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The University of Notre Dame Hockey: 09-10. Let's Live It Up!

Re: The University of Notre Dame Hockey: 09-10. Let's Live It Up!

Wow Great Recap Jeff_Jackson_for_Pres.

Can you post that in the "Ferris State Hockey 2 Minutes For Slashing" thread?
 
Re: The University of Notre Dame Hockey: 09-10. Let's Live It Up!

Congrats to former ND and current Blackhawks video guy Brad Aldridge on being named the US Olympic Team's video guy. Maybe these ND ties will bring another gold medal...
 
Re: The University of Notre Dame Hockey: 09-10. Let's Live It Up!

After waiting for forever to watch ND hockey, I'm not going to lie, I'm ready for this weekend! Listening to it just isn't the same as the cold glass against my hands, and getting atleast 1 player from the opposing team to look at me, while i'm telling him he sucks!

Is it bad that my 3 year old yells sucks after each player's name is read from the opposing team's roster? He even does it while listening to the game. And you better believe he sits right next to the radio w/ me listening to the entire game.

You can't tell who his father is can you? He makes his daddy proud!
 
Re: The University of Notre Dame Hockey: 09-10. Let's Live It Up!

I would also like to congratulate the 2010 Shillelagh all-tournament team!

Goaltender - Mike Johnson, Notre Dame
Defense - Brett Blatchford, Notre Dame
Defense - Jake Marto, North Dakota
Forward - Brett Hextall, North Dakota
Forward - Kevin Deeth, Notre Dame
Forward - Billy Maday, Notre Dame
Most Outstanding Player - Billy Maday, Notre Dame

Keep up the good work Irish!
 
Re: The University of Notre Dame Hockey: 09-10. Let's Live It Up!

It seems like it's been weeks since we've had a home game... oh yeah, it has been. Let me also offer belated congrats to Kyle Palmieri on helping the USA bring home the Gold at the IIHF games in Saskatchewan. Here's to hoping some of what I saw there carries over to the second half of his Notre Dame season. He was distributing the puck, blocking shots, and making plays I have yet to see consistently in his time in a Notre Dame sweater. I know he has it in him to be the best player on this team, and to attain that status in a team oriented way as well. In addition to getting healthy and working Joe Lavin into the mix, this team absolutely needs its most skilled players to be the best team guys as well. That's how Mark Van Guilder, Christian Hanson, and Erik Condra and others led this team to so much success -- either regular season or post -- the last couple of years.
 
Re: The University of Notre Dame Hockey: 09-10. Let's Live It Up!

It looks like Kyle Palmieri will have to wait for a weekend to try and bring some of his medal winning mojo to the Irish hockey team. This means there is a good chance to see Kyle Lawson skating at forward again.
 
Re: The University of Notre Dame Hockey: 09-10. Let's Live It Up!

:( Just when I think I can't get more frustrated... How many passes didn't connect tonight? How many times did they fail to clear a puck away after a shot on Johnson? How many faceoffs did they win cleanly?

With 2/3 of the season gone I don't see this team earning either a first round bye in the CCHA tournament, or more importantly, a berth in the NCAAs. There isn't a single player on this team consistently overachieving and quite a few doing just the opposite, and NCAA teams aren't saddled with baggage like that.

How they are playing is almost unrecognizable to me compared with the way they played the game the previous 4 seasons. Even Jacksons first team here got more out of their talent than this team has shown so far. Very, very odd.
 
Re: The University of Notre Dame Hockey: 09-10. Let's Live It Up!

ND plummeted down to 9th place with this icky effort tonight. On top of that, many teams ahead of them have games in hand. I think the 1st three spots in the league are now out of the question. I'd settle for 4th place in the league...but I fear I won't get that.

FSU isn't a more talented team than ND. They just execute their system perfectly. ND couldn't execute a dead guy right now. Aside from Kevin Deeth's nice goal off the rebound and Ian Cole's bomb to the top shelf, no one impressed. Alas, even Dan Kissel and Calle Ridderwall were mediocre at best tonight. Too many shots passed up. Too many passes to a guy in maroon. Too many "I think I'll dazzle the other team with my skills...Oops. Oh crap!" plays.

Like IHF, I can't get a read on this team.
 
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Re: The University of Notre Dame Hockey: 09-10. Let's Live It Up!

Oh, hey, quick question for those who frequent the Joyce Center (as I'm assuming many in this thread would)...

After some fiddling around with ND's ticketing website, I've secured four seats for Friday's game against Michigan State. The seats are in section four, are in the same row, and, specifically, are seats 13, 14, 15 and 16.

Now, my question for those who've been tossed in section four before: Are seats 14 and 15 split by the aisle?

Just curious. It's not a biggie if they are split, but I wonder as to why I wouldn't be able to select those seats while imputing a "4" into the quantity box, yet can apparently acquire four consecutive seats while requesting a bunch of random available pairs.
 
