Notre Dame Hockey 2014-15: The year of the Freshman

[WeAreNDHockey]

Re: Notre Dame Hockey 2014-15: The year of the Freshman

well 0-5 on the PP this weekend, and at least one where we didn't get one shot.

Actually it was 0-6. And it was a lot more than one power play without a single shot. Now 4 for 49 on the season. No PP goals in 10 of the 12 games. 10 for 105 dating back to the last 17 of last season. Oh and only 2 Jackson teams here have had a worse penalty kill at the end of the season than the current one.

But we've sure got a great goal horn at the CFIA and that's what matters.

 

[Go-UML]

Re: Notre Dame Hockey 2014-15: The year of the Freshman

Now we take on a Riverhawks team we've yet to beat. Hope for a split again???

If we play like we did in our last four periods, you can easily split with us. I'm hoping that we wake up, however.

I'll be out there with three friends; looking forward to the trip.

 

[irishstate]

Re: Notre Dame Hockey 2014-15: The year of the Freshman

I think we only have 4 PPG this year... giving us like 8% on the year. big bummer

 

[irishstate]

Re: Notre Dame Hockey 2014-15: The year of the Freshman

If we play like we did in our last four periods, you can easily split with us. I'm hoping that we wake up, however.

I'll be out there with three friends; looking forward to the trip.

Well ND only plays for about 2 periods out of 6 for a series anyway. So we'll have 2 periods of Irish hockey, 2 periods of Riverhawk hockey, and then 2 periods where the goalies will play a long version of Pong.

 

[WeAreNDHockey]

Re: Notre Dame Hockey 2014-15: The year of the Freshman

I think we only have 4 PPG this year... giving us like 8% on the year. big bummer

What's really bad is that 3 of those 4 are against Niagara, (no offense implied or intended) with the 58th ranked PK (2nd worst) and 59th ranked defense (worst) in the NCAA. The other PP goal was against Minnesota, and while that seems impressive, their PK is only 42nd best in the NCAA.

My biggest issue with the PP is that after 12 games and however many practices I see zero improvement on it. They have one or two shifts a weekend where they generate some decent forecheck on it, or get a good look or two, and then they fall right back into 90 seconds of utter garbage. Of the 45 unsuccessful PPs how many have failed to generate a single shot on net? That the question needs to be posed is a huge indictment on how bad it really is. They fail to efficiently move the puck into the zone, fail to hold it when they do, and have yet to develop a true rhythm among any of the players. I see the same ill advised passes now that I saw in the exhibition game. I see the same poor puck movement and support now as at the Ice-Breaker. I see the same reluctance to shoot the puck now as I have been seeing since God knows when. And when they DO shoot the puck I see the same stupid shots, either slap shots from the point that go wide and carom right out of the zone, or shots that get blocked by a sprawling penalty killer. As a team in virtually every game they have more shots wide or blocked than the opponent. So far at home this season it has happened in 6 of 8 games. Lots of wasted effort on the PP.

Many of these guys spent a lot of time last year on a PP unit, and I find Jackson's excuse that while many of them saw PP time last year it was on the second unit to be absolute crap. There is no valid excuse for a PP that has gone scoreless in 10 of 12 games, 0 for 27 over those 10 contests. Especially when Jackson and the staff had a whole off season to figure out ways to improve it. They had the whole second half last year to see what happens when you are missing a key element, and while Russo's absence mitigates how awful the PP got last year it in no way should fully excuse it.

Notre Dame is 2nd in the league (to this weekends opponent) in the number of non-power play goals per game, 2.67. That shows how important the PP is to this team's success. We're mediocre because it sucks. If it was mediocre maybe we'd be good. If all this potential NHL talent ran a great power play, we might be seeing a very good team. Mark my words if it remains this bad or even similarly bad all season this will not be an NCAA team. And all those empty seats at the CFIA on March 28th and 29th will not look good on a few resumes.

 

[irishstate]

Re: Notre Dame Hockey 2014-15: The year of the Freshman

time to forget NCAA. It doesn't matter how well we are playing in Feb. and March unless we bank on winning the HE tourney. We focus on puck procession but can't make more than 3 passes before turning it over. Some of the passes we make are...... and then the way they handle some passes is........ and then....

