>>>>>>>>> RIT Tigers 2015-16 Regular season thread. On the prowl again

[RIT Winters]

Re: >>>>>>>>> RIT Tigers 2015-16 Regular season thread. On the prowl again

Re: >>>>>>>>> RIT Tigers 2015-16 Regular season thread. On the prowl again

The power play was brutal last night. I think Niagara got more chances on the RIT power play than the Tigers.

The good thing is that RIT got a point and Sacred Heart knocked off Canisius to make it so that any point by RIT or non-win by Canisius clinches the bye. That bye is critical in getting a healthy goalie for the playoffs.

Yup. Even with Amato you gotta figure RIT has a good shot at getting at least one point tonight if not two. If we clinch a bye then we don't really need to worry about next weekend. Though we have had Mercyhurst's number recently they are a good team and will likely be able to pot even more goals than AIC/Niagara have on our 3rd tendy....but again if the bye is secured by then I don't suppose it matters all that much if we get knocked around by Hurst.

I have heard "rumors" that Rotolo and Short might have season ending injuries, in which case it's the Nick Amato show with a bye or not, but I'm very much hoping to be wrong on that one.

 

[blazer777]

I have heard "rumors" that Rotolo and Short might have season ending injuries, in which case it's the Nick Amato show with a bye or not, but I'm very much hoping to be wrong on that one.

Tigers need a trainer that's willing to 'put some dirt' on those injuries so one of those guys gets back on the ice. Then again, Amato could be another 'Jordon Ruby' coming off the bench and carry the team!

 

[Tom Naeger]

Re: >>>>>>>>> RIT Tigers 2015-16 Regular season thread. On the prowl again

Re: >>>>>>>>> RIT Tigers 2015-16 Regular season thread. On the prowl again

Tigers need a trainer that's willing to 'put some dirt' on those injuries so one of those guys gets back on the ice. Then again, Amato could be another 'Jordon Ruby' coming off the bench and carry the team!

He's not, I give him credit for doing what he is doing, but I really don't see him doing more than what he doing. Which has been enough to get 3 out of 6 point against the bottom 2 teams in the league...

 

[LtPowers]

Re: >>>>>>>>> RIT Tigers 2015-16 Regular season thread. On the prowl again

Re: >>>>>>>>> RIT Tigers 2015-16 Regular season thread. On the prowl again

If we clinch a bye then we don't really need to worry about next weekend.

I'm going to continue to worry. I don't want to finish fourth or fifth and then be on the same side of the bracket as RoMo. Second or third would be much better. =)

There's also the frustration that this team was good enough to win the regular season title but (probably) couldn't, in large part due to injuries inflicted by other teams.


Powers &8^]

 

[komey1]

Re: >>>>>>>>> RIT Tigers 2015-16 Regular season thread. On the prowl again

Re: >>>>>>>>> RIT Tigers 2015-16 Regular season thread. On the prowl again

I'm going to continue to worry. I don't want to finish fourth or fifth and then be on the same side of the bracket as RoMo. Second or third would be much better. =)

Powers &8^]

Personally, I would rather be on the RoMo side of the bracket than Air Force. I think we match up better with the Colonials based on our record with them the last couple years. Now if we could get those two teams on the same side of the bracket that would be best.

 

[devmorgan]

Re: >>>>>>>>> RIT Tigers 2015-16 Regular season thread. On the prowl again

Re: >>>>>>>>> RIT Tigers 2015-16 Regular season thread. On the prowl again

Short is dressed tonight (instead of Rotolo). He took a few shots during warmups as well.

 

[XCTiger]

Re: >>>>>>>>> RIT Tigers 2015-16 Regular season thread. On the prowl again

Re: >>>>>>>>> RIT Tigers 2015-16 Regular season thread. On the prowl again

On the TV post game Wilson indicated that both short and rotor are day-to-day. Son under like one of them might get some ice time next weekend.

 

[LtPowers]

Re: >>>>>>>>> RIT Tigers 2015-16 Regular season thread. On the prowl again

Re: >>>>>>>>> RIT Tigers 2015-16 Regular season thread. On the prowl again

I'll take a 3-point weekend. That was one of the best second periods I've seen since we moved to Division I. Niagara seemed to lose a lot of energy in the second half, but Amato did what he needed to. I can't even fault him on the two goals, though a taller goalie might have stopped one of them.


