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Union Hockey 2012-2013 - Unfinished Business

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Re: Union Hockey 2012-2013 - Unfinished Business

More Bennett in advance of the series this weekend:

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Dutchfan said:
http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_me06r3DkWb1qcayzi.jpg

Union lines for tonight. Stevens gets the start in goal. DiPauli is in on the third line replacing Wilkins. Gingras is also scratched for the first time this season.
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Sulivan is also out. I have to think that Gingras may be ill or injured to be out of the lineup. I have no idea what the status of Grosenick is. Maybe the staff is being cautious with him in an OOC game. Of course they may just be giving Stevens a start and will go with Troy tomorrow.
 
Re: Union Hockey 2012-2013 - Unfinished Business

That probably wasn't Union's best game. It was a game that could have easily been blown wide open early on. It seemed like Union could have been up 5-0, 6-0 with just a few more bounces. They had several good scoring chances, especially in the first period, but puck wasn't finding the back of the net. Stevens made a few great saves and notched his second shutout in three starts this year. It's going to be an interesting call in goal tomorrow. Do you roll with Grosenick (if healthy) and get him some ice time before next Friday's big league game against Quinnipiac? Or do you stick with a hot hand in Stevens? I'd guess Grosenick will be in there if he's able to be, but I wouldn't disagree with giving Stevens another start. It's a good problem to have.

I'm sure we'll see some other changes. The radio guys suspected DePauli probably won't be in there again tomorrow. I have a hard time believing Gingras would be scratched for the second straight game be as long he's healthy.

Etc...

Penn St has, at least temporarily, dropped from being a TUC. They were one before the game. Union is 6th.

Union was distributing tickets for the TU Center game against RPI. They were down at will-call. I didn't hear an announcement about it, but fortunately got the heads up from someone sitting near me. I assume people can pick them up tomorrow. Otherwise they'll be mailed.

Between the holiday weekend and students being on break, I was surprised to see as many people there tonight. A crowd just north of 1800 was announced.
 
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Re: Union Hockey 2012-2013 - Unfinished Business

By the way, longtime NHL'er and current NHL on NBC commentator Ed Olczyk was at the game tonight. I recognized him in the lobby before the game. It didn't seem like anyone else there did.

His son plays for Penn St.
 
Re: Union Hockey 2012-2013 - Unfinished Business

rdf8585 said:
Rick Bennett postgamer via Ken Schott: http://www.dailygazette.com/videos/2012/nov/24/1237/

Bennett didn't mince words in expressing how he felt about the game tonight.
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No surprise there.. the good news is they got the win and Stevens was excellent, other than that it was not a sharp effort and the boys definitely got too cute at times. These games happen sometimes after breaks and I'm pretty sure the coaches will have the team refocused. Penn State has potential given their youth, but otherwise are an upper-mid Atlantic team at this point and will need another excellent goaltending game to have a chance tomorrow. However, if U doesn't bring some "A" effort and execution, they will be in trouble. Agree we may see some roster changes.

Really wouldn't start worrying about who is or isn't a TUC right now. I'm not sure that anyone that U has played so far will be a TUC when the season ends. Dartmouth perhaps and maybe Harvard will put it together, but is a long way to go right now. U just has to keep winning.
 
Re: Union Hockey 2012-2013 - Unfinished Business

It was nice to meet Rdf last night. I was wondering if the regulars here would have any interest in a pregame gathering some night?
 
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Re: Union Hockey 2012-2013 - Unfinished Business

Wholin1 said:
It was nice to meet Rdf last night. I was wondering if the regulars here would have any interest in a pregame gathering some night?
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It was nice to meet you too. That idea could be interesting. I'm usually there by 6 anyway.
 
Re: Union Hockey 2012-2013 - Unfinished Business

A win is a win, but I doubt the coaching staff was overly thrilled with most of the play tonight. Practice probably won't be too fun this week. A much better effort will be needed to beat Quinnipiac on Friday.

At least Grosenick made it through the game and looked good throughout. Unfortunately, Ikkala left hurt in the third and didn't return. Looked like lower body.

By the way, I updated my YouTube playlist of songs heard at Messa. I've added about a half dozen ones I've heard/recognized this year. Always fun to revisit your Messa favorites.
 
