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

[Sugarisland]

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

Ferris State has clinched a fifth place spot in the CCHA. At worst Ferris can tie Michigan for 4th place, but the Wolverines would go ahead in the standings because of Conference wins. So Ferris would be in 5th place with home ice advantage.

All the 'Dawgs need is 1 point, a shootout lose, and they will clinch first round bye in the CCHA.

If you only get one point vs Western, you do not deserve to go any further

Congrats on the home bye. You've had a good season. We have an opening in Kalamazoo. Tell Bob Daniels he is welcome to apply.

 

[Sugarisland]

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

I'm a girl.

That would be "woman." I've met JJFP.

 

[A Shot and a Goal]

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

I'm a girl.

I knew that. If you look at my post you'll see it ends with a ===><=== as my post was intended as a joke.

 

[Jeff_Jackson_for_Pres.]

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

Okay, when the posts start leaning towards what I wear underneath my gear, I need to change the subject.

Well, the end of the regular season is upon us. Michigan could conceivably finish as high as 2nd in the league if FSU and MSU lay eggs as ND did against WMU and BG, but I don't see that happening. Regardless, Michigan is still playing for a bye, so they will come out on fire. ND is playing for home ice, but that home ice is getting mighty thin under their skates.

There are some things about these 2 teams that are nearly identical. Both have underachieved (although Michigan is in a position to salvage their season). Both teams are hovering around .500 (although I'd rather be hovering above like Michigan, than below like ND). Both are led by Swedes. Both have great coaching staffs. Their special teams are virtually interchangeable.

The glaring differences are their GF and scorers' points totals.

Michigan is led by Carl Hagelin with 37 points. The others with at least 20 points thus far include Matt Rust with 30, Louie Caporusso with 28 and Chris Brown with 24. Brown is also their top PPG guy with 7 extra-attacker goals. ND is led by Calle Ridderwall with 25 points. The others with at least 20 points include Kyle Lawson with 22 and Ryan Thang and Billy Maday (welcome back) with 20 apiece. Ridderwall leads ND on the PP with 10 PPG's, but he's been stuck there for a while.

Bryan Hogan will be in net for Michigan. He's got a GA of 2.34 with a save % of .900 under a record of 18-15-1. Mike Johnson is just under .500 (man, if this team could only score and clear out pucks in front of him...) at 9-10-5 with a GA of 2.36 and a save % of .919.

Michigan averages 3.03 GF while giving up 2.4 GA. ND scores only 2.41 GF and gives up 2.47 GA. Like I said, "If only this team could score..." Michigan's PP is 18.8% on the strength of 38 PPG's this season. ND's PP is 18.6% while registering 37 PPG's. Michigan's PK is 87% while they've given up 25 PPG's against. ND's PK is 87.2% while giving up 20 PPG's against.

Vince Lombardi once said, "The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will."

 

[IrishHockeyFan]

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

Something touched upon many times before this season bears repeating as we head to the final weekend, and that is the team's inability to put teams away.

Last season there was not one blown lead in the 3rd period all season leading to one of the 9 losses or ties. Not one. This year -- a year where they've failed to win 22 games already and unless we're celebrating an NCAA title in 7 weeks there will be at least one more -- they've already done it ten times. That's a minimum of 10 points lost in the standings and potentially many, many more. For example, had they not blown the lead last Friday in the third, they would have earned 3 points as opposed to zero. With all the other woes, all the struggles 5-on-5, all the injuries, all the blown leads in games not won (also 10 of those this year), just having a little more success in the third would have solved almost all of it. Just half of the potential points given away in the third period would likely have this team in the top 4 and very close to another NCAA bid.

The hallmark of this team almost since the first games they skated with Jeff Jackson behind the bench has been third period dominance. They don't lose games in the third. This year it's been nearly half of their problem. Injuries are a part of that, certainly. But both before the injuries really began playing havoc with the lineup they lost in this fashion, and even with two games where they got almost all the important parts back, it continued. There are obviously some intricate things needing correction. Some tangible and intangible issues to be resolved. But if you cannot compete in the third period, you cannot be successful. The root cause of that problem has to be identified and corrected.

 

[IrishHockeyFan]

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

Wow, even UND.com doesn't care about hockey anymore. We've had hardly any video coverage all season and now here we are hours away from the next contest and no notes? Not that there is ever a wealth of stuff there unknown to most of us, but there is the occasional trivia tidbit or reminder of a scoring milestone approaching, things along those lines. Usually there is something 36-48 hours in front of the upcoming games.