We are down a goal and can't register a single shot in the 3rd period when you know you need a goal until around the 10 minute mark, and it came short-handed. They put roughly 12 shots on net (almost half their total for the game) in the last 6-7 minutes. A little late.

I think my favorite stat line from tonight is:
Our PP gave up more goals than our PK!
Our PK was 6 for 6, while the PP was -1 for 4. (I think that's the right stat). priceless.
I think half of our power plays are played in the defensive zone.

Not like it mattered, it seemed like they couldn't get any control of the puck in the offensive zone when it was 5-5 let alone on the PP.

 

[25 years and counting]

Re: Notre Dame Hockey 2014-15: The year of the Freshman

time to forget NCAA. It doesn't matter how well we are playing in Feb. and March unless we bank on winning the HE tourney. We focus on puck procession but can't make more than 3 passes before turning it over. Some of the passes we make are...... and then the way they handle some passes is........ and then....

We are down a goal and can't register a single shot in the 3rd period when you know you need a goal until around the 10 minute mark, and it came short-handed. They put roughly 12 shots on net (almost half their total for the game) in the last 6-7 minutes. A little late.

I think my favorite stat line from tonight is:
Our PP gave up more goals than our PK!
Our PK was 6 for 6, while the PP was -1 for 4. (I think that's the right stat). priceless.
I think half of our power plays are played in the defensive zone.

Not like it mattered, it seemed like they couldn't get any control of the puck in the offensive zone when it was 5-5 let alone on the PP.

Glad to see you've come around !!!!!

 

[Jeff_Jackson_for_Pres.]

Re: Notre Dame Hockey 2014-15: The year of the Freshman

I will add a stat to WaNDH and irishstate: prior to last night, ND had 49 PP opportunities to their opponents' 48 PP opportunities. However, ND managed 38 PP shots to their opponents' 73 PP shots. Virtually the same number of opportunities but half the number of shots. Oh, and our opponents had 9 PPG's to our 4 PPG's. 4-5 more PPG's would likely equate to 3 more wins. And then we wouldn't have to be forgetting about the post-season already. Winter weather is here and it isn't even Thanksgiving. The season isn't half over and most of us know that the season is hopeless. Sometimes I loathe rooting for this team. So much potential. So little accomplishment.

 

[Go-UML]

I just wanted to take a minute to say that I definitely enjoyed our trip there (results notwithstanding). The arena staff is incredibly helpful and nice, and it's a great facility.

Already looking forward to a trip back in two years.

 

[WeAreNDHockey]

Re: Notre Dame Hockey 2014-15: The year of the Freshman

I just wanted to take a minute to say that I definitely enjoyed our trip there (results notwithstanding).

Now this is the right attitude. UML dominated the Irish on Thursday and came out with a point on Friday and 3 points on the road still isn't enough. You should have a conversation with our coach who feels a goal of a "top-4 finish" is a good enough target to aim for.

14 games in is enough for an in-season evaluation and it isn't going well.

103:11 of power play time so far this season and we have 4 PP goals. That's 4 goals in nearly 2 full games of action, and up a man (or two even sometimes) and they've managed four goals. Or taking it as little further 96:49 of time starting and finishing a PP without a goal. 5 periods of no goals is bad enough. When it is nearly 5 periods worth of PP time with no goals? And that's on top of the utter failure of the PP in the second half of last season.

Faceoffs -- once an area of extreme strength for this program -- have been awful. And trending downward. Notre Dame's own stats have us winning fewer than half through 14 games, and that's with 10 of the 14 at home, when faceoffs are traditionally easier to win because your coach still has last change. Of late faceoffs have been horrible. Friday was embarrassing. Notre Dame has been generous too with the scorekeeping. Friday it was 35-26 in favor of UML and by my reckoning UML probably controlled the play a half dozen times more than they were "credited" for.

