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Northeastern Huskies 2014-15: Release the Hounds!

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

I'm still flummoxed by the continuing difficulty this team has scoring goals, given the overall talent level and snipers like KRoy and Szmats. The Mack series reminded me of the earlier UMass game in that we made an untested freshman goaltender look good by, for the most part, shooting straight into his pads. Very little hard work for either of them in terms of being forced to move side to side or snag pucks headed for the top corners.
 
Re: Northeastern Huskies 2014-15: Release the Hounds!

beanstalk said:
Nice win, in any event, but I, too, think that wins can hurt us in the long run, as the Madigan tenure will continue for as long as he can squeeze out 9 or 10 wins a season.
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This statement sums up everything. But knowing this program, I'd put that number at 6. Jim needs 4 more.... or 2 on Mondays.

Lets Go Huskies! clap clap clap clapclapclap
Lets Go Huskies, But Not Too Much That We Win Enough Games To Save The Coach's Job! clap clap clapclapclap.
 
Re: Northeastern Huskies 2014-15: Release the Hounds!

To be honest, I don't even want to win a Beanpot while we are a crap team and luck into it. I want to win it when we belong in the championship and legitimately match up with our opponent (or at least close to it).
 
Re: Northeastern Huskies 2014-15: Release the Hounds!

Split-N said:
I'm still flummoxed by the continuing difficulty this team has scoring goals, given the overall talent level and snipers like KRoy and Szmats. The Mack series reminded me of the earlier UMass game in that we made an untested freshman goaltender look good by, for the most part, shooting straight into his pads. Very little hard work for either of them in terms of being forced to move side to side or snag pucks headed for the top corners.
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First off, kudos for using the word "flummoxed" and for spelling it correctly. As to the scoring drought, I wonder if we need more right-handed shooters up front. With Snydeman out of the lineup last night, 11 of our 12 forwards were lefties. Now, I'm not big on pure lefty-righty lines up front, but there are some advantages for tip-ins and other angle shots and angle passes. Also, look how effective the Rosenthal/Stevens line has been the last few weeks and watch how effective Rosenthal is at moving the puck up along the right wall and lowering his left non-shooting shoulder and getting by the Dman while scraping against the wall. This is another argument for moving a Sauce or a Sheks up to forward. In addition to it being a more natural position for both players, we need some right-handed sticks.
 
Re: Northeastern Huskies 2014-15: Release the Hounds!

fahey4prez said:
To be honest, I don't even want to win a Beanpot while we are a crap team and luck into it. I want to win it when we belong in the championship and legitimately match up with our opponent (or at least close to it).
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It's been so long since it's happened, beggars can't really be choosers...I wouldn't care if they were our only two wins of the season. A Beanpot championship is a Beanpot championship.
 
Re: Northeastern Huskies 2014-15: Release the Hounds!

beanstalk said:
Roy/Hedges/McMurtry
Sukura/Szmatula/Reid
NStevens/JStevens/Rosenthal
Jameison/Pond/Collier

Darou/Benning
Lauwers/Cockerill
Fennell/Sauce
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very good : Witt, Roy
good : Szmatula, Rosenthal, Aston-Reese
okay : Hedges, Collier, Pond, Darou, Cockerill, Lauwers
countdown to graduation : McMurtry, Sikura, J. Stevens, N. Stevens, Jameison, Benning, Fennell, Saucerman, Schechter, D. Roy, Reid, Gunn
 
Re: Northeastern Huskies 2014-15: Release the Hounds!

NU Speed Racer said:
I'll place the over under for this team at 4.5 games right now. I'll be accepting all wagers. Paypal accepted.
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I'm really interested. Here's your chance to put your $ where your keyboard is. Message me so that we can set it up.
 
Re: Northeastern Huskies 2014-15: Release the Hounds!

nufan2001 said:
very good : Witt, Roy
good : Szmatula, Rosenthal, Aston-Reese
okay : Hedges, Collier, Pond, Darou, Cockerill, Lauwers
countdown to graduation : McMurtry, Sikura, J. Stevens, N. Stevens, Jameison, Benning, Fennell, Saucerman, Schechter, D. Roy, Reid, Gunn
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The Stevens brothers have been, with Rosenthal, our best line since assembled, by far. They at least get a bump up one level. Hedges is also our leading scorer this year. As for Sikura, I continue to defend him, as he has 3.5 years ahead of him. He could blossom. Give him time.
 
