UMaine Black Bears, 2017-2018 season, is this Reds last stand?

[ticapnews]

Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2017-2018 season, is this Reds last stand?

AND here you go again..........................your still a FAN though, then and now.

I miss your point.

 

[Bhall44]

Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2017-2018 season, is this Reds last stand?

Below is a preview of incoming freshman forwards. It is difficult for anyone to project how a player will transition from Juniors or Prep to NCAA hockey, especially when not a professional scout like myself, but I have tried to provide a realistic forecast as to where I believe each player is developmentally at and where he might fit in Orono this season. These are my non-expert observations and opinions based on my viewing notes and reports from others (Neutral Zone, Jeff Cox, etc.). I am only taking this season into consideration and not looking at long term projections for a players career.

Last years UMaine team had a serious lack of talented depth. Most games the 1st and 2nd lines were able to hold their own, and sometimes outplay good opponents, while too many times last year the 3rd and particularly 4th line simply did not have enough skill and were outclassed. With the addition of transfers Doherty and Pieper, along with the following recruits Red and company seem to have positioned the team to be in a better situation regarding depth for the upcoming season. Competition for playing time should be fierce and it will be imperative for the coaches to find effective line combinations as soon as possible. Will Red and company move around some of the returning forwards such as Fossier back to his preferred RW or maybe even C, will Shea stick on the RW or bump to the middle? Can anyone other than Pearson win a faceoff? Can the team replace, or even improve, point production with the departures of Brown & Byron? A lot of questions surround this team and given the youth mistakes will be expected. As evidenced by the length of Red's extension and name of this thread, a lot is riding on this season. I suspect that by the end of the season this team's forward group with be better defensively than last year's team and about the same offensively, middle of the NCAA pack.

#28 - Adrian Holesinsky (‘96)
Pos: C Shot: L Ht: 6’0” Wt:186
2016-17 Stats: Janesville (NAHL) 30GP 11G-25A-36P

Holesinsky’s (pronounced Hole-a-shin-skee) strong 2016-17 season with Janesville (NAHL) was cut short after a broken wrist. At the time of his injury he was leading the NAHL in points per game. Possesses good size and is capable of playing with both skill and speed and displays a high hockey IQ. Plays strong on the puck, displays elusiveness in traffic, and can protect the puck down low. Equally adept at making plays at even strength and the power play. Brings a sizeable amount of international experience, including representing his native Slovakia in the 2013 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament. Also played Team Slovakia U20 which competes in the Slovakian pro league.

2017/18 Outlook: Immediate contributor at the Center and on the power play.

#4 - Jack Quinlivan (‘96)
Pos: LW Shot: L Ht: 6’1” Wt:176
2016-17 Stats: Jr. Bruins (USPHL) 43GP 16G-18A-34P

Two-way player who plays a tough, physical, North/South game. Protects the puck well and does a good job of working down low. Possesses a good shot and is more than capable of scoring but lacks skill to create on his own, or for others. At times consistency has been an issue. Needs to improve decision making with the puck and limit number of penalties. Mature and strong academically.

2017/18 Outlook: Upside of a checking line LW. Will have a tough time cracking the lineup given the W depth.

#10 - Kevin Hock (‘96)
Pos: RW Shot: Ht: 5’11” Wt: 174
2016-17 Stats: South Shore (USPHL) 38GP 16G-13A-29P

Hock plays a North/South type game who is strong on his skates and wins loose pucks. He possesses a very quick and accurate shot. Some of the best one timers I saw last year came from his stick. Lacks the ability to create on his own. Gets to the front of the net. Plays hard on both ends of the ice.

2017/18 Outlook: Will compete for a spot on 4th line.

#34 - Eduards Tralmaks (‘97)
Pos: LW Shot: L Ht: 6’3” Wt: 190
2016-17 Stats: Chicago (USHL) 60GP 21G-18A-39P

Excellent combination of power and speed with great skill. Very strong second half last year for Chicago, culminating with playoff MVP award. Uses his edge well and attacks the net. Good speed for his size. Good position in front of the net on power plays. Competes hard on both ends of the ice. Likes to hit people but doesn’t take many penalties. Has international experience, including World Juniors U18 & U20 for his native Latvia. Has shown consistent improvement and development and possesses a lot of potential. Skating could use improvement. Participated in 2016 Canucks development camp.

2017/18 Outlook: Immediate contributor as a 3rd/4th line W with potential to play his way on to the power pay.

