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Ya you are right! MacDonald , Smith and Gaudrealt are not not stupid either. Should they be skipped over their regular shift? What would the fallout/impact be on the team if a senior line got skipped over? I'm not saying first line PP or first line PK. I'm saying regular shift.Made the same observation on the game thread. I know some folks want to downplay the impact this is having on the team ... but the players aren't stupid, they know more than anyone else who is pulling their weight and who isn't. And to see this happening again, after getting cussed out last weekend by the captains that "ties aren't acceptable" in giving away a point in the UMass Amherst tie ... there is a demoralizing factor that *has* to come into play when the kids see this happening again and again.
I will say this - it's not exactly like there are a raft of players on the other two lines who are making their case persuasively for picking up additional time instead of the senior line forwards.
I feel badly for Tirone, who overcame a frightful 2nd period to play pretty well in the 3rd period, and I don't think he can be blamed for the winner. I thought his defense was subpar pretty much all night, and I thought the forwards really didn't cover themselves with glory on the backcheck OR in their own zone. Weak on the stick far too often, including on the winner.
"The Quest for 600" is officially stuck in neutral. I can't honestly say I trust UNH to beat Bentley.
Hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday weekend with those closest to you.
If so, hard to find for sure. If the over/under for the Kelleher line is 20, I'll take the over against UMA, the under against BC.
) are being dragged along for the ride primarily because they're out on the ice with the first line.
Fair questions, and I think that raises a fair few possible solutions. However, before going to the most likely acceptable solution, let me reiterate a comment I made a couple of days ago first ... which is basically that not too many of the players on the 2nd-3rd-4th forward lines are making really strong. persuasive cases on their own behalf for more prominent roles. Try this - think about the players who are on the last 3 lines and up in the stands, and then try to fill in the blank:
"So far this season, I think ( ______ ) has really stepped up and surprised me in a positive way"
To me, the only two arguments for inclusion in that group would be Chris Miller and Ara Nazarian. And to some degree, Nazarian was probably expected to be where he is. He's just more notable because others have fallen short.
Which we can then demonstrate when we try this follow-up approach:
"Looking at the UNH roster, I think ( ______ ) has been overlooked, and could be a real solution to the lack of scoring depth up front"
If the answers are "Mike McNicholas and Jason Salvaggio", keep in mind they've combined for 1G/2A over 11 games, which (sadly) puts them right in the mix with a pretty big chunk of the forwards who are playing more regularly. Frosh players Jason Kalinowski and Frank Cefalu have yet to dress for a single regulation game. Not sure I see a lot of immediate help from either of those guys, but it's not like they're sitting in Nova Scotia behind the '78/'79 Montreal Canadiens, and I'd be interested to see what they might bring to the table. If Miller has eclipsed some of the other youngsters, I'm not sure Kalinowski and/or Cefalu might not be able to do the same?
Looking further ... did you know that:
* Of the top six (6) scorers so far, there is the top line and three defensemen (Cleland/Dawson/Marks)?
* Of the top eleven (11) scorers so far, there are five defensemen (adding Fiurgele and Boyd)?
* Max Gaudreault is the only senior forward in the top 10 scoring (tied for 7th with Miller)?
* Gaudreault (4) and Miller (3) are the only non-first line forwards with more than one (1) goal?
* Shane Eiserman, Marcus Vela and Warren Foegele have combined for zero (0) goals to date?
* The only forwards with 3 or more assists are Kelleher, Poturalski, Miller (3), Nazarian (3) and Eiserman (3)?
So if you're watching the games and it seems like Poturalski and Kelleher are the only ones out there who are doing anything offensively, then you're right. And I suspect some of the top defensemen scoring-wise (and arguably even Correale and his 2 assists
So there are really no obvious/easy solutions out there. And considering that MacDonald (1G/0 A) and Gaudreault (4G/2A) have letters on their sweaters, they're not going to be missing any games as healthy scratches. And not to belabor the point - even if their plus/minus numbers are horrific - but it's not like any of the younger players are really making a strong case for bigger roles (yet). If the best (only?) argument out there is the younger players should be pushed at the expense of the older players because they are the future of the program ... then I fear for the short term future of the program.
My proposed solution? Break up the senior checking line and distribute them across the remaining 3 lines. I also wouldn't rule out the possibility - later in the season perhaps? - of at least considering moving Correale off the first line, and seeing if Eiserman or Nazarian would make that work? Let's face it, someone's going to have to skate in that slot next season (assuming TK and AP return). The really daring approach would be to split Poturalski and Kelleher up, and hope they are both dynamic enough to create two lines where there is only the one right now. But I don't think the team is at the point where their fragile psyche could handle that last risky option ... yet.
My immediate steps for this weekend (and the rest of the '15 portion of the UNH schedule) would be:
* Break up the senior checking line ASAP. I'll let others speculate how to distribute them to other roles;
* Consider sitting seniors like Smith and Hill for alternating games, and giving Kalinowski a shot;
* Find a way to get Eiserman/Vela/Nazarian on the ice together (or with one of the senior leaders). Call it "sink or swim", "make or break" or "here's your opportunities, boys - show me what you got";
* Create a REAL checking line that can skate, and is capable of containing a quality opposing front line. Suspect that's going to require someone like Correale to make it work, but maybe others can fill that role?
I'm not going to pretend those are the only answers - OR even viable answers. But maintaining the status quo isn't working, and just hoping things are eventually going to click with the current set-up seems naïve. And if rumblings I've been hearing about the goalie situation prove to be accurate, there may be other issues other than anemic scoring depth, and the defense's inability to move the puck effectively and consistently out of their own end to add to the mix.
Hard to believe how much excitement was generated for this season with last year's stretch run ... and just how quickly that has now disappeared. Players are not stepping up ... or players are not being developed properly?? That may be the bigger question UNH is facing as a program right now. Have at it, folks ...