WISCONSIN HOCKEY 09-10 - Climbing The Mountain (7th Edition?)

[Gurtholfin]

Re: WISCONSIN HOCKEY 09-10 - Climbing The Mountain (7th Edition?)

I don't have any agenda, nor am I pining for any particular coach. It was really just a tongue in cheek type comment.

I agree we shouldn't give up on the season just yet. However, I have lost confidence in this teams ability to do anything offensively without the benefit of a turnover. Case in point:
- The vast majority of our shots come from the blue line. Why? Because we don't pass well enough to be able to create anything else.
- Our offense consists of dumping the puck in zone, and then chasing. Does any other team in college hockey dump the puck in more than we do?
- If we do manage to get control of the puck in the zone, all we ever try to do is throw three players behind the net and cycle. One point on Saturday, I counted 12 straight passes within 2 feet of the boards. Not once did ANYONE go to the net or put themselves into a position to shoot. Hell, our one goal CAME from the corner.
- While we cycle endlessly, everyone else stands and watches. The CC defenders guarding the UW players at the blue line were standing there watching.
- Our power play consists of one guy standing in front of the goalie while four other guys standing 30 feet away pass the puck to each other, not moving, until one finally tries a 35 foot shot.
- The five fastest guys on the ice all wore black. We are slow.

This looks like last year's team. We are so system dependent we lack basic offensive skills. Nobody creates, nobody passes, nobody can actually receive a pass, nobody charges the net, nobody can finish. I would love to watch a team that just has a little balance between offense and defense. Maybe the reason were not on TV is because nobody wants to watch us.

Pretty much every thing you said is spot on except the part about why we aren't on TV. It wouldn't matter what style of play we employed. Yes, I know you were kidding about that.

We have the most unimaginative offense I have ever seen. It's getting really old. Cycle, cycle, cycle, cycle, cycle, cycle, cycle, cycle, cycle....

 

[Gurtholfin]

Re: WISCONSIN HOCKEY 09-10 - Climbing The Mountain (7th Edition?)

Cycle!!

 

[badgerbando]

Re: WISCONSIN HOCKEY 09-10 - Climbing The Mountain (7th Edition?)

I have a slightly different take on the results of the weekend.

On Saturday night I distinctly remember two great passes that were made. The first was from Thurber in the corner of the boards. Somehow he got a nice crisp pass to the front of the net, unfortunately no one was there to captilalize. Whether that's Thurber's fault for passing to no one, or someone else's fault for not being in position I don't know.

Also on Saturday, someone (I forget who) skated the puck across the line and did a nice spin move and whipped a nice back-handed pass to the front of the net. This time a Badger player was there, but I believe a CC player tipped the puck first.

I thought those plays were great. They showed we are capable of offensive creativity. Unfortunately, those were the only two times I remember seeing that all weekend. And like most other have noted, we mostly dumped and chased both games. I'm hoping against hope though, that we see more creativity this year.

Finally, as a 5th year member of the Crease Creatures, I just have to say the students have completely ruined the 'Drop the Puck!' cheer for me. This used to be my favorite cheer, and now I cringe everytime I hear the drums start it. Why does the student section turn every creative cheer in something vulgar? Yes I am referring to the "Great taste...less filling" turned to "&%@* you...eat $!@&." Anyone have any great insight on how to change this, if it's even possible? I'd like to think a message to the goalie poking group on facebook might work, but I know better than to think that.

 

[Gurtholfin]

Re: WISCONSIN HOCKEY 09-10 - Climbing The Mountain (7th Edition?)

Cycle!!

 

[Punudski]

Re: WISCONSIN HOCKEY 09-10 - Climbing The Mountain (7th Edition?)

Four years ago a veteran team opened up against St. Lawrence, at home, and salvaged only a tie in a 2-game series. I'm too lazy to go back and see what some folks were saying then, but I'm sure it's similar to now. It's WAY too early to be OVERLY concerned. Just my $.02.

 

[blockski]

Re: WISCONSIN HOCKEY 09-10 - Climbing The Mountain (7th Edition?)

Four years ago a veteran team opened up against St. Lawrence, at home, and salvaged only a tie in a 2-game series. I'm too lazy to go back and see what some folks were saying then, but I'm sure it's similar to now. It's WAY too early to be OVERLY concerned. Just my $.02.