#30 - Emil Westerlund (‘98)
Pos: W Shot: L Ht: 6’1” Wt: 190
2016-17 Stats: Linkoping HC J20 (SuperElit) 44GP 28G-11A-39P

This observer has only seen Westerlund play one game. Led the Swedish SuperElit league in goals last year. Plays with power and a high compete level. Recently developed into a very good finisher. Great at finding the open space around the net. Uses his body well. Has international experience with Sweden’s U18 & U19 teams compiling 4 goals in 8 games.

2017/18 Outlook: Immediate contributor as a 3rd/4th line W with potential to play his way on to the power pay.

 

[Drew S.]

Below is a preview of incoming freshman forwards. It is difficult for anyone to project how a player will transition from Juniors or Prep to NCAA hockey, especially when not a professional scout like myself, but I have tried to provide a realistic forecast as to where I believe each player is developmentally at and where he might fit in Orono this season. These are my non-expert observations and opinions based on my viewing notes and reports from others (Neutral Zone, Jeff Cox, etc.). I am only taking this season into consideration and not looking at long term projections for a players career.

Last years UMaine team had a serious lack of talented depth. Most games the 1st and 2nd lines were able to hold their own, and sometimes outplay good opponents, while too many times last year the 3rd and particularly 4th line simply did not have enough skill and were outclassed. With the addition of transfers Doherty and Pieper, along with the following recruits Red and company seem to have positioned the team to be in a better situation regarding depth for the upcoming season. Competition for playing time should be fierce and it will be imperative for the coaches to find effective line combinations as soon as possible. Will Red and company move around some of the returning forwards such as Fossier back to his preferred RW or maybe even C, will Shea stick on the RW or bump to the middle? Can anyone other than Pearson win a faceoff? Can the team replace, or even improve, point production with the departures of Brown & Byron? A lot of questions surround this team and given the youth mistakes will be expected. As evidenced by the length of Red's extension and name of this thread, a lot is riding on this season. I suspect that by the end of the season this team's forward group with be better defensively than last year's team and about the same offensively, middle of the NCAA pack.

#28 - Adrian Holesinsky (‘96)
Pos: C Shot: L Ht: 6’0” Wt:186
2016-17 Stats: Janesville (NAHL) 30GP 11G-25A-36P

Holesinsky’s (pronounced Hole-a-shin-skee) strong 2016-17 season with Janesville (NAHL) was cut short after a broken wrist. At the time of his injury he was leading the NAHL in points per game. Possesses good size and is capable of playing with both skill and speed and displays a high hockey IQ. Plays strong on the puck, displays elusiveness in traffic, and can protect the puck down low. Equally adept at making plays at even strength and the power play. Brings a sizeable amount of international experience, including representing his native Slovakia in the 2013 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament. Also played Team Slovakia U20 which competes in the Slovakian pro league.

2017/18 Outlook: Immediate contributor at the Center and on the power play.

#4 - Jack Quinlivan (‘96)
Pos: LW Shot: L Ht: 6’1” Wt:176
2016-17 Stats: Jr. Bruins (USPHL) 43GP 16G-18A-34P

Two-way player who plays a tough, physical, North/South game. Protects the puck well and does a good job of working down low. Possesses a good shot and is more than capable of scoring but lacks skill to create on his own, or for others. At times consistency has been an issue. Needs to improve decision making with the puck and limit number of penalties. Mature and strong academically.

2017/18 Outlook: Upside of a checking line LW. Will have a tough time cracking the lineup given the W depth.

#10 - Kevin Hock (‘96)
Pos: RW Shot: Ht: 5’11” Wt: 174
2016-17 Stats: South Shore (USPHL) 38GP 16G-13A-29P

Hock plays a North/South type game who is strong on his skates and wins loose pucks. He possesses a very quick and accurate shot. Some of the best one timers I saw last year came from his stick. Lacks the ability to create on his own. Gets to the front of the net. Plays hard on both ends of the ice.

2017/18 Outlook: Will compete for a spot on 4th line.

#34 - Eduards Tralmaks (‘97)
Pos: LW Shot: L Ht: 6’3” Wt: 190
2016-17 Stats: Chicago (USHL) 60GP 21G-18A-39P

Excellent combination of power and speed with great skill. Very strong second half last year for Chicago, culminating with playoff MVP award. Uses his edge well and attacks the net. Good speed for his size. Good position in front of the net on power plays. Competes hard on both ends of the ice. Likes to hit people but doesn’t take many penalties. Has international experience, including World Juniors U18 & U20 for his native Latvia. Has shown consistent improvement and development and possesses a lot of potential. Skating could use improvement. Participated in 2016 Canucks development camp.

