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Utica College Pioneers 2011-2012

Re: Utica College Pioneers 2011-2012

Story and photos of the more than 4,500 teddy bears and other varmints thrown onto the ice at the Utica Aud Saturday night.

Elsewhere, it was suggested that Utica had no class....I don't know how anyone can say that as they quit blowing the goal horn after 10 goals Saturday night. :D

__________________________

OK, after more than 9 years here at USCHO, as The Original Utica College Poster, as the Contest Administrator for the past 6+ years of ECAC-West Pick'em, the original D-III pick'em game--now in its 10th year, this marks my 3,000 post. I wanted to do something really outstanding to mark this (irrelevant) milestone. Something really witty. Something really memorable.

I could not think of any thing outstanding, witty, or memorable so instead I (as founder and CEO of badgerbadgerbadger a wholly owned subsidiary of P&GBadgerPrez) give to you the following:





That was, of course, just to set up my real "gift" ;) to all of you this holiday season:





Yes, this does mean that you will not be getting a Christmas card from UCBadger this year. :p
 
Re: Utica College Pioneers 2011-2012

altazo said:
I agree. But they're going to have to be willing to play a few more OOC road games. In the long run, playing strong teams on the road in front of 500 people will do far more for them on a national level than continuing to schedule these Tomato Cans at home in front of 4,000...
Click to expand...

Sounds logical, if SOS was weighed more heavily by the NCAA. That doesn't seem to be the case, traditionally. (And Salve Regina probably looked good on paper when UC arranged the game.)

I get your point just the same, and I tend to agree, but with a proviso...

I know a man who's a UC alumnus, a huge hockey fan, and a generous donor. He told me that Heenan himself said that Utica provides a significant payout to the sacrificial lambs who make the trips to The Aud... Perhaps it's a "lose and win" situation for those teams, financially, and if programs are lining up to play at your barn, why not do it?(And, to be fair, Utica does travel to the better SUNYAC schools pretty-much every year. Oswego and Plattsburgh will host them in the next 30 days, for example.)

I'd like to see UC work out a deal to meet Norwich and Middlebury annually, too, if the scheduling is feasible. Aside from those two perennial powers, there is little reason to travel anywhere in the Northeast just to burn up bus-gas, and possibly suffer a bad loss to a bad team... They already schedule the best of the East, outside of the aforementioned.
 
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Re: Utica College Pioneers 2011-2012

Fishman'81 said:
Sounds logical, if SOS was weighed more heavily by the NCAA. That doesn't seem to be the case, traditionally. (And Salve Regina probably looked good on paper when UC arranged the game.)

I get your point just the same, and I tend to agree, but with a proviso...

I know a man who's a UC alumnus, a huge hockey fan, and a generous donor. He told me that Heenan himself said that Utica provides a significant payout to the sacrificial lambs who make the trips to The Aud... Perhaps it's a "lose and win" situation for those teams, financially, and if programs are lining up to play at your barn, why not do it?(And, to be fair, Utica does travel to the better SUNYAC schools pretty-much every year. Oswego and Plattsburgh will host them in the next 30 days, for example.)

I'd like to see UC work out a deal to meet Norwich and Middlebury annually, too, if the scheduling is feasible. Aside from those two perennial powers, there is little reason to travel anywhere in the Northeast just to burn up bus-gas, and possibly suffer a bad loss to a bad team... They already schedule the best of the East, outside of the aforementioned.
Click to expand...

With the Primelink, NSB Tournament, annual games with Midd and Plattsburgh, and an 18 game league schedule Norwich has committed 24 of the 25 possible games on the season before anything happens. Middlebury is in a similar situation. It would change if the ECAC East doesn't hold on to the two DII teams, but otherwise scheduling is really tight.
 
Re: Utica College Pioneers 2011-2012

Fishman'81 said:
Sounds logical, if SOS was weighed more heavily by the NCAA. That doesn't seem to be the case, traditionally. (And Salve Regina probably looked good on paper when UC arranged the game.)

I get your point just the same, and I tend to agree, but with a proviso...

I know a man who's a UC alumnus, a huge hockey fan, and a generous donor. He told me that Heenan himself said that Utica provides a significant payout to the sacrificial lambs who make the trips to The Aud... Perhaps it's a "lose and win" situation for those teams, financially, and if programs are lining up to play at your barn, why not do it?(And, to be fair, Utica does travel to the better SUNYAC schools pretty-much every year. Oswego and Plattsburgh will host them in the next 30 days, for example.)

I'd like to see UC work out a deal to meet Norwich and Middlebury annually, too, if the scheduling is feasible. Aside from those two perennial powers, there is little reason to travel anywhere in the Northeast just to burn up bus-gas, and possibly suffer a bad loss to a bad team... They already schedule the best of the East, outside of the aforementioned.
Click to expand...

For sure. I know money plays a part in their scheduling. I think UC and the Aud could/should work on hosting their own tournament. Getting a couple of the strong Eastern teams and one Western power for two days and four games of hockey in that environment would be a really good time. I can't see why any team wouldn't want to be invited to that one...
 
