Nescac 2013-14

[OhioMule]

Re: Nescac 2013-14

Seems like the Northeast Sports Network is overloaded. Takes forever to get the main page, can't get the Williams page at all...

[OhioMule]

Seems like the Northeast Sports Network is overloaded. Takes forever to get the main page, can't get the Williams page at all...

Sorry I was able to log on. Williams scored their second goal within seconds of me getting in.

Go Mules... Lacrosse!

[EastCoastBias]

Re: Nescac 2013-14

Three of the top 4 seeds advanced. Bowdoin in the mix now and can't be shortchanged. Did Wesleyan get off the bus to show up? It appears not. Amherst guts one out and Williams rights the ship. At this point, it will be the will to win that prevails in the end.

[WhiteMule]

Re: Nescac 2013-14

UGH.

Colby's goaltending yesterday was so UGH. Williams 3rd goal yesterday (to go up 3-1) was a no-angle backhand shot that somehow found space between Parker's shoulder and the pipe. Why Parker's shoulder wasn't against the pipe is beyond me...

I'm not blaming Parker entirely, since the Mules defense looked incapable of clearing the puck at times, but he certainly gave up a number of bad rebounds that led to a number of Williams chances/goals. Simply put, Parker did not play to the necessary level to keep Colby in the game. By comparison, the Colby offense pounded the Williams net all afternoon, and put their share of pressure on Dougherty (who made some INSANE saves). From being at the game, I would say that the official 50+ shots for Colby was not exaggerated. Even when Colby was down 3-1 and 5-3 it still felt like they were in the game given the consistent pressure they were putting on Williams. In the end, however, a few untimely defensive turnovers and soft goals doomed the White Mules.

Looking forward, the loss of Lanza and Chwick to graduation is huge for Colby. I see a bright future for Rauseo and Albert, as the play between the two was again dynamic yesterday. Hopefully having a committed and consistent coach will help with recruiting. Now, Colby just needs to find their next Cody McKinney.

[WhiteMule]

Re: Nescac 2013-14

Go Mules... Lacrosse!

That win over Trinity looked convincing. Are we good, or is Trinity not good?

[rufus22]

Re: Nescac 2013-14

I'll take Middlebury over Bowdoin and Williams over Colby. I believe your reasoning on the Ephs would apply to Bowdoin as they had not played well lately

The state of the Panthers is baffling. I would never have imagined seeing an effort like Saturday's in a NESCAC playoff, at home, against Bowdoin. It makes you wonder what's going on. One thing is for sure they need to go out and get some better goaltending.

[OhioMule]

Re: Nescac 2013-14

UGH.
Looking forward, the loss of Lanza and Chwick to graduation is huge for Colby. I see a bright future for Rauseo and Albert, as the play between the two was again dynamic yesterday. Hopefully having a committed and consistent coach will help with recruiting. Now, Colby just needs to find their next Cody McKinney.

Losing Lanza and Chwick will hurt. I also like Sullivan and a couple other Freshmen as well. But, they all pretty much stopped scoring in the last few games. I would like to see them pick up a Freshman like the one Trinity got this year who has scored a bunch of goals. Or the guy Colby has on their lacrosse team who scored six goals (four unassisted) and two assists, yesterday.

[Golden007]

Re: Nescac 2013-14

The state of the Panthers is baffling. I would never have imagined seeing an effort like Saturday's in a NESCAC playoff, at home, against Bowdoin. It makes you wonder what's going on. One thing is for sure they need to go out and get some better goaltending.

It is baffling, and it's impossible to imagine how a proud program sinks this far. The Panthers are loaded with talented players, but they were dysfunctional as an organization. And it wasn't like the Bowdoin goalie played out of his mind........he mostly had to make a few average saves. Allowing so many soft goals in front of the home crowd is awful!!! This is the team that beat Norwich in a shootout in November to advance to the Primelink final, losing a close one to Plattsburgh. The panthers were loaded with talent at every position. I just don't get how a great school with a great rink can perform so poorly.

