Re: RPI Hockey 2014-2015 Part II: Dedicated to Rich Curadi
Dude that is exactly my point. These boys are having no fun at all. From my viewpoint it is like they are playing too cautiously, trying not to make a mistake, taking steps backward instead of pushing the puck up ice, delaying before they try to pass or skate up ice, delaying with the puck in their defensive end, not making a big hit for fear of a penalty, not forechecking for fear of being caught up ice. Playing in fear that if they do make that bad play, they will suffer consequences for it(less ice time, being sat out, in the doghouse, having the blame put on them, etc). We have decent size-we do not use it and actually play like a small team. We have speed-we do not use it, bringing the puck up deliberately instead of rushing up ice. We play dump and chase-but then take a line change and do not chase with even a single forward heading into the zone. And our defense just seems to take a passing wave at an incoming rushing forward instead of taking the body and forcing him to the outside.
Goaltending is of course crucial, and it has not been good lately. But it becomes far easier when our team can keep the puck in the offensive zone with pressure or when our forwards can forecheck a team into having difficulty bringing the puck into our zone. It becomes even easier when our big defensemen keep the lanes clear for the goalie to see what is coming at him and then move in to clear any rebounds to the sides and corners. All of this is basic and pretty obvious. Yet we are doing very little of it. And of course, everything starts with faceoffs, whether it be defending when short handed or keeping pressure on and creating chances when on the power play and at the end of games when we pull the goalie and have an extra attacker.
I absolutely believe we have recruited the talent and I absolutely believe in these boys. The talent is just being used in a way that takes advantage of what we have.
Several people have made all kinds of suggestions about how to get out of this terrible rut the team has fallen into the past couple of seasons. And yes, many of these same issues seem to come up every season. A couple of observations:
1. We all are fans of the program and so very frustrated by this team's inability to maintain any kind of positive momentum for more than a game or two. We all have theories and thoughts and suggestions, but much of it is wrong. Yes, the blueliners do seem extremely tentative the past few weeks and the lack of offense has been a problem all year, but some of the thoughts just don't make sense. When our guys dump the puck, they always have at least one guy chase, more if it is early in the shift. They don't hit as often as many observers would like, but it also seems that almost every time they do deliver a solid check, they get called for a borderline or phantom interference or roughing call, as was the case on at least 2 plays Saturday night. Some of that has to be reputation. In the ECAC RPI has always seemed to have a rep akin to the old Oakland Raiders, edeserved or not.
2. Maybe this team, and program, just is not as talented as many people on this forum would like to believe. There are some talented players that have come through Troy the past 8 seasons, but some of the best have been snatched away before they get to be seniors and we just don't have the depth of talent that Cornell, Harvard, Yale, Union, Q'Pac and other top programs around the country can attract. Some of the others have come in highly touted, only to have average or worse college careers. Some of that blame has to fall on the coaches who recruited them, but maybe our expectations, fueled in part by the coach and AD who say that the goal is to compete for a national title, are just not realistic given the situation. I hope not. Most of us don't know enough about the support the program receives from the president and her staff. Do they get any breaks with admissions, financial aid, budgeting, etc.? This year's team has 14 forwards. When they had 4-5 out with injuries, it affected them in games, but also in practices. Guys had to do more reps. in practice and play more minutes in games and that wears people down. We need more bodies and more talented bodies. Most of the talent up front is in the freshman and sophomore classes. For the most part the seniors and juniors underproduced and that can be said for the seniors on defense as well. Throw in a sub-par year for the goalies and you have the makings of a 25 loss season.
Things are certainly very bad right not, but not hopeless. They did play very well the last 40-45 minutes against Yale and guys are finally healthy. Maybe they can still make that run to the playoffs we are hall hoping for. If not, they do have some talent coming back next season. Let's hope the guys coming in can produce as well. The new AD also has a lot of experience building success. Let's hope he gets the opportunity, and the autonomy, to do it here. LGR!
