Utica College Pioneers '13-'14 = Lewiston or Bust

[admiral0417]

Re: Utica College Pioneers '13-'14 = Lewiston or Bust

Cards have won the NCAA Championship last in 2001 vs. an undefeated RIT team that was playing at home. Prior to that they won it in 1992 and 1987 (since vacated on infractions??)....Their last NCAA appearance was in 2012 where they lost in the quarterfinals to Amherst. Their last win was in 2010 (at Middlebury). Their last Final Four was also in 2010 where they lost 3-2 to Norwich at Lake Placid.

So, you see it really hasn't been too long since they've had "success" in the post season.

 

[LakerFan99]

Re: Utica College Pioneers '13-'14 = Lewiston or Bust

Not to go backwards, but originally, when Fish said that Oswego's program was the gold standard in the East, I think he meant BROADCASTING...not the hockey program. I don't think it was supposed to turn into who has the best hockey program, historically. At least, that's how I read it.

 

[LakerEagleLover]

Re: Utica College Pioneers '13-'14 = Lewiston or Bust

Not to go backwards, but originally, when Fish said that Oswego's program was the gold standard in the East, I think he meant BROADCASTING...not the hockey program. I don't think it was supposed to turn into who has the best hockey program, historically. At least, that's how I read it.

With "da Fish", who really knows? Regardless, it will be more than a little weird to have the Michael "GOAT" Keeley as the color partner to Ray "Bigger Than Life" Biggs...when UC is up by 7 going into the 3rd, I predict Ray hands the baton over to the hometown champ...

 

[sshablak]

Re: Utica College Pioneers '13-'14 = Lewiston or Bust

Cards have won the NCAA Championship last in 2001 vs. an undefeated RIT team that was playing at home. Prior to that they won it in 1992 and 1987 (since vacated on infractions??)....Their last NCAA appearance was in 2012 where they lost in the quarterfinals to Amherst. Their last win was in 2010 (at Middlebury). Their last Final Four was also in 2010 where they lost 3-2 to Norwich at Lake Placid.

So, you see it really hasn't been too long since they've had "success" in the post season.

Thank you.

 

[UCBadger]

Re: Utica College Pioneers '13-'14 = Lewiston or Bust

Full page ad in the Utica Observer Dispatch today promoting today's Women's opener at 2:30 (!!!) and Saturday's Mens home opener.

It is my understanding that this is Utica College's first full page ad in the OD EVER! (I will stand corrected if wrong on that one....)

 

[jcase]

Re: Utica College Pioneers '13-'14 = Lewiston or Bust

Pioneers win the opener 3-1. Game was as close as the score. UC looked a little rusty and Naz goalie was stonewalling until 3 min left in 2nd period when UC scored all 3 goals in a 6 minute span. Naz skated with UC but couldn't respond. Naz looks to be much improved and if they play like they did tonight will win games this year. SOG were 40-30 in favor of the Pioneers.

At the Aud tomorrow night for Brockport.

 

[Fishman'81]

Re: Utica College Pioneers '13-'14 = Lewiston or Bust

Nice,terse capsule... (I gotta work on "terse".)

UC carried about 66.6% of the play but Naz is getting better quickly, not that they were a bad team last year. Zdolshek was terrific in goal for NC, and NC's 1st line is formidable by any yardstick. (Their 2nd line ain't chopped-liver, either.)

My first star for UC would be Zappia; he made a few outstanding defensive plays that snuffed-out great NC scoring chances. Nick had a good stat-line but appeared to fight the puck at times. Among the Freshmen, Kirisits showed a lot of poise and talent, and the team-speed is still there in spades... Overall a very decent opening day for the Pioneers, rust and all.

That Gray Ice Complex was such a fun venue to visit. Four rinks, all visible from the second floor, sticks and equipment bags piled-up everywhere, and players of all ages milling around... Best of all, there was a restaurant overlooking the Naz game.