50/50 pucks in the corners and along the walls have been heavily in favor of the other guys. There are two issues with this. Jackson has supposedly structured his team to play a quicker transition game in response to the different styles of most HE teams so why are we getting bogged down in so many scrums and battles along the walls? And why are we losing so many? How many times do we hear the praises sung of all the ancillary personnel of the program most often led by the strength and conditioning guy? Too many times, although I admit I have yet to hear that this year. Of course we are reminded at every home game during the ridiculous and tedious opening video introduction how hard our guys work at strength and conditioning.

Blown leads. Notre Dame has taken it as their mission I guess to prove the axiom of the 2 goal lead being the worst lead in hockey. Twice in one weekend against Vermont and Friday against UML we had 2-0 leads. We won one of those games.

The excuses have been that we're playing two basically completely untested goaltenders and that we're very young. On the surface that seems reasonable since both are true. A closer look though and that gets blown out of the water.

Our goaltending has been solid and occasionally brilliant. Katunar has been far better than I would have predicted. He uses his size well and he literally saved the tie Friday with a perfectly played save after Russo's nearly unforgivable turnover as the OT wound down (a gaff that I'd sit him a game for -- there HAVE to be consequences at some point for this team's repeated careless and stupid play with the puck). Through 14 games I think our goalies have played as well or better than their counterparts 180 feet down the ice 11 times. And the relative youth of the team? Boston University is younger. Notre Dame has 15 skaters who have played all or all but one game and 6 are freshmen. BU also has 15 skaters who have played all or all but one game and 7 of them are freshmen. All that youth came into a team that was awful last season (10-21-4) and had a first year coach. Today they are 8-1-1 and will likely be the number one team in the NCAA when the new polls come out tomorrow. Jackson's own history here suggests that having an unusually large freshman class need not be a detriment. In 2010-11 skating more freshman than we do now the team was 9-3-1 at the same point in the season (following the games before Thanksgiving) with a win over a number one BC team as well as a road win against the 2010-11 CCHA regular season champion UofM team.

There are some bright spots. Russo has played well at even strength. Anders Bjork and Jake Evans have been very good as freshmen. Bjork has been a great penalty killer and Evans has shown great instincts in the offensive zone and has consistently gotten better in his own end. DiPauli is having his best season by far and has been the best all around forward on the team. I'd like to see him stronger in the faceoff circle but it's only been the last few games where he's taken the brunt of them so he'll have an opportunity to get better.

Chemistry on the ice has been very slow to develop. The power play continues to take 6 steps back for every step forward. The penalty kill has been mediocre (outside of the the goalies) 6th in the league in goals for. 8th in goals against (not the fault of either Katunar or Petersen, they sit 7th and 8th in save % out of the 26 goalies who have seen action) 12th in the power play. 7th in the PK. More NHL draft picks than any team in Hockey East. Twice as many as the 3 teams we are 2-2-2 against COMBINED.

Jackson and Pooley are once again doing far less with far more than they did in their first few seasons here. There hasn't been a season of sustained excellence since 2010-1011. Playing in a supposed dump of a building fielding teams with half as many NHL draft picks and rosters made up either entirely or almost entirely by guys who committed to the previous head coach. In 6 seasons at the Joyce the program under Jackson had a winning % of .625 (.661 if you discount the first season), a 6 tourney wins in the NCAAs, 2 trips to the Frozen Four and played for a national championship. In 4 seasons so far at the CFIA the winning % is .577, no trips to the FF and an 0-2 record in the NCAAs with one embarrassingly bad performance in 2013 and getting completely outcoached in a game the team should have won in 2014. The final CCHA playoff title was a nice prize, but the last edition of the CCHA was the weakest one in Jackson's tenure with only 4 teams finishing the season over .500 overall, the fewest over the last 8 seasons of the league's lifespan and only 2 teams in the NCAAs, the fewest of any NCAA tournament since the field expanded to 16 teams in 2003 (there were also only 2 in 2005).

But we've got a great goal horn. Maybe the best one in college hockey.

 

[Jeff_Jackson_for_Pres.]

