Ohio State 2010/2011 - No way but up.

[Hockeybuckeye]

Re: Ohio State 2010/2011 - No way but up.

They will play Michigan unless Bg or Michigan State advance as well.

The way I read the bracket on the CCHA website we could play any of the 3 teams I mentioned depending on who wins or loses the first round - or none of them if we lose. Here's the link to the bracket format page on the CCHA site. http://www.ccha.com/assets/1/News/2011_CCHA_Championship_Bracket Week 1.pdf
But yes Klbaum you would be correct if the higher seeds all prevailed.

 

[klbaum1077]

Re: Ohio State 2010/2011 - No way but up.

The way I read the bracket on the CCHA website we could play any of the 3 teams I mentioned depending on who wins or loses the first round - or none of them if we lose. Here's the link to the bracket format page on the CCHA site. http://www.ccha.com/assets/1/News/2011_CCHA_Championship_Bracket Week 1.pdf
But yes Klbaum you would be correct if the higher seeds all prevailed.

If they win and both Bg and Michigan state wins they go to miami. BG would go to michigan and michigan state would go to ND
If they win and only 1 of the other 2 lower seeds win then they go to ND and the other winner goes to Michigan.

 

[Hockeybuckeye]

Re: Ohio State 2010/2011 - No way but up.

Again all is speculative on if we advance but I'd rather not play at UM. We might steal one but not two wins there. I'd like Miami as more OSU fans could attend but I think we might have a slightly better chance against ND. But these assumptions are based on an OSU team playing their best like when they swept Miami, not the team we've seen lately. Predictions at this point is more like wishful thinking than reality.

 

[klbaum1077]

Re: Ohio State 2010/2011 - No way but up.

Again all is speculative on if we advance but I'd rather not play at UM. We might steal one but not two wins there. I'd like Miami as more OSU fans could attend but I think we might have a slightly better chance against ND. But these assumptions are based on an OSU team playing their best like when they swept Miami, not the team we've seen lately. Predictions at this point is more like wishful thinking than reality.

Agree on all points there. I was really hoping ND would win the title after ohio state lost last night but no good on that. Ohio state hasnt won a road game since dec 11 at BG and really havent played that well other than the friday game at Michigan. If they can play some what up to what they are capable of playing the can win this series. If they play like they did this week no way they win.

 

[THE OHIO STATE]

Re: Ohio State 2010/2011 - No way but up.

GOOD NEWS.

We play Lake State. We don't have to deal with the long flight to kiss the Eskimo's again. I think the match up with Lake State will be a good one. The Bucks will have a good chance at winning if they show up. Don't take out the golf clubs just yet , as there's a good chance the Bucks will get to round two. GO BUCKEYES GO.

 

[Hockeybuckeye]

Re: Ohio State 2010/2011 - No way but up.

GOOD NEWS.

We play Lake State. We don't have to deal with the long flight to kiss the Eskimo's again. I think the match up with Lake State will be a good one. The Bucks will have a good chance at winning if they show up. Don't take out the golf clubs just yet , as there's a good chance the Bucks will get to round two. GO BUCKEYES GO.

One would hope. They certainly looked like they should have swept them the other week. As long as they quit taking low percentage long distance shots and get to the net with numbers and no stupid penalties. Basically they have to play smart and aggressive.

 

[Kick Ice]

Re: Ohio State 2010/2011 - No way but up.

GOOD NEWS. We play Lake State. We don't have to deal with the long flight to kiss the Eskimo's again. There's a good chance the Bucks will get to round two.

Four games against Alaska, four times showed the Nanooks showed they were better team. OSU was lucky to get a SO win.

 

[Brewmaster]

Re: Ohio State 2010/2011 - No way but up.

GOOD NEWS.

We play Lake State. We don't have to deal with the long flight to kiss the Eskimo's again. I think the match up with Lake State will be a good one. The Bucks will have a good chance at winning if they show up.

One wonders where the heads have been with the Buckeye hockey team the last few weeks. They've looked more like (dare I say it?) the teams of the Markell era than of the Osiecki-type squad we saw in 2010. A bad case of senioritis?

