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UMass Lowell 2022-2023: Valley Steamroller Edition

Patman said:
I play the national picture game and we aren't in the national picture unless we win two next weekend. Edit: with players coming from everywhere being locally relevant mostly counts for attendance. Being nationally relevant brings in the players.

I'm not calling for Norm's head. I would like to know if he's aware of the way things stand and the type of player he isn't getting. The reality is that this team is far off the mark and still in 5th and going to the garden says far more about hockey east's drop off than it does about anything good we are doing. Hockey east has had a rough 15 years now.

I was talking to a friend of mine. Getting talent vs getting them to win. I think norm can get a pool of players and get the most out of them. I just dont think he can get them to campus. Beating UConn in a single game doesn't change that. Conversely uconn can seem to get talent but can't do anything with it.

Maybe it's us being in lowell plus the NIL (I don't know how that is sorting out in hockey as such but it can't help) plus the team being built on a defensive concept.

If we win this weekend. Man I've seen weirder.

I don't want to be a sour puss. I don't want to be that guy. I just don't see how we go up the mountain. On the other hand without norm we would have never had a chance to aspire to climbing the mountain.
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I don’t think you are “that guy” but you are one of “those guys”. And a rough 15 years for hockey East is a joke. How many national champions came from hockey East in those 15 years? The answer is 6. 40% of the national champions over a 15 year came from Hockey East. That’s pretty darn good.

Since 2011, when Norm started, which team has made the hockey East championship game the most. I will give you a hint… it’s not UMass, BC, BU, Maine, UNH, Merrimack, PC, Vermont, UConn or Northeastern (or Notre Dame). If Lowell wins Friday, that puts them at 7 hockey East championship games since 2011 (not to mention one year was cancelled due to covid). One other team in Hockey East has shown that same number of dominance… BC in the early 2000’s. That’s pretty darn good company. If you don’t believe me, go on Wikipedia and look it up.

You, and others, think this team plays the incorrect style of hockey. Gets the incorrect type of player, but, somehow, someway, miraculously Lowell finds themselves in the hunt for a national tourney bid at a high rate.

Most, not all, Lowell fans in here are insufferable. And yet, the insufferable will still go to the game, still cheer, and should they win Friday or even Saturday, you will find something, anything to bash the team. And should we lose, well, that’s a given.
 
hawkeytown said:
I don’t think you are “that guy” but you are one of “those guys”. And a rough 15 years for hockey East is a joke. How many national champions came from hockey East in those 15 years? The answer is 6. 40% of the national champions over a 15 year came from Hockey East. That’s pretty darn good.

Since 2011, when Norm started, which team has made the hockey East championship game the most. I will give you a hint… it’s not UMass, BC, BU, Maine, UNH, Merrimack, PC, Vermont, UConn or Northeastern (or Notre Dame). If Lowell wins Friday, that puts them at 7 hockey East championship games since 2011 (not to mention one year was cancelled due to covid). One other team in Hockey East has shown that same number of dominance… BC in the early 2000’s. That’s pretty darn good company. If you don’t believe me, go on Wikipedia and look it up.

You, and others, think this team plays the incorrect style of hockey. Gets the incorrect type of player, but, somehow, someway, miraculously Lowell finds themselves in the hunt for a national tourney bid at a high rate.

Most, not all, Lowell fans in here are insufferable. And yet, the insufferable will still go to the game, still cheer, and should they win Friday or even Saturday, you will find something, anything to bash the team. And should we lose, well, that’s a given.
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I would appreciate you not lying on my behalf. I think you are probably a better person than that.

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Winning national championships has nothing to do with depth and quality of the league and is often a game of chance. This league has no depth and I would dispute this high rate thing if you haven't noticed recent matters. Yes, we got screwed by covid in 2020.

Personally I have no problem with the style of that Bazin employs. Its a highly counter attacking and opportunistic system. I don't like the tendency to play behind the net, I will admit that much, but that's the only part of the style I have a problem with. As for the incorrect type of player... I will say adamantly that getting slow players that cannot handle the puck is the wrong type of player on all hockey teams at this level. Guilty. Watch the power play and how they can't move the puck whatsoever. Reality is if you're going to have this counter-attack style you have to have the means to counter attack. OK, maybe we don't get snipers but we need to be able to get up the ice and move the puck.

Six shots in the last two periods of UConn is not only because of the choice to go into the defensive shell. It also occurs because we do not have the speed to generate more opportunities. This team is not "stronger defensively" to make up for that difference.