2017/18 Outlook: Immediate contributor as a 3rd/4th line W with potential to play his way on to the power pay.

#30 - Emil Westerlund (‘98)
Pos: W Shot: L Ht: 6’1” Wt: 190
2016-17 Stats: Linkoping HC J20 (SuperElit) 44GP 28G-11A-39P

This observer has only seen Westerlund play one game. Led the Swedish SuperElit league in goals last year. Plays with power and a high compete level. Recently developed into a very good finisher. Great at finding the open space around the net. Uses his body well. Has international experience with Sweden’s U18 & U19 teams compiling 4 goals in 8 games.

2017/18 Outlook: Immediate contributor as a 3rd/4th line W with potential to play his way on to the power pay.

Thanks for posting! That is great information and probably pretty realistic based on what I've read, even though my hope was a couple freshmen would be good enough to get on the top couple lines. What are your projections on Doherty and Pieper?

This will be an interesting season. I don't think Maine has ever had anywhere close to this big of roster. Hopefully they can find 18 decent players out of the 28. I agree with you that depth killed Maine in a lot of games last year, most notably being all the games in February where they blew two goal leads.

Do you or anyone else know if Tiru is eligible?

 

[tylerzx2002]

Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2017-2018 season, is this Reds last stand?

Last years UMaine team had a serious lack of talented depth. Most games the 1st and 2nd lines were able to hold their own, and sometimes outplay good opponents, while too many times last year the 3rd and particularly 4th line simply did not have enough skill and were outclassed. With the addition of transfers Doherty and Pieper, along with the following recruits Red and company seem to have positioned the team to be in a better situation regarding depth for the upcoming season. Competition for playing time should be fierce and it will be imperative for the coaches to find effective line combinations as soon as possible. Will Red and company move around some of the returning forwards such as Fossier back to his preferred RW or maybe even C, will Shea stick on the RW or bump to the middle? Can anyone other than Pearson win a faceoff? Can the team replace, or even improve, point production with the departures of Brown & Byron? A lot of questions surround this team and given the youth mistakes will be expected. As evidenced by the length of Red's extension and name of this thread, a lot is riding on this season. I suspect that by the end of the season this team's forward group with be better defensively than last year's team and about the same offensively, middle of the NCAA pack.

Maine had the tallest team in the nation and third heaviest by weight last season but has struggled to consistently keep possession of pucks. Not sure if this is a general skill or a hustle issue, but teams without top recruits will struggle to win games if they aren't at least preventing the other team from getting chances (especially if they average 5.5 less SOG than their opponent per game). The biggest takeaways I've gathered reading up on these incoming forwards seems to be skill at puck possession around the boards and an ability to move the puck in traffic which have both been a inconsistent weak spots on this roster since Abbott/Flynn left. I'm not expecting a freshman class to come in and fix this overnight, but it's progress in the right direction.

 

[walrus]

Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2017-2018 season, is this Reds last stand?

Maine had the tallest team in the nation and third heaviest by weight last season but has struggled to consistently keep possession of pucks. Not sure if this is a general skill or a hustle issue, but teams without top recruits will struggle to win games if they aren't at least preventing the other team from getting chances (especially if they average 5.5 less SOG than their opponent per game). The biggest takeaways I've gathered reading up on these incoming forwards seems to be skill at puck possession around the boards and an ability to move the puck in traffic which have both been a inconsistent weak spots on this roster since Abbott/Flynn left. I'm not expecting a freshman class to come in and fix this overnight, but it's progress in the right direction.

Great to have big guys but they couldn't keep up.
I hope bhall predictions are correct, they might actually improve. Especially if swayman and bubba can push each other

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[GoBlackBears]

Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2017-2018 season, is this Reds last stand?

Speaking of tickets, has anyone received their season ticket package yet? First game is less than two weeks from today.

No haven't received mine.

 

[Ma#1ne Hky]

Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2017-2018 season, is this Reds last stand?

No haven't received mine.

No tickets yet either. Thinking by the end of the week, Friday or Saturday. But then who knows....they always forget someone.

 

[Ma#1ne Hky]

Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2017-2018 season, is this Reds last stand?