After shivering through the 1st, we parked it at the rink-side glass there for the rest of the game, enjoyed "the best burgers in Rochester" along with a Blue Moon in a toasty environment, and yakked it up with some Utica parents.

It was the most hockey-centric/convenient/fun D-3 venue I've seen so far; go there for a game if you can.

 

[Fishman'81]

Re: Utica College Pioneers '13-'14 = Lewiston or Bust

Not to go backwards, but originally, when Fish said that Oswego's program was the gold standard in the East, I think he meant BROADCASTING...not the hockey program. I don't think it was supposed to turn into who has the best hockey program, historically. At least, that's how I read it.

Actually, I was referring to Oswego's on-ice product over the past 12 years... (I do realize that Platty has an amazing track-record that spans several decades, but I've only been watching D-3 since 2000.)

As far as OSU's broadcasts..?

While I hear that they offer an excellent HD feed, what we get here in Utica via TWC is an unwatchable, grainy POS that I wouldn't cross the street to see.

(I'm not sure which company in all of America craps on their over-paying customer more heedlessly, but the finalists are TWC and Verizon, if you ask me. Both epitomize the worst of what such de-facto monopolies are allowed to get away with.)

 

[jcase]

Re: Utica College Pioneers '13-'14 = Lewiston or Bust

Pios looked much better tonight in the sold out Aud. Crazy start, the teams combined for 3 goals in the first 2:07 of the game. Freshmen surprisingly looked very polished potting 2 of the goals (Lazzaro and Powers) and backstopping (Zelzer) the victory. Noticed at times that 2 frosh were on the blue line together (Kirisits and Hanth). Bushinski, another frosh, didn't score but it wasn't for lack of hustle as he was all over the ice. The score could have been much worse but Green singlehandedly robbed UC of no less than a handful of goals.

 

[Fishman'81]

Re: Utica College Pioneers '13-'14 = Lewiston or Bust

Green has a great glove. I'd shoot to his stick, if I was playing.

 

[bakdraft21]

Re: Utica College Pioneers '13-'14 = Lewiston or Bust

Pios looked much better tonight in the sold out Aud. Crazy start, the teams combined for 3 goals in the first 2:07 of the game. Freshmen surprisingly looked very polished potting 2 of the goals (Lazzaro and Powers) and backstopping (Zelzer) the victory. Noticed at times that 2 frosh were on the blue line together (Kirisits and Hanth). Bushinski, another frosh, didn't score but it wasn't for lack of hustle as he was all over the ice. The score could have been much worse but Green singlehandedly robbed UC of no less than a handful of goals.

kirisits was a Clarkson recruit at some point

 

[jcase]

Re: Utica College Pioneers '13-'14 = Lewiston or Bust

kirisits was a Clarkson recruit at some point

This is correct.

Also, Zelzer had committed to Michigan Tech in May but had a delay gaining NCAA clearance. Prior to him being cleared to play, MT took a commitment from another goalie so their loss is UC's gain.

 

[joecct]

Re: Utica College Pioneers '13-'14 = Lewiston or Bust

kirisits was a Clarkson recruit at some point

That's when we were recruiting D-III level players to play D-I. Surprisingly, it was not successful.

 

[Fishman'81]

Re: Utica College Pioneers '13-'14 = Lewiston or Bust

That's when we were recruiting D-III level players to play D-I. Surprisingly, it was not successful.

Yeah, I hear he was de-recruited after the coaching change at Clarkson, but he appears to be a very talented D-3 blueliner at this level. Glad to have him in Utica.

 

[Fishman'81]

Re: Utica College Pioneers '13-'14 = Lewiston or Bust

Directing a question to the tiny handful of UC fans who actually weigh-in here: What do you think of the changes at The Aud?

We loved the (apparent) fact that the ice was upgraded; that's been a huge issue for years... While it was warm on Saturday, there was no visible slush or standing water, and good ice favors a skilled team such as Utica.

Aside from that, we didn't really appreciate the "upgrades", at least not insofar as how they were manifest.