You've been around this at least as long as I have, you have noticed the change over the last 5-6 years.
 
Patman said:
I would appreciate you not lying on my behalf. I think you are probably a better person than that.

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Winning national championships has nothing to do with depth and quality of the league and is often a game of chance. This league has no depth and I would dispute this high rate thing if you haven't noticed recent matters. Yes, we got screwed by covid in 2020.

Personally I have no problem with the style of that Bazin employs. Its a highly counter attacking and opportunistic system. I don't like the tendency to play behind the net, I will admit that much, but that's the only part of the style I have a problem with. As for the incorrect type of player... I will say adamantly that getting slow players that cannot handle the puck is the wrong type of player on all hockey teams at this level. Guilty. Watch the power play and how they can't move the puck whatsoever. Reality is if you're going to have this counter-attack style you have to have the means to counter attack. OK, maybe we don't get snipers but we need to be able to get up the ice and move the puck.

Six shots in the last two periods of UConn is not only because of the choice to go into the defensive shell. It also occurs because we do not have the speed to generate more opportunities. This team is not "stronger defensively" to make up for that difference.

You've been around this at least as long as I have, you have noticed the change over the last 5-6 years.
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Lie? Go back and look at your posts. 100% disagree.

As for players, 100% disagree with that as well.

You can’t be at the hockey East championship with all this bad, slow lack of sniper talent at the rate they have… and as bad as YOU, and others say.

we can agree to disagree. But I cannot stand the “stuff” being said by so many on here. It’s literally nonsensical and purely opinionated ridiculousness.
 
There's like 10 people that support Lowell that continue to discuss things here and we've now gotten to the "I'm a better fan than you because I don't say negative things and you shouldn't be going to games" part of the argument.

I guess I'm a day closer to bringing it down to 9 fans here. Apparently discourse isn't welcome.
 
UMLFan said:
There's like 10 people that support Lowell that continue to discuss things here and we've now gotten to the "I'm a better fan than you because I don't say negative things and you shouldn't be going to games" part of the argument.

I guess I'm a day closer to bringing it down to 9 fans here. Apparently discourse isn't welcome.
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It’s not about better fan, it’s about opinions without numbers backing it up. I am just pointing out facts, numbers that don’t support your argument. And all I get back is opinions without a backup to it.

Instead of thinking about the landscape I provided, you want play good fan vs bad fan?

This team is better than most of you think, and I am trying to have you realize that. The coach and his recruiting is better than you think. The style of play is better than you think.

It boggles my mind that many think this team is so bad, and yet they have been so successful since ‘11.
 
Ticket sales must be going well. We started off with just Loge 2 (with the chance to increase) and have now gotten to Loge 2-6. Still two balcony sections.
 
Lowell has their usual Championship Central page up including links to buy tickets in the Lowell sections of the Garden. Pregame starts at 4 at Hurricanes.

https://goriverhawks.com/sports/2022...stCentral.aspx

Providence pregame also at Hurricanes at 1pm, place will be busy especially combined with Hurricanes St. Patrick's festivities that include bagpipers and step dancers. No word on where Merrimack and BU pregaming.
 
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UMLFan said:
Ticket sales must be going well. We started off with just Loge 2 (with the chance to increase) and have now gotten to Loge 2-6. Still two balcony sections.
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During the Bazin era, Lowell's fan turnout at the Garden is very high if not the highest of all teams there. Lowell is reporting that for Friday, Loge 2 is sold out and Loge 3 is just about too. The two balcony sections above have scattered seats left. I would imagine another huge turnout of Lowell fans is in store for Friday.
 
hawkeytown said:
Lie? Go back and look at your posts. 100% disagree.

As for players, 100% disagree with that as well.

You can’t be at the hockey East championship with all this bad, slow lack of sniper talent at the rate they have… and as bad as YOU, and others say.

we can agree to disagree. But I cannot stand the “stuff” being said by so many on here. It’s literally nonsensical and purely opinionated ridiculousness.
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Have you noticed how far hockey east has fallen? I'm far from the only person in the HEA fanbases to note this. The numbers have backed this up for years.

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I'm not here to go on which fan is more pure than the other. Not worth my time. All of us have been at this 20+ years. While I don't know each and every person around here and have been around all my 22 years involved (13 in absence at a distance) I know we've all seen each other in person at some point even if we don't know everybody by real name and by face to message board handle. I would appreciate more good faith than is being presented.