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Re: Utica College Pioneers 2011-2012

NUProf said:
With the Primelink, NSB Tournament, annual games with Midd and Plattsburgh, and an 18 game league schedule Norwich has committed 24 of the 25 possible games on the season before anything happens. Middlebury is in a similar situation. It would change if the ECAC East doesn't hold on to the two DII teams, but otherwise scheduling is really tight.
Click to expand...

Yes, I figured as much, but it's too bad... It would be great fun to see the few quality programs in this neck of the woods butt heads regularly.

Consistently, NU and M'bury seem to feast on existing in one-team conferences, albeit with the occasional upstart-wonder giving them a run for their money every now and then. Clearly, there is not much they can do about the quality of play in their respective groupings, any more than Utica can avoid running the annual bloody gauntlet of the ECAC West... (Yes, I do understand that these things are proscribed.)

So, I'm not picking a fight here, and PLEASE don't anyone remind me how the NCAA operates..! I'm just a dreamer who thinks it would be great for hockey at this level if these match-ups could occur regularly. Guess this is an oxymoron, but that would be big-time D-3 hockey! (And if that were to happen, perhaps a PWR selection-process for the D-3 NCAAs would have a leg to stand on..? It would be refreshing to see some degree of objectivity in play re: the selections and sitings of the tournament.)
 
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Re: Utica College Pioneers 2011-2012

Fishman'81 said:
Yes, I figured as much, but it's too bad... It would be great fun to see the few quality programs in this neck of the woods butt heads regularly.

Consistently, NU and M'bury seem to feast on existing in one-team conferences, albeit with the occasional upstart-wonder giving them a run for their money every now and then. Clearly, there is not much they can do about the quality of play in their respective groupings, any more than Utica can avoid running the annual bloody gauntlet of the ECAC West... (Yes, I do understand that these things are proscribed.)

So, I'm not picking a fight here, and PLEASE don't anyone remind me how the NCAA operates..! I'm just a dreamer who thinks it would be great for hockey at this level if these match-ups could occur regularly. Guess this is an oxymoron, but that would be big-time D-3 hockey! (And if that were to happen, perhaps a PWR selection-process for the D-3 NCAAs would have a leg to stand on..? It would be refreshing to see some degree of objectivity in play re: the selections and sitings of the tournament.)
Click to expand...

Thinking outside the box - it won't happen, but it would be interesting to see an interlock scheduling arrangement for the ECAC East and West like the NESCAC and ECAC East just ended - that might be possible if the the ECAC West were to get to seven teams. You'd have seventeen teams. It would make for a 16 game league schedule. Just throwing out an idea
 
Re: Utica College Pioneers 2011-2012

It's a stellar idea, IMO.

I realize that we're just talking "what-ifs" here, but what a great trip to Vermont it would be, if UC scheduled NU and M'bury on consecutive nights... Throw in a Hobart or an Elmira as a travel-partner for Utica, and those four games would almost certainly be the best to be seen in eastern D-3 hockey on that weekend. I would definitely make that trip.

Getting back to reality for a minute, who has seen CS, and are they as good as their record reflects..? The Plattsburgh thing looks like a brutal tournament for all involved, at least on paper.
 
Re: Utica College Pioneers 2011-2012

Castleton is a very good team. That being said, despite the fact that they have really improved in the area of taking penalties - their penalty minutes per game is in the bottom 10 at about 11-12 minutes per game, they still seem a bit undisciplined and go out of their way sometimes to make a hit. Their non-conference schedule has been pretty weak, playing Morrisville, Becker, and Plymouth State. They got through their first round of the ECAC East with only a loss to Norwich, but as usual the ECAC East is kind of a mixed bag. I think this tournament will really be telling as far as how "real" they are. It looks like a good field.
 
Re: Utica College Pioneers 2011-2012

NUProf said:
Thinking outside the box - it won't happen, but it would be interesting to see an interlock scheduling arrangement for the ECAC East and West like the NESCAC and ECAC East just ended - that might be possible if the the ECAC West were to get to seven teams. You'd have seventeen teams. It would make for a 16 game league schedule. Just throwing out an idea
Click to expand...

That would be great.

I know this is highly unlikely since Norwich has the inside track on the AQ right now, but I would love to see NU and Castleton move to the ECAC-W full time. Now that would be a league!
 
Re: Utica College Pioneers 2011-2012

NUProf said:
Castleton is a very good team. That being said, despite the fact that they have really improved in the area of taking penalties - their penalty minutes per game is in the bottom 10 at about 11-12 minutes per game, they still seem a bit undisciplined and go out of their way sometimes to make a hit. Their non-conference schedule has been pretty weak, playing Morrisville, Becker, and Plymouth State. They got through their first round of the ECAC East with only a loss to Norwich, but as usual the ECAC East is kind of a mixed bag. I think this tournament will really be telling as far as how "real" they are. It looks like a good field.
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That tourny is going to be a barn burner for sure, all great games I bet, will they be on the web???
 
