5 assist over the first 10 games. The two centermen on the bottom six lines each contributed one assist through roughly 45 games. Neither player has scored his first goal as a Husky!
This team was expected to have an experienced and capable defense, yet they give up >30 shots per game. Only one player is +1, which is understandable when the team may or may not score each weekend.
There is talent here, but it has been hidden beneath an avalanche of poor passing, blown opportunities, and a general lack of awareness of what is going on. We do win lots of faceoffs, but promptly donate the puck to our opponents.
For the past ten years or so, we have had superior recruiting classes and have had very competitive teams. Something(s) has changed. Jerry & Co. has some serious tweaking to do - and soon.
Considering what we have seen so far, we can only hope for an occasional upset. If it doesn’t happen tonight, let’s hope it happens in the first round of the Beanpot.
Click to expand...

Well tonight we had our best period of hockey in the 1st and kinda hung on for a quality win. Not perfect but I will take the 70% Face offs Won and Whiteheads stellar performance between the pipes. D was solid especially on the 5 min major and that 2min penalty in the last 5 minutes. Nice job
 
RossiRules said:
Well tonight we had our best period of hockey in the 1st and kinda hung on for a quality win. Not perfect but I will take the 70% Face offs Won and Whiteheads stellar performance between the pipes. D was solid especially on the 5 min major and that 2min penalty in the last 5 minutes. Nice job
Click to expand...

Congratulations. Big feat taking down BC. Whitehead was incredible. Hopefully this gets things headed in the right direction for NU.
 
I too hope that this signature win gets things headed in the right direction, but we can't ignore the realities of the new college hockey world and the obstacles to success it presents to mid-major institutions like NU. NIL has brought with it a raft of agents and petty powerbrokers in the junior leagues who wield great influence in steering players to favored programs. The advisors have been there for a long time and while most were ethical and acted in players' best development and educational interests, NIL has opened the floodgates to a new breed whose only question of college recruiters is, "what am I bid"? Though $$$$ is mostly a football and hoops issue, don't think it isn't affecting college hockey too. IMO, the recruiting future is bleak for schools like NU that may not see funding a development program for the pros as part of their reason for being.
 
Last edited:
While I agree with you, Split-N, at some point we can only play the cards we are dealt. For now I’m thrilled about a statement win and an absolutely electric first period where the team just had a lot of grit and compete in them. Fan turnout was sensational. While I don’t want a new facility it highlights the need for one from a fan experience perspective.

whitehead was spectacular. Unfortunately the highlight video on YouTube doesn’t have a single one of his big saves. He saw a lot of shots, but credit to the team for putting up 20 blocks in front of him.
 
PullTheGoalie said:
I'll take the W. Outside of that, still much to be concerned about.
Click to expand...

I’ll take it too but that was one of the most undeserved wins I’ve ever seen. First looked good, but nothing was coming together the last 40 minutes. 2 SOG in the 2nd and 4 in the 3rd made for some really rough to watch hockey. Power play may have looked worse than 5v5

I really don’t understand how they can out it together for a period and then look like they’ve never played before for the next two
 
Best I can say is that this win might have been payback for that infamous 2015 game at the JAR where NU threw everything including the kitchen sink at Bentley but somehow lost 4-1. Bentley threw everything at NU today but also somehow lost.

I'll also take the win but with all due respect to the defense and goaltending, it's still a win that feels like a loss.
 
Last edited:
Hockey is such a strange sport. Last week against Bentley they really played poorly and didn't deserve to win. Whitehead was the difference. Tonight they might have deserved to win and really played fairly well for two of the three and still lost. Whitehead was the difference. LOL.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top