RPI Hockey 2016 - 2017: Here we go again! I hope it's a fun ride.

[lugnut92]

Re: RPI Hockey 2016 - 2017: Here we go again! I hope it's a fun ride.

We need to stop hemorrhaging giveaways in every zone. And taking unscreened shots from the point directly into the goalie's chest.

This is feeling a bit like 2011-12. A spectacular goalie leaves early and the team is too slow to realize that they can't get away with what worked last year.

 

[rsfs04]

Re: RPI Hockey 2016 - 2017: Here we go again! I hope it's a fun ride.

We need to stop hemorrhaging giveaways in every zone. And taking unscreened shots from the point directly into the goalie's chest.

This is feeling a bit like 2011-12. A spectacular goalie leaves early and the team is too slow to realize that they can't get away with what worked last year.

Lugnut, had the same thought as you. Two things are really hurting this team right now:
1) Allowing at least 3 goals in every game this year
2) Not getting scoring from all over the lineup.

I could go into great detail about what is causing each of these issues, but what it boils down to is will they improve going forward. I believe this team is more than capable of being quite solid defensively. The GAA will get better going forward. The team has looked better defensively from the start of the year, and will at some point figure out how not to take 17 PIM per game.

The scoring is a bigger concern. If you take away the goals of Bourbs, Tironese, and Wilson, this team has scored 5 other goals this year. They need to find a 2nd and 3rd line that can put the puck in the net. I do think they have players with scoring ability, but it's just not coming together. To me, this could take some time, and is really the main reason our record is so bad right now.

When/if these get better, the record will get better. The question is are they going to get better in November, or not until the turn of the calendar?

 

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: RPI Hockey 2016 - 2017: Here we go again! I hope it's a fun ride.

Lugnut, had the same thought as you. Two things are really hurting this team right now:
1) Allowing at least 3 goals in every game this year
2) Not getting scoring from all over the lineup.

I could go into great detail about what is causing each of these issues, but what it boils down to is will they improve going forward. I believe this team is more than capable of being quite solid defensively. The GAA will get better going forward. The team has looked better defensively from the start of the year, and will at some point figure out how not to take 17 PIM per game.

The scoring is a bigger concern. If you take away the goals of Bourbs, Tironese, and Wilson, this team has scored 5 other goals this year. They need to find a 2nd and 3rd line that can put the puck in the net. I do think they have players with scoring ability, but it's just not coming together. To me, this could take some time, and is really the main reason our record is so bad right now.

When/if these get better, the record will get better. The question is are they going to get better in November, or not until the turn of the calendar?

To be fair, in 08-09 we started to click at the right time, even if we couldn't dig out from the 11 seed.

With #2, there's one glaring problem that has occurred since I started really closely following this team: Finishing. Even if it means Coach Graham's spending a large chunk of a practice just working on finishing, that will pay so many dividends. We have the firepower as is evidenced by all the posts Ralph makes in the recruits threads, now is the time to use it to better the team. Does this mean force shots? No. What it means is taking open opportunities, and getting in position for rebounds, which incidentally is how both of our goals were scored last night (again, according to radio).

I would add a 3rd to this list, although sort of a cause of the first: Depending a little too much on the goaltender. Granted many of us did not have the advantage of video, but it wouldn't surprise me if that's the case after going into a shell. Sure, we played what seemed on the radio to be a more possession minded game on the off-chance there was a 5x5 so there's some improvement, and if we can build on that, we can put some relief on what happens in our own end.

 

[rvd5star69]

To be fair, in 08-09 we started to click at the right time, even if we couldn't dig out from the 11 seed.

With #2, there's one glaring problem that has occurred since I started really closely following this team: Finishing. Even if it means Coach Graham's spending a large chunk of a practice just working on finishing, that will pay so many dividends. We have the firepower as is evidenced by all the posts Ralph makes in the recruits threads, now is the time to use it to better the team. Does this mean force shots? No. What it means is taking open opportunities, and getting in position for rebounds, which incidentally is how both of our goals were scored last night (again, according to radio).

I would add a 3rd to this list, although sort of a cause of the first: Depending a little too much on the goaltender. Granted many of us did not have the advantage of video, but it wouldn't surprise me if that's the case after going into a shell. Sure, we played what seemed on the radio to be a more possession minded game on the off-chance there was a 5x5 so there's some improvement, and if we can build on that, we can put some relief on what happens in our own end.