Great to have big guys but they couldn't keep up.
I hope bhall predictions are correct, they might actually improve. Especially if swayman and bubba can push each other

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

Lets hope so on the goaltending front, while @ Orono during the week of the Hall of Fame...heard many people "HIGH" on Swayman...glad to hear...BUT THEN again we have to see it on the ice.

 

[Bhall44]

Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2017-2018 season, is this Reds last stand?

my hope was a couple freshmen would be good enough to get on the top couple lines.

Usually returning players occupy spots on the top two lines, unless the cupboard is pretty darn bare (like last year), or the recruit is very good. Certainly possible, and I wouldn't rule it out, that one of the Europeans sees time on the top 2 lines, although I suspect 1st line is pretty well set with Vesey, Pearson, Robbins.

What are your projections on Doherty and Pieper?

Would have loved to see Doherty activated last spring semester when we really needed help at LW and goal scoring. Pieper brings much needed help up the middle. Good centerman who was lost in the shuffle on some very talented Q teams. Last year we played with 2 true C's (Pearson & Lacroix). Brown played remarkably well at C but his talents would have been better suited at W. Housakos (the swiss army knife) was a converted D.

I don't think Maine has ever had anywhere close to this big of roster.

28 is about average NCAA roster size.

Do you or anyone else know if Tiru is eligible?

I have not heard, or seen, any evidence to suggest Tiuraniemi will not be eligible. European players rarely hang around if ineligible, in addition, I suspect the delayed unveiling of the roster was to ensure NCAA eligibility after the experience last fall.

 

[tylerzx2002]

Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2017-2018 season, is this Reds last stand?

Lets hope so on the goaltending front, while @ Orono during the week of the Hall of Fame...heard many people "HIGH" on Swayman...glad to hear...BUT THEN again we have to see it on the ice.

"Swayman was rated 12th overall goaltender by NHL Central Scouting and was the 12th goaltender off the board at #111 overall. At 6’2” the Bruins picked up a goaltender here with good size and room to fill out even further. Swayman has good tools; he’s quick for his size and tries to use his large frame to his advantage. Swayman considers himself an aggressive goaltender and likes to challenge the shooter whenever possible, and while this is generally a good trait to have his risk-taking style has led him through a number of tough stretches in the past. That being said, Swayman put up pretty good numbers for the Sioux Falls Stampede posting a .914 and a 2.90 GAA while winning only seven of his 32 appearances."

We've heard Alfie in interviews stress the importance of a goalie who is aggressive so it sounds like Swayman might be cut from the same cloth or at the very least have some of the same traits that will make him very coachable, which is a good sign. McGovern isn't as aggressive of a goaltender but you could see the strides he made improving his positioning last year which given his size is probably a smart route to take.

 

[tylerzx2002]

Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2017-2018 season, is this Reds last stand?

Would have loved to see Doherty activated last spring semester when we really needed help at LW and goal scoring. Pieper brings much needed help up the middle. Good centerman who was lost in the shuffle on some very talented Q teams. Last year we played with 2 true C's (Pearson & Lacroix). Brown played remarkably well at C but his talents would have been better suited at W. Housakos (the swiss army knife) was a converted D.

Any idea how well Pieper is in the face-off circle? Pearson (51.4%) and Shea (57.4%) are the only two returning players who showed prowess in that area. That should be a big focus.

EDIT: To be fair, Fossier had 56.8% but with less than 50 face-offs taken so the sample size is small and he purely a winger.

 

[Bhall44]

Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2017-2018 season, is this Reds last stand?

Any idea how well Pieper is in the face-off circle?.

I have no idea how Pieper is in the face-off circle. Glad you brought up the Shea stats. He primarily took faceoffs (162 total) when Cedric (47.4%, 445 total) got thrown out of the circle, which is quite often. Seems like that would have been a simple in season adjustment to make last year.

 

[Bhall44]

Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2017-2018 season, is this Reds last stand?

Defense Recruit Preview

Strongest aspect of this recruiting class. Good thing too because this area is the biggest need for improvement from last season. Woefully thin and lacking in talent, the team skated 5 defensemen for long stretches too often. Whether it was inability to clear the puck, defensive zone turnovers, poor gap control, lack of speed, unnecessary penalties (the list goes on...), too many time this unit did not give McGovern a chance. Meanwhile, McGovern, looked like much more athletic compared to his first season in Orono and his save %, despite a defensive unit that digressed, reflected those improvements. However, consistency and concentration still need improvement.

