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>>> RIT Tigers 2010-11 - Part II - The Dream is Still Alive <<<

Re: >>> RIT Tigers 2010-11 - Part II - The Dream is Still Alive <<<

I was thinking the same thing but glad somebody wrote about it.

For as awful as we make it out to be, they are still in first place and I think they'll stay there.
 
Re: >>> RIT Tigers 2010-11 - Part II - The Dream is Still Alive <<<

LtPowers said:
Let's start Part II off with komey's encouraging thought -- despite all the loses from last year's squad, despite all the ties and early-season losses, despite the anemic power play and questionable discipline -- we're still in first place and control our own destiny.

That's a fantastic place to be!

(Part I: http://board.uscho.com/showthread.php?91378-RIT-2010-11-What-do-Tigers-dream-of )


Powers &8^]
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This is all very true. We have a few tough games ahead, including Niagara, but provided we don't mess it up we are in great position. It's also important to note that many of our early-season losses came as a result of our goalie platoon. The loss to Niagara and AIC are both on Ropponan's hands. In fact every loss we have came from someone besides Madolora, obviously (given his undefeated status).

There are likely those willing to kill me for this, but at the pace he is going Madolora is on track to have a better statistical season than DiMike ever had, and that is with a significantly worse defense and higher PIM team. If we can pick up on some of our weaknesses I see no reason we can't have great success at the very least in the AHA.
 
Re: >>> RIT Tigers 2010-11 - Part II - The Dream is Still Alive <<<

RIT Winters said:
This is all very true. We have a few tough games ahead, including Niagara, but provided we don't mess it up we are in great position. It's also important to note that many of our early-season losses came as a result of our goalie platoon. The loss to Niagara and AIC are both on Ropponan's hands. In fact every loss we have came from someone besides Madolora, obviously (given his undefeated status).

There are likely those willing to kill me for this, but at the pace he is going Madolora is on track to have a better statistical season than DiMike ever had, and that is with a significantly worse defense and higher PIM team. If we can pick up on some of our weaknesses I see no reason we can't have great success at the very least in the AHA.
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Blaming Ropponen for the Niagara game is absurd. No goaltender on our roster was going to win or tie that game. Niagara abused them in that matchup, and the freshmen 'D' looked like exactly that on that night.
 
Re: >>> RIT Tigers 2010-11 - Part II - The Dream is Still Alive <<<

jflory81 said:
Blaming Ropponen for the Niagara game is absurd. No goaltender on our roster was going to win or tie that game. Niagara abused them in that matchup, and the freshmen 'D' looked like exactly that on that night.
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Ironically I think we can all blame Madolora for about 2 goals in the BCA game this fall :)
 
Re: >>> RIT Tigers 2010-11 - Part II - The Dream is Still Alive <<<

The fact remains that we've yet to lose with Madolora between the pipes and that isn't by chance. Last weekends Mercyhurst game was absolutely a loss without him, as he made a number of ridiculous saves including a handful in OT.

Our record would be better if he had been our starter from day 1, but that is irrelevant because we're in first place regardless. I think the AF and Niagara games will look significantly different this time around in part because of our goalie, in part because of our defense improving, and in part because 3/4 of those games are at Ritter.
 
Re: >>> RIT Tigers 2010-11 - Part II - The Dream is Still Alive <<<

RIT Winters said:
There are likely those willing to kill me for this, but at the pace he is going Madolora is on track to have a better statistical season than DiMike ever had, and that is with a significantly worse defense and higher PIM team. If we can pick up on some of our weaknesses I see no reason we can't have great success at the very least in the AHA.
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I'd fully agree with that.

I was never comfortable with DeMike. He just happened to streak at the right time, and he had a great defense to help him out. That's how we survived Denver - active sticks and many, many, many shotblocks by D-men.

There, now no one will bother killing you, they'll be looking for me!
 
Re: >>> RIT Tigers 2010-11 - Part II - The Dream is Still Alive <<<

DeMike pretty much saved RIT's season to being the regular season title. He has a great senior season. DeMike came a long way from his freshman days.

Madolora is doing ok. I just hope he isn't wearing down. The offense has been putting up 3 and 4 goals most of the time. Turn a couple ties with those scores into wins and RIT would be cruising. As it is, it's still remarkable that in a year with a shakier defense and a new goalie that RIT has has 4 point lead this late in the season.
 
Re: >>> RIT Tigers 2010-11 - Part II - The Dream is Still Alive <<<

You can blame Ropponen for the AIC game Niagara was all on the blue liners. Don't forget he kept a complete embarrasment at Air Force.

RIT has been giving up a lot of shots but like against Mercyhurst good number were fairly easy saves till the third when things got crazy. Madds gets all the credit in the world.

What makes me very furious is the penalties especially in the third. Haltigan took a penalty in a scrum when all the tigers should have skated away. Can not do that in a close game especially your captain. Two 5 on 3 in the third of a big game. Yes one was the result of a typical terrible Atlantic refree call, but RIT's discipline in the third cost them a point.
 
Re: >>> RIT Tigers 2010-11 - Part II - The Dream is Still Alive <<<

Everyone contributed to the Air Force debacle. After 5 minutes, everyone stopped playing. Something tells me everyone has circled this weekend since then.
 