Our list:

1. The sound system has gone from completely serviceable to God-awful. You'll have a better chance of understanding a Manhattan subway's intercom notices than you will trying to decipher what penalty was called at a Utica game right now.

2A. The big video boards are more of a distraction than anything else, because they are constantly busy displaying MAKE SOME NOISE!!! or some other such nonsense... They ought to be showing replays, stats, or anything else relevant to the actual game, which they did far too seldom.

2B. The roving "reporters" and the "Kiss Cam" on said big-screens were an annoying sideshow... Again, that crap has nothing to do with the game at hand, and is an annoying distraction to those of us who were there to see some hockey.

3. The fog-horn has been amplified to the point where it engenders physical pain to hear it. We've been to rock concerts, and our ears rang in a similar fashion as we drove home on Saturday. (I am actually going to officially complain about that; The Aud is a publicly-funded facility, and is supposed to be aware of the hearing damage that can obtain pursuant to the noise they generate, especially among the many children there.)

4. I'm not even going to get started about the ushers strutting around like so many ridiculous peacocks, as though they are suddenly in the employ of the Secret Service... But it was a ridiculous spectacle to behold, especially since they don't have the training/hockey-sense to wait for a whistle to seat people.

In summary, I do like the ice, the place looks somewhat better, but all the pseudo "big-time" AHL trappings are not congruent with D-3 hockey, IMO, and all the long-time fans that I got re-acquainted with on Saturday felt the same as I.

The Aud used to be the best D-3 venue among those I've seen, but right now it's a gimmicky, overstated embarrassment... I'm hopeful that once the Comets jump-ship next year, the management will go back to making this place about hockey again.

 

[sshablak]

Re: Utica College Pioneers '13-'14 = Lewiston or Bust

I haven't been yet but will see a game this weekend, maybe Hobart.

 

[jcase]

Re: Utica College Pioneers '13-'14 = Lewiston or Bust

Directing a question to the tiny handful of UC fans who actually weigh-in here: What do you think of the changes at The Aud?

We loved the (apparent) fact that the ice was upgraded; that's been a huge issue for years... While it was warm on Saturday, there was no visible slush or standing water, and good ice favors a skilled team such as Utica.

Aside from that, we didn't really appreciate the "upgrades", at least not insofar as how they were manifest.

Our list:

1. The sound system has gone from completely serviceable to God-awful. You'll have a better chance of understanding a Manhattan subway's intercom notices than you will trying to decipher what penalty was called at a Utica game right now.

2A. The big video boards are more of a distraction than anything else, because they are constantly busy displaying MAKE SOME NOISE!!! or some other such nonsense... They ought to be showing replays, stats, or anything else relevant to the actual game, which they did far too seldom.

2B. The roving "reporters" and the "Kiss Cam" on said big-screens were an annoying sideshow... Again, that crap has nothing to do with the game at hand, and is an annoying distraction to those of us who were there to see some hockey.

3. The fog-horn has been amplified to the point where it engenders physical pain to hear it. We've been to rock concerts, and our ears rang in a similar fashion as we drove home on Saturday. (I am actually going to officially complain about that; The Aud is a publicly-funded facility, and is supposed to be aware of the hearing damage that can obtain pursuant to the noise they generate, especially among the many children there.)

4. I'm not even going to get started about the ushers strutting around like so many ridiculous peacocks, as though they are suddenly in the employ of the Secret Service... But it was a ridiculous spectacle to behold, especially since they don't have the training/hockey-sense to wait for a whistle to seat people.

In summary, I do like the ice, the place looks somewhat better, but all the pseudo "big-time" AHL trappings are not congruent with D-3 hockey, IMO, and all the long-time fans that I got re-acquainted with on Saturday felt the same as I.

The Aud used to be the best D-3 venue among those I've seen, but right now it's a gimmicky, overstated embarrassment... I'm hopeful that once the Comets jump-ship next year, the management will go back to making this place about hockey again.

