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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!

Here's my recap: Kyle Palmieri is a stud. That check that laid out the OSU guy in front of his own bench rocked. :D Dan Kissel is a stud. I like when ND players score the GWG. :) Calle Ridderwall is a stud. Or, more accurately, the PP stud. (smiley. heart.) Mike Johnson is a stud. Played the puck well. Made some nice saves. Got reallllly lucky with about 35 seconds left. :o Riley Sheahan is a minor stud. He had some nice moves with the puck and appears to be hard to move from in front of the net. :p Kyle Lawson and Kevin Deeth are co-studs. They did some nice work to get Billy Maday the puck for the empty net insurance policy. :cool:

Kudos to Mr. JJfP for having some hilarious jeers regarding those ugly OSU road jerseys. ;)

The refs? What can I say? It's the bewitching season and they were downright scary. :eek:

Here's to a league sweep to start the season.
 
Re: The University of Notre Dame Hockey: 09-10. Let's Live It Up!

Third Family Member said:
Yue, last I checked, you were in Rome. Notre Dame is in Indiana. Isn't that kind of a long weekend commute??
Click to expand...

If it's nothing but a long commute, I'd take it and go back to watch the game!! financially.... hmmmmmm:rolleyes:

I'm still in Rome and struggling to figure out how to fall a sleep at 3/4am after a ND hockey game.. It sucs to have to watch the game in front of my computer and try not to make loud noise, which, during the first game, drew a French guy out of his room and shout at me:rolleyes:

And I need help to find a way to at least listen to some games with an ipod touch!! Last friday as for the BC game I was in a forest hut in the arctic circle but successfully picked up a wifi connection... but I could not launch CBS gamecenter, which freaked me out...:(

Oh and about the picture stuff, I mean, can I do it next year? ;) :D
 
Re: The University of Notre Dame Hockey: 09-10. Let's Live It Up!

From start to finish, I think that was the best effort by the Irish this year. Yes, the BU game looks better from the standpoint of the final score and the fact they are the defending champs, but from the drop of the puck, Notre Dame looked to be on their game a little more completely. We saw much better skating, and better puck control than in the opening few weekends.

A number of Irish players had their best games so far. Ian Cole played a particularly smart game in both ends of the rink. He finally let loose with a few of his blueline cannons. We need to see more of that. He picked his spots well in the offensive zone, and played his spots just as well in the defensive zone. Billy Maday played a particularly gutsy third period, and even without the empty netter that put the game away it may have been his best period all year. And I continue to be impressed with Mike Johnson, although not with my prognosticating on when he would play. Of course I did say he'd get the start this afternoon, and with the way he's played, I see no reason that shouldn't be the case. He played impressively last night, saving his best for the best OSU could throw at him. Once again, he was most impressive in the third, when OSU had the man-advantage and was firing on all cylinders looking for the go-ahead or tying scores in the third.

We also saw the CCHA at its *almost* worst, in terms of officiating. (for the worst check out the details of the BGSU/UNO game). I don't know how in the world some of these guys are allowed to referee in a major college hockey game. And it isn't because the majority of the bad calls tonight went against Notre Dame. There were a couple of particularly bad ones against OSU. But neither referee last night was anywhere near close to being in control of the game and both coaches dictated to a certain extent how this game was being called. This is becoming epidemic in the CCHA and needs to be addressed. Often when the officials are clueless like this the game degenerates into a series of scrums, cheap shots, and an endless parade into the box. Last night it just seemed as if players and coaches from both teams were just bewildered as to what would be a penalty and what wouldn't. Two guys would come together and it was almost as if the referee would have them play a game of rock/paper/scissors to see who would skate to the box. Each team was assessed penalties (questionable ones IMO) immediately following tirades by the opposite coach towards one or the other official. I'm betting tonight will be no better.

One thing that will be better tonight will be OSU. It appears they play much better in their second games of the weekend. Notre Dame will need to play better as well if they expect to take all the points.
 
Re: The University of Notre Dame Hockey: 09-10. Let's Live It Up!

IrishHockeyFan said:
We also saw the CCHA at its *almost* worst, in terms of officiating. (for the worst check out the details of the BGSU/UNO game). I don't know how in the world some of these guys are allowed to referee in a major college hockey game. And it isn't because the majority of the bad calls tonight went against Notre Dame. There were a couple of particularly bad ones against OSU. But neither referee last night was anywhere near close to being in control of the game and both coaches dictated to a certain extent how this game was being called. This is becoming epidemic in the CCHA and needs to be addressed. Often when the officials are clueless like this the game degenerates into a series of scrums, cheap shots, and an endless parade into the box. Last night it just seemed as if players and coaches from both teams were just bewildered as to what would be a penalty and what wouldn't. Two guys would come together and it was almost as if the referee would have them play a game of rock/paper/scissors to see who would skate to the box. Each team was assessed penalties (questionable ones IMO) immediately following tirades by the opposite coach towards one or the other official. I'm betting tonight will be no better.
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Mind you, I learned hockey in the Herb Brooks era, so my opinions don't count for much in this modern day world. But. I remember my college coach, Amo Bessone, telling me that a good ref knows how to maintain control of a game while letting the players play. He always said that you could tell a game was refereed well when the number of penalties would decrease in each period, and it was because that ref had established control of the game right from the get go. Of course, this is a coach who had no problem at all climbing up on the boards to scream at a ref should the need arise.