Re: Notre Dame Hockey 2014-15: The year of the Freshman

For only the 3rd time since I have been a Notre Dame hockey season ticket holder (somewhere north of 30 seasons), I am foregoing the Notre Dame hockey game tonight. The first time was when I was too sick to go. The 2nd time I was at a wedding. And this time? I don't want to go. And this has ZERO to do with the fact that the team can't score a PPG to save their lives. Or that they can't protect a 2-0 lead going into the 3rd. Or that we are refusing to return the favor to LSSU or UAH or Niagara by playing in their barns. Or that we are playing LSSU or UAH or Niagara (no offense meant whatsoever) instead of or in addition to DU or Penn State or Miami or Michigan.

Rather, I am tired of leaving that shiny new arena with a sickening headache from the ear-splitting volume of the constant noise blaring from the sound system. I'm tired of the jumbotron imploring the hyperactive kids to "get louder" and parents encouraging said kids to go ahead and scream. I'm tired of being told to look at all the signs from the Meijer sign station so those with no artistic ability whatsoever can get their 15 minutes. I'm tired of the fan of the game being awarded to the loudest, most obnoxious person in the building. I'm tired of everything at that place that takes the attention away from the only reason there IS that place. A game of hockey between two college teams. That is ALL I am interested in. I shouldn't need to wear earplugs at a sporting event (unless I am in the infield at Talladega). I shouldn't have to hear other people's kids screaming. I shouldn't be directed to the jumbotron at every stoppage to salute this or cheer that. I. Don't. Care. About anything else but hockey.

Hockey. That's all I want. And Notre Dame is doing their best to drive a very-long-time season ticket holder to stay home on Friday and Saturday nights and watch some other school's team instead. I miss Mark Van Guilder. I miss Christian Hanson. I miss the dump the team used to play in. Where the main attraction was Mark and Christian and the game. Because in the end, that's all I want. To watch hockey. Am I the only one?

 

[FiveHole12]

Re: Notre Dame Hockey 2014-15: The year of the Freshman

For only the 3rd time since I have been a Notre Dame hockey season ticket holder (somewhere north of 30 seasons), I am foregoing the Notre Dame hockey game tonight. The first time was when I was too sick to go. The 2nd time I was at a wedding. And this time? I don't want to go. And this has ZERO to do with the fact that the team can't score a PPG to save their lives. Or that they can't protect a 2-0 lead going into the 3rd. Or that we are refusing to return the favor to LSSU or UAH or Niagara by playing in their barns. Or that we are playing LSSU or UAH or Niagara (no offense meant whatsoever) instead of or in addition to DU or Penn State or Miami or Michigan.

Rather, I am tired of leaving that shiny new arena with a sickening headache from the ear-splitting volume of the constant noise blaring from the sound system. I'm tired of the jumbotron imploring the hyperactive kids to "get louder" and parents encouraging said kids to go ahead and scream. I'm tired of being told to look at all the signs from the Meijer sign station so those with no artistic ability whatsoever can get their 15 minutes. I'm tired of the fan of the game being awarded to the loudest, most obnoxious person in the building. I'm tired of everything at that place that takes the attention away from the only reason there IS that place. A game of hockey between two college teams. That is ALL I am interested in. I shouldn't need to wear earplugs at a sporting event (unless I am in the infield at Talladega). I shouldn't have to hear other people's kids screaming. I shouldn't be directed to the jumbotron at every stoppage to salute this or cheer that. I. Don't. Care. About anything else but hockey.

Hockey. That's all I want. And Notre Dame is doing their best to drive a very-long-time season ticket holder to stay home on Friday and Saturday nights and watch some other school's team instead. I miss Mark Van Guilder. I miss Christian Hanson. I miss the dump the team used to play in. Where the main attraction was Mark and Christian and the game. Because in the end, that's all I want. To watch hockey. Am I the only one?

It's funny that you just posted this and I just happened into your thread. I'm with you.

I have always disliked the canned music at Conte Forum, but I just realized last night how much I hate it, and that it may be reason enough to keep me away from the game I love. I have fellow season ticket holders that I chat with every home game, that sit in front, behind, and to the side of my seats. We often chat during timeouts and between periods. I realized last night that there really isn't a peaceful moment during breaks in the game... the music is always blaring! Pretty sad that you have to shout, rather than talk, to communicate with your friends.

