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UMass Lowell 2022-2023: Valley Steamroller Edition

This team just doesn't have "it." Forget the lack of offensive fire-power (I've been noting that all year), but they just don't have that want. Tied at 1 after 2 and you take three shots on net in the third period. 3. At home. Pathetic.

Great save by Welsch on the 2-on-0 in OT to help us garner the extra point. That's about all I have.
 
UMLFan said:
This team just doesn't have "it." Forget the lack of offensive fire-power (I've been noting that all year), but they just don't have that want. Tied at 1 after 2 and you take three shots on net in the third period. 3. At home. Pathetic.
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They had 3 power plays in the third period too. Maine had more urgency and out worked them for loose pucks.
 
A couple of statistical notes:

The power play, or lack thereof, is at 15.4% for the season. For a full season, that would be the worst for a Lowell team since the 2006-07 team had an abysmal 11.1%.
The penalty kill however, is at 86.3%, which would be the best for a full season since the 2008-09 team had an 87.8% kill rate.
In Hockey East play, the PK is at 89.3%, which would be the best Lowell has ever had over a full season in league play. The previous best is 89.1% in both 1993-94 and 2008-09.

With yesterday's tie, Lowell is now 4-0-11 in their last 15 OT games at Tsongas - their longest unbeaten streak in OT at home ever.

The team has scored just 73 goals this season. In the program's D1 history, they have only failed to scored 100 goals 5 times previously, and this season will likely end up with the 3rd or 4th lowest season total (not counting the shortened 2020-21 COVID season)

59 in 2020-21
74 in 2006-07
83 in 2010-11
90 in 2019-20
99 in 1999-00
 
To add a couple more stats: Lowell is currently 8th in GPG in league play, but yet 3rd in shots per game. They're tied for 6th in PP%
 
It's time for the team to start playing their best hockey. Only 6 games remaining in the regular season. A pretty tough schedule with two each against PC, MC and NU. Hoping for the best, one game at a time.
 
What was up with the officials last night? Missing offside calls, blowing the whistle before signaling a good goal, taking an excessive amount of time to review calls. I’m not one to complain about that stuff, but last night was pretty bad. Thankfully the 2nd goal review for Lowell was called good because we all know they aren’t getting many pucks in the net.

I thought Lowell played well defensively last night. PC of years past used to have a tenacious forecheck. Besides a few shifts after PC scored they didn’t spend much time in Lowell’s zone. It helped that Lowell mostly stayed out of the box.

Is the power play getting even worse? So frustrating to watch.
 
The magic number to finish 4th and clinch home ice is 9. Any combination of Lowell gaining or UConn losing 9 points means that Lowell finishes in 4th (or higher). So in theory, that could happen this weekend if Lowell sweeps Merrimack in regulation both nights and UConn loses to UNH in regulation.

The magic number to clinch a 1st-round bye is 4. Lowell has 36 points. Both PC and Maine can only get to 38 points and Lowell owns the tiebreaker with both. BC can only get to 39 points, but they own the tiebreaker. So, 2 points gets them clear of PC and Maine, but they need a combo of Lowell gaining or BC losing 4 points to get clear of the Eagles.
 
UML hockey notebook: Nail-biting games are the rule, not the exception (lowellsun.com)

UML will be without a couple of key forwards this weekend. Senior Brian Chambers has missed the last three games. Senior Zach Kaiser, second on the team with eight goals and tied for third with 16 points, broke his left hand last Friday against Providence.

“When you’ve got a (injured) senior, it’s tough because they know how to play. They know what it takes,” Bazin said of Kaiser. “He’s one of our best forwards.”
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According to Mike McMahon, the Saturday night game at Merrimack is sold out.
 
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Welcome to mediocrity and irrelevance. Glad I gave up my season tickets. Time to cancel ESPN+ too. Extremely poor recruiting over the last few years has reared its head. Lack of scoring, passing and shot making ability and poor coaching. Once we are down by a goal in the 3rd there is very little hope that we will mount a comeback. We have to play a perfect game and have all the luck of the hockey gods to be successful. Not enough USHL recruits and too many NAHL players.....unless we want to move to Atlantic Hockey. And as someone pointed out on the recruiting thread ..... "and there is no hope on the horizon either." Two questions. Where is the AD?... and..... Does he have any influence to light a fire under Norm? Lastly has Norm reached his personal Peter principle....meaning has he risen to his level of respective incompetence and that is the best we can hope for? What happened to the mantra we want to get better each week, regardless of injuries.
Final observation, this site and the UML threads used to be buzzing with activity, but this season has most people, including me, frustrated and disinterested in a once proud program.
 
Just wondering, will Berglund be joining the UML soccer team? That was a lovely right foot serve into the net for UML's 2nd goal. C'mon, you know it was a kick in.
Sold out crowd at Lawler for tonight's rematch. Reminiscent of the DII days which I remember (hazy memories at best). Hasn't been much of a rivalry in recent years given UML's domination, but I'd love to see it get resurrected.
 
Chiefof78 said:
Welcome to mediocrity and irrelevance. Glad I gave up my season tickets. Time to cancel ESPN+ too. Extremely poor recruiting over the last few years has reared its head. Lack of scoring, passing and shot making ability and poor coaching. Once we are down by a goal in the 3rd there is very little hope that we will mount a comeback. We have to play a perfect game and have all the luck of the hockey gods to be successful. Not enough USHL recruits and too many NAHL players.....unless we want to move to Atlantic Hockey. And as someone pointed out on the recruiting thread ..... "and there is no hope on the horizon either." Two questions. Where is the AD?... and..... Does he have any influence to light a fire under Norm? Lastly has Norm reached his personal Peter principle....meaning has he risen to his level of respective incompetence and that is the best we can hope for? What happened to the mantra we want to get better each week, regardless of injuries.
Final observation, this site and the UML threads used to be buzzing with activity, but this season has most people, including me, frustrated and disinterested in a once proud program.
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We had this conversation prior to the season that quite a few of us could see that this year was going to be a struggle and the recruiting is the key reason for it.
 
Lowell MBB will host their first ever DI playoff game at what is expected to be a sold-out Costello, with Maine coming to town. Lowell's 2nd place finish in the AE was their highest ever, and their 24-7 record is their best in D1 history. The Hawks will also be trying to up their best ever 15-0 home record, and with a win will have a 17th home game on Tuesday.

Tomorrow's game will be on ESPN+ at 4pm. Maine played Lowell tough this year, losing by 2 at Lowell and winning by 5 at home.
 
UMLFan said:
I hope I'm wrong, but I get the feeling tomorrow is the last home game of the season. Just a thoroughly disappointing season.
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Only way they have another home game is if drop to 6th. Nothing this team has done recently screams confidence that they'll take points from NU.
 
They actually had one of their best second periods in a while. Grigals save on the penalty shot was outstanding (#5 on ESPN's Top 10). Good crowd as well. We're tied into the 4th or 5th seed, and will play Saturday vs UConn. Tonight's results will decide who hosts that game.

Go Lowell tonight. Good luck to basketball today as well.
 
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