Re: Northeastern Huskies 2014-15: Release the Hounds!

Yes the Stevens line has been good unfortunately Roy and Szmatula which we all thought would be together which they were for 2 games and had 6 points between the 3 were quickly disbanded. Why ? Szmatula has had Reid and Snydeman and Roy well that tells the story JM will not let These two gel Why? JM is making a huge mistake these two must get going so we stand with ROy and Szmatula just behind Hedges again these 2 must get going because as you said our best line is still behind the 2 guys
 
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Re: Northeastern Huskies 2014-15: Release the Hounds!

NU_Husky said:
The Stevens brothers have been, with Rosenthal, our best line since assembled, by far. They at least get a bump up one level. Hedges is also our leading scorer this year. As for Sikura, I continue to defend him, as he has 3.5 years ahead of him. He could blossom. Give him time.
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Rosenthal is the most important feature of that line. Not the Stevens brothers. Nolan Stevens made an ugly play that led to a goal just last night. Hedges may be our leading scorer, but I wouldn't call him a very good player. Solid I guess. Sikura has done nothing to blow me away yet. But I have admittedly not seen every game.

I think the larger problem is the fact the Stevens brothers have been the best NU line. Stepping back and thinking about that just shows why we have won two games.

I liked what I saw out of Aston-Reese. Shame he is injured. He would be a big help.
 
Re: Northeastern Huskies 2014-15: Release the Hounds!

nufan2001 said:
I think the larger problem is the fact the Stevens brothers have been the best NU line. Stepping back and thinking about that just shows why we have won two games.

I liked what I saw out of Aston-Reese. Shame he is injured. He would be a big help.
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On these two counts we definitely agree. I like what I've seen from Roy-Hedges-Murchy, but I do think Roy with Szmats would be the best thing for the team, and the players. Once ZAR comes back, add him to those two, and we have 2 pretty solid lines finally. I don't imagine JM will do that sadly....I predict we'll see the top and 3rd lines remain, with Szmats pairing with ZAR and Torin/Sikura. Whoever doesn't get that slot slides down to 4th line with Pond and Collier.

ZAR I have no heard anything regarding his prognosis/outlook, other than what HHound said two weeks ago. I'd imagine he's back for PC. Hopefully not Minnesota, no need to risk coming back too soon for an OOC game.
 
Re: Northeastern Huskies 2014-15: Release the Hounds!

NU_Husky said:
On these two counts we definitely agree. I like what I've seen from Roy-Hedges-Murchy, but I do think Roy with Szmats would be the best thing for the team, and the players. Once ZAR comes back, add him to those two, and we have 2 pretty solid lines finally. I don't imagine JM will do that sadly....I predict we'll see the top and 3rd lines remain, with Szmats pairing with ZAR and Torin/Sikura. Whoever doesn't get that slot slides down to 4th line with Pond and Collier.

ZAR I have no heard anything regarding his prognosis/outlook, other than what HHound said two weeks ago. I'd imagine he's back for PC. Hopefully not Minnesota, no need to risk coming back too soon for an OOC game.
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I've seen some really bad players at NU over the years. I don't think this team has any of those players. Amazes me they have only won two games. It's just a general lack of scoring, any firepower at all. Some older NU teams that featured Dennis McCauley & some others could at least physically abuse and physically dominate their opponents if they couldn't skate with them. This year's team doesn't skate very well, and they don't really hit either. It's tough to be a team like that. It's actually sort of akin to the current NHL Bruins struggles. Bruins and Chiarelli have admitted they are trying to go faster rather than tougher. Tough to do that with a guy like Lucic on your first line. But all of that is besides the point and a completely different conversation.... But you get my point.