Amen.

 

[Gurtholfin]

Re: WISCONSIN HOCKEY 09-10 - Climbing The Mountain (7th Edition?)

Cycle!!





P.S. I for one am not overly concerned and I expect great things from this team this season. Doesn't change the fact that our offensive(npi) system appears to be the same as the past few seasons. Just getting tired of putting up 3 goals on a weekend.

 

[blockski]

Re: WISCONSIN HOCKEY 09-10 - Climbing The Mountain (7th Edition?)

P.S. I for one am not overly concerned and I expect great things from this team this season. Doesn't change the fact that our offensive(npi) system appears to be the same as the past few seasons. Just getting tired of putting up 3 goals on a weekend.

2008-2009 final season statistics: Goals per game:

http://collegehockeystats.net/0809/national/d1m

Scoring Offense:              Games   Goals     G/GM
  1 Boston University           45     177      3.93
  2 RIT                         38     148      3.89
  3 Mercyhurst                  40     155      3.88
  4 Air Force                   41     148      3.61
  5 Michigan                    41     145      3.54
  6 Ohio State                  42     143      3.40
  7 North Dakota                43     146      3.40
  8 Notre Dame                  40     135      3.38
  9 Yale                        34     113      3.32
 10 Denver                      40     132      3.30
 11 Wisconsin                   40     131      3.27
 12 St. Lawrence                38     124      3.26
 13 Minnesota                   37     119      3.22
 14 St. Cloud State             38     122      3.21
 15 Quinnipiac                  39     124      3.18
 16 Miami                       41     128      3.12
 17 Vermont                     39     121      3.10
 18 Canisius                    37     114      3.08
 19 Minnesota State             38     117      3.08
 20 Bentley                     38     116      3.05
    New Hampshire               38     116      3.05
 22 Boston College              37     112      3.03
 23 Minnesota Duluth            43     129      3.00
 24 Northeastern                41     121      2.95
 25 UMass Lowell                38     112      2.95
 26 Massachusetts               39     112      2.87
 27 Bemidji State               37     106      2.86
 28 Union                       39     111      2.85
 29 Dartmouth                   31      88      2.84
 30 Princeton                   35      99      2.83
 31 Lake Superior               39     110      2.82
 32 Holy Cross                  38     106      2.79
 33 Niagara                     36      98      2.72
 34 Colorado College            38     103      2.71
 35 Northern Michigan           41     111      2.71
    Western Michigan            41     111      2.71
 37 Alaska Anchorage            36      95      2.64
 38 Sacred Heart                38      99      2.61
 39 Robert Morris               36      93      2.58
 40 Army                        36      92      2.56
    Cornell                     36      92      2.56
 42 Nebraska-Omaha              40      98      2.45
 43 Clarkson                    36      88      2.44
 44 Colgate                     37      89      2.41
    Connecticut                 37      89      2.41
 46 Ferris State                38      90      2.37
 47 Bowling Green               38      89      2.34
 48 Providence                  34      77      2.26
 49 Maine                       39      86      2.21
 50 Harvard                     31      68      2.19
 51 Merrimack                   34      72      2.12
 52 Alab-Huntsville             30      63      2.10
 53 Rensselaer                  39      76      1.95
 54 Alaska                      39      74      1.90
 55 Brown                       33      60      1.82
 56 American Int'l              35      58      1.66
 57 Michigan State              38      62      1.63
    Michigan Tech               38      62      1.63

11th in the nation, 3rd in the WCHA.

 

[SJHovey]

Re: WISCONSIN HOCKEY 09-10 - Climbing The Mountain (7th Edition?)

Four years ago a veteran team opened up against St. Lawrence, at home, and salvaged only a tie in a 2-game series. I'm too lazy to go back and see what some folks were saying then, but I'm sure it's similar to now. It's WAY too early to be OVERLY concerned. Just my $.02.

One of the things people were talking about was the thrilling OT victory Wisconsin had in that series.

 

[uwbadgers14]

Re: WISCONSIN HOCKEY 09-10 - Climbing The Mountain (7th Edition?)