I'd rather not have us stare at our shoes and go on about woe like many were apt before our success. However, I'd rather not ignore what's in front of me.

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edit: by now, I expected us to be in the same slots that UNH and Maine used to occupy nationally. Regularly 5-12th nationally. Is it hard to do in Lowell, sure. But that's what I anticipated by the 11-17 stretch.
 
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riverchief1 said:
During the Bazin era, Lowell's fan turnout at the Garden is very high if not the highest of all teams there. Lowell is reporting that for Friday, Loge 2 is sold out and Loge 3 is just about too. The two balcony sections above have scattered seats left. I would imagine another huge turnout of Lowell fans is in store for Friday.
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sounds good, would have anticipated a drop off but as I have said, I am remote and at a distance. I know visually the numbers haven't looked great in Tsongas attendance. Friday night is going to be a fight.
 
riverchief1 said:
Lowell has their usual Championship Central page up including links to buy tickets in the Lowell sections of the Garden. Pregame starts at 4 at Hurricanes.

https://goriverhawks.com/sports/2022...stCentral.aspx

Providence pregame also at Hurricanes at 1pm, place will be busy especially combined with Hurricanes St. Patrick's festivities that include bagpipers and step dancers. No word on where Merrimack and BU pregaming.
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This is terrific (coming from a Merrimack fan). Obviously, the Riverhawks have a lot more experience with this "reaching the Garden" stuff. Maybe the Merrimack athletic department could learn something. I had to contact a bunch of people to find out the Merrimack specific sections, and then when I went to buy them through TICKETBASSTERD they were blanked out. I ultimately got tickets in a nearby section. I finally got a link from the athletic department after 2 e-mails but as far as I can tell, there has been not any broad communication. And regarding a pre-game? Tell you what, if you find out will you let me know?
Hope you guys appreciate the people that put that page together.
 
RENCEB said:
This is terrific (coming from a Merrimack fan). Obviously, the Riverhawks have a lot more experience with this "reaching the Garden" stuff. Maybe the Merrimack athletic department could learn something. I had to contact a bunch of people to find out the Merrimack specific sections, and then when I went to buy them through TICKETBASSTERD they were blanked out. I ultimately got tickets in a nearby section. I finally got a link from the athletic department after 2 e-mails but as far as I can tell, there has been not any broad communication. And regarding a pre-game? Tell you what, if you find out will you let me know?
Hope you guys appreciate the people that put that page together.
Click to expand...

Lowell has always done a great job with postseason communication and events, whether at Garden or NCAAs. They always send an email on Monday of the HE Garden weekend giving season ticket holders first dibs buying tickets in the Lowell section. Then on Tuesday they post the page you saw with all the information including ticket links for everyone else.

The student deal is awesome. For $20 a student gets tickets for BOTH nights and round trip busses from campus.

The pregame is always busy. Started at 4 last year too and was already busy an hour before. The school sets up tables with free swag as well as merchandise for sale. Talked to some UConn fans last year who came upon it and were blown away as UConn had nothing for their fans.

Lowell definitely does these tournament weekends right.
 
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riverchief1 said:
Lowell has always done a great job with postseason communication and events, whether at Garden or NCAAs. They always send an email on Monday of the HE Garden weekend giving season ticket holders first dibs buying tickets in the Lowell section. Then on Tuesday they post the page you saw with all the information including ticket links for everyone else.

The student deal is awesome. For $20 a student gets tickets for BOTH nights and round trip busses from campus.

The pregame is always busy. Started at 4 last year too and was already busy an hour before. The school sets up tables with free swag as well as merchandise for sale. Talked to some UConn fans last year who came upon it and were blown away as UConn had nothing for their fans.

Lowell definitely does these tournament weekends right.
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i still miss Scott Donnelly though... he was amazing underneath Dana and was always a great guy to get info off of. Hope he is doing well.
 
Ah, now it makes sense! Your former AD was a Merrimack classmate of mine! I mean, you get someone from an excellent school like ours and things are bound to run well! ;)
:)
 
That's too bad for the teams.

Mike McMahon @MikeMcMahonCHN
The Hockey East semifinalists usually get to practice at TD Garden on Thursday, but that won't he happening this year. The TD Garden is hosting a Rauw Alejandro concert tomorrow night. HEA/MIAA hockey Fri-Sun, and then Bruce Springsteen on Monday night.
 
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