 

[Jeff_Jackson_for_Pres.]

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

My best friend lived next door to me growing up. We were born 20 days apart. Her mom and my mom were best friends. You couldn't tell where one family ended and the other began. She and I were close through college...even beyond. She was the maid of honor at my wedding. In the past 14 months, we've spoken once. I thought, "How did that happen? We're both teachers. We're both married. We grew up in a dinky town and were joined at the hip."

We have nothing in common anymore...well, other than teaching. But she teaches in a montessori school. I have always worked with alternative (troubled) students. She likes wine. I like Mountain Dew. She does jazzercize. I play hockey. She has kids. I have cats.

Sometimes the chemistry you had really was the chemistry provided by your surroundings or the other people in those surroundings. It's not your chemistry per se. Just because our moms were thick as thieves and we grew up on the same street and we chose the same profession doesn't mean we will have anything to talk about, have the same goals for our adult lives, want to still live next door to each other...

It took me all season to try to figure this team out. Jocelyn solved that riddle for me.

 

[IrishHockeyFan]

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

I'm trying to look for positives and I think I found one. Before tonight's game this group of players (I no longer can ascribe the term "team" to them) had 4 games left to play this season, and now they only have three.

Very lazy loss tonight. I honestly believe that had this been one of the vintage Michigan teams, this game could have been 7 or 8 to nothing.

I wonder what the odds are of not seeing Michigan clinch the first round bye I thought Notre Dame would be playing for? I mean by other than avoiding the Joyce Center on Saturday night. If Notre Dame couldn't find the motivation to win for their own sake, I think I almost find it insulting to wonder if they can win to keep another team from celebrating any sort of accomplishment. My thoughts seem to have devolved to the level of the product on the ice, which appears to be "get this fu(&1ng season over."

 

[nmu_27]

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

Hey Notre Dame,

If you could make an attempt to win your final home game this season that would be great.

Sincerely,

Northern Michigan University

 

[StillaLeafsFan]

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

Hey Notre Dame,

If you could make an attempt to win your final home game this season that would be great.

Sincerely,

Northern Michigan University

Dear NMU,
We can't promise to try, but we will consider trying to try, or possibly think about playing one period at greater than half-speed. How's that?
Sincerely,
The University of Notre Dame hockey team (where we may not always win the game, but we never lose the party!)

 

[IrishHockeyFan]

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

Hey Notre Dame,

If you could make an attempt to win your final home game this season that would be great.

Sincerely,

Northern Michigan University

Don't hold your breath on that one. Notre Dame has checked out. Elvis has left the building.

Last night the game ended within a minute of Hogan leaving with the injury. The shoulders sagged, the bench died, and the effort evaporated as soon as the Langlais' goal floated over Johnson's head and into the net.

Instead of coming out like gang busters and controlling the play to put some effective pressure on a guy who may have struggled in the face of just such an onslaught, Notre Dame plops down an ineffective backcheck, lazily gives up the puck and the goalie lets in a questionable goal.

We somehow manage 1,295 shots on Riley Gill -- the best and most effective player on his team -- 3 weeks ago, yet manage only 13 in nearly 50 minutes against a what could be argued would be Michigan's least effective and least experienced player. When we needed to see an overwhelming shot total we instead saw lackluster skating, failed attempts to dump and chase and by my count 1 decent scoring chance against Hunwick in the first and second periods. If there was ever a time to take any shot you could, good angle or bad, last night was the time to do it.

Further, when we needed to see the team throw everything at Hunwick during the 5-3 and then during the rest of that man-advantage we instead see the Mr Hyde version of our very own Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde turn the puck over and watch (watch being the operative word here) the Wolverines skate it down the ice 2 on 1 (sort of) and score another easy goal. Any apologist out there want to defend the effort on that particular play?

Whatever slim thought of a comeback was effectively put to rest when Summers scored on Michigan's 2nd shot early in the third. Where was Johnson going on that one anyway? The shot was coming over towards his left shoulder and he was moving to his right? He wasn't screened. It wasn't a particularly hard shot. He misplayed it badly.

Aside from 1 or 2 games this season has any player stepped up? Has any player appeared to remotely have the look of taking the team under his wing and leading by any kind of example? Strap it on? They look more ready to take it off. Somebody make a play. Somebody make a big save. Somebody explain to me how this group of players, more talented even with all the injuries than Jackson's first team here and certainly more aware of what it takes to win, is not really any better and actually moving in the opposite direction to that one.

 

[Jeff_Jackson_for_Pres.]

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

Somebody explain to me how this group of players, more talented even with all the injuries than Jackson's first team here and certainly more aware of what it takes to win, is not really any better and actually moving in the opposite direction to that one.

See my post about my friend Jocelyn and me.

I stayed home and watched the game on t.v. I heard Ryan Thang's interview after the first period. He stated that they needed to put more shots on the inexperienced younger Hunwick. The team took fewer shots in the last 40 minutes combined than they mustered in the first 20. Has the team quit listening to their captain? Is the captain telling the press one thing and his teammates another? Is he telling them anything? Is anyone other than those of us sitting in front of our computers saying anything?

I have been saying since Ian Cole's freshman year that he's sticking it out. All those talking heads kept speculating and predicting his departure. I kept saying, "He's too smart to leave early. He's committed to the team." After seeing him completely give up on the 2 on 1 that IHF referred to, I now expect him to hop a plane from Columbus next Saturday at about 11:00 p.m. (where I expect ND to travel to next weekend) and head to St. Louis. At least he'll get paid.

 

[IrishHockeyFan]

Warning: Angry Rant approaching

Warning: Angry Rant approaching

So, does the person who tried to neg rep me (but I guess hasn't been around long enough to do it) want to come here and defend their opinion?

Do you take offense with the fact that it is my opinion they have played poorly (shared by anyone with eyesight)? Or my opinion that they have no chemistry (shared by nearly everyone who follows this team and posts here)? Or my opinion they have grossly underachieved (shared by everyone who posts on USCHO that has seen Notre Dame play regardless of the team they follow)? Or my opinion that they have been out of whack all season long for some reason and that injuries explain only a portion of that (shared by some of the parents of the players on the team)? Or my opinion that in the latter portions of the season the team has not competed with a high enough level of commitment (an opinion voiced perhaps not as harshly by others but shared nonetheless by many posters as well as many people who follow the team in various discussions around the league)? Or my opinion that in-fighting has led to a deterioration in the level of leadership exhibited by the upperclassmen (shared by people actually playing on the team)? Or is it my opinion that the coaching staff has done a poor job managing almost all of the issues faced by Notre Dame hockey this season (that one is strictly my own as far as I know but very possibly shared by others)?

Coming into this weekend they skated off the ice losers in four straight games to the two worst teams in the league -- one or both having finished at the bottom of the CCHA in each of the last 5 seasons -- and two of the worst in the NCAA. This after having seen the return over the course of those four games of most of the injured players. They are now missing just one guy anyone expected to have an impact this season and are now playing the worst hockey they've played since Jackson arrived. Defend that. With something other than along the lines of "they're kids, playing a game." They are men (most old enough to drink legally), earning a $50,000 a year education who are expected to take the ice in a mature fashion in front of people who had to PAY to get into the building.

 

[Jeff_Jackson_for_Pres.]

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

Wow, even UND.com doesn't care about hockey anymore. We've had hardly any video coverage all season and now here we are hours away from the next contest and no notes? Not that there is ever a wealth of stuff there unknown to most of us, but there is the occasional trivia tidbit or reminder of a scoring milestone approaching, things along those lines. Usually there is something 36-48 hours in front of the upcoming games.

I'm guessing this is not what you intended...

What's up with putting a women's sport played outdoors on grass on the men's ice hockey site? ND's cup runneth over with confusion and apathy.

Edit: Hey! Someone woke up at the switch and took the women's lacrosse season preview down from the hockey page. It only took an hour. Sheesh.

 

[Jeff_Jackson_for_Pres.]

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

Ohio State it is, then.

I find it interesting that when a game between ND and Michigan that was a must-win for Michigan (tonight they were playing for a bye) over the last several years, ND squashes their plans. I also thought it was quite telling that for the first time since I can remember, the starting line on the last home game was not seniors. In fact, the only senior who started was the only senior who has overachieved, Kyle Lawson.

However, after the first period, the team that continues to confound, found the net. 5 times. Over the last 40 minutes, the team as a whole played well. Man, how I wish this team could've played for ND the whole season.