Re: Utica College Pioneers 2011-2012

Utica takes their share of bad penalties, too.

Hope the game doesn't come down to which team plays "dumber"... (And expect Coffman to take a major at some point.)

This tournament is worth the drive; it looks great in theory. Hope everyone shows up ready to play.
 
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Re: Utica College Pioneers 2011-2012

Fishman'81 said:
Utica takes their share of bad penalties, too.

Hope the game doesn't come down to which team plays "dumber"... (And expect Coffman to take a major at some point.)

This tournament is worth the drive; it looks great in theory. Hope everyone shows up ready to play.
Click to expand...
if they dont show up to play they WILL be playing the early game on day 2 for sure
 
Re: Utica College Pioneers 2011-2012

bakdraft21 said:
if they dont show up to play they WILL be playing the early game on day 2 for sure
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Yup.

Whatever team wins this thing will greatly solidify its shot at the NCAAs, and anyone aside from Bethel who loses-out will appear to be a mere pretender...

Can't wait to watch this puppy play out.
 
Re: Plush Carnage

Re: Plush Carnage

The Utica OD has an article in today's paper saying: "UC to switch to reserve seating at hockey games.
Every ticket will be assigned to a specific seat at the Aud next season."

The article states that "...UC hockey will make the switch to reserve seating, meaning that every ticket (sold or given away) will be assigned to a specific seat at the Aud."
 
Re: Plush Carnage

Re: Plush Carnage

Probably not a bad idea as far as we *serious* fans go... (We all have reserved seats already, so no sweat.)

However, the requirement of everyone taking the time to reserve a block of seats either for idle time with the restive brood on your custody-weekend, or to make a few buddy-dates with fellow sots in order to get drunk and sloppy..? Not so much. (It's gonna be too complicated for those demographics, if you ask me: way too much planning involved.)

Utica is not quite the "hockey town" it's made out to be, IMO. I'm going to speculate that perhaps 1,500-2,000 in The Aud on a typical night are really into watching the game. The remaining 1,000 or so are just there because it's cheaper than going to a movie, or because their kids are too young to be admitted to Peepers with them.

Guess we'll see how this noble experiment plays out; my guess is that it'll be a swift kick in the yarbles re:attendance, but will make for one lovely year of watching Utica on the ice for us few die-hards.

I kinda like things as they are, for the long-haul.

Sure, there are many reserved seats that sit empty on a given night, but I haven't seen anyone turned away from the door until this year's version of the Teddy-Bear fiasco... That warm and fuzzy event seems to have had the ironic effect of discouraging casual attendees from returning, especially if they are expected to call ahead for seats, or face freezing half to death waiting for some to open-up during the game.
 
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Re: Utica College Pioneers 2011-2012

NUProf said:
Canton is located in the right area to join the ECAC West, and they don't plan on becoming an all-sports member of the SUNYAC. This means their hockey affiliation is uncertain. They are, of course, still a ways out in the DIII pipeline (I think they have expressed their intentions, but I don't know if they have even done the exploratory year)
Click to expand...

As much as I'd love anyone to join the W, it's gonna be a 6-8 hour bus ride for EC, M'ville and NC to the extreme Boondocks where Canton is located, and much of it on secondary roads, and in the winter... Might be a tough sell to the league as a whole. (Jeez, Hobart is the closest existing W school, and even the mighty Statesmen are a solid 3 hours up/down the pike!)
 
Re: Utica College Pioneers 2011-2012

Fishman'81 said:
As much as I'd love anyone to join the W, it's gonna be a 6-8 hour bus ride for EC, M'ville and NC to the extreme Boondocks where Canton is located, and much of it on secondary roads, and in the winter... Might be a tough sell to the league as a whole. (Jeez, Hobart is the closest existing W school, and even the mighty Statesmen are a solid 3 hours up/down the pike!)
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I'm thinking you meant Utica was the closest? ;)
 
Re: Utica College Pioneers 2011-2012

Fishman'81 said:
As much as I'd love anyone to join the W, it's gonna be a 6-8 hour bus ride for EC, M'ville and NC to the extreme Boondocks where Canton is located, and much of it on secondary roads, and in the winter... Might be a tough sell to the league as a whole. (Jeez, Hobart is the closest existing W school, and even the mighty Statesmen are a solid 3 hours up/down the pike!)
Click to expand...

So, the whole ECAC West is located in the Extreme Boondocks as far as I'm concerned...
 
Re: Utica College Pioneers 2011-2012

Fishman'81 said:
As much as I'd love anyone to join the W,............... .. to the extreme Boondocks where Canton is located,.........
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I believe in D1 circles the political correctness and appropriate description for Canton's location is "the north country".I'm sure if the coaches in the ECAC-W were polled it would be unanimous in favour of inclusion. A nice place to vist any time of the year.
 
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