2 pp goals was a shocker

 

[jstadts]

Re: RPI Hockey 2016 - 2017: Here we go again! I hope it's a fun ride.

Forty one penalty minutes in two games. combine that with Appert shortening the bench soooo early every game equals dead slow legs at crunch time. Has to change.

 

[TucsonMike]

Re: RPI Hockey 2016 - 2017: Here we go again! I hope it's a fun ride.

Forty one penalty minutes in two games. combine that with Appert shortening the bench soooo early every game equals dead slow legs at crunch time. Has to change.

Bingo. Dead center post here.

I'm having a tough time coming to grips with it still being October and feeling like we are already on the way to cashing in our chips for the season. Seth Appert is closing in on 200 losses, and it's clear that "playing the Engineer way" is ultimately translating into a culture of: recruiting and then depending far too heavily upon over-achieving goaltending, going to sleep during certain periods (usually the third) and not being able to close out games, fielding a power play that always seems to fall below expectations, showing up to long road trip games looking tired and unprepared (Alaska trip, Colorado College, etc.) continually being outshot, losing most faceoffs, and so on. Sprinkle on top of that the fact that we always seem to have key players injured, and well, there you go - a once proud and dominant program that has slipped into the second tier of our own conference and seldom shows up in national polls anymore.

This may seem severe, but it's honest feedback from a fan that has followed every game since 1989. I truly hope we can find a way to turn things around, but this program needs to answer some very difficult questions at the end of this season, not the least of which is whether we have gone as far as we can under current leadership.

 

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: RPI Hockey 2016 - 2017: Here we go again! I hope it's a fun ride.

Bingo. Dead center post here.

I'm having a tough time coming to grips with it still being October and feeling like we are already on the way to cashing in our chips for the season. Seth Appert is closing in on 200 losses, and it's clear that "playing the Engineer way" is ultimately translating into a culture of: recruiting and then depending far too heavily upon over-achieving goaltending, going to sleep during certain periods (usually the third) and not being able to close out games, fielding a power play that always seems to fall below expectations, showing up to long road trip games looking tired and unprepared (Alaska trip, Colorado College, etc.) continually being outshot, losing most faceoffs, and so on. Sprinkle on top of that the fact that we always seem to have key players injured, and well, there you go - a once proud and dominant program that has slipped into the second tier of our own conference and seldom shows up in national polls anymore.

This may seem severe, but it's honest feedback from a fan that has followed every game since 1989. I truly hope we can find a way to turn things around, but this program needs to answer some very difficult questions at the end of this season, not the least of which is whether we have gone as far as we can under current leadership.

One of the biggest hurdles we have with this is how, after having two good seasons (10-11 and 12-13, there may have also been one after 09-10), Appert received absurdly large contract extensions after each. If I'm not mistaken, he's in until about 2021 assuming he doesn't resign (and it's safe to say he likely won't). A lot of this is very poor vision on the part of the administration in terms of the success of their only D-I men's sport. I understand you have to compete with moneybags schools in the west, but that was just ridiculous. Sure, hindsight's 20/10, but there has to be some reasonable amount of expectation now that he's an "old hand" here. First few years is understandable, get some processes in place, really get things moving. After that, success should be expected.

 

[TucsonMike]

Re: RPI Hockey 2016 - 2017: Here we go again! I hope it's a fun ride.

Adam Oates back to Troy as a skills coach? All we need is the $$. He's apparently available for hire (but probably not at the college level)

 

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: RPI Hockey 2016 - 2017: Here we go again! I hope it's a fun ride.

Adam Oates back to Troy as a skills coach? All we need is the $$. He's apparently available for hire (but probably not at the college level)

And which one of the two ACs are you getting rid of (or potentially promoting up)? Only allowed 1 HC and 2 AC on the payroll, per NCAA rules.

 

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: RPI Hockey 2016 - 2017: Here we go again! I hope it's a fun ride.

Forty one penalty minutes in two games. combine that with Appert shortening the bench soooo early every game equals dead slow legs at crunch time. Has to change.