Yay for Joe Lavin and Calle Ridderwall, my co-favorite players.

All hope is not lost for ND. Good luck in Columbus, boys.

 

[Arpod]

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

Should be an interesting series next weekend in the barn (seating capacity about 400?). My initial thought after seeing the ND-MI score last night was that ND is pulling an Ali an playing the rope-a-dope: lull teams to sleep by appearing to struggle (all season) only to awaken in the last rounds (post season) to put them away. Yeah, I know, ND has underachieved much of the season (as has OSU), but frankly no team scares me as much as the Irish in the post season. All of their potential impact players healthy, ending the regular season on a winning note against a talented MI team (mini-Hunwick notwithstanding), winning the post season is critical for saving face (so to say) and they should be really motivated. I won't venture a guess as to the outcome next weekend, but I suspect it will be an intense and hard-fought series. And the winner gets Miami again (sheesh). Good luck!

 

[IrishHockeyFan]

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

This team will make you pull your hair out, won't it?

...Jekyll and Hyde. And we're all Mr. Utterson.

We all would have found the Notre Dame lockerroom very interesting between the first and second periods. Very interesting indeed.

Nice to see the boys close the regular season on a winning note. Nice to see the transformation -- in the positive direction -- between the first and second periods. It is tiresome playing the "what might have been" game, and that was in full view last night.

Should be an interesting series next weekend in the barn (seating capacity about 400?).

I think its more like 1000.

...ND has underachieved much of the season (as has OSU), but frankly no team scares me as much as the Irish in the post season.

Healthy and playing as they are capable there isn't anyone in the CCHA ND CAN'T beat. (Miami looks to be unbeatable by anyone right now but that's a different story). Absolutely NO idea from night to night who we will see, though.

And the winner gets Miami again (sheesh). Good luck!

The CCHA re-seeds after each round. An upset from teams 10-12 and the OSU-Notre Dame winner avoids Miami for a week.

 

[alnike]

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

However, after the first period, the team that continues to confound, found the net. 5 times. Over the last 40 minutes, the team as a whole played well. Man, how I wish this team could've played for ND the whole season.

Give credit to ND for making the comeback and playing with some intensity as the offense was due for some production. I think 60% of the offensive output is due to facing a third string goalie, which ND won't see under any normal circumstances through the regular season or playoffs. Hogan probably allows goals one softie, but not all three of the goals (2,3,5).
Lake State could easily sweep Michigan out of Yost next weekend if Hogan remains injured.

Cole and Lawson need to tune it up as the first D pairing. What were they doing on the second Michigan goal last night? Having a conversation about what kind of beer they were going to buy last night or what kind of contracts STL and Carolina might offer? I'll (Cole) jab him, you (Lawson) two-hand him, maybe Wohlberg won't score that way.

 

[IrishHockeyFan]

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

Give credit to ND for making the comeback and playing with some intensity as the offense was due for some production. I think 60% of the offensive output is due to facing a third string goalie, which ND won't see under any normal circumstances through the regular season or playoffs. Hogan probably allows goals one softie, but not all three of the goals (2,3,5).
Lake State could easily sweep Michigan out of Yost next weekend if Hogan remains injured.

Cole and Lawson need to tune it up as the first D pairing. What were they doing on the second Michigan goal last night? Having a conversation about what kind of beer they were going to buy last night or what kind of contracts STL and Carolina might offer? I'll (Cole) jab him, you (Lawson) two-hand him, maybe Wohlberg won't score that way.

Agree totally on both the netminder point and the Wohlberg goal. Notre Dame was completely ineffective in creating pressure on Hunwick Thursday and got him moving around a lot last night for a couple of softer goals. Just one of many reasons I was so frustrated after Thursday's game. As for Cole and Lawson (not always paired up BTW, Jackson rotates his D sets some) I think it almost defies explanation how they looked on that goal. But I'll give Wolhberg credit too. He skates pretty well and I think is a lot faster than he looks. Bigger too than I think the media guide lists him.

 

[IrishHockeyFan]

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

12 goals scored by UM and ND over the weekend by 11 different players (Caporusso scored 2 Saturday). Seems like a lot of different goal scorers.

A note about tickets for the games this weekend, played at the old OSU Ice Rink. Ohio State is selling them first to season ticket holders. After Monday others can purchase them. With SRO tickets the place holds 1200.