#26 - Cam Spicer (‘96)
Pos: D Shot: R Ht: 6’1” Wt: 194
2016-17 Stats: Islanders HC (USPHL) 25GP 2G-7A-9P

Originally slated to come to Orono last season but was likely delayed due to injury. After spending two seasons in the USHL Spicer returned to New England to play for coach Sean Tremblay. Spicer is a defensive defensemen, nothing flashy just good sound defense. Plays physical, controls gaps. Good on his skates and displays good recovery speed. Makes good decisions and accurate passes. Clears the puck out of the zone efficiently. Plays smart and stays out of the penalty box. Offensive upside is limited.

2017/18 Outlook: Last season Spicer would have seen significant playing time as a third pairing defenseman. Tough to say this season where he slots in given the depth and competition at the D position. Likely to compete for a 3rd D pairing.

#25 - Brady Keeper (‘96)
Pos: D Shot: L Ht: 6’2” Wt:194
2016-17 Stats: OCN Blizzard (MJHL) 63GP-27G-37A-64P

Keeper earned MJHL Most Valuable Player and Defencemen of the Year honors in 2016-17. I only viewed one of his games. Offensive minded with a very good shot, as witnessed by his point totals. Likes to step up into the offensive play. Very good speed. Dangerous on the power play. Game I saw was difficult to gauge is defensive abilities as opponents did not display a lot of offensive skill. Prone to a lot of penalties. Level of past competition could mean big learning curve. Participated in 2017 Kings development camp. With continued development could be a Matt Mangene type.

2017/18 Outlook: Will compete for a role as a third pairing defensemen. Team need on power play unit may get him playing time. Potential exists for a position change to F, although more likely to remain at D. Difficult to project due to level of competition.


#20 - Veli-Matti Tiuraniemi (‘97)
Pos: D Shot: L Ht: 6’0” Wt: 181
2016-17 Stats: Dubuque (USHL) 61 GP 4G-22A-26P

Committed late in season and so I had only limited viewings. Offensive minded presence on the blue line. Good quick shot from the point. Walks the blue line very well. Plays good sound defense focused on position and gap control. Ability to quarterback a power play. Stays out of the penalty box. Smooth skater. Not overly physical but has enough strength. Will need to adjust to speed of NCAA game and keep play in front of him. Reminds me of a UNH type defensemen.

2017/18 Outlook: Should be immediate contributor in top six pairing. Potential role on the power play.

#16 - Alexis Binner (‘98)
Pos: D Shot: L Ht: 6’4” Wt:210
2016-17 Stats: Green Bay (USHL) 55GP-2G-5A-7P

A late ‘98, Binner is the youngest member, and perhaps most NHL upside, of this year’s UMaine recruiting class. Binner possesses ideal size, is capable in all three zones, displays excellent poise with the puck, and makes smart plays. He plays strong down low and is able to disrupt plays with his size and length. Able to pass or skate the puck out of own zone. Does not take many penalties. Offensive game is solid but still improving.

2017/18 Outlook: Binner’s presence should provide immediate defensive improvements to a UMaine blue line that was severely outclassed last season. Has potential to play a top 4 defensemen role and contribute on the penalty kill. With continued offensive development may contribute on power play down the road.

Goalkeeper

#1 - Jeremy Swayman (‘98)
Pos: G Catch: L Ht: 6’2” Wt: 183
2016-17 Stats: Sioux Falls (USHL) 31GP 2.90 GAA .914SV%

2017 Bruins 4th round draft pick. Faced a ton of shots last year for a Sioux Falls team that was inexperienced in front of him. Extremely athletic and aggressive goaltender with desirable size and good vision. Very smooth and fluid going post to post. Likes to challenge the shooter. Effective with glove and blocker. Has all the physical tools. At times relies a little too much on athleticism and weak side defender to control rebounds. Likes to come out of the crease and play the puck. Aggressiveness can lead to unnecessary risk taking. Needs to improve and become exceptional at rebound control for continued success. Needs to improve consistency and refinement. Hard work, time, and patience needed to reach full potential. As a late ‘98 another year of USHL development would have been nice but team need brings him in this fall. Most potential in net at Orono in a long time.

2017/18 Outlook: Will certainly get an opportunity in net. Likely to earn a split of duties. Does have the potential to capture full time job by end of season, although more likely next year. Not a Howard or Bishop on day one. Important to be patient as he develops.

 

[Drew S.]

Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2017-2018 season, is this Reds last stand?

