Wisconsin Hockey 25-26 Hastings Year 3 - Turning the Corner?

[GoBucky18]

You're not wrong. I jist feel like it mirrors the Badgers in 17-18, Granato's 2nd year. Had all the momentum after coming up just short of the NCAAs and winning 20 to blowing the team off to coach the olympics. Now, Im not saying its not a great honor. But the timing was awful, it derailed the team, and signaled (IMHO) he looked at the UW prgm as a way to build NHL players, not win Championships.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t the Spengler Cup at the end of December? It looks like the PSU players played against Minnesota (besides Fink).

Even with Fink at the beginning of the year, PSU lost to Clarkson, needed OT to beat Long Island, and needed a goal with 22 seconds left to avoid going to OT against Stonehill.

 

[Section 6 Row S]

Great job by Pulver tonight. That’s your backup? You guys look pretty set in goal.

 

[MavsFan]

What a fantastic start to the season. 10-2-2….

I had faith that Coach Hastings would get it going for you guys. I appreciate what he did for us for 11 years, and want nothing but success for him.

 

[HighToTheGloveSide]

I’m a bit surprised that Pulver got both starts but it sounds like he was outstanding.

To come back and win in OT after giving up a late goal, and the home team having all the momentum, shows a lot of fortitude - no way the team last year gets this done.

 

[fritz]

I know the pair-wise ranking formula positively weighs wins over highly ranked opponents.
Are wins on the road also considered more valuable than wins at home?

 

[HighToTheGloveSide]

Nine goals from the blue line all of last season - nine so far in half of a season this year.

 

[solovsfett]

I had faith that Coach Hastings would get it going for you guys. I appreciate what he did for us for 11 years, and want nothing but success for him.

Also looks like the Mavs found a very good replacement in Luke Strand. He’ll have them in the tourney soon.

 

[Tremelo3]

Buccigross had us ranked 9th last week. And after sweeping the #1 team on the road he moved us up to 8th.

 

[Doogity]

Buccigross had us ranked 9th last week. And after sweeping the #1 team on the road he moved us up to 8th.

I like Bucci, but he can be pretty bias. Especially when it comes to teams out east.

 

[GoBucky18]

I know the pair-wise ranking formula positively weighs wins over highly ranked opponents.
Are wins on the road also considered more valuable than wins at home?

There is no pairwise anymore, for better or for worse. I dont know how different the NPI is from PW, but there are a few good primers on it. The biggest diff that I can see is that NPI gets rid of/excludes wins over bad teams. So those massive blowouts by Michigan over Robert Morris and Mercyhurst really wont help them.

 

[UW student and hockey fan]

I line Bucci, but he can be pretty bias. Especially when it comes to teams out east.

Yeah it's pretty hard to refute that there's always been a bias for the teams with more younger high end draft talent. I feel like it's been even more prevalent this year with all the new Canadians as well.

This is from USCHO/Jim Connelly article this morning:

"No. 1 Michigan State keeps looking more and more like a wagon
Michigan State came into the week on a tear and did nothing to cool the hype. At this point, the Spartans have checked basically every early-season box: nonconference wins in tough buildings, a statement sweep over a top-five opponent, and now a run through conference play that’s been more about managing expectations than chasing respect.

The most impressive part is how repeatable it all feels. No. 1 Michigan State rolls four lines, gets timely scoring from different guys each night, and has yet to show much in the way of emotional letdowns. With heavyweight series stacking up on the schedule, the Spartans have a chance to turn this from “great start” into “they’re going to sit on a No. 1 seed all year if you let them.” "

Was this just drafted before the weekend and Jim forgot to edit after the sweep? Maybe, but there is a very brief mention of Michigan State in the last little section of the article, so I'm not sure. I just think it's funny that Buccigross and now Connelly are heralding Michigan State as this amazing team (they are quite good, to be fair) but our Badgers go to East Lansing and grab 5/6 points but that's just a fluke. Maybe the underlying metrics and # of draft picks is more important than game results now?