That said, could I pass along another Amo Bessone hint to our power play units. No more than 3 passes between shots on goal. You aren't going to score a goal playing catch with the puck. If we have to tolerate a parade to the penalty box, at least let's see some activity on the power play other than that game of catch.
 
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Re: The University of Notre Dame Hockey: 09-10. Let's Live It Up!

:confused: pretty much sums up this team so far. I don't know if the odd start time had anything to do with it, or what, but once again, the things biting this team in the behind so many times this year were showing their teeth again. In each of their losses just doing some of the little things they've done right nearly every game since Jackson arrived would have won any of the games they did not win. Take care of the puck, communicate, compete, be strong along the boards, move the puck with more efficiency in the attack zone, you name it.

Its getting a little frustrating. 8 games worth of inconsistency is definitely a trend.
 
Re: The University of Notre Dame Hockey: 09-10. Let's Live It Up!

Oh boy. I feel bad for Brad Phillips. Not because the team didn't help him out. Not because the refs gave OSU too many man-up opportunities. Not because he's still not 100%. None of that is the case. I feel bad because I don't want him in net anymore, and I'm not alone. I feel bad because he lost a year of development. I feel bad because there's a lot of pressure to fill Jordan Pearce's skates; a job he was expected to do effortlessly. A pressure that Mike Johnson doesn't have.

Every puck that found its way past him tonight was weak. Notre Dame should have won this game 2-1 at worst, 2-0 at best. Phillips was slow from post to post. His 5 hole is not huge, but he's extremely slow closing it. And don't even get me started on that 2nd OSU goal with 15 minutes left.

I think the position should be Johnson's until he proves that he doesn't deserve it anymore.

Okay. Witch hunt over.

On the plus side, the PP was great this weekend at 33%. Riley Sheahan had a fantastic game. Nick Larson and Kevin Nugent each had some nice plays with the puck. All in all, the freshman class is coming along quite nicely.

Shake off this lost opportunity, boys, and get ready for Alaska.
 
Re: The University of Notre Dame Hockey: 09-10. Let's Live It Up!

Come on guys lets get our act together....


on a more "serious note" some of us still got to go trick or treating and dress up.....


<a href="http://s701.photobucket.com/albums/ww14/budlightracing/?action=view&current=100_9343-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i701.photobucket.com/albums/ww14/budlightracing/100_9343-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
 
Re: The University of Notre Dame Hockey: 09-10. Let's Live It Up!

I have to agree with the sentiment of JJfP regarding Brad Phillips. I don't think he was awful tonight, but he definitely could have been better, and I have a strong feeling that there was more talent sitting on the bench. It's not the only problem the team has right now, but it didn't help tonight.
My biggest kudos of the night go to Kyle Lawson who really showed great focus (.....and the guys in the banana suit and the astronaut outfit who violated every OSU player who ended up in the box, and the guy dressed as the blind linesman!)
Time for the Irish to get their game cleaned up.
 
Re: The University of Notre Dame Hockey: 09-10. Let's Live It Up!

crazy_guy_in_section_1 said:
on a more "serious note" some of us still got to go trick or treating and dress up.....

<a href="http://s701.photobucket.com/albums/ww14/budlightracing/?action=view&current=100_9343-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i701.photobucket.com/albums/ww14/budlightracing/100_9343-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Click to expand...

Nice. We had three of the girls in our section dress up as blind refs. Doesn't make as much sense now with the two-ref system, but hey.

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

Jeff_Jackson_for_Pres. said:
Oh boy. I feel bad for Brad Phillips...
...Every puck that found its way past him tonight was weak...
...I think the position should be Johnson's until he proves that he doesn't deserve it anymore.
Click to expand...

I'd have to agree. Philips is just off right now for some reason. Is it the injury? We've seen guys come back from similar injuries before and while they may be playing, they don't always look like they did before they got hurt.

The first OSU goal looked like a lot of the goals he's given up this year. That it came so late in the period hurt even more. The second goal was a real head scratcher, as Dalpe skated into the zone basically 1-on-three and managed to sneak the shot by Philips. He was just throwing the puck on the net. It never should have gone in. In the shootout it looked as if he had no chance on the two OSU goals, and the second shooter actually never got the shot off because the puck rolled off his stick as he made one move too many.