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Re: Union Hockey 2012-2013 - Unfinished Business

It looks like 8th again in both of the polls. There was a lot of discussion of Union's lackluster play this weekend. Still we came away with 2 wins, something that would never have happened in the bad old days. It shows how far the expectations have come for this team where 2 wins on any weekend could be considered in any way to be disappointing. Regardless, I thinks it's safe to say that the boys will have to pick things up considerably as they face a red hot Qpac and then Princeton this weekend. The defense remains pretty solid and that and the goaltending keeps giving us a chance to win every night. Still I am hoping for a more consistent attack and the trademark Union physicality to get things going.
 
Re: Union Hockey 2012-2013 - Unfinished Business

Two interesting observations from the polls - and I dont know if Pairwise updates in real time or when it updates (anyone know?):

1. In terms of human perception (USCHO poll) Union is still carrying the torch for the ECAC as we are the only team in the Top 10 despite a loss to Dartmouth.

2. According to the computers there are 3 ECAC teams in the Top 10 - I know it is early but when was the last time that happened?

In looking at the results from last year Union lost only twice after Jan. 1 not including the Frozen Four. A similar streak is likely required this year to take the league title. I think if we can take the regular season title we will make the NCAA regardless of what happens in the ECAC tourney.
 
Re: Union Hockey 2012-2013 - Unfinished Business

Pairwise means absolutely nothing this time of year.. too small a sample size, its just a mathematical exercise until you get into January. I mean Penn State was theoretically a TUC even though they had lost to AIC and a D-III (Buffalo State)!

As for the ECAC, looks like its going to be very competitive for the top 4 spots this year - U, Cornell, Quinny, Yale and Dartmouth with Harvard & SLU not far off. Last season it kinda ended up as just Union & Cornell and everyone else fighting for 3rd-12th. Hopefully this leads to having 4 or 5 ECACs in the top 20 and a couple more TUCs. Yale sweeping out west and Cornell whacking Michigan this past weekend helps the league's strength of schedule. Still U may have to essentially run the house in Jan/Feb to stake an NCAA berth, but I think that will be MUCH more difficult this season ..starting with this Friday against a Quinnipiac team with 4 good senior defensemen and an excellent goaltender.

I'm mostly satisfied with how the team did this past weekend, though Sunday's game was way too close going into the 3rd and was disturbing how Penn State controlled play at times. The goaltending, especially Grosenick's return, was reassuring. Still think this is a very talented experienced team and hopefully the boys will start to pull together more consistency for the stretch run.
 
Re: Union Hockey 2012-2013 - Unfinished Business

ADK11 said:
Pairwise means absolutely nothing this time of year.. too small a sample size, its just a mathematical exercise until you get into January. I mean Penn State was theoretically a TUC even though they had lost to AIC and a D-III (Buffalo State)!

As for the ECAC, looks like its going to be very competitive for the top 4 spots this year - U, Cornell, Quinny, Yale and Dartmouth with Harvard & SLU not far off. Last season it kinda ended up as just Union & Cornell and everyone else fighting for 3rd-12th. Hopefully this leads to having 4 or 5 ECACs in the top 20 and a couple more TUCs. Yale sweeping out west and Cornell whacking Michigan this past weekend helps the league's strength of schedule. Still U may have to essentially run the house in Jan/Feb to stake an NCAA berth, but I think that will be MUCH more difficult this season ..starting with this Friday against a Quinnipiac team with 4 good senior defensemen and an excellent goaltender.

I'm mostly satisfied with how the team did this past weekend, though Sunday's game was way too close going into the 3rd and was disturbing how Penn State controlled play at times. The goaltending, especially Grosenick's return, was reassuring. Still think this is a very talented experienced team and hopefully the boys will start to pull together more consistency for the stretch run.
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I don't even remember pairwise being calculated until December or January in prior years. Maybe it's just an age thing. ;) The league does seem to have some greater strength this season from top to almost bottom so I don't see any team coming close to running the table in January and February. It does seem however that Union has peaked beginning in late December and early January during the past few seasons. Looking backward of course means little going forward.
 
Re: Union Hockey 2012-2013 - Unfinished Business

Please overlook Colgate(until after you play them) the frosh are outstanding...very quick !
 
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