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Northeastern Huskies 2014-15: Release the Hounds!

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Re: Northeastern Huskies 2014-15: Release the Hounds!

Would love to know JM's record in games that are tied going into the 3rd. If he's won 1/3 of them I'd be surprised. In-game adjustments, locker room motivation, how fresh are your best players because of how much they played in the first two periods, etc. are seen most clearly in these situations. I will say kudos to JM for finally putting 15 and 19 together. Anyone with a brain realized by the end of the first Colgate game that if you can't score, you should probably put your best center and best wing on the same line, but hey, Jim's a little slow.

P.S. Remember when our PP didn't suck? Yeah, me either.
 
Re: Northeastern Huskies 2014-15: Release the Hounds!

Split-N said:
I did say "arguably" so I wasn't trying to be absolutist. But as somebody else pointed out, this is certainly among the Top Ten, and probably Top Five talent pools we have ever had. Anyway, here's a sobering stat (as if any of us needed another glass of cold water thrown in our faces): Going back to the Beanpot championship game, this team is 3-9-1 with 30GF and 48GA. No way no how should this roster be putting up numbers like that!
Click to expand...

I have never been a believer in the preseason stuff. If so we would have been last place last year, not 5th or where every they ended up. As for Top Five, no way, Top Ten, maybe towards the bottom, but i only have like 18 years under my belt, so just learning to drive. But outside of Roy and Szmatula, are the forwards really that talented? Are those two that much better then Guerriero-Morris or Guerriro-Ryan or Mcneely-MacLeod were? Debatable in the offsesaon for sure. But in goal Witt does not make my top 5 best goalies i have seen. The kid has 3/4 of a season under his belt. That is it. And what an amazing 3/4 of a season it was. But outside of that, he has been an average to below goalie here. And yeah, healthy plays apart in that too. He cannot stay healthy.

Look, this team has sucked since the beanpot last year. But really, they were not that good before it either. They had a ton of puck luck go there way, and once teams started to take them seriously, the wheels fell off. They spent so much time stuck in their zone last year, having Witt make save after save, and then they would get a magical goal on a breakout or great individual play by Pimm or Manson or Roy.

I said earlier in the week, look at this years sophomore class, one that came with rave reviews. Now pull Szmatula out of the mix and what do you have? Below average guys. Do the same with the Junior class, put out Roy, what do you have? A whole bunch of nothing.

Its a not very talented team, being coached by a former part-time scout who had two years of coaching under his belt 18 years ago. Could some other coach get more out of these guys, yes, that I believe. But this is what we have this season. So hope that they spring a surprise or two between now and March, and call it a season.
 
Re: Northeastern Huskies 2014-15: Release the Hounds!

NU Speed Racer said:
The skills and talent are there. And we have a freshman goalie waiting to go who is supposed to be the next Theissen, Gibson, Robi, Racine. If we're going to Redshirt him, I get it. But with what we got, and with how some quality players leave early, I would absolutely play him. Especially now that Witt is rumored to be hurt and Roy is, in my opinion, only here so that we got his much more talented brother. We've had some VERY successful freshman goalies. I don't see this being any different.
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I too am puzzled by the endorsement for Theut. While he may succeed, sure, he didn't come in with nearly the fanfare you're alluding to. He came in, and most people seem to understand he was Mountain's replacement. MAybe once Clay graduates, it's a 3 way race for it and Theut pulls away, but the net is still Clay's. He was HURT for this game, word I got at the arena was he has been sick all week, and that is why he did not dress. Not a performance issue, not a "Derick is our guy now" issue. Our #1 couldn't go, so it was next man up, simple as that. And I thought Derick responded well, I thought he did a good job.

My worries lie mostly with the offense rather than the defense, to be honest. I like what I saw from all 4 lines, but the finishing just isn't there. KRoy had a chance in the slot that he fired high on, one where he broke his stick, NStevens had one or two rebounds he couldn't get off cleanly, ZAR had a couple slot looks he needs to bury...whether it's gripping the stick too tight, as they say, or whatever, the finishing needs to get there. We had great pressure for a whole minute with the goalie pulled, but credit UMass' goalie, he stood tall.

At the same time, we are shooting 3.3% for the season. Last year, Huntsville shot 5%. Merrimack shot 6.3%. Princeton shot 7.3%. These teams were the lowest in goals/game last season, and we are better now than they were last year. We are getting unlucky, and the puck will find it's way in. It has been frustrating, but ther is reason to be optimistic.
 
Re: Northeastern Huskies 2014-15: Release the Hounds!

Thiessen'sBetter said:
Would love to know JM's record in games that are tied going into the 3rd. If he's won 1/3 of them I'd be surprised. In-game adjustments, locker room motivation, how fresh are your best players because of how much they played in the first two periods, etc. are seen most clearly in these situations. I will say kudos to JM for finally putting 15 and 19 together. Anyone with a brain realized by the end of the first Colgate game that if you can't score, you should probably put your best center and best wing on the same line, but hey, Jim's a little slow.

