UMass Lowell '12/'13 Season Thread II

[John_Fuller]

Re: UMass Lowell '12/'13 Season Thread II

After the 4-1 victory by Merrimack tonight, pressure is squarely on the River Hawks for a win tomorrow in Maine. Marotta should be a clear-cut defensive player of the week winner stopping 76/77, four points, and a shutout. Looking for the upperclassmen to make a statement.

 

[UMLFan]

Re: UMass Lowell '12/'13 Season Thread II

Right where you belong.

God **** it, your mom let you have access to the computer again? That's just disappointing.

In regards to Lowell talk ... great weekend for MC. And that's what I want to see from Lowell. The Warriors went up to UNH with a point to make, and they made it and congested HE's home ice fight even more. If Lowell wants to participate ... they have to win tomorrow at Maine. Plain and simple. We're almost at that point where a loss tomorrow pretty much puts Lowell on the road. Yes, it's still early, but those 5 teams that are in front of the Hawks are also good teams. Expecting to win out and hoping for the best results (which has already happened a few times) won't work over the long term. At some point, you have to win the games you're supposed to win.

 

[Patman]

After the 4-1 victory by Merrimack tonight, pressure is squarely on the River Hawks for a win tomorrow in Maine. Marotta should be a clear-cut defensive player of the week winner stopping 76/77, four points, and a shutout. Looking for the upperclassmen to make a statement.

Why the heck are we still talking the small ball of hockey east? The goal is to win nationally... If we are doing well in league then great... Id love to have home ice... But the goal is to be high enough in the pair wise the be in the NCAA tournament

 

[UML]

Why the heck are we still talking the small ball of hockey east? The goal is to win nationally... If we are doing well in league then great... Id love to have home ice... But the goal is to be high enough in the pair wise the be in the NCAA tournament

This is 100% right.

 

[bottomdweller]

Re: UMass Lowell '12/'13 Season Thread II

Why the heck are we still talking the small ball of hockey east? The goal is to win nationally... If we are doing well in league then great... Id love to have home ice... But the goal is to be high enough in the pair wise the be in the NCAA tournament

If Lowell wants any chance to have their PWR ranking be high enough, they will need to win the games they have coming up against TUC. Beating those teams increases the odds of home ice which increases the odds of a spot in the national tournament, so they pretty much go hand in hand.

 

[leswp1]

Re: UMass Lowell '12/'13 Season Thread II

Or someone being a tool.

Well, I look at it this way: before no one cared enough to troll. Now we have enough success that they do. WHo would have thunk it a few yrs ago when we were in the basement.

 

[Pesky McGrath]

Re: UMass Lowell '12/'13 Season Thread II

If Lowell wants any chance to have their PWR ranking be high enough, they will need to win the games they have coming up against TUC. Beating those teams increases the odds of home ice which increases the odds of a spot in the national tournament, so they pretty much go hand in hand.

I thought I had an understanding of PWR, wouldn't they gain a point (?) today if they beat Maine, given Maine beat BC twice ? I understand that beating the 'good/TUC' teams helps more but winning is winning, just win today Lowell.
As far as NCAA/HEA tournament -- My rooting interest is home ice and a New England placement, traveled enough to not want Michigan or Ohio.....

On another note : Thanks to the fan in Section 1 row F who answered alot of questions for me Friday, I think he was a friend of Monty's.

 

[Go-UML]

Re: UMass Lowell '12/'13 Season Thread II

I thought I had an understanding of PWR, wouldn't they gain a point (?) today if they beat Maine, given Maine beat BC twice ? I understand that beating the 'good/TUC' teams helps more but winning is winning, just win today Lowell.

Eh...I'm pretty sure that whatever PWR we might gain today is minimal, even though they've beaten BC. WE need to beat the TUCs to get where we need to be to get to the dance.

On another note : Thanks to the fan in Section 1 row F who answered alot of questions for me Friday, I think he was a friend of Monty's.

That doesn't narrow it down that much....