Stick with the pep bands and get rid of the canned music... or at least turn the volume down half way. Sheesh.

 

[WeAreNDHockey]

Re: Notre Dame Hockey 2014-15: The year of the Freshman

The only hope for this team -- and it's slim at best -- comes from a couple of quotes out of the coach and the captain. "it's not easy to win college hockey games and we've taken it for granted around here <i>for a few years</i>" (emphasis mine) came from Jackson, while Fogarty offered up "they score and it’s like we just let down. It’s been happening <i>the past few years here</i> (emphasis again mine) and it’s definitely something we need to change if we want to get back on the right track." Perhaps something is finally dawning on the leaders of this program that the whole thing is broken and it isn't just a matter of playing poorly in a few games or drawing some tough matchups.

But what kind of a da m ning indictment is it when players and coaches are only now owning up to years of this kind of effort. They have been handed the goose that lays the golden egg around here and done nothing but go backwards. Watch Anders Lee or Riley Sheahan skate against the best hockey players in the world once or twice. You'll see that this team has been attracting some extremely talented players. But since they moved to the palace that is the Compton Family Ice Arena no one has been held accountable for the fact that they -- players and coaches alike -- have all fallen far short of where they could have been. The one notable triumph, the final CCHA playoff championship, was subsequently tainted by that joke of a performance in Toledo -- from both the team and it's head coach. And it came against the worst edition of the CCHA since Notre Dame rejoined the league. Fewest teams with an overall winning record and fewest teams in the NCAA tournament since the field expanded to 16 teams. The fact is the CCHA was awash in mediocrity in 2013 -- a mid major at best -- and Miami was actually the best team in the conference anyway.

Last night was the worst game I have seen since the Jackson regime took office in 2005. Nothing comes close. Not the 2010 playoff loss to OSU. Not the horrible weekend against Alaska Fairbanks two seasons ago. Nothing. The only reason I won't use the "quit" word is because the team never bothered to start playing. I am hard pressed to point to a game in Poulin's last season where I saw a lazier effort in every phase of the game. There was zero compete in the Irish skaters last night.

Every Irish player who dressed -- with the exceptions of Katunar, Petersen and Johnson -- should be ashamed and embarrassed. Petersen could have played a great game, and he still would have lost 3 or 4-1. Johnson barely saw the ice as far as I can recall. And Katunar was the only player who seemed engaged on the bench during most of the contest. And Jackson and Pooley have utterly failed in preparing this team or finding ways to improve them in any of the facets of the game where they fall short. That team took the ice with no idea how to win a game against a very beatable opponent. But that doesn't excuse the fact that once on the ice that same team seemed to decide amongst themselves that there didn't seem to be any reason to actually try.

Jackson spoke of "blowing up the power play" before the second Niagara contest. Well, break out the dynamite again only this time take it to the entire team, players, coaches and gameplanning alike.

 

[irishstate]

Re: Notre Dame Hockey 2014-15: The year of the Freshman

to Jeff jack for Pres... Honestly I'm a very new hockey fan but have fallen in love with college hockey. I follow it more than anything, and know more about ND hockey players than any other sports team. I like the fact that they salute a vet every game, and I've had some friends like some of the music. The fan of the game always seems.... well they are hardly ever cool fans. The signs are....blah usually.

I find myself wanting more pep band, better cheers to get the crowd more involved etc. I look at some other barns/videos and I keep thinking, why can't we do cool stuff like that at Notre Dame??? I don't mean all the rude, classless, cursing stuff that you see at some places (lets not name any names, Michigan tech, western, Vermont I hear?) But sometimes I see some of those barns and go...... that is college hockey. And then I see this high end entertainment show we call ND hockey. I love going to Compton, but I do wish we had more of a college hockey atmosphere at times.