Regarding the ice, I agree with the quality from what I could see and loved the fact that they seemed to have fixed the goal moorings. Stronger magnets or possibly lighter goals? I'm told the AHL requires goals with much smaller pipe diameter for the frame other than the posts/crossbar. Not one dislodged goal Saturday to stop play when there were usually a 5 or so a game.

The sound system is much improved, at least from my seats, but I believe the announcers tend to talk with their mouths too close to the microphone which makes it sound garbled. Plus they don't need to yell into it. Probably a habit from using the old system.

The video boards are a peripheral vision distraction with the advertisements running constantly during gameplay but I did enjoy the videos between periods and I like that they show the pictures of the scoring players after goals as well as a number of replays.

I don't mind the activities during breaks. To me that's part of the entertainment.

Agree that the fog horn could be toned down a few decibles.

Don't notice the ushers much as my seats are against the glass.

All in all, I like the upgrades as it certainly will help sell the Aud as a potential Frozen Four host as well as other events.

 

[norm1909]

Re: Utica College Pioneers '13-'14 = Lewiston or Bust

.. but right now it's a gimmicky, overstated embarrassment....

Sounds like they had you in mind.

 

[fisheralum91]

Re: Utica College Pioneers '13-'14 = Lewiston or Bust

Directing a question to the tiny handful of UC fans who actually weigh-in here: What do you think of the changes at The Aud?

We loved the (apparent) fact that the ice was upgraded; that's been a huge issue for years... While it was warm on Saturday, there was no visible slush or standing water, and good ice favors a skilled team such as Utica.

Aside from that, we didn't really appreciate the "upgrades", at least not insofar as how they were manifest.

Our list:

1. The sound system has gone from completely serviceable to God-awful. You'll have a better chance of understanding a Manhattan subway's intercom notices than you will trying to decipher what penalty was called at a Utica game right now.

2A. The big video boards are more of a distraction than anything else, because they are constantly busy displaying MAKE SOME NOISE!!! or some other such nonsense... They ought to be showing replays, stats, or anything else relevant to the actual game, which they did far too seldom.

2B. The roving "reporters" and the "Kiss Cam" on said big-screens were an annoying sideshow... Again, that crap has nothing to do with the game at hand, and is an annoying distraction to those of us who were there to see some hockey.

3. The fog-horn has been amplified to the point where it engenders physical pain to hear it. We've been to rock concerts, and our ears rang in a similar fashion as we drove home on Saturday. (I am actually going to officially complain about that; The Aud is a publicly-funded facility, and is supposed to be aware of the hearing damage that can obtain pursuant to the noise they generate, especially among the many children there.)

4. I'm not even going to get started about the ushers strutting around like so many ridiculous peacocks, as though they are suddenly in the employ of the Secret Service... But it was a ridiculous spectacle to behold, especially since they don't have the training/hockey-sense to wait for a whistle to seat people.

In summary, I do like the ice, the place looks somewhat better, but all the pseudo "big-time" AHL trappings are not congruent with D-3 hockey, IMO, and all the long-time fans that I got re-acquainted with on Saturday felt the same as I.

The Aud used to be the best D-3 venue among those I've seen, but right now it's a gimmicky, overstated embarrassment... I'm hopeful that once the Comets jump-ship next year, the management will go back to making this place about hockey again.

Fishman- you have got to be kidding me.....The horns are too loud? The HUGE video screens were a distraction? Look man, go back to the Clinton arena. In my opinion it is amazing with the improvements!!! Let the people get excited about hockey again.. Get some new fans....new blood...Progress is not the enemy!

 

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

Re: Utica College Pioneers '13-'14 = Lewiston or Bust

The video screens are kind of annoying, except when they display something related to the game (stats, replay, etc). Some of the animations (like the bouncing GOAL! text) look like someone spent all of three minutes making them in Powerpoint. Couldn't hurt to turn down the brightness of the screens a bit, either.

Goal horn did not sound any louder to me.