 

[Fishhawk]

Re: UMass Lowell '12/'13 Season Thread II

I think HEA home series is the first goal and if we do that the rest might just take care of itself.

22 wins will probably be the minimum for an NCAA birth. Last year us, BU, and ME all had 23 wins on selection day. If we went 6-4 and won the first round of HE that might get us there but I'd feel much less nervous if we went 7-3 to finish the regular season. With tough 2 game sets against HEA home ice contenders BU, MC, PC and 1 with BC, the 3 games against ME and MA do look like must-wins. Take those 3 from the also rans and steal 4 of 7 from the TUCs and we'll be in good shape. We sank in the pairwise because our TUC stat kicked into effect. TUC has already done its damage and as long as we keep our tie breaking RPI up I bet we'll be OK even if we don't win any TUC comparisons.

I totally agree we have to get the offense cranked back up tonight and also show way more physicality than we did on Friday. Maines big defensemen tend to manhandle us and MC certainly did the other night. McGrath took it especially rough and none of our big boys returned the favor. Chapie and Folin were the only guys that I noticed stepped up in the toughness department.

Aside: If Chapie gets in the weight room and puts on a few pounds in the offseason he could be a major badass next year.

Aside#2: What do you guys think of Sinitsin's play on Friday? Sure would be nice to see him blast some shots from the blue line and throw his weight around a bit. Is he just still to green for this league?

 

[boblav1]

Re: UMass Lowell '12/'13 Season Thread II

What do you guys think of Sinitsin's play on Friday? Sure would be nice to see him blast some shots from the blue line and throw his weight around a bit. Is he just still to green for this league?

I think Dmitry is a work in progress and is still adjusting to the speed of D1 hockey. He's young and needs to develop his game and learn how to use his size. Don’t forget he missed over a year of playing/development time before arriving at Lowell. It also appears the coaching staff is bringing him along slowly. It's not like he's being thrown out there every night to sink or swim. Did he play a regular shift Friday night? I didn't really notice him that much.

Hopefully he works hard in the off season to get stronger and is ready to challenge for a regular spot next season.

 

[John_Fuller]

Re: UMass Lowell '12/'13 Season Thread II

Why the heck are we still talking the small ball of hockey east? The goal is to win nationally... If we are doing well in league then great... Id love to have home ice... But the goal is to be high enough in the pair wise the be in the NCAA tournament

Hockey East being small ball?

Let's turn back the clock to 2010...Lowell has a awful non-conference record and Hockey East stretch run, fails to gain home ice in its final game and got bounced in the HE playoff tournament in three games at Maine. Funny, I don't seem to remember a NCAA tournament bid that year.

2002: #3 in the country and Lowell fans are punched their ticket to the NCAA. Three Frenchmen go to the Olympics, a couple of injuries, and they can't complete. Barely escape NU in the HE playoffs, lose to UNH in the semis, and I don't seem to remember an NCAA tournament bid that year either.

Here is the list NCAA championships in the entire history of the league:

Maine 1993 -- Won everything
BU 1995 -- Share RS title w/Maine; won tournament
Maine 1999 -- Did not win any HE title
BC 2001 -- Won everything
BC 2008 -- Did not win any HE title
BU 2009, BC 2010, BC 2012: Won everything

I'm sorry your going to win nationally, you have to win in Hockey East or be really fortunate not do so along the way.

 

[Patman]

Re: UMass Lowell '12/'13 Season Thread II

Hockey East being small ball?

Let's turn back the clock to 2010...Lowell has a awful non-conference record and Hockey East stretch run, fails to gain home ice in its final game and got bounced in the HE playoff tournament in three games at Maine. Funny, I don't seem to remember a NCAA tournament bid that year.

2002: #3 in the country and Lowell fans are punched their ticket to the NCAA. Three Frenchmen go to the Olympics, a couple of injuries, and they can't complete. Barely escape NU in the HE playoffs, lose to UNH in the semis, and I don't seem to remember an NCAA tournament bid that year either.