 

[irishstate]

Re: Notre Dame Hockey 2014-15: The year of the Freshman

I didn't see the OSU game but I heard they were flat as all get out. They were this way against Minnesota in the first game, Merrimack in the second game. It's almost like they don't care or have pride that they wear ND. Something has to change, they are making me disgusted. 38 in the pairwise and I wonder if my other team (mich state) might finish higher? seriously wonder if they can win another game? (AT least boston college is losing too. Anytime Boston anything loses I'm a little happy).

They have won 1 of the last 9? PP stats are who knows what now. They finally outshot someone (30-28) but I have to imagine when you are up 5-1 you aren't shooting much. LOL
I wish I could laugh at it.

This is why I hated the saying "what matters is how we are playing in Feb and march." No it doesn't, unless you plan on winning the conference tournament. Lets face it, that isn't a safe bet for any team. They've completely put themselves in a place where Feb. and March doesn't matter. The only reason it still does is because we put Boston anything at the end, and dang do I not like those schools (I only hate Tech worse...) So hopefully they can do something so they can ruin Boston U's season and then beat BC.

 

[WeAreNDHockey]

Re: Notre Dame Hockey 2014-15: The year of the Freshman

to Jeff jack for Pres... Honestly I'm a very new hockey fan but have fallen in love with college hockey. I follow it more than anything, and know more about ND hockey players than any other sports team. I like the fact that they salute a vet every game, and I've had some friends like some of the music. The fan of the game always seems.... well they are hardly ever cool fans. The signs are....blah usually.

I find myself wanting more pep band, better cheers to get the crowd more involved etc. I look at some other barns/videos and I keep thinking, why can't we do cool stuff like that at Notre Dame??? I don't mean all the rude, classless, cursing stuff that you see at some places (lets not name any names, Michigan tech, western, Vermont I hear?) But sometimes I see some of those barns and go...... that is college hockey. And then I see this high end entertainment show we call ND hockey. I love going to Compton, but I do wish we had more of a college hockey atmosphere at times.

I actually agree with everything JJfP posted. All of it could disappear and I'd be happy.

One of the huge issues I have with all of the ancillary nonsense on the video board and the sound system is that it takes the focus away from the ice and the actual game. Whether or not any fan feels it is entertaining seeing the "fan of the game" or the constant admonitions to "GET LOUDER!" or picking the loudest, most hyperactive and in need of a real recess during school hours and not an increase in his Ritalin dosage kid to ride the Zamboni, no one is actually there for any of that. If they throw open the doors and offer us all of that but neglect to put an actual Notre Dame game on the ice, the crowd will number approximately zero.

What's worse is that there is literally no down time from any of it. If any crowd actually wanted to spontaneously get behind an Irish hockey team in the thought it might motivate them through a tough stretch of minutes, the sound system and video boards would prevent it. As soon as there is a stoppage of play, something blares over the sound system and the fans are all drowned out, often unable to communicate with a person sitting 5 feet away.

Way back in the old days I was told I had to stop bringing in my little maritime air horns because they were "too loud." Never mind the fact that the device was often the only noise being made in the days when too much of the crowd sat on their hands all game long, and that little kids would sometimes ask if they could be the one to blow the d a m n thing after a goal, nope, too loud I was told. Eventually the NCAA passed a rule prohibiting fans from bringing in artificial noise makers like that, but really, too loud? The goal horn that we blow when the team takes the ice or after goals is 100 times as loud as anything I ever brought in.

As for the salute the veteran at every single game this cheap grace is hollow and has got to come to an end. Cheap grace was written about by Dietrich Bonhoeffer in the 1930s, and he called it the grace we bestow on ourselves unearned, granting redemption without repentance. Perhaps a tenth of a percent of all the American people have seen any actual hardship from more than a decade of a war on terror, but we feel oh so good standing and applauding someone else's sacrifice. Cheap grace perfectly describes the way we have fought wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, which asks of us merely that we "support the troops" without actually taking any real risks or making any tangible sacrifices.

