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Northeastern Huskies 2014-15: Release the Hounds!

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

Huskies01 said:
Why? 1/2 of Hedges points are on the PP. Its not like Roy has lit it up with him at center, all of 3 goals on the season.

I still think Szmatula should be Roy's center though. QUOTE]

Since Hedges seems to be the QB of the PP, his accumulating points there is just fine. He only ges them because we score. He tends to get his goals from being clever around the net - not from the point.

Playing Szmats as Roy's center hasn't worked at all and has probably weakened what should be the second line. I would be interested to see Roy playing at center rather than LW. His skills seem to be more adaptable to open ice rather than mucking against the boards. He is a very good passer and would have far more options in the middle of the zone.
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Re: Northeastern Huskies 2014-15: Release the Hounds!

HHound said:
Huskies01 said:
Why? 1/2 of Hedges points are on the PP. Its not like Roy has lit it up with him at center, all of 3 goals on the season.

I still think Szmatula should be Roy's center though. QUOTE]

Since Hedges seems to be the QB of the PP, his accumulating points there is just fine. He only ges them because we score. He tends to get his goals from being clever around the net - not from the point.
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Well the problem with this thinking is that we only go on the PP for maybe 10 minutes a game? That leaves 50 more minutes a game, of which he is probably playing 15-20 minutes of where he is still basically invisible.

We will get a good idea on this team against UMASS this week. Are they truly coming around, or are they going to their inconsistent bad selves? If they cannot score more then 3 goals against the Minutemen this time out, I am not sure when they will hit that mark the rest of the way this season.
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Huskies01 said:
I think they can hit 10 wins if they win the games they should, 2 with UMass, 2 with UConn, split with Maine, split with St. Lawerence. Throw an upset in there somewhere, maybe they can sneak a game from UVM. They have 19 games left to do it.
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..wow, high expectations of a team & Coach in his fourth season!..
(this is not a knock on the point you're making Huskies01)..

..actually.. its precisely the point. The HC is not developing the players or program. Why can't folks see the 800lb gorilla in the room?!?.. well, I take that back.. some folks have seen it & 'hopefully' it is dealt with sooner rather than later.
 
Re: Northeastern Huskies 2014-15: Release the Hounds!

Huskies01 said:
Why? 1/2 of Hedges points are on the PP. Its not like Roy has lit it up with him at center, all of 3 goals on the season.

Maybe they light it up in the 2nd half. I still think Szmatula should be Roy's center though.

I think they can hit 10 wins if they win the games they should, 2 with UMass, 2 with UConn, split with Maine, split with St. Lawerence. Throw an upset in there somewhere, maybe they can sneak a game from UVM. They have 19 games left to do it.
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They've already played UMass. Can't get 2 wins against them.
 
Re: Northeastern Huskies 2014-15: Release the Hounds!

Huskies01 said:
Take a look at the schedule. Specifically the dates of 12/16/14 and 2/6/15.
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Sadly only one of them is for points...this is a UMass team that should have been beaten handily in October. Missed opportunity by NU. Need to go in and dominate tomorrow, then secure the points in February
 
Re: Northeastern Huskies 2014-15: Release the Hounds!

northeastern said:
..wow, high expectations of a team & Coach in his fourth season!..
(this is not a knock on the point you're making Huskies01)..

..actually.. its precisely the point. The HC is not developing the players or program. Why can't folks see the 800lb gorilla in the room?!?.. well, I take that back.. some folks have seen it & 'hopefully' it is dealt with sooner rather than later.
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Northeastern,
Thank you for your daily rant. Perhaps you should focus on the team for a while, because (1) nothing you say in December will matter until you say it to the right people at the right time. This isn't that time. We're not going to relieve the coach of his duties during the season.(2) Our alma mater is not known for eating unfilled years on coach's contracts (or the WBB coach would/should have been gone years ago).

I agree that after three years, JM doesn't have a long list of talent that he has nurtured. Reid (not his recruit) is a perfect example of someone who should have broken out by now. OTOH There is clear improvement in the play of several Ds including Fennel, who was useless as freshman. McMurtry seems to have become a better player. He is our only league or national leader in anything (faceoffs) - even if it is because of a small statistic al sample.

Every coach has his hits and misses as he tries to develop his players. Jerry York, has done a fine job at BC, but look a his present roster. Destry Staight was the hottest thing in BC 4 years ago. Now he is a senior, and BC is trying to laud him for scoring 6 goals as part of their top line. Spiro, Linnell and Sit and Smith have not shown the kind of development that is likely to allow the beagles to win much more than home ice. Perhaps the biggest disappointment, IMO, is Matheson, who arrived with a pedigree and draft status that said "can"t miss" and "1 year, maybe 2 at most". He's a junior now. I can't see that he's any better than he was as a freshman.

All that I'm suggesting is that while we have not seen any transformations from mucker to dangler or from traffic cone D to shut down guy, I'd reserve judgement in this area for at least time needed for two or three classes to cycle through (5-6 seasons).
 
Re: Northeastern Huskies 2014-15: Release the Hounds!

Our friends here have mentioned how they should of taken care of UMass earlier in October. As we all know the team was not a good one back then, may have been key injuries or ego's or bad coaching or lets see the real reason (bad luck at the time. They had key injuries ,the young guys in my opinion were over whelmed and the coaching staff mis calculated and sent out some kids way before there time and quite frankly should have never put on that position they were not ready. The returnees Roy, Szmatula and Stevens looked frustrated at times with the insurgance of these young guys. Now that they have some experience and we have the returnees starting to play and gel more we are seeing a team starting to believe in themselves. Again I stress as before this game means nothing when they return from the holidays then all bets are off and I predict we will see a team that is starting to play like the team we thought would be. I know that I see the glass half full but I am convinced that this team has shown significant improvement thru the 1st part of the year and now it's time for the offense to start scoring goals and I believe they will
 
Re: Northeastern Huskies 2014-15: Release the Hounds!

northeastern said:
HHound.. this is a message board.. not a mirror. :) I will rant as /when i want.




