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Northern Michigan at Western Michigan: Battle of the Compass...

RaceBoarder

RaceBoarder

Waiting for the Snow to fly...
NMU is coming off a OT win and a shootout win against Alaska...

Western sat around and ate turkey in a sweep of Bye Week....


Thoughts?
 
Re: Northern Michigan at Western Michigan: Battle of the Compass...

I'd love to make the trip over for a game this weekend, but I don't think my schedule will allow it.

Cats need the league points, but it's going to be tough to get one win, let alone two.



All I can say to this weekend is "Shoot him like a horse!" And WMU = Glue.
 
Re: Northern Michigan at Western Michigan: Battle of the Compass...

I will be at the Saturday game with a dozen guys from work. Should be a pretty packed house.

Hope this last weekend against Alaska was a sign of better things to come, especially since they've been playing without key players of late.

Lawson is a lot tougher to play in then it used to be. The Lunatics fill one side and are loud and lively and WMU has had much better attendance over the last couple of years. Used to be that place was pretty dead and it was easy to get a ticket and NMU would win or tie more often than not.

I think it will be another tough road series for the 'Cats, but I hope they can manage a split. And, if so, win on Saturday night when I'm there. ;)

Go 'Cats!
 
Re: Northern Michigan at Western Michigan: Battle of the Compass...

Yea, Western isn't free points anymore.... That being said, they did what was needed to turn their program around, so can't fault them for that....

On the weekend, I'll be happy with a split, but can see a much more unfavorable outcome... I'm hoping that the Cats can put the off ice adversity behind them and play like they did against the B1G teams earlier this year... Both of those weekends showed some promise, so we know the guys can do it.... It's just a matter of doing it....
 
Re: Northern Michigan at Western Michigan: Battle of the Compass...

RaceBoarder said:
they did what was needed to turn their program around, so can't fault them for that....
Click to expand...

Not at all. Since I work in Holland, it's been nice to watch Luke Witkowski (from Holland) over the past few years on a number of occasions. I'll be more of a WMU fan next season when the go to the NCHC. I'll have no problem pulling for them over any of the other teams--hope they remain strong, but not this weekend. ;)
 
RaceBoarder said:
Yea, Western isn't free points anymore.... That being said, they did what was needed to turn their program around, so can't fault them for that....

On the weekend, I'll be happy with a split, but can see a much more unfavorable outcome... I'm hoping that the Cats can put the off ice adversity behind them and play like they did against the B1G teams earlier this year... Both of those weekends showed some promise, so we know the guys can do it.... It's just a matter of doing it....
Click to expand...

We know they CAN do it. It is all a matter of if they WANT to do it. If the CATS do not keep up, or exceed, Western in shots on goal, it is going to be a rough weekend for them. I am hoping for the best. Also, here is hoping a certain individual has served out his team suspension and returns to the ice this weekend.
 
Re: Northern Michigan at Western Michigan: Battle of the Compass...

noremorse1 said:
We know they CAN do it. It is all a matter of if they WANT to do it. If the CATS do not keep up, or exceed, Western in shots on goal, it is going to be a rough weekend for them. I am hoping for the best. Also, here is hoping a certain individual has served out his team suspension and returns to the ice this weekend.
Click to expand...


According to Matt Wellens' twitter, both Thurber and Rose are still suspended and won't make the trip. Also, Vigier won't be on the trip recovering from the kneeing incident against Alaska. Walt indicated on Monday's Sports Roundtable that Vigier's injury isn't as bad as originally thought and could be back before Christmas break. I'm guessing the LSSU series.

Because of those holes in the lineup I would be shocked if the Cats pick up more than one point. Coreau will have to stand on his head or it could get ugly.
 
NMUFAN said:
According to Matt Wellens' twitter, both Thurber and Rose are still suspended and won't make the trip. Also, Vigier won't be on the trip recovering from the kneeing incident against Alaska. Walt indicated on Monday's Sports Roundtable that Vigier's injury isn't as bad as originally thought and could be back before Christmas break. I'm guessing the LSSU series.

Because of those holes in the lineup I would be shocked if the Cats pick up more than one point. Coreau will have to stand on his head or it could get ugly.
Click to expand...

Yikes. Not what I wanted to hear.
 
Re: Northern Michigan at Western Michigan: Battle of the Compass...

NMU's last 2 trips to Lawson:
10/29/2011: L (4-2)
10/28/2011: L (3-2)
1/29/2011: L (6-1)
1/28/2011: L (5-2)

I expect more of the same.