Re: The University of Notre Dame Hockey: 09-10. Let's Live It Up!

Something is missing, and where it went no one knows. All due credit to FSU but to lose 5-2 on home ice?!?!:mad: Come on! I did not see the game tonight, only listened but this is not what we as Irish fans have been accustomed to these past few years. Suffice to say this is a down year and it shouldn't be with all of the talent out there. Sad to say but its time to get ready for next year, as it seems most of the team has. Saying that angers me but what else is there to do? *** happened this year? Is it the captains? Is it the chemistry? Is it the coaching? Or is a bit of everything? Whatever it may be I dont like it! This team waited too long to flip the switch and they lost it. Plain and simple. We as season ticket holders, as fans as life long supporters expected more and this team has disappointed themselves and us.

I thought maybe just maybe the wknd in Chicago might have done something for the team but the reality is they barely beat an inferior team and got lucky against a depleted North Dakota team who thought they had the game in the bag after going up 3-1 (see Chicago Black Hawks vs. Minnesota Wild 1/9/2010). I will still cheer this team and hope for the best but those of us who dont see things through rose colored glasses see the writing on the wall and its ugly! :confused:
 
Re: The University of Notre Dame Hockey: 09-10. Let's Live It Up!

As more and more games go by I think it is becoming obvious the issue isn't just what we see, but WHO we don't. It is turning out that last years senior class is missed a lot more than I feared it would be.

In retrospect, I believe this class was the most valuable group of seniors the program has ever had. The leadership on and off the ice they provided is missing, plain and simple. I believe all the captains on this year's team have struggled mightily to keep the team focused and have failed to smoothly transition to roles of expanded responsibility. In addition I think the on-ice play of the two main leaders, Ryan Thang and Kyle Lawson, has suffered a huge drop off. Thang, who scored at a pace of nearly .75 points a game in his first three years has disappeared offensively. And while Lawson is still scoring at a similar pace as in his first three years, his play in his own end has been inconsistent at best, and is suffering from all of the same maladies as everyone else (bad passing, bad decisions, hasty play, turnovers). 2 years ago in the run to the national championship game I thought he was the teams most valuable player. While leaders and captains don't always have to be your best players on the ice, sometimes they do. On this team I think we expected these two to be much better on game nights.

More acutely the scoring punch and offensive creativity the class of 2009 provided is missing as well. The freshman class has fallen far short of replacing the 45 goals scored by the departed seniors, and adding in the sophomores who we figured to get more playing time has done virtually nothing to change that total. This is completely different than the last couple of years, when incoming players did a much better job of replacing graduated offense. The 10 players who have skated this year who are either freshmen, or sophomores who did not play regularly (if at all) last season, have netted just 11 goals. After picking up 3 points (2g, 1a) in his first 3 games, Kyle Palmieri has scored just 4 more in 16 games. Only Riley Sheahan has performed well enough throughout his freshman season. And in a collective 98 games skated this year the sophomore class has scored just 8 goals. And 7 have come off the stick of one player, Billy Maday. In 31 games so far at Notre Dame Patrick Gaul has yet to find the net. This little production out of nearly half your skaters is unacceptable. Especially in a sport and league where freshmen and sophomores routinely play a large part in your success.

The one area that has suffered the least by the loss of a senior has been in net. Mike Johnson has been every bit as good as anyone could have expected. Especially considering he was thrown into the mix as number one after coming here as the presumed number two goalie. The only problem I have seen is that he now knows he has to hold the other team to two goals or fewer if Notre Dame is to be able to regularly earn points. While Jordan Pearce thrived in this role in 2008 as the team suffered a similar scoring drought, he did it with the benefit of having apprenticed under David Brown and having spent the better part of three seasons under the Dome. Whatever success this team has the rest of the way, Mike Johnson is going to earn a lot of the credit. However bad it may go, he will likely deserve little of the blame. Either way, this team is putting too much pressure on a freshman goaltender. In his freshman season even David Brown was not expected to shoulder this much of the burden as he had the experienced Morgan Cey to equally share the load.

With 13 CCHA game left, there is still ample time for this team to improve on its fortunes. 9 of those are against teams with more points in the CCHA standings, providing opportunities to move up the league ladder. And 4 are against Western Michigan and Bowling Green, points that should be won under any circumstances. 5th place is still well within their sight, and 4th place and a first round bye isn't out of the question should this team suddenly figure out all that is going wrong.

While I won't count them out until the time comes to clean out their lockers, it appears that this time will come a lot sooner than most of us expected when the puck dropped in October. The fact is, this team looks just as tentative and just as overmatched as they did in March against Bemdji State, and as they looked against Alabama Huntsville to open the season.
 
Re: The University of Notre Dame Hockey: 09-10. Let's Live It Up!

As more and more games go by I think it is becoming obvious the issue isn't just what we see, but WHO we don't. It is turning out that last years senior class is missed a lot more than I feared it would be.