Re: >>> RIT Tigers 2010-11 - Part II - The Dream is Still Alive <<<

komey1 said:
Everyone contributed to the Air Force debacle. After 5 minutes, everyone stopped playing. Something tells me everyone has circled this weekend since then.
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I hope you are right. I expect we will come out strong and get the win Friday. It's Saturday I am worried about, as we have a tendency of slacking off after a Friday win.
 
Re: >>> RIT Tigers 2010-11 - Part II - The Dream is Still Alive <<<

RIT Winters said:
I hope you are right. I expect we will come out strong and get the win Friday. It's Saturday I am worried about, as we have a tendency of slacking off after a Friday win.
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If I were to be nailed down to who RIT's main rival in the AHA is, it would be Air Force simply because these two teams have pretty much owned the AHA since they joined. The only difference between them and our DIII rivals is that we actually respect Air Force.
 
Re: >>> RIT Tigers 2010-11 - Part II - The Dream is Still Alive <<<

komey1 said:
If I were to be nailed down to who RIT's main rival in the AHA is, it would be Air Force simply because these two teams have pretty much owned the AHA since they joined. The only difference between them and our DIII rivals is that we actually respect Air Force.
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Really? You didn't respect the extended high level of successful hockey played by the programs/teams at Elmira, Plattsburgh, and Oswego? I did.
Some of the EC fans, on the other hand... well I won't re-hash all that :)
Canisius is the kind of "rival" I don't respect, which is one reason (the other being the total lopsided results) why I still refuse to truly consider that a rivalry game.
 
Re: >>> RIT Tigers 2010-11 - Part II - The Dream is Still Alive <<<

If Mercyhurst keeps acting like they did last weekend, they might join Canisius on our hated list. At least among the Corner Crew.

Definitely looking forward to traveling up to Canisius though.

As far as AF tickets, according to the hockey FB page Saturday sold out and, as of an hour ago, there were < 150 tickets for Friday left. Going to be a great atmosphere.
 
Re: >>> RIT Tigers 2010-11 - Part II - The Dream is Still Alive <<<

TigerFan86-87 said:
Really? You didn't respect the extended high level of successful hockey played by the programs/teams at Elmira, Plattsburgh, and Oswego? I did.
Some of the EC fans, on the other hand... well I won't re-hash all that :)
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The fans are part of it. Elmira/RIT hatred there was high up - especially being in the same conference, so it's pretty comperable to Air Force in that respect. Plattsburgh had a stretch where they didn't play RIT so I didn't quite consider them a rivalry at that level. Oswego games were always tough. There was a high level of hockey.

Canisius clearly doesn't cut it as a rival - the results simply aren't there. RIT wins a vast majority of the time. RIT-Air Force games are usually in doubt all the way until the end. And when you factor in all the titles in a much tougher league - it has to rank as the top rivalry in the AHA.
 
Re: >>> RIT Tigers 2010-11 - Part II - The Dream is Still Alive <<<

RIT Winters said:
If Mercyhurst keeps acting like they did last weekend, they might join Canisius on our hated list. At least among the Corner Crew.

Definitely looking forward to traveling up to Canisius though.

As far as AF tickets, according to the hockey FB page Saturday sold out and, as of an hour ago, there were < 150 tickets for Friday left. Going to be a great atmosphere.
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Mercyhurst goaded RIT into some of those penalties. I don't recall seeing any cheap shots like Canisius does. THAT's more of a reason to hate the Grifs.
 
Re: >>> RIT Tigers 2010-11 - Part II - The Dream is Still Alive <<<

Honestly Canisius doesn't bother me anymore, with Kyle Bush's departure, as well as some of the coaching staff (or at least that's what I remember). It's all historical, and yeah, maybe it's not yet time for them to have lived that down.

Honestly, we've more or less taken up the reigns. We're the Philadelphia Flyers of the AHA. Yeah, we have talent and can win; but we're also spearing guys in the groin and cross-checking to the back of the head after the whistle. It's painful, because as a hockey fan, I hate the Flyers and everything they stand for.


On the Air Force thing; I'm not sure that rivalry is going to persist. They've lost a lot and are soon to lose some more of their best, like our good buddy Jacques Lameroux. I'm thinking RoMo and Niagara are going to become better rivals in the purest hockey sense, and especially Niagara.

That's the trouble with rivalries created based on competition, in a college league: the players change too fast, and the playing level of the teams with them. A rivalry can be here one year and gone the next. We were fortunate in our recovery to the talent we lost last year.
 
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Re: >>> RIT Tigers 2010-11 - Part II - The Dream is Still Alive <<<

komey1 said:
Mercyhurst goaded RIT into some of those penalties. I don't recall seeing any cheap shots like Canisius does. THAT's more of a reason to hate the Grifs.
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I was more referring to their taunting of the corner crew prior to the game (that backup goalies **** eating grin every time he skated past us really stuck with me) and after goals. Not necessarily an on-ice rival, but still a team that I personally hate now.

College hockey is certainly much more fluid in terms of players coming and going, but good programs will typically continue to draw in good talent. It's unlikely we'll see RIT not near the top of the pack anytime soon for this reason. Great examples are our Freshmen this year, as well as Madolora. And that new goalie incoming next year also looks to be a really great player. Once the women move up to Division 1, RIT will be able to offer scholarships for sports which, if they choose to do so, could further improve recruitment.

I like having different kinds of rivalries..kinds where we just hate their guts while skating circles around them (Canisius) and others where we respect them and play our hearts out against them because they are great (AF).
 
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