Powers &8^]

 

[RIT Winters]

Re: >>>>>>>>> RIT Tigers 2015-16 Regular season thread. On the prowl again

Re: >>>>>>>>> RIT Tigers 2015-16 Regular season thread. On the prowl again

I'll take a 3-point weekend. That was one of the best second periods I've seen since we moved to Division I. Niagara seemed to lose a lot of energy in the second half, but Amato did what he needed to. I can't even fault him on the two goals, though a taller goalie might have stopped one of them.


Powers &8^]

Amato as well as the whole team did not look good in the first period. However I thought Amato made several good saves in the 2nd and 3rd periods. Definitely his best game and he actually ended up with pretty solid numbers. If Short and Rotolo are possible to go next weekend, Amato's time in the crease comes to an end having earned points in 3 of his 4 starts. I guess Wilson and Co. can't be too upset about that.

I will say I love how RIT plays in front of Amato, they really bear down defensively and get in the shooting lanes and go hard to the puck. Hopefully they learn from this and keep up the defensive play once they get Short/Rotolo back.

 

[komey1]

Re: >>>>>>>>> RIT Tigers 2015-16 Regular season thread. On the prowl again

Re: >>>>>>>>> RIT Tigers 2015-16 Regular season thread. On the prowl again

Part of me would like to see Amato get to finish out the season so that Short and Rotolo can get an extra weekend to heal up now that a bye has been clinched. If RIT manages 1 point against Mercyhurst, they will be hosting quarterfinal games. At the same time, I would love to get a healthy goalie game action before the playoffs.

 

[Bing]

Re: >>>>>>>>> RIT Tigers 2015-16 Regular season thread. On the prowl again

Re: >>>>>>>>> RIT Tigers 2015-16 Regular season thread. On the prowl again

Another article about how valuable Tanev is: http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/why-chris-tanev-is-the-most-important-player-for-the-canucks/

 

[Tom Naeger]

Re: >>>>>>>>> RIT Tigers 2015-16 Regular season thread. On the prowl again

Re: >>>>>>>>> RIT Tigers 2015-16 Regular season thread. On the prowl again

Amato deserves a ton of credit. Yes he faced the two worst teams in the AHA, but this really could have been a disaster for RIT. You just can not expect much from a guy who came off a Club team last year to come in to a stretch playoff run. If you told me when this episode started that RIT would get 5 out of a possible 8 points I'd tell you I take it. Amato is what makes RIT a special place. I am not just talking about the RIT hockey team, but RIT in general. You see it from the NTID and through the whole school. Kids doing more than maybe even they thought they could do. Not only on the athletic arena but in academics and most importantly life. That is why I picked RIT as my school and I'm dang proud of my alma mater. RIT is a special place where amazing things happen...

I hate to question a former RIT Tiger, but I have to wonder what Burkholder was thinking when he started Teichroeb over Therien. He was quoted as saying "Jackson [Teichroeb] was struggling", yet he still went with him the next night. A soft goal got it all rolling for RIT. Therien was the best player out there on Friday night and earned another start. I don't see what was served by starting Teichroeb.

I really think RIT could become a better team by this experience. Hopefully Short will be able to be back next week for at least one game. Be key really to get a point and secure home ice. I saw Rotolo in a walking boot on Saturday night. It's hard to imagine him being back before years end...

 

[TigerFan86-87]

Re: >>>>>>>>> RIT Tigers 2015-16 Regular season thread. On the prowl again

Re: >>>>>>>>> RIT Tigers 2015-16 Regular season thread. On the prowl again

....but again if the bye is secured by then I don't suppose it matters all that much if we get knocked around by Hurst.

Clinching the bye is great, but they still need 1 point to stay out of fifth, which would make Friday the last home game of the season.

 

[Tom Naeger]

Re: >>>>>>>>> RIT Tigers 2015-16 Regular season thread. On the prowl again

Re: >>>>>>>>> RIT Tigers 2015-16 Regular season thread. On the prowl again

Clinching the bye is great, but they still need 1 point to stay out of fifth, which would make Friday the last home game of the season.

Exactly,

If Short is Healthy enough to play I would think he will be in there. A regular season championship is actually possible with a sweep and some help, but furthermore you probably are talking about finishing as high as 4th or low as second with a win on Saturday. Both games are going to be big, actually Mercyhurst may have nothing to play for if RIT can get a point on Friday night...

 

[Chris Lerch]

Re: >>>>>>>>> RIT Tigers 2015-16 Regular season thread. On the prowl again

Re: >>>>>>>>> RIT Tigers 2015-16 Regular season thread. On the prowl again

On the other hand, now that a bye is secured, how much is two additional weeks of rehab for the goalies worth? If RIT was still fighting for a bye, maybe they make a different decision about who starts in net this weekend. But now that they're guaranteed a week off, why not play it safe? And after all, it's not like home ice has been an advantage so far this season.