P.S. Remember when our PP didn't suck? Yeah, me either.
Click to expand...


Because I was curious and have way too much time on my hands, here's NU's record under Madigan broken down by result after 2 periods:

Ahead: 32-5-3
Tied: 6-12-7
Behind: 3-28-3

This is incredibly unscientific, but if I messed up, it would only be a game or two.

Interesting note: Two of the 3 comebacks came in back to back games last season.
 
Re: Northeastern Huskies 2014-15: Release the Hounds!

walrus655321 said:
Because I was curious and have way too much time on my hands, here's NU's record under Madigan broken down by result after 2 periods:

Ahead: 32-5-3
Tied: 6-12-7
Behind: 3-28-3

This is incredibly unscientific, but if I messed up, it would only be a game or two.

Interesting note: Two of the 3 comebacks came in back to back games last season.
Click to expand...

I bet you would find this record similar across the board.
 
Re: Northeastern Huskies 2014-15: Release the Hounds!

I haven't seen a game yet, but when do the players start to take credit for lack of production? I know to take that stance you are saying the team stinks and nobody wants to do that. I do not think this team is top 10 in school history, and that is saying a lot as it is a pretty dire history. Defense is awful, and there are really just a handful of offensive forwards. Where are Roy and Szmatula? You can blame Madigan all you want, and at 0-4 the critism is going to come, but if you are good, then what difference would it make who the coach is. Why are Roy and Szmatula doing nothing. Can't blame the coach for that. I thought that this team would take a step back, they still have a ton of season left. Let's not kill the season after 4 games. And for everyone that loves to think about the 2011 incoming class that got away when Cronin left, the next 2 classes at NU look to be better, so there will be better times ahead.
 
Re: Northeastern Huskies 2014-15: Release the Hounds!

It is mind boggling that we are again 0 for whatever on the PP with this talent and yes there is talent that we cannot get 1 goal . That is incredible and yet worse no one has an answer but it's plain to see that the PP has no structure no leader and yet we have a player that has not QB'd a power play at the collegiate level. No movement and no direction. Going 0-7 to start the season would be demoralizing for the team and if the offense does not get going we will be there. To beat Quinnipiac we will need 4 goals a game because they can score. We will not win 2-1 or 3-2 to win 4 goals will be needed . Roy and Szmatula need to be seperated and must be the aggressors they must carry the puck. If they are the leaders of this offense than they must lead. The power play will be critical. They as well must be seperated on the power play they must lead seperate ones. The coaches must find a way to free these guys up and then the rest of the guys who are very good as well will follow these 2 Guys must take the bull by the horns and make something happen
 
retsap.. I know you are a buddy of JMs and have in the past called for more time.. patience.. with him. It's getting old. Do not be so blinded so as to not see how unqualified this HC has been from the beginning..

He was (is) good at what he does at the U. However coaching hockey isnt one of those things. I know this is not pro sports nor does anyone higher up at NU give 2 cents about the hockey direction.. so Jim will stay.. but to keep defending this incompetence is just absurd. Now.. your real alma mater should (and prob will) handle NU fairly easily this wknd. JM is in way over his head.. and without a clue. Much like you. Hockey at NU (for foreseeable future) is dead. And that is why no one (beside a ever decreasing few) cares..

We need a qualified Head Coach. Things change from there!..
 
Re: Northeastern Huskies 2014-15: Release the Hounds!

retsap71 said:
I haven't seen a game yet, but when do the players start to take credit for lack of production? I know to take that stance you are saying the team stinks and nobody wants to do that. I do not think this team is top 10 in school history, and that is saying a lot as it is a pretty dire history. Defense is awful, and there are really just a handful of offensive forwards. Where are Roy and Szmatula? You can blame Madigan all you want, and at 0-4 the critism is going to come, but if you are good, then what difference would it make who the coach is. Why are Roy and Szmatula doing nothing. Can't blame the coach for that. I thought that this team would take a step back, they still have a ton of season left. Let's not kill the season after 4 games. And for everyone that loves to think about the 2011 incoming class that got away when Cronin left, the next 2 classes at NU look to be better, so there will be better times ahead.
Click to expand...
.

They are all to blame! From the coaches to the players. Throw the trainers and the stick boys in too. None of them showed up to start the season. Seems like everyone seemed fine with how last season went, and nobody bothered to put in any extra time in the offseason, figured they could just show up and the good times would keep on rolling. Its like the blacked out the post-Beanpot games where they sucked.

The players did not seem to be ready, and the coaches do not seem to have them prepared. Nobody comes up smelling like roses here.

As for the next 2 classes why are they going to be better then what we had on this coaches tenure? Because a couple websites like the players? They liked last years class too, pull out Szmatula, what do you have? Let us not pretend that hope is on the way until these guys prove they can actually coach too. You can have talent, but without coaching, it looks like what we have now. Defeated.
 
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Re: Northeastern Huskies 2014-15: Release the Hounds!

northeastern said:
retsap.. I know you are a buddy of JMs and have in the past called for more time.. patience.. with him. It's getting old. Do not be so blinded so as to not see how unqualified this HC has been from the beginning..