But seriously, I wouldn't be shocked if NMU takes a game Friday and we come back with a strong W on Saturday.

Officially, I'll say...
Fri: 3-3 T (WMU wins SO)
Sat: 4-2 WMU
 
Re: Northern Michigan at Western Michigan: Battle of the Compass...

NMUFAN said:
Coreau will have to stand on his head or it could get ugly.
Click to expand...

Article on Coreau and WMU's Slubowski at miningjournal.net: Northern-Michigan--Western-Michigan-goalies-Coreau--Slubowski-falling-short-of-preseason-hype

Both coaches, Kyle and Murray, put some of the blame on each teams respective defenses.

It would be nice to see Coreau be on his "A" game this weekend.

(Even though WMU is in 7th place in the CCHA--they have 2 to 4 games in hand on the rest of the teams. So their being in 7th doesn't mean much at this point.)
 
Re: Northern Michigan at Western Michigan: Battle of the Compass...

Well... tonight is game 1. The Cats will need to look to their goal tender tonight to have a great game. Western has a very potent offense... and are on their ice. Also, as I have said many times this season, they need to get the puck to the net. Shots! Shots! Shots!
 
Re: Northern Michigan at Western Michigan: Battle of the Compass...

noremorse1 said:
Well... tonight is game 1. The Cats will need to look to their goal tender tonight to have a great game. Western has a very potent offense... and are on their ice. Also, as I have said many times this season, they need to get the puck to the net. Shots! Shots! Shots!
Click to expand...

Potent would be the last word I would use to describe our offense. We pepper a lot of shots on net, especially at home, but we don't score many goals. In our 5 home games thus far, we're averaging 2.8 goals on 37.8 shots.

Nothing groundbreaking here, but these games will be decided by on which WMU defense shows up. In 6 wins, we're giving up 1.33 goals/game on 24 shots. In our 3 losses and 1 tie, we're giving up 4 goals/game on 29 shots.

I think WMU takes 4 of 6 points, or all 6 points, simply because at home, our defense is suffocating. 5 home games, 1.6 goals/game on 17.8 shots.
 
Re: Northern Michigan at Western Michigan: Battle of the Compass...

Good news for NMU. After being listed as doubtful all week, Vigier is in the lineup. Thanks to Davyd's tweet of the Cat's lineup for that info.


Even so, with Northern's anemic road offense I believe Western needs only two goals each night to assure a sweep.
I hope I'm wrong.
 
Re: Northern Michigan at Western Michigan: Battle of the Compass...

NMUFAN said:
Good news for NMU. After being listed as doubtful all week, Vigier is in the lineup. Thanks to Davyd's tweet of the Cat's lineup for that info.


Even so, with Northern's anemic road offense I believe Western needs only two goals each night to assure a sweep.
I hope I'm wrong.
Click to expand...

Well, getting him back is a start.... Just gotta see how this goes....
 
Re: Northern Michigan at Western Michigan: Battle of the Compass...

NMU has hung in there after 1 period... but NMU IS getting smashed on shots on goal. Hopefully they pick up the pace here in the 2nd and 3rd. WMUs defense is shutting NMU down.
 
Re: Northern Michigan at Western Michigan: Battle of the Compass...

Absolute stupidity with the penalties. NMU is struggling... they go on the PK and then they cause a very stupid penalty to make it 5 - 3. Stupid.
 
Re: Northern Michigan at Western Michigan: Battle of the Compass...

Another too many men on the ice penalty? You gotta be kidding me. Walt is going to tear the locker room apart after this game.
 
Re: Northern Michigan at Western Michigan: Battle of the Compass...

Well... you cant win a game with only 4 shots on goal a period. Actually, in this case, they could have. A mistake by the goalie on a PP and stupid penalties cost NMU the win. It is amazing that they had 2 goals with so few SOG. Walt needs to end the suspension ASAP. The Cats offense is on life support right now.
 
Re: Northern Michigan at Western Michigan: Battle of the Compass...

4-2 final. 39-12 shots on goal. Guess which team had 12.

I've never been a believer of more shots automatically means more goals. I'll take quality scoring chances over 50 random shots any day. But 12 shots over 60 minutes is embarrassing. Unfortunately this isn't the first road game that shots on goal for NMU is abysmal. It seems to happen far too often. Looking at the rest of college hockey, no one else seems to have this offensive difficulty on the road. Do they have a different approach to offense when on the road? I know you have to pay extra attention to defensive assignments in a hostile environment but holy smokes.
 
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