As of 3 PM today, nothing. Brain Posick had a report on today's "On Wisconsin", but there was nothing new to add. I can't imagine what the NCAA would be doing. One would think they would want to get this thing resolved ASAP for a student/athlete; but this isn't their baby otherwise known as basketball . I just hope Lee keeps his patience and the NCAA gets off of their 7 hour per day coffee break and clears him to play.

Posick also interviewed Brett Bennett. (I agree Tim A, fugly helmet. I couldn't see it during the game, but saw it on the DVR). He was asked, but didn't elaborate on his dismissal from BU. He gave high praise to Parker & the BU program....that was it.

Me? I would have probably torn a 2nd butt-hole into Parker & BU.

'

Well i think that just goes to show how much he has grown and matured sense leaving that program, both on and off the ice.

After looking at the game last night and jotted down a couple things that UW needs to get better at and couple things they did better then i expected.

First the positives. I thought there play was great on the PK, getting sticks in lanes, challenging when it was possible, specially the freshman on the PK i thought did a great job and didn't look out of place at all. Uw also forechecked well and made it difficult for CC to break out cleanly.

the Negatives, are very fixable, there was NOTHING in the video that showed this team has major problems, they are things that can be fixed in a week, nothing that needs long time progress but on the PP they need to get bodies and pucks to the net. Too much looking for the sweet 2-1 down low or 1 timer from the slot. We are a big and difficult team to play when you get Mitchell, Geoffrion of Bohmbach in front of the net with those booming shots from the point but they gotta be on net and there has to be more traffic in front, we made it too easy for the young CC goalie. 2nd there was a lack of back pressure by UW through the neutral zone all weekend long, our D did a decent job pushing the play to the outside but it shouldn't have been that hard, the forwards need to get back up ice and contribute. the only forwards i saw really doing that were Street and Dolan, everyone else didn't seem to put and back pressure on CC at all which allowed CC to have the offensive zone too easy.

Like i said these are simple things that one could probably expect on the 1st weekend of the season. I think if those couple things can improve this week we will come out of Mankato with a few points...

 

[Gurtholfin]

Re: WISCONSIN HOCKEY 09-10 - Climbing The Mountain (7th Edition?)

11th in the nation, 3rd in the WCHA.

Cycle!!


So they can actually be decent, but seem excruciatingly bad and boring at it? What were our stats in the previous two years as I was commenting on those also?

 

[blockski]

Re: WISCONSIN HOCKEY 09-10 - Climbing The Mountain (7th Edition?)

Cycle!!


So they can actually be decent, but seem excruciatingly bad and boring at it? What were our stats in the previous two years as I was commenting on those also?

Maybe. I'm saying the problem is perception on your end.

Firewagon hockey with no defense from the 80s and 90s left a long time ago, and it's not coming back. At any level of play.

The top scoring team in the WCHA last year only had 3.4 goals per game.

http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2006/01/02_thebest.php

The 86-87 UND team (Hrkac Circus) averaged 5.71 goals per game.

In short, I think you're waiting for something that's not going to come. Teams are much better defensively these days.

 

[Gurtholfin]

Re: WISCONSIN HOCKEY 09-10 - Climbing The Mountain (7th Edition?)

Maybe. I'm saying the problem is perception on your end.

Firewagon hockey with no defense from the 80s and 90s left a long time ago, and it's not coming back. At any level of play.

The top scoring team in the WCHA last year only had 3.4 goals per game.

http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2006/01/02_thebest.php

The 86-87 UND team (Hrkac Circus) averaged 5.71 goals per game.

In short, I think you're waiting for something that's not going to come. Teams are much better defensively these days.

I'm convinced!

They are in fact fun to watch!

Sorry about the confusion.

 

[bigus]

Re: WISCONSIN HOCKEY 09-10 - Climbing The Mountain (7th Edition?)

I'm convinced!

They are in fact fun to watch!

Sorry about the confusion.

Good call. Let's throw open the throttle, abandon defensive responsibility, and score 4.2 a game. We'll give up 5.6. Should be great watching.

 

[ExileOnDaytonStreet]

Re: WISCONSIN HOCKEY 09-10 - Climbing The Mountain (7th Edition?)

I have a slightly different take on the results of the weekend.