Identity problems with this NU team. The injuries definitely haven't helped. Whatever was bothering Witt earlier in the year still hasn't completely healed. I saw him speaking shortly to the training staff after the second period. If we were a better program I would proclaim this an in between year or building year. However, we have been building now for a run since about the 80's.. :p
 
Re: Northeastern Huskies 2014-15: Release the Hounds!

HHound said:
I'm really interested. Here's your chance to put your $ where your keyboard is. Message me so that we can set it up.
Click to expand...

I think Speed Racer was partially joking with that number. The real number should be around 6.5 or 7.5 wins. Perhaps you fellas are willing to place wagers based on this more realistic #.
 
Re: Northeastern Huskies 2014-15: Release the Hounds!

Its a bit early to be knocking both Stevens brothers at this point, especially Nathan who has all of 12 games under his belt. If you are watching, Nathan has a really good understanding of what to do and where to go while on offense. He and his brother play a similar game, and thus they have looked good together. For what ever reason Rosenthal has fit in well with them, I think Collier would too. JStevens just needs to get more consistent, and needs some of the centers in front of him to play better. He was put in a bad situation last season having to be the #1 center playing with Roy. It hurt his development on offense and on defense. JStevens should be a good to great 3rd line center, if he is allowed to play those types of minutes and grow. So far this season, except when paired with his brother, he has looked like the lost puppy he was for the 2nd half of last season. If they keep this line together, I think he can settle in and step up.

And how is the Hedges line a good line? What have they done 5 on 5? Yes, both Hedges and Roy scored this weekend, but on the PP. Don't get me wrong, scoring on the PP is nice and all, but 5 on 5 is what I want to see. I am not sold on Hedges as a #1 play making center. McMurtry is a lost cause at this point, but for whatever reason he is a coaching favorite. He almost checked Roy into the boards on a rush up the ice in the 2nd on Saturday night. He is like a moth to the flame, just watching the puck and skating towards it with no idea what to do out there.

Getting the split felt about right this weekend. It was an "easier" matchup for NU as Merrimack outside of Scotti, is not a speed/skill team. Helps our defense a bunch.

At some point though Roy and Szmatula are going to have to figure out how to get out of their respective funks and start scoring. This team is not winning many 2-1 games, because they wont hold many teams to 1 goal. Hedges at some point will not be getting rebounds out front for goals (I think all 3 have come that way for him this season). And if you are going to bring in Collier, could you figure out how to use him? 4th liner? Really? Give him time with good players for more then period and see if he can make a connection with someone.

How come nobody is pointing out Roy back checking all the way behind our own net this past Saturday? Cant have it both ways people.

The artificial stoppage of plays are awful. Watch the bench as nothing happens but players milling about getting shoved away from the boards by a co-op student cleaning the ice. Another brilliant idea by Jim. Guess the game is moving to fast for him and the staff they need a 1 minute TO to figure out what's going on. Meanwhile they give the opposing team a chance to diagram a play at a crucial point in the game (going into Sauce's idiotic penalty Saturday night). Jim did take the opportunity to yell at a ref at one point. The one nice thing will be as the season continues, when the good teams start coming to Matthews, being able to see their top players more on the ice as they get to rest up during that 1 minute break.

Anyway 2-9-1 going into Thanksgiving. But hey, won 2 out of their last 3!
 
Re: Northeastern Huskies 2014-15: Release the Hounds!

Huskies01 said:
Its a bit early to be knocking both Stevens brothers at this point, especially Nathan who has all of 12 games under his belt. If you are watching, Nathan has a really good understanding of what to do and where to go while on offense. He and his brother play a similar game, and thus they have looked good together.
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Who's Nathan... isn't younger Stevens named Nolan?
 
Re: Northeastern Huskies 2014-15: Release the Hounds!

You know, after all that's gone wrong so far this season, I'm not going to complain about anything after splitting the past two weekends. Regardless of what teams they were against. It's nice to see some of the new guys - Nolan Stevens, Rosenthal, Sikura, Owens - stepping up at times. The guys we're expecting a lot out of - and rightfully so - are Kevin Roy and Szmatula, and if/once they start scoring regularly, things will take off.
 
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