Here is the list NCAA championships in the entire history of the league:

Maine 1993 -- Won everything
BU 1995 -- Share RS title w/Maine; won tournament
Maine 1999 -- Did not win any HE title
BC 2001 -- Won everything
BC 2008 -- Did not win any HE title
BU 2009, BC 2010, BC 2012: Won everything

I'm sorry your going to win nationally, you have to win in Hockey East or be really fortunate not do so along the way.

You missed the point entirely... and winning the league is a strong indicator that you are just that good... I'd rather make the NCAAs the next 5 years than make the HEA Semis the next 5 years... now, one will often mean the other, but that being said, league position to me only matters in as far as QF opponent and location as to how it affects the NCAAs... most years we're so far out the NCAAs don't matter.

Fact of the matter is we need to win, but I'm not going to spend a lot of time looking at the schedule. I want home ice, that is a goal, but it is not the end itself. The end is the NCAAs.

 

[John_Fuller]

Re: UMass Lowell '12/'13 Season Thread II

You missed the point entirely... and winning the league is a strong indicator that you are just that good... I'd rather make the NCAAs the next 5 years than make the HEA Semis the next 5 years... now, one will often mean the other, but that being said, league position to me only matters in as far as QF opponent and location as to how it affects the NCAAs... most years we're so far out the NCAAs don't matter.

Fact of the matter is we need to win, but I'm not going to spend a lot of time looking at the schedule. I want home ice, that is a goal, but it is not the end itself. The end is the NCAAs.

I guess we'll agree to disagree. Granted, I'll concede that home-ice is not an end in and of itself. Without it, odds are stacked well against you that your team will be in the NCAAs. Last year, we were able to still make the tournament because we did take care of business in the league and had enough points in the bank to get past the tournament championship. One can't go to that well too many times. I don't think we will be fortunate enough this year, especially if we come up short this afternoon. Everything is important in my book; home-ice, HE tournament, and NCAAs. I'd rather be a participant in all three, but then again, that's just me.

 

[boblav1]

Re: UMass Lowell '12/'13 Season Thread II

After the first period, tied at 1.

- The Hawks give up a 2 on 0 breakaway early in the first. Carr makes the save and thankfully Diamond knocks the rebound in with a high stick, no goal
- Diamond walks through the Lowell defense and gives Maine a 1-0 lead.
- Lowell ties it 14 seconds later, Fallon with the goal.
- Diamond again in the Lowell zone, hits the post.
- PPs M 0-2, L 0-0
- SOG - M 11, L 10

 

[UMLFan]

Re: UMass Lowell '12/'13 Season Thread II

3-3 after two. 2 Maine PP goals in this game.

I really have no idea what to expect from Lowell, not just game to game, but period to period.

 

[boblav1]

Re: UMass Lowell '12/'13 Season Thread II

Tied at 3 at the end of the 2nd period.

- Two PP goals a piece in the 2nd. Wetmore and McGraph for Lowell.
- Lowell has led 2-1 and 3-2 but Maine ties it up each time on the PP. Maine getting the puck and players to the front of the net, no chance for Carr on either one.
- A pretty wide open period with good chances by both teams.
- Needless to say, the Hawks need to stay out of the box.

 

[boblav1]

Re: UMass Lowell '12/'13 Season Thread II

I really have no idea what to expect from Lowell, not just game to game, but period to period.

Time to step it up. Tied game heading into the 3rd....go get the win.

 

[UMLFan]

Re: UMass Lowell '12/'13 Season Thread II

A couple of great chances in OT for Lowell and Oullette makes the saves.

And then Diamond scores in OT. Just freaking disappointing weekend.

 

[RiverhawkFan978]

.....and their goes home ice

 

[boblav1]

Re: UMass Lowell '12/'13 Season Thread II

A couple of great chances in OT for Lowell and Oullette makes the saves.

And then Diamond scores in OT. Just freaking disappointing weekend.

What a terrible pass, right on Diamonds stick. After some nice chances by Lowell. It's going to be a long ride home.