On Saturday night I distinctly remember two great passes that were made. The first was from Thurber in the corner of the boards. Somehow he got a nice crisp pass to the front of the net, unfortunately no one was there to captilalize. Whether that's Thurber's fault for passing to no one, or someone else's fault for not being in position I don't know.

Also on Saturday, someone (I forget who) skated the puck across the line and did a nice spin move and whipped a nice back-handed pass to the front of the net. This time a Badger player was there, but I believe a CC player tipped the puck first.

I thought those plays were great. They showed we are capable of offensive creativity. Unfortunately, those were the only two times I remember seeing that all weekend. And like most other have noted, we mostly dumped and chased both games. I'm hoping against hope though, that we see more creativity this year.

Finally, as a 5th year member of the Crease Creatures, I just have to say the students have completely ruined the 'Drop the Puck!' cheer for me. This used to be my favorite cheer, and now I cringe everytime I hear the drums start it. Why does the student section turn every creative cheer in something vulgar? Yes I am referring to the "Great taste...less filling" turned to "&%@* you...eat $!@&." Anyone have any great insight on how to change this, if it's even possible? I'd like to think a message to the goalie poking group on facebook might work, but I know better than to think that.

Use Facebook if you can. I would've done the same during my tenure (03-04 through 07-08), but I grew tired of Facebook as soon as I had joined, so I was never bothered enough to rejoin just for the Creatures. But, like you said, its unlikely to ever work. I've found that when you try to confront students with the truth online, they just get uber-defensive about it. Especially the football fans. Good Lord, how they love to defend their right to show up for half the game and not give a crap about it while they're there.

But really, here's the sad truth: The egregious stupidity that is the Football Student Section has been slowly taking over the Kohl Center since the 2006-07 season. The only thing you can do is to do your own creative cheers and pray that you're surrounded by the kinds of kids who will cheer along with you instead of thinking that you're doing it for attention*. It sucks, but you can't force people to not be stupid. You're stuck with what you get. Hockey Guy Pete used to just get really ****y and try to shush people who did things he didn't like. No matter how in the right he was, it always just came off making him look kind of like a tool, so a lot of people would just ignore him.

It's a tragedy, being a clever hockey fan at UW. You're just stuck wishing it was 2005-06 all over again. And when you graduate, trust me, you'll find yourself just wishing you could go back to the student section. You won't find that same enthusiasm, passion, and desire to cheer along anywhere you go. Ok, maybe at an MLS team, but then you'll be surrounded by posers with fake English accents.

When you do try to go back to sections 113-117 after graduating, you just feel like a bum who can't move on- like those people who kept showing up at their high school after they graduated, so they could talk with their old teachers. Or you feel like Hockey Guy Pete. (Although I gotta give mad respect to Hockey Guy Pete... he's the same kind of fan that I am.) Either way you slice it: going back just is never the same as it was two years ago, or three years ago, or five years ago. It's really soul crushing. Literally, every time I go to a sporting event, I just think about how tired and lame it is compared to my Crease Creature hey day. Even when I finally got to go to Lambeau. Isn't that just sad?

*(By the way, I'm not kidding, I tried to do my "If you want a sausage fest, go to Tech" song once and just got looks from people as if I was just entertaining them instead of trying to get a chant going)

 

[Gurtholfin]

Re: WISCONSIN HOCKEY 09-10 - Climbing The Mountain (7th Edition?)

Good call. Let's throw open the throttle, abandon defensive responsibility, and score 4.2 a game. We'll give up 5.6. Should be great watching.

Yep. That's exactly what i said. Thanks for clarifying that for me!



The style of offense once in the zone has very little to do with defensive responsibility. Unless of course they are cycling and not shooting so that they are free to get back when the other team gets possession.

 

[blockski]

Re: WISCONSIN HOCKEY 09-10 - Climbing The Mountain (7th Edition?)

Yep. That's exactly what i said. Thanks for clarifying that for me!



The style of offense once in the zone has very little to do with defensive responsibility. Unless of course they are cycling and not shooting so that they are free to get back when the other team gets possession.

Well, the other guys are playing defense, too. They're not just out there skating around for exercise.

Teams at all levels have gotten much better at doing little things like blocking shots and interrupting passing lanes. It's not just individual skills, either - team D is much better than it used to be.

Again, I'm not sure what you want. Again, I only saw Friday's game, where UW cycled a great deal and also generated a ton of scoring chances.