I think Tiger fans should expect to see Amato this weekend and hope for at least a single point, and/or pull for Air Force to sweep Niagara. Probably the worst case scenario is to finish fifth with Air Force finishing fourth. It's true that Air Force lost in the quarterfinals at home in 2013 and 2014 (both in three games), but RIT hasn't had much luck winning one game there let alone two.

 

[komey1]

Re: >>>>>>>>> RIT Tigers 2015-16 Regular season thread. On the prowl again

Re: >>>>>>>>> RIT Tigers 2015-16 Regular season thread. On the prowl again

Let's not forget that Mercyhurst was the team that injured Rotolo. Holding out Short or Rotolo does make sense to me. I can see them getting a point with playing Amato. They will need to play good D and have the power play work like the 2nd period on Saturday.

 

[RIT Winters]

Re: >>>>>>>>> RIT Tigers 2015-16 Regular season thread. On the prowl again

Re: >>>>>>>>> RIT Tigers 2015-16 Regular season thread. On the prowl again

I think Tiger fans should expect to see Amato this weekend and hope for at least a single point, and/or pull for Air Force to sweep Niagara. Probably the worst case scenario is to finish fifth with Air Force finishing fourth. It's true that Air Force lost in the quarterfinals at home in 2013 and 2014 (both in three games), but RIT hasn't had much luck winning one game there let alone two.

Is this conjecture or based on any conversation with the coaches? If Short is healthy enough to play, there's no way they let Amato start when we NEED points. If we win or tie on Friday, happily let Amato play Saturday, but we need the point and if Short can go, he has to go. We can't trust a guy letting in 16% of the shots thrown at him (against BAD teams) to bring it home versus an actually good team.

The fact that he took shots on Saturday certainly is a good sign, as he has a full week of practice to be ready to go.

 

[Scott Biggar]

Re: >>>>>>>>> RIT Tigers 2015-16 Regular season thread. On the prowl again

Re: >>>>>>>>> RIT Tigers 2015-16 Regular season thread. On the prowl again

Is this conjecture or based on any conversation with the coaches? If Short is healthy enough to play, there's no way they let Amato start when we NEED points. If we win or tie on Friday, happily let Amato play Saturday, but we need the point and if Short can go, he has to go. We can't trust a guy letting in 16% of the shots thrown at him (against BAD teams) to bring it home versus an actually good team.

The fact that he took shots on Saturday certainly is a good sign, as he has a full week of practice to be ready to go.

In my post-game interview with Coach Wilson on WITR, he indicated that they would be evaluating the health of Short and Rotollo with the players and doctors. If neither can get in a full week of practice, then it was likely to go with Amato for the Mercyhurst weekend.

Coach Wilson's statement was that they would figure out how to best use the two weeks before the playoffs start to the teams advantage.

 

[Haaafs]

Re: >>>>>>>>> RIT Tigers 2015-16 Regular season thread. On the prowl again

Re: >>>>>>>>> RIT Tigers 2015-16 Regular season thread. On the prowl again

The fact that he took shots on Saturday certainly is a good sign, as he has a full week of practice to be ready to go.

I thought it was noteworthy that Short not only took shots on Saturday, but he also dropped to the butterfly on a few. That's an encouraging sign. Rotolo, on the other hand, wasn't doing that when he was dressing. He was pretty much just standing in front of the goal and moving his arms a bit.

 

[Tom Naeger]

Re: >>>>>>>>> RIT Tigers 2015-16 Regular season thread. On the prowl again

Re: >>>>>>>>> RIT Tigers 2015-16 Regular season thread. On the prowl again

On the other hand, now that a bye is secured, how much is two additional weeks of rehab for the goalies worth? If RIT was still fighting for a bye, maybe they make a different decision about who starts in net this weekend. But now that they're guaranteed a week off, why not play it safe? And after all, it's not like home ice has been an advantage so far this season.

I think Tiger fans should expect to see Amato this weekend and hope for at least a single point, and/or pull for Air Force to sweep Niagara. Probably the worst case scenario is to finish fifth with Air Force finishing fourth. It's true that Air Force lost in the quarterfinals at home in 2013 and 2014 (both in three games), but RIT hasn't had much luck winning one game there let alone two.

It really depends on how close Short is and we really don't know. The one thing I always hate on Hockey is how they are hush on injuries. It plain ridiculous what goes on.

I give Amato a lot of credit for what he has done, but being honest he still scares me to death...