In addition, singling out the military as the only segment of society worthy of this kind of public recognition demeans the sacrifice and service of the untold 1000s in our communities who also deserve it. There are dedicated clergy sacrificing their own comfort or worldly goods to help shelter the less advantaged. Salute one of them. Or one of the many local teachers, both private and public school alike, who we entrust our youth to every day, and who often go above and beyond, spending money out of their own pockets because taxpayers or parents don't see fit to fund the schools sufficiently, to teach our children. Or local firefighters like Jamie Middlebrook, who volunteered for years to serve his community as an on call firefighter and gave his life serving the citizens of New Carlisle doing so. Or how about 2 local police officers who acted in incredibly heroic fashion in saving lives at a local grocery store when a madman with a gun entered. Cody Skipper and Jason Tripp -- the latter a guy I have known since he too was an employee at another location of that grocery store chain and someone who loves the game of hockey (he was a teammate of mine on a beer league team) are those police officers and are as worthy of this kind of a salute as any person out there. And before anyone thinks I am a pacifist or anti military, believe me you don't know me. It's just that none of these dedicated public servants are getting the same kind of recognition, and they all serve our communities in ways that are immediately felt. Many put their lives on the line every day doing it.

As far as I'm concerned none of this really belongs at a hockey game. Drop the puck and play the freeking game.

 

[irishstate]

Re: Notre Dame Hockey 2014-15: The year of the Freshman

Well since you mention clergy and Dietrich Bonhoeffer with hockey.... I can't disagree with that. LOL And knowing people in the other areas you've mentioned, I can see your point. We can recognize them too. Although I still like that they do salute a vet.

There could be more replays of the actual game, like penalties, goals, hard hits etc. instead of some kind of loud music. Something that at least keeps the focus on hockey instead of all the other stuff.

Perhaps all the extra stuff going on is what stops us from doing or making any cool cheers you find elsewhere. We are so lame. All we have is "go irish, beat (whoever)" and when we score who knows what we say to the goalie (since it seems to change slightly). Really only the band says any cheers. We don't say anything when we go on the power play. or anything when the penalty is on us. or anything when they score. Or anything when anything happens. It would be fun to have some kind of culture that really gets you into the game.

PS. I find some of the intro stuff to be annoying this year. and the sound clips are terrible anyway at times.

 

[boblav1]

Re: Notre Dame Hockey 2014-15: The year of the Freshman

I As soon as there is a stoppage of play, something blares over the sound system and the fans are all drowned out, often unable to communicate with a person sitting 5 feet away.

Speaking of stoppage of play. What's up with all the timeouts? I made the trip out for the Lowell games and I was amazed at how many timeouts there were during the games. It seemed like every two minutes they were coming out to clean the ice. I understand the tv timeouts but it just seemed like there were way too many stoppages of play. At Lowell and they don't come out to clean the ice.

 

[WeAreNDHockey]

Re: Notre Dame Hockey 2014-15: The year of the Freshman

Speaking of stoppage of play. What's up with all the timeouts? I made the trip out for the Lowell games and I was amazed at how many timeouts there were during the games. It seemed like every two minutes they were coming out to clean the ice. I understand the tv timeouts but it just seemed like there were way too many stoppages of play. At Lowell and they don't come out to clean the ice.

A lot of teams are cleaning the ice now during TV timeouts. Most ND games not on a regular cable TV channel have been shown on NBCSports.com and those have the regular number of timeouts and they are all long enough to clean the ice. In the last few years of the CCHA the league instituted "tv timeouts" for all games, regardless of whether or not they were actually on TV as a fairness measure since there were only 2 or 3 teams regularly getting on TV. I have no idea if Hockey East does this. If they don't, I can understand why it seemed like ND had so many, but that was a normal amount for us.

 

[boblav1]

Re: Notre Dame Hockey 2014-15: The year of the Freshman

A lot of teams are cleaning the ice now during TV timeouts. Most ND games not on a regular cable TV channel have been shown on NBCSports.com and those have the regular number of timeouts and they are all long enough to clean the ice. In the last few years of the CCHA the league instituted "tv timeouts" for all games, regardless of whether or not they were actually on TV as a fairness measure since there were only 2 or 3 teams regularly getting on TV. I have no idea if Hockey East does this. If they don't, I can understand why it seemed like ND had so many, but that was a normal amount for us.

Thanks.