I didn't want to admit this, but I now have to agree. Specifically with 4 points. Erik Condra's playmaking and obvious leadership and Christian Hanson's face off skills and big body in front of the net.

ND could easily go 7-6 in their last 13 games (yuck), which should be good enough for 6th place. It seems odd that I would want them to "strive" for 6th place when you realize that every player on this team, with the obvious exception of the freshmen, has known nothing but excellence at Notre Dame; 2 regular season championships, 2 league tourney championships, trips to the NCAA's, including a trip to the NC game, and an average number of wins per season of just under 30.

I think a few choice scenes in "Miracle" are needed... The fight scene where Herb Brooks/Kurt Russell tells them they start playing as a team right now, the scene where Herb/Kurt tells his players they don't have enough talent to win on talent alone, and the scene where Rob McClanahan/Nathan West explains that they're a family. All things missing from the team here.
 
Re: The University of Notre Dame Hockey: 09-10. Let's Live It Up!

Well, I've decided to take the gloves off. Hell, if Coach Jackson can throw a water bottle across the ice, the least I can do is match his emotions.

First, this team has no chemistry. How that is possible after half of them have played together for 3 years is beyond me. There was more communication in my game yesterday (and we don't play for a spot in the NCAA's) than I've heard all year from ND. There's more of a bond between me and one of my teammates whom I dislike so much I probably wouldn't pee on her if she were on fire than in the locker room in the North Dome.

Second, Coach Jackson needs to strip the captains of their letters, please. Give the letters to Dan Kissel, Ian Cole and Calle Ridderwall. Give them to nobody. I don't care. The current captains cannot lead this team. They've proven that fact time and again this season.

Third, I never thought I would see an ND team with 2 first round draft picks, a gold medal winner among them, and all the talent they have (on paper) fall out of the PWR, fall out of the first round bye placement, fall out of the running for home ice in the playoffs (for now), be so inconceivably inconsistent in their play, and not show that brotherhood that hockey teams are famous for.

Fourth, I feel bad for Joe Lavin. He's got to be thinking, "What have I jumped into?"

Lastly, on the plus side, Ian Cole had a fantastic weekend. It's becoming painfully obvious that he is getting frustrated and is starting to try to do it all (while having success with that mindset for the past few games) and for the first time, I now believe he will not stay for his senior year. Why would he if he doesn't feel a bond with teammates? He could still not feel a bond with the Blues and get paid for it.

Huh. I actually feel better after spewing this vitriol.
 
Re: The University of Notre Dame Hockey: 09-10. Let's Live It Up!

The thing that continues to bug me the most (and there is a lot to be bugged about by this squad this year) is how we continue to get pushed around in the third period. Hell, we're getting pushed around for most of the game most nights, but it is particularly galling in the third.

Last night they mustered three measly shots in the third period, despite trailing for the whole time, and got outscored 2-0. Tonight, they give up 2 goals again, this time on just 6 Ferris shots and fail once again to put one passed Nagle. Their third period play all year has been like this.

One of the arguments that played all year during the football season was how Notre Dame was continually getting out-muscled all over the field and anywhere out-and-out strength could play a role basically. The way the hockey team has lost games in the third all year, the lack of physical play from nearly every single Irish player all season, the way we can never seem to clear the zone no matter how many times an Irish player has his stick on the puck killing penalties, it all leads me to believe the same ill has stricken the hockey team. Never in a million years would I have expected this kind of an issue to be a problem with the hockey team. But it has been glaringly obvious all year. A problem like that cannot be fixed during the season. Unless I'm wrong, get ready for a rocky finish.
 
Re: The University of Notre Dame Hockey: 09-10. Let's Live It Up!

Another thing to ponder is whether or not anyone will miss games due to their actions in the third. Ruth will miss Friday's game from the NCAAs sanctions, but will Jackson sit him further? Was his anger at the hit by Ouellette, which was simply a dirty cowardly play by a guy Ruth pushed around for the whole shift and one of the few times I have agreed with the extra penalties on a hit from behind? Or was he angry because he thought his guys lost focus, which they appeared to me to have? Or was it the officiating he thought was lacking? If it the latter, I'd have to say I don't agree as the officials called two pretty even games and I don't think had a part in the emotions boiling over.
 
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Re: The University of Notre Dame Hockey: 09-10. Let's Live It Up!

Some questions are being answered, possibly. Jackson's anger was over the officiating, especially in the third. He intends to send video to the league of the non-call on the Maday hit and the Ouellette hit for some further explanation. Kai Kantola of Bowling Green got 5 games for a hit on Luke Lucyk (IIRC) a couple seasons ago that was not as cheap and cowardly as Ouellette's. My guess is the Ouellette hit will net him a lengthy suspension, although I believe the most punishment a referee can dish out is a five minute major and a game DQ.
 
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