He was (is) good at what he does at the U. However coaching hockey isnt one of those things. I know this is not pro sports nor does anyone higher up at NU give 2 cents about the hockey direction.. so Jim will stay.. but to keep defending this incompetence is just absurd. Now.. your real alma mater should (and prob will) handle NU fairly easily this wknd. JM is in way over his head.. and without a clue. Much like you. Hockey at NU (for foreseeable future) is dead. And that is why no one (beside a ever decreasing few) cares..

We need a qualified Head Coach. Things change from there!..
Click to expand...

I don't disagree that there needs to be some traction in the right direction here, I am disappinted in where they are right now. 4-5 years is the time that a coach should get to see where things are headed, all I say is give it that time. We are at 3 years and 4 games, there has been some success, as far as NU goes, pretty good success. I do agree , that if this season ends with a bottom 4 finish in HE then JM will have pressure on him for 2015. There was a qualified coach here previous, and we have done this before, but how much better was the result? 6 season, 1 NCAA appearance, several bottom finishes in HE. Outside of Johhny G that 2011 class turned out to be nothing. NU is not an easy place to recruit for, if you tell me it is, then tell my why no coach has ever been able to do it.
 
NU in all aspects.. students, faculty, staff has become a excellent place for better 'recruitment'.. Cronin had the better hockey players coming as well.

A qualified HC will have the hockey somewhere on par with rest of the U.
 
Re: Northeastern Huskies 2014-15: Release the Hounds!

Using some rough math here. But you gotta figure, if the team is going to win even just 10 games this year. That means they are going to win, and again just rough math here, 1 out of every 3 games the rest of the way.

That's not so bad!
 
Re: Northeastern Huskies 2014-15: Release the Hounds!

Huskies01
Don't throw in the towel yet
This team has the talent. The key to jump start the offense is the PP. if the coaches figure it out " having Szmatula and Roy lead the 2 different units and let them create other than the train wreck we currently have the rest of the team will get going. Roy must get going without his offense it will be a very long season
 
Re: Northeastern Huskies 2014-15: Release the Hounds!

I am not throwing in the towel. I never figured on this being a repeat of last year to begin with. And winning 1 out of every 3 is pretty good by NU Historical standards.

As for the PP, its sucked before JM got here, I never worry about the PP. To me 5 on 5 and the PK are more important then the PP. As long as they manage to score more then they give up on it, its fine with me.

I disagree you with on splitting Roy and Szmatula though. Keep them together both on the first line and on the PP. Play talent with talent. Otherwise, especially on the PP, teams will focus on those two on each unit, not give them any time or space, it will still fail. Having them together forces teams to play more honest. And hey, it was not so horrible last weekend, they hit a post once, and outside of the last one, had good zone time while on the PP. If they stick with two point men, it will be better.
 
Re: Northeastern Huskies 2014-15: Release the Hounds!

Yes! I logged on today to see if there was an appropriate level of people freaking out, and I wasn't disappointed.

By the way, is Diehard Dogs still going? At some point last season it finally cut me off and tried to make me pay to renew. I remember signing up when it started, and the deal was supposed to include 4 issues of the magazine and the online forum access. They only sent me 2 issues (which were great, in any case), I complained, I never heard anything more, and they never cut off the forum access till years later. I'm not spending $20 or whatever to chat on a forum. I'm curious to see who actually does.
 
Re: Northeastern Huskies 2014-15: Release the Hounds!

McBain75 said:
Yes! I logged on today to see if there was an appropriate level of people freaking out, and I wasn't disappointed.

By the way, is Diehard Dogs still going? At some point last season it finally cut me off and tried to make me pay to renew. I remember signing up when it started, and the deal was supposed to include 4 issues of the magazine and the online forum access. They only sent me 2 issues (which were great, in any case), I complained, I never heard anything more, and they never cut off the forum access till years later. I'm not spending $20 or whatever to chat on a forum. I'm curious to see who actually does.
Click to expand...

Yes DHD is still going. No real freak out going on over there. 0-4 looks bad, but this gives them a chance to go on a run and come back with the old "nobody believed in us but us" stuff if they do happen to go on a roll. The "we were never worried in the locker room" trope. Love it!

Anybody going down to the Q on Saturday? Hard to get tickets? How long is the drive? I am debating about going down to attempt to see win #1.
 
Re: Northeastern Huskies 2014-15: Release the Hounds!

Huskies01 said:
Anybody going down to the Q on Saturday? Hard to get tickets? How long is the drive? I am debating about going down to attempt to see win #1.
Click to expand...

I'm unsure. I have a ticket for Sunday and was going to go down for the weekend but I may bail on the Saturday game. Although my sister is in the MIAA state field hockey tournament this Friday and if her team wins, they would play Sunday...so I may bail on the Sunday game and go Saturday instead based on her results.

The NU box office had tickets for sale as of last Friday.
 
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