If lots of special teams are going to be a thing this year, what if you were to get all four lines proficient on the PK, "roll lines" on the PP, and then save the special stuff for #x3 and 3x#? Adaptation is one of the best traits of a good bench coach.

 

[TucsonMike]

Re: RPI Hockey 2016 - 2017: Here we go again! I hope it's a fun ride.

Vines is in charge of the defense and PP, right? If Oates was even a possibility, I think you have your answer.

 

[Ralph Baer]

Re: RPI Hockey 2016 - 2017: Here we go again! I hope it's a fun ride.

Vines is in charge of the defense and PP, right? If Oates was even a possibility, I think you have your answer.

I thought that Nolan Graham was in charge of the power play.

 

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: RPI Hockey 2016 - 2017: Here we go again! I hope it's a fun ride.

I thought that Nolan Graham was in charge of the power play.

That's certainly what's said in numerous pre-game talks. However I assume it is as a part of Appert's general strategy. After all, how much of a difference have we seen between Monty's and Graham's PP?

 

[Ralph Baer]

Re: RPI Hockey 2016 - 2017: Here we go again! I hope it's a fun ride.

That's certainly what's said in numerous pre-game talks. However I assume it is as a part of Appert's general strategy. After all, how much of a difference have we seen between Monty's and Graham's PP?

I agree that SA is the one who really controls the PP, but Graham is nominally in charge not Vines.

 

[engineerhockeyfan]

Re: RPI Hockey 2016 - 2017: Here we go again! I hope it's a fun ride.

I can't comment on the two games this weekend, as I was away a didn't get to see either of them.
That said, no matter who the coach is, we are not going to win many games scoring at a clip of two goals a game.
The forwards this year look very talented on the ice, but only a couple of them seem to know where the net is.
Players like Nanne and Liljegren have to put the puck in the net on a regular basis if we are to go anywhere this year.
Personally, I really like Hayhurst, but he is one of those guys that looks great playing, but the puck doesn't go in for him.
If we don't find an offense, we are going no where.

 

[Ralph Baer]

Re: RPI Hockey 2016 - 2017: Here we go again! I hope it's a fun ride.

I can't comment on the two games this weekend, as I was away a didn't get to see either of them.
That said, no matter who the coach is, we are not going to win many games scoring at a clip of two goals a game.
The forwards this year look very talented on the ice, but only a couple of them seem to know where the net is.
Players like Nanne and Liljegren have to put the puck in the net on a regular basis if we are to go anywhere this year.
Personally, I really like Hayhurst, but he is one of those guys that looks great playing, but the puck doesn't go in for him.
If we don't find an offense, we are going no where.

I think that Hayhurst will get over it. I am more concerned about our upper classmen, especially the junior class besides for Wilson.

 

[TucsonMike]

Re: RPI Hockey 2016 - 2017: Here we go again! I hope it's a fun ride.

I think that Hayhurst will get over it. I am more concerned about our upper classmen, especially the junior class besides for Wilson.

Hi Ralph - Just curious why the junior class was singled out - could you expand on that?

 

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: RPI Hockey 2016 - 2017: Here we go again! I hope it's a fun ride.

I think that Hayhurst will get over it. I am more concerned about our upper classmen, especially the junior class besides for Wilson.

Is it really something you can "get over"? Missing the net happens quite a lot, and is something one of my friends noticed especially in the 10-11 season, hence why I mentioned finishing seems to be a problem for a long time. Are they being instructed to go deflection first? Are we maybe trying to over-compensate for the goaltenders' skill level of being able to swallow up a puck without a rebound? Is it just our difficulty with finishing and we're looking way too much into this?

 

[Ralph Baer]

Re: RPI Hockey 2016 - 2017: Here we go again! I hope it's a fun ride.

Hi Ralph - Just curious why the junior class was singled out - could you expand on that?

Ehf already mentioned Nanne and Liljegren. I also expected more from Melanson. and Gillespie is nowhere to be seen. Clearly it is still early.

 

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: RPI Hockey 2016 - 2017: Here we go again! I hope it's a fun ride.

Sorry to see WaP stepping back a bit in their commentary, but I can fully understand why. It's always been a pleasure to read. http://www.withoutapeer.com/2016/10/long-time-running.html

And wow, one of the comments is idiotic... :facepalm: