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Union Hockey 2012-2013 - Unfinished Business

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Re: Union Hockey 2012-2013 - Unfinished Business

This from the Watertown Daily Times: “They have such good team speed and they did a good job keeping us off guard,” Union coach Rick Bennett said. “And when you take that many penalties, they’re going to look even faster. I thought we were playing the 1980 Edmonton Oilers out there. ... that’s an excellent ‘team’ hockey team.”

I think you have a real class act for a head coach! Too often coaches throw their kids under the bus and look at the negatives in loss quotes in the press. This guy gets it...you won't hear any praise for the other guys next week when the Saints knock off the Bobcats.

Tough road trip for you guys but I'm still very impressed with Dutchmen hockey.
 
Re: Union Hockey 2012-2013 - Unfinished Business

justlookin' said:
This from the Watertown Daily Times: “They have such good team speed and they did a good job keeping us off guard,” Union coach Rick Bennett said. “And when you take that many penalties, they’re going to look even faster. I thought we were playing the 1980 Edmonton Oilers out there. ... that’s an excellent ‘team’ hockey team.”

I think you have a real class act for a head coach! Too often coaches throw their kids under the bus and look at the negatives in loss quotes in the press. This guy gets it...you won't hear any praise for the other guys next week when the Saints knock off the Bobcats.

Tough road trip for you guys but I'm still very impressed with Dutchmen hockey.
Click to expand...
Well Mr. Marsh and SLU set the gold standard on classy coaches in the ECAC, so right back at you. I'm not happy with how Union is playing right now, but am more than satisfied that its not a coaching problem (though I'm always quick to give coaching "suggestions" ;)). Good luck to SLU down the stretch, except of course for the return match in Schenectady.
 
Re: Union Hockey 2012-2013 - Unfinished Business

I am trying to get a handle on the team's slide and don't have any easy answers but a few observations. First and I don't want to harp on it but we lost a lot of offensive production with the departures of Zaj and welsh. Unfortunately the returnees have not picked up the slack. Also, the freshmen have not chipped in offensively to any appreciable extent. As a result, our scoring has dropped steadily each month from 4 gpg in October to under 2 thus far in February. And finally, our goaltending has slipped statistically at least. Taken on combination with other on ice issues, the drop off seems logical.
 
Re: Union Hockey 2012-2013 - Unfinished Business

Union's 81 week streak in the USCHO top 20 is over. Team did receive most votes of those not ranked.
 
Re: Union Hockey 2012-2013 - Unfinished Business

... and shutout entirely in USA Today / USA Hockey poll. Zero votes.
 
Re: Union Hockey 2012-2013 - Unfinished Business

Rankings run was fun while it lasted and lasted. Maybe the rankings were even taken for granted. The issue at hand now is getting untracked before not only the bye is out of reach, but home ice in the first round disappears along with it. I think that this team is capable of much better than it's recent performance, but something has to change...quickly. Our opponents aren't going to go quietly into that good night so we have to step it up, cliche, cliche, etc. :eek:
 
Re: Union Hockey 2012-2013 - Unfinished Business

Wholin1 said:
Rankings run was fun while it lasted and lasted. Maybe the rankings were even taken for granted. The issue at hand now is getting untracked before not only the bye is out of reach, but home ice in the first round disappears along with it. I think that this team is capable of much better than it's recent performance, but something has to change...quickly. Our opponents aren't going to go quietly into that good night so we have to step it up, cliche, cliche, etc. :eek:
Click to expand...

One person I spoke with over the weekend was getting really annoyed at this lack of offense and how they're not playing like they were last year. Of course, I was quick to recall the days when we were happy with Union just making it above 9th place for a home playoff series. :p

As ADK11 said, I'm not convinced that coaching is the issue and I don't think it's like the players don't care for the "new coach", as Bennett played a huge part in recruiting these guys. One thing about Nate Leaman's style - he had no issues with scratching one of the team's stars just to make a point. Does Bennett need to do something similar...just to give these guys a kick in the rear? Yes, it's a risky time to do so, but maybe necessary.
 
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Re: Union Hockey 2012-2013 - Unfinished Business

I think our team may be able to "relax" and play a lot better now with the ranking and PWR issues fading in the rear view mirror. A friend of mine who was at the SLU game said that he thought we played our best period in quite a while in the second period of that game after we were trailing 3-0 and seemingly out of the game. We certainly don't want to make a habit out of playing catch up, but there may be some psychological issues at play. I think there has been a lot of pressure not only on our coaching staff, but on the team to take care of the "Unfinished Business". Let's face facts, coming close to last season was always going to be a stretch as in fact it was last season. Now maybe they all can feel unburdened and just play hockey the way they know how to do without the external pressure and distraction. This team is by no means out of it, and with them gripping the sticks a bit more loosely, could again prove to be dangerous foes. That's my new theory anyway. ;)
 
Re: Union Hockey 2012-2013 - Unfinished Business

Wholin1 said:
I am trying to get a handle on the team's slide and don't have any easy answers but a few observations. First and I don't want to harp on it but we lost a lot of offensive production with the departures of Zaj and welsh. Unfortunately the returnees have not picked up the slack. Also, the freshmen have not chipped in offensively to any appreciable extent. As a result, our scoring has dropped steadily each month from 4 gpg in October to under 2 thus far in February. And finally, our goaltending has slipped statistically at least. Taken on combination with other on ice issues, the drop off seems logical.
Click to expand...
Don't under estimate the loss of Zajac and Welsh they were not only elite players (in fact I think you had the wrong player nominated for the Hobey Welsh in my humble opinion was the best forward in the country last year by a shot) but they were the type of players that made everyone around them better just ask Carr and Jooris if the miss them so Im sure there are other issues their alway is but you don't run out and replace those type of players.This league is far from over Im an RPI fan and we have Yale,Brown and Colgate,Cornell on the road 4 winable games and 4 loseable games so stand by and good hockey ! :eek:
 
Re: Union Hockey 2012-2013 - Unfinished Business

troyboy said:
Don't under estimate the loss of Zajac and Welsh they were not only elite players (in fact I think you had the wrong player nominated for the Hobey Welsh in my humble opinion was the best forward in the country last year by a shot) but they were the type of players that made everyone around them better just ask Carr and Jooris if the miss them so Im sure there are other issues their alway is but you don't run out and replace those type of players.This league is far from over Im an RPI fan and we have Yale,Brown and Colgate,Cornell on the road 4 winable games and 4 loseable games so stand by and good hockey ! :eek:
Click to expand...

Outstanding post regarding Zajac and Welsh. Well stated
 
Re: Union Hockey 2012-2013 - Unfinished Business

troyboy said:
Don't under estimate the loss of Zajac and Welsh they were not only elite players (in fact I think you had the wrong player nominated for the Hobey Welsh in my humble opinion was the best forward in the country last year by a shot) but they were the type of players that made everyone around them better just ask Carr and Jooris if the miss them so Im sure there are other issues their alway is but you don't run out and replace those type of players.This league is far from over Im an RPI fan and we have Yale,Brown and Colgate,Cornell on the road 4 winable games and 4 loseable games so stand by and good hockey ! :eek:
Click to expand...

Couldn't agree more about the loss of Zajac & Welsh, but don't think that Grosenick wasn't worthy of the Hobey nomination. I thought he was the best goalie in the league, if not the country last year. But...as we saw in Atlantic City and Bridgeport...Welsh was an absolute animal down the stretch.

The big problem is that the replacements haven't filled the shoes too well. Guys like Ciampini, Novak, and Hatch were relied upon to step in and pick up some of the slack, but that just hasn't happened. Combined with the loss of Julseth-White and continued injuries to the defense (Bodie & Stuart out for extended periods of time), plus the not-so-Hobey-like play of the goaltending, Union's drop-off is pretty well-explained.

Nevertheless, there's still time to right the ship, but it has to start this weekend. Yale will come in tomorrow night with a little chip on their shoulder after losing to Brown, so the boys better have their A-game. A win there goes a long way towards a top-4 finish, if you ask me.
 
Re: Union Hockey 2012-2013 - Unfinished Business

Michael Vechionne first star again last night and 2 goals vs Lincoln in USHL action.
Top 13 in league in scoring, 17 pts, +11 in last 13 games.
One of the top players in league over past 40 games. Great pick up
 
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