That we agree!


Just awaiting our turn.
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Of course you can.:)
I'm just saying that you are wasting powder by waging war at this time. Your message has less force if it repeated too often. Wait til February or March when the season's verdict is in. Here's a dilemna for you: I'm sure, like the rest of us, you'd love to see us win the Beanpot. OTOH, if we do, JM will be a candidate for a contract extension.

We should have such a problem! ;)
 
Re: Northeastern Huskies 2014-15: Release the Hounds!

HHound said:
Of course you can.:)
I'm just saying that you are wasting powder by waging war at this time. Your message has less force if it repeated too often. Wait til February or March when the season's verdict is in. Here's a dilemna for you: I'm sure, like the rest of us, you'd love to see us win the Beanpot. OTOH, if we do, JM will be a candidate for a contract extension.

We should have such a problem! ;)
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Yeah, based on the quality of the tournament this year, including Harvard, fat chance. Smells like their first last place finish since 2010.

and I really hope winning one does not mean a contract extension, for any coach, who has managed to do nothing else in his time here.
 
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Re: Northeastern Huskies 2014-15: Release the Hounds!

Bad knees said:
Our friends here have mentioned how they should of taken care of UMass earlier in October. As we all know the team was not a good one back then, may have been key injuries or ego's or bad coaching or lets see the real reason (bad luck at the time. They had key injuries ,the young guys in my opinion were over whelmed and the coaching staff mis calculated and sent out some kids way before there time and quite frankly should have never put on that position they were not ready. The returnees Roy, Szmatula and Stevens looked frustrated at times with the insurgance of these young guys. Now that they have some experience and we have the returnees starting to play and gel more we are seeing a team starting to believe in themselves. Again I stress as before this game means nothing when they return from the holidays then all bets are off and I predict we will see a team that is starting to play like the team we thought would be. I know that I see the glass half full but I am convinced that this team has shown significant improvement thru the 1st part of the year and now it's time for the offense to start scoring goals and I believe they will
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I thought the UMass game was the exact opposite of most of the games last season...NU dominated play and UMass' goalie (combined with some bad puck luck), stole the W. Hopefully they play with the same energy they brought in the first game and Witt is able to make their hard work stand up.

I don't agree on the meaningless game though. While it is meaningless to HE play this team needs all the wins it can get and it would be nice to see them inch closer to .500. Get the win, then enjoy 2 1/2 weeks off.
 
Re: Northeastern Huskies 2014-15: Release the Hounds!

walrus655321 said:
I thought the UMass game was the exact opposite of most of the games last season...NU dominated play and UMass' goalie (combined with some bad puck luck), stole the W...I don't agree on the meaningless game though. While it is meaningless to HE play this team needs all the wins it can get and it would be nice to see them inch closer to .500. Get the win, then enjoy 2 1/2 weeks off.
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IIRC, NU had the edge in territorial play and outshot UMass but most of those shots were right into Henry Dill's pads. I don't recall him having to make many (if any) difficult saves. We're on the same page regarding how meaningful this game is since 1) There is no such thing as a meaningless game, and 2) Even if there were, this team can't afford to lose any more. Period.
 
Re: Northeastern Huskies 2014-15: Release the Hounds!

Split-N said:
IIRC, NU had the edge in territorial play and outshot UMass but most of those shots were right into Henry Dill's pads. I don't recall him having to make many (if any) difficult saves. We're on the same page regarding how meaningful this game is since 1) There is no such thing as a meaningless game, and 2) Even if there were, this team can't afford to lose any more. Period.
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That is what I remember about that game too. That Dill looked very shaky in the first period and it looked like we might rout them, but then he settled in nicely in the 2nd and 3rd. I will say this, it was probably the best game of his career to date. IF he beats us again tonight, I guess you could say he has our #.

Either way - win or loss tonight, I am not going to freak out over it. It will be nice to win, but losing or tie wont mean much either at this point. Just another number in a column. This season for all intent and purpose was over after the first week of November.
 
Re: Northeastern Huskies 2014-15: Release the Hounds!

In addition to winning, it would be nice the crack the three goal barrier. The word has gotten around, "score 4 against NU, and you are golden".:eek:
 
Re: Northeastern Huskies 2014-15: Release the Hounds!

I for one do not think the season is over, and yes the game is meaningless, would you like to see a win "yes" but it's not life or death. The issue is simple does this team have the depth and the ability to "Win" yes if healthy. They will score and instead of petering out at the tail and of the season, they will play there best hockey, with Witt's play improving and as well the teams it is starting to really gel. I know some of you think I am drinking the cool aid but it's a gut feeling this team will go on a run and peak in Feb. just in time for the playoffs
 
Re: Northeastern Huskies 2014-15: Release the Hounds!

Bad knees said:
I for one do not think the season is over, and yes the game is meaningless, would you like to see a win "yes" but it's not life or death. The issue is simple does this team have the depth and the ability to "Win" yes if healthy. They will score and instead of petering out at the tail and of the season, they will play there best hockey, with Witt's play improving and as well the teams it is starting to really gel. I know some of you think I am drinking the cool aid but it's a gut feeling this team will go on a run and peak in Feb. just in time for the playoffs
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Don't drink the Kool Aid on this D lineup just yet. We had every ounce of puck luck against Providence. There's still not a single D in the lineup with Hockey East skating ability. They are playing better, but forwards are still flying by them like orange cones. Witt had to outplay Gillies for us to win that one. That's not a flavor of Kool Aid that's available very often.
 
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