Stepan's pass to Bohmbach was pretty, no? But you don't have option on every play.

 

[Gurtholfin]

Re: WISCONSIN HOCKEY 09-10 - Climbing The Mountain (7th Edition?)

Well, the other guys are playing defense, too. They're not just out there skating around for exercise.

When we're in their zone and we have the puck, OUR guys are playing defense?

That just might be the problem...

What do I want was asked by someone else...

I want to be entertained. I want to go to the tourney most years and actually be a contender. I want more than one point at home against a team that we should be better than. On the power play, I want some movement to open up passing lanes and then shooting lanes. I, I, I, ME, ME, ME...

Blackhawks(thank God) tonight!

 

[solovsfett]

Re: WISCONSIN HOCKEY 09-10 - Climbing The Mountain (7th Edition?)

2008-2009 final season statistics: Goals per game:

http://collegehockeystats.net/0809/national/d1m

Scoring Offense:              Games   Goals     G/GM
  1 Boston University           45     177      3.93
  2 RIT                         38     148      3.89
  3 Mercyhurst                  40     155      3.88
  4 Air Force                   41     148      3.61
  5 Michigan                    41     145      3.54
  6 Ohio State                  42     143      3.40
  7 North Dakota                43     146      3.40
  8 Notre Dame                  40     135      3.38
  9 Yale                        34     113      3.32
 10 Denver                      40     132      3.30
 11 Wisconsin                   40     131      3.27
 12 St. Lawrence                38     124      3.26
 13 Minnesota                   37     119      3.22
 14 St. Cloud State             38     122      3.21
 15 Quinnipiac                  39     124      3.18
 16 Miami                       41     128      3.12
 17 Vermont                     39     121      3.10
 18 Canisius                    37     114      3.08
 19 Minnesota State             38     117      3.08
 20 Bentley                     38     116      3.05
    New Hampshire               38     116      3.05
 22 Boston College              37     112      3.03
 23 Minnesota Duluth            43     129      3.00
 24 Northeastern                41     121      2.95
 25 UMass Lowell                38     112      2.95
 26 Massachusetts               39     112      2.87
 27 Bemidji State               37     106      2.86
 28 Union                       39     111      2.85
 29 Dartmouth                   31      88      2.84
 30 Princeton                   35      99      2.83
 31 Lake Superior               39     110      2.82
 32 Holy Cross                  38     106      2.79
 33 Niagara                     36      98      2.72
 34 Colorado College            38     103      2.71
 35 Northern Michigan           41     111      2.71
    Western Michigan            41     111      2.71
 37 Alaska Anchorage            36      95      2.64
 38 Sacred Heart                38      99      2.61
 39 Robert Morris               36      93      2.58
 40 Army                        36      92      2.56
    Cornell                     36      92      2.56
 42 Nebraska-Omaha              40      98      2.45
 43 Clarkson                    36      88      2.44
 44 Colgate                     37      89      2.41
    Connecticut                 37      89      2.41
 46 Ferris State                38      90      2.37
 47 Bowling Green               38      89      2.34
 48 Providence                  34      77      2.26
 49 Maine                       39      86      2.21
 50 Harvard                     31      68      2.19
 51 Merrimack                   34      72      2.12
 52 Alab-Huntsville             30      63      2.10
 53 Rensselaer                  39      76      1.95
 54 Alaska                      39      74      1.90
 55 Brown                       33      60      1.82
 56 American Int'l              35      58      1.66
 57 Michigan State              38      62      1.63
    Michigan Tech               38      62      1.63

11th in the nation, 3rd in the WCHA.

Did I have too much paint thinner at happy hour or does that show UW scored at a higher clip than the rats to the west?

 

[blockski]

Re: WISCONSIN HOCKEY 09-10 - Climbing The Mountain (7th Edition?)

When we're in their zone and we have the puck, OUR guys are playing defense?

That just might be the problem...

What do I want was asked by someone else...

I want to be entertained. I want to go to the tourney most years and actually be a contender. I want more than one point at home against a team that we should be better than. On the power play, I want some movement to open up passing lanes and then shooting lanes. I, I, I, ME, ME, ME...

Blackhawks(thank God) tonight!

Should've figured pronouns would be too much...