Sorry I know this is a little ranty. Just think we deserve the national attention this week.

 

[Tremelo3]

Bucci replied the main reason is because MSU has had a harder schedule. And that is simply not true.
MSU: UNH, BU (not very good right now) N. Michigan, Penn St. Notre Dame.
That is not a hard schedule. And I’d say ours has been equal or even a little harder.

Personally I think we should be ranked #2. Every team around us has at least 4 losses except Michigan. Denver has lost to Lindenwood and Anchorage. Quinnipicac has lost and tied Alaska, who we swept.

I agree that we deserve more attention for the success we are currently having

 

[Doogity]

I would be just fine if Bucky was #5. Keep winning and take care of your own business. Play up the no respect card. Penn State should be in the 9 or 10 spot right now. To many individuals and not enough team. The talent is there if they can figure it out, although between the pipes could derail any run they are looking to make

 

[wjefwhite]

In the end folks you won't be thinking about poll numbers in March when it matters. A deep run in the NCAA is far more valuable and lasting to the program.
Those in the bias media will be the last to know.

 

[WiscTJK]

Prev Weekend: Won at Michigan State Friday 5-4, Won 2-1 in OT Saturday

Record: 10-2-2 overall (2-0 OT); B1G: 4-2-2-0 16 pts (2)
USCHO Poll: (2) 3 first place votes; (7) +5
NPI (replaces pairwise): (2 of 63); (2 of 63) n/c
Scoring: 3.9 GPG (T-3); 4.0 GPG (T-3) n/c
Defense: 2.4 GAPG (15); 2.4 GAPG (T-15) n/c
Save %: .909 (T-17); .904 (26) +9
Power Play Rate: 32.2% (1); 32.7% (T-1) n/c
Penalty Kill Rate: 81.4% (29); 84.2% (T-15) -14
Penalty Min per Game: 14 (T-54); 15.3 (56) +2
Shorthanded Goals Scored: 1 (T-24); 1 (T-20) -4
Shorthanded Goals Allowed: 1 (T-18); 1 (T-22) +4
Team Faceoff: 55.2% (2); 57.1% (1) -1
SOG taken: 459 (16); 397 (14) -2
Shooting %: 12.0% (8); 12.1% (T-7) -1
SOG allowed: 373 (25); 301 (18) -7

This Week: Off
Next Week: At Notre Dame 12/05 6 pm, 12/06 5 pm

 

[Gurth 2.0]

Well... that escalated quickly.

 

[HighToTheGloveSide]

As Nick Saban would say, getting ranked high and having everyone patting you on the back is "rat poison"..........

Lock in on every game/period/shift and block out all the noise.

 

[Timothy A]

This team is really coming together. They didn’t fold down 2 yesterday and tonight they played MSU tough from the jump.

MSU almost went Michigan in the 3rd with some of their hits but thankfully no-one got hurt.

What a fantastic start to the season. 10-2-2….

I was really shocked MSU played so butt hurt. What a bunch of babies.

I thought Hauser would get game 2 after Pulver allowed 4 in game 1 (not all his fault) , but Pulver was great in game 2 I HATE goalie rotations/rollercoasters. I hope Hastings just rides 1 guy.

Being #2 in the country makes me nervous. I hope they handle success well at UND. A lot of the young guys come from title contending/winning teams, they should know how to handle it.

 

[Gurth 2.0]

Rankings mean nothing at this point, but let's maybe enjoy it a bit, eh? I think it's a bit high but so what?

Weren't we all pining for this program to be relevant again?

If they can't handle the prosperity, then they aren't contenders anyway.

When we watched the evolution of the 2006 championship team, there were steps along the way and it took a few 2 steps forward, 1 step back before they finally... lol... climbed the mountain. Having success and being rewarded for it is one such step. Now we see how they handle it.