Usually returning players occupy spots on the top two lines, unless the cupboard is pretty darn bare (like last year), or the recruit is very good. Certainly possible, and I wouldn't rule it out, that one of the Europeans sees time on the top 2 lines, although I suspect 1st line is pretty well set with Vesey, Pearson, Robbins.



Would have loved to see Doherty activated last spring semester when we really needed help at LW and goal scoring. Pieper brings much needed help up the middle. Good centerman who was lost in the shuffle on some very talented Q teams. Last year we played with 2 true C's (Pearson & Lacroix). Brown played remarkably well at C but his talents would have been better suited at W. Housakos (the swiss army knife) was a converted D.



28 is about average NCAA roster size.



I have not heard, or seen, any evidence to suggest Tiuraniemi will not be eligible. European players rarely hang around if ineligible, in addition, I suspect the delayed unveiling of the roster was to ensure NCAA eligibility after the experience last fall.

It will be interesting to see Vesey, Pearson, and Robbins. They'll do very well athletically but there is no real playmaker in that group and I'm not sure Robbins' hands are good enough to be on the top line. I'm looking forward to this team a lot, and as you laid out in your other post Maine should have much improved defense, but Maine desperately needs a few of the new forwards to step up. Fossier is the only guy coming back with a lot of skill.

 

[walrus]

Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2017-2018 season, is this Reds last stand?

Nice review. Hope to see some talent on the ice. Really hope we have a goalie in Swayman. Haven't had much of a goalie in a long time.

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[tylerzx2002]

Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2017-2018 season, is this Reds last stand?

Nice review. Hope to see some talent on the ice. Really hope we have a goalie in Swayman. Haven't had much of a goalie in a long time.

The .912 SV% McGovern put up with the defense in front of him last year is nothing to scoff at. He is more than serviceable and should make for a good half of a tandem to let Swayman get acclimated to the college game. And if Swayman isn't ready for some reason, at least Bubba can be counted on to carry the mail if necessary, which is kind of a relief.

 

[walrus]

Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2017-2018 season, is this Reds last stand?

The .912 SV% McGovern put up with the defense in front of him last year is nothing to scoff at. He is more than serviceable and should make for a good half of a tandem to let Swayman get acclimated to the college game. And if Swayman isn't ready for some reason, at least Bubba can be counted on to carry the mail if necessary, which is kind of a relief.

Yeah, should give bubba more credit. He improved a lot from 1st to 2nd season. He got no help at all.

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[Drew S.]

The .912 SV% McGovern put up with the defense in front of him last year is nothing to scoff at. He is more than serviceable and should make for a good half of a tandem to let Swayman get acclimated to the college game. And if Swayman isn't ready for some reason, at least Bubba can be counted on to carry the mail if necessary, which is kind of a relief.

I think both would benefit from splitting the duties. I'm pretty sure Swayman's worst part of the season was when playing every game. It seemed with Bub he would have a few good weeks then go to hell after that. I'm not sure if it's conditioning or what. The other frustrating thing with Bub was he would make a dozen great saves then let in a howler. He needs to be a bit more consistent this year.

 

[tylerzx2002]

Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2017-2018 season, is this Reds last stand?

I think both would benefit from splitting the duties. I'm pretty sure Swayman's worst part of the season was when playing every game. It seemed with Bub he would have a few good weeks then go to hell after that. I'm not sure if it's conditioning or what. The other frustrating thing with Bub was he would make a dozen great saves then let in a howler. He needs to be a bit more consistent this year.

You could definitely sense Bubba was compensating for his lateral movement by improving his positioning, but that still leaves him vulnerable to poor rebound control and opposing teams pounced on that weakness last year. That's definitely a fixable trait, so hopefully it's something Alfie has picked up on while watching game film and made a point of emphasis to work on with Bubba this season. He has great size and if his post-to-post game improves that's even better to bail out the defensive lapses that are probably going to occur.

Maine always seems to be better when they have two capable netminders splitting the load. Snow/Dunham, Morrison/Yeats, Howard/Doyle, etc. For some reason the competition seems to bring out the best of them and they tend to stay fresher over the length of a season. There are some exceptions to that (Allison, Bishop, Michaud, etc.) but I'd much prefer a tandem to form.

 

[Ma#1ne Hky]

Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2017-2018 season, is this Reds last stand?

Would be ok to see McGovern on Friday nights and Swayman on Saturday nights....go from there and if one pushes for the #1 job then so be it, but maybe a tandem for the first say 8-10 games...if they both can handle the job.