What troubles me most about this team and its struggles is that all 4 of the games they've failed to win, the deciding goals have been third period tallies. Jackson's remark "it almost looked like we were a little tired" seems to be the understatement of the year. Almost? This team has shown a third period lethargy quite a few times this year. Why? I still don't see indifference on their part. These guys appear troubled by their start and are hardly just going through the motions. But they are getting outworked late in games and losing battles at times and in places they almost never did in the last few years. What's scary is one would think that after the season starts is hardly the time to work on conditioning.

Maybe it is just the goaltending. If that's the case -- and I'm not sure it is -- while difficult for Brad Philips, it is easy to fix. Mike Johnson has acquitted himself quite nicely in his first two college starts, and by all appearances it looks like he's earned the number one spot for the time being. If not, this season could be a frustrating 6 months for Notre Dame hockey.
 
Re: The University of Notre Dame Hockey: 09-10. Let's Live It Up!

New week. New opponent. New worries.

What? Worries?

For the first time in a loooong time, I'm actually worried about the outcome this weekend. For several years now, I've been confident (arrogant?) enough to believe ND could (and quite often did) beat their opponent.

UA(F) is unbeaten so far. They haven't lost a game. In fact, in not losing, they've almost not even been scored on. One of those not-scored-on-at-all games was against the typically potent Michigan. The 2nd period is their favorite since they've scored more than half of their goals in that stanza alone. The 'nooks are 5-0-1 with a GF of 3.0/game and a GA of 1.17/game. Let me reiterate. One point one seven.

Their PP is a robust 22.9% and their PK is extremely solid at 91.3%. They take very few penalties a game. 4.17 penalties/game to be exact. In this league.

Their studs include Dion Knelson (7 points) and Andy Taranto and Joe Sova (6 points each). Sova and Taranto are their go-to guys on the PP. Almost the entire roster has at least one point. In fact, of the 22 players on their roster, only 2 have not registered a point yet. And, no, their goalie is not one of those 2! Only 2 of their top 10 scorers are upperclassmen, so that bodes well for them in the future.

Sophomore Scott Greenham has been in net for them all season, so there's no reason to believe they would change that horse mid-stream. He's 5-0-1 with a virtually imperceptible GA of 1.14 and a save % of .949.

It's not like ND's numbers are pathetic. It's just that UA(F)'s are awesome. ND is 4-3-1 while scoring a rather skinny 2.38 goals/game but giving up an even skinnier 1.62 goals/game.

ND's PP is also good, firing at 20%. Their PK dipped below 90% with this past weekend's special teams feast for all. It's now at 88.1%. ND averages 6.25 penalties/game (still thanks to those majors and misconducts). That number will drop a bit more before the season is in the books.

Ben Ryan is ND's leader on the scoresheet. He has 8 points thus far. He's followed by Kyle Lawson, Kevin Deeth, Calle Ridderwall and Billy Maday (each with 6 points). Ridderwall (3) and Riley Sheahan (2) are leaders in the PPG category. A bit more than half of ND's roster has at least a point. Only 3 of ND's top 10 scorers are underclassmen.

Coach Jackson will likely use Brad Phillips one night and Mike Johnson the other. Phillips is 1-3-1 with a GA of 2.18 and a save % of .923. Not bad, but unfortunately the skaters in front of him can barely muster more than 2 goals for in a game. Johnson is 2-0 with a GA of .5 and a save % of .982. I think this weekend will be the final test for the #1 goalie spot. Here's to a tough time making the decision.

When written in Chinese, the word "crisis" is composed of 2 characters--one represents danger and the other represents opportunity.
 
Re: The University of Notre Dame Hockey: 09-10. Let's Live It Up!

In case anyone was wondering, Brock Sheahan is now with Mark Van Guilder's old team, Cincinnati. He's played in 6 games and has 2 points and is a +3. Speaking of Mark Van Guilder, he's with the Milwaukee Admirals up in the AHL now. He's played in 7 of their games and is even in +/- with 2 points. Luke Lucyk is in the CHL with the Texas Brahmas, playing in 6 games so far and is +1. Jordan Pearce is, like Sheahan, with an Ohio-based ECHL team. Pearce is in Toledo and has appeared in 3 games, is 2-1 with a GA of 4.67. Erik Condra has played in all 11 games with the Binghamton Senators. He's got 5 points and is -3. Christian Hanson is tearing it up with the Toronto Marlies, also in the AHL. He's played in all 10 games and has 10 points and is +2.

Now back to our regularly scheduled current ND team...
 
Re: The University of Notre Dame Hockey: 09-10. Let's Live It Up!

I know the Alaska game you can listen to it on line but what time? It says 7:05 Alaska time... what time is that here? and will it be on the radio and what station if it is?
 
Re: The University of Notre Dame Hockey: 09-10. Let's Live It Up!

crazy_guy_in_section_1 said:
I know the Alaska game you can listen to it on line but what time? It says 7:05 Alaska time... what time is that here? and will it be on the radio and what station if it is?
Click to expand...

11:00 South Bend time. It's on the regular station (99.9) and the Internet. You can pay to watch each game (I think it's a league video feed), but I like free, especially if I may fall asleep before the end!
 
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