That said, in the upcoming CCHA matchups I can see two "upsets" (if you can call them that) possible. Lake State is certainly beatable. I kept wondering, during Friday night's game vs the Lakers at the Schott, how LSSU beat anybody this season. We managed to play down to that level (the Markell influence, again) that night. Saturday showed how different the skill level between the two teams actually is.

The other--perhaps more interesting--playoff series will be the Sparties versus the 'Nooks. I'm going with the Sparties in this one for two reasons: first, the Green and White wants to send Comley out on as positive a note as possible. Second, when MSU plays good hockey they do it very well. They just haven't come close to showing any consistency in that regard this season.

If that plays out, then the Bucks go to South Bend. I think it's more likely to fathom taking two of three there than at Yost.

But to do that they gotta start taking the pressure off Heeter and pushing the play in the offensive zone. Crashing the net. Moving the puck. Playing desperate.

In other words, all the things they were doing so well earlier in the season.

 

[Arpod]

Re: Ohio State 2010/2011 - No way but up.

... they gotta start taking the pressure off Heeter and pushing the play in the offensive zone. Crashing the net. Moving the puck. Playing desperate.

In other words, all the things they were doing so well earlier in the season.

Agree completely. And someone other than Serg has to score. Albert, CJ, and Boyd have to put pucks in the net and lead as Seniors. Dries and Szczechura heating up would be huge. Can't take stupid penalties. Playing with just 4 D for the second half of the game agains Ferris and essentially losing by 1 goal (ignoring the EN goal) is to my mind extrordinary. OSU's defense is 13th nationally, in no small measure due to Heeter's play (3rd in the nation in GAA and top in min played), but if we don't score more than 1 goal per game we ain't gonna win many...

 

[Hockeybuckeye]

Re: Ohio State 2010/2011 - No way but up.

One wonders where the heads have been with the Buckeye hockey team the last few weeks. They've looked more like (dare I say it?) the teams of the Markell era than of the Osiecki-type squad we saw in 2010. A bad case of senioritis?

That said, in the upcoming CCHA matchups I can see two "upsets" (if you can call them that) possible. Lake State is certainly beatable. I kept wondering, during Friday night's game vs the Lakers at the Schott, how LSSU beat anybody this season. We managed to play down to that level (the Markell influence, again) that night. Saturday showed how different the skill level between the two teams actually is.

The other--perhaps more interesting--playoff series will be the Sparties versus the 'Nooks. I'm going with the Sparties in this one for two reasons: first, the Green and White wants to send Comley out on as positive a note as possible. Second, when MSU plays good hockey they do it very well. They just haven't come close to showing any consistency in that regard this season.

If that plays out, then the Bucks go to South Bend. I think it's more likely to fathom taking two of three there than at Yost.

But to do that they gotta start taking the pressure off Heeter and pushing the play in the offensive zone. Crashing the net. Moving the puck. Playing desperate.

In other words, all the things they were doing so well earlier in the season.

All sounds good. I agree that the Spartans like us are capable of playing much better than their record would show. I watched some of their post Big Chill games against Michigan and they played exceptionally well, not easy wins to get. Their biggest detriment is the road trip to Alaska can really take a team's rhythm from them and the coach has to make adjustments to the team when playing on the olympic sized ice.

 

[Kick Ice]

Re: Ohio State 2010/2011 - No way but up.

And someone other than Serg has to score.

Some of the scoring was ran off to Oswego, NY. Not only did Ian Boots lead his new team in scoring, he made first team all conference and is in10th place in points at D-III.

 

[Sportsfan1]

Re: Ohio State 2010/2011 - No way but up.

Not only Boots but Stefishen currently has 58 points in 59 games in the WHL. Not only is Somma the only one scoring but from what I have seen in the last few games is that the defense continually make the same simple mistakes. I thought Osiecki was a former defenceman ??? He clearly isn't passing on any of his "knowledge" to the defence. I suspect the coaching staff are more interested in their recruiting drive as they have two more forwards committed to this week for 2011.
I think the players on this team are afraid to make mistakes as they appear tentative, nervous and look like they are all holding their sticks too tight, there is no creativity.. Maybe they are all wondering what the future holds for them as the staff continue to commit to more players for 2011.
Heeter and Somma are the only ones carrying this team, I suspect everyone that isn't a senior is walking on egg shells.

 

[Hockeybuckeye]

Re: Ohio State 2010/2011 - No way but up.

Or they're simply choking under pressure. Most shots lately are either wide of the net or have no mustard on them. I'm certain there's no more pressure on them than any other team Oz has previously coached or helped coach. Even if he's hard on them it's only to meet expectations of what they're capable of and at their age they should rise to the occasion, not cave in. Nothing less is acceptable if you want to be a champion.

 

[Sportsfan1]

Re: Ohio State 2010/2011 - No way but up.

Point taken but many coaches are "Hard" on their players but the really good coaches "Coach" them as well. I see him talking to the players during the games but they continue to make the same mistakes. The D are continually on the weakside of the ice allowing the offence to drive the net. They do not appear to be angling the offence while they are attacking and again this allows them clear path to the net.
This is a simple fix if time and effort is given to correct the difficencies. These young men have all had coaching prior to and during their OSU years so you would think they would adjust and correct their mistakes if they were in fact pointed out to them.
IMO the coaching staff have set their priorites on recruitment for the future first rather than coaching this current group to a more competitive season.

 

[Hockeybuckeye]

Re: Ohio State 2010/2011 - No way but up.

I agree some things seem fixable but much of what I see comes from the individual's lack of focus or awareness on the ice. The coaching they had prior to college gave them their basics, college coaching is what refines them and the collegiate coaching they had before this season was substandard. I hate to bring that up again as it's been hashed & rehashed again on the forums to where we're tired of it but the future is where this program's best potential lays and I feel what doesn't happen this season will not reflect or have any bearing on that.

 

[Kick Ice]

Re: Ohio State 2010/2011 - No way but up.

Three new coaches in the CCHA. Bergeron took over a total mess created by Pulach and Christopher. BG hasn't really been a factor in the CCHA for close to 15 years and if Bergeron is the answer, it will take him at least 3 season to right this ship. Williams is not at fault here.

The two other new coaches, Blashill took West Mich to a fourth place finish. Oz finished ninth. I just don't believe WM has that much more talent than OSU. Don't believe it.

A side note: If ONU would have stayed in the CCHA, OSU would have finished tenth.

 

[Hockeybuckeye]

Re: Ohio State 2010/2011 - No way but up.

I lost count of how many close games we lost this season due to a mistake by an individual player at the worse possible moment.

 

[Kick Ice]

Re: Ohio State 2010/2011 - No way but up.

And needing and scorer or two next season, look to club hockey. I know it is a way lower level, but Todd Rudasill has 28 goals and 33 assist, that is 61 points in 24 games. On second thought, ship him to the SOO this weekend.

 

[Sportsfan1]

Re: Ohio State 2010/2011 - No way but up.

I agree some things seem fixable but much of what I see comes from the individual's lack of focus or awareness on the ice. The coaching they had prior to college gave them their basics, college coaching is what refines them and the collegiate coaching they had before this season was substandard. I hate to bring that up again as it's been hashed & rehashed again on the forums to where we're tired of it but the future is where this program's best potential lays and I feel what doesn't happen this season will not reflect or have any bearing on that.

With what I have seen this season I don't put much faith in him developing a "Championship" contender any time soon. As you say college coaching is what refines them and there is no excuse as he has had this group since October and has not improved anyone on the team. It is going to take more than one year of bringing in your own recruits to make a contender and he will still need to start coaching. So far IMO we haven't seen any evidence of that quality level of coaching from Osiecki...

 

[Hockeybuckeye]

Re: Ohio State 2010/2011 - No way but up.

With what I have seen this season I don't put much faith in him developing a "Championship" contender any time soon. As you say college coaching is what refines them and there is no excuse as he has had this group since October and has not improved anyone on the team. It is going to take more than one year of bringing in your own recruits to make a contender and he will still need to start coaching. So far IMO we haven't seen any evidence of that quality level of coaching from Osiecki...

He was a major contributor with the World Junior team. You have the right to your opinion, that's what the forums are for, debate & discussion but after 47 years experience with OSU hockey I can tell we're much better off and the athletic department's expectation for a marked improvement is 3 years with the clock beginning starting his first year with his own recruits.