[rufus22]

Re: Nescac 2013-14

It really does make you wonder if players are buying into Beaney the way the have in the past. Because I agree they have tons of talent. That and they really need to obtain some solid goaltending. For all the offense they produced in the heyday, the goalies were a really important part.

[NUProf]

Re: Nescac 2013-14

The goalies were a really important part.

They were huge - it seems as though Middlebury just isn't getting the talent in goal that they used to have. Often Beaney was alternating between two goalies who would have been full-time starters for most DIII teams and more than a few DI teams. Lately he hasn't had that level of talent between the pipes, and it makes a difference for the offense to have a goalie you can count on - you can "cheat" a little on the attack if you have faith in the goalie.

[Golden007]

Re: Nescac 2013-14

They were huge - it seems as though Middlebury just isn't getting the talent in goal that they used to have. Often Beaney was alternating between two goalies who would have been full-time starters for most DIII teams and more than a few DI teams. Lately he hasn't had that level of talent between the pipes, and it makes a difference for the offense to have a goalie you can count on - you can "cheat" a little on the attack if you have faith in the goalie.

I think it's more about philosophy than talent recently. The soph they went with for the stretch run has a severe losing record, and if you watch him play online, he's brutal He wasn't even on the roster when the season started. I've watched Middlebury hockey for a while, and I remember the days of a true rotation when you could beat anybody on most nights, and it wasn't that long ago

[d3follower]

Re: Nescac 2013-14

They were huge - it seems as though Middlebury just isn't getting the talent in goal that they used to have. Often Beaney was alternating between two goalies who would have been full-time starters for most DIII teams and more than a few DI teams. Lately he hasn't had that level of talent between the pipes, and it makes a difference for the offense to have a goalie you can count on - you can "cheat" a little on the attack if you have faith in the goalie.

Not sure that the talent point is the real issue. The pre-Middlebury history of the Middlebury goalies puts them on a par with the goalies at most of the other NESCACs. At least two of the current crop of goalies -- BonDurant and Michals -- were Heisenberg D1 prospects and Michals was good enough to be rated by the NHL's Central Scouting Services. IIRC, Moorfield-Yee had an excellent prep career at Cushing so no slouch either in terms of credentials.

[puxrex]

Re: Nescac 2013-14

The days of Middlebury (or any of the NESCAC teams) dominating the league the way Midd did in their championship years are long gone and are not likely to return. The NESCAC presidents wanted parity in the "helmet" sports and they are getting just what they want. I find it odd that it's non-Midd hockey fans who seem the most upset by the current state of Middlebury men's hockey. It's not coaching, or the need for a new goalie, or player apathy (though they all could be better), it's just that things have changed. There will be good Midd teams in the future but it can no longer be considered an elite national d3 program. Yes, they can play a good game or two against the likes of Plattsburgh or Norwich at the Primelink, but they are also going to have bad games against the bottom of the NESCAC.

[OLD GUY '61]

Re: Nescac 2013-14

The days of Middlebury (or any of the NESCAC teams) dominating the league the way Midd did in their championship years are long gone and are not likely to return. The NESCAC presidents wanted parity in the "helmet" sports and they are getting just what they want. I find it odd that it's non-Midd hockey fans who seem the most upset by the current state of Middlebury men's hockey. It's not coaching, or the need for a new goalie, or player apathy (though they all could be better), it's just that things have changed. There will be good Midd teams in the future but it can no longer be considered an elite national d3 program. Yes, they can play a good game or two against the likes of Plattsburgh or Norwich at the Primelink, but they are also going to have bad games against the bottom of the NESCAC.

Yes, let's all agree that NESCAC schools, especially Middlebury, strive for mediocrity.

[rufus22]

Re: Nescac 2013-14

I think it's more about philosophy than talent recently. The soph they went with for the stretch run has a severe losing record, and if you watch him play online, he's brutal He wasn't even on the roster when the season started. I've watched Middlebury hockey for a while, and I remember the days of a true rotation when you could beat anybody on most nights, and it wasn't that long ago

Agreed on all fronts. I was very surprised to see Beaney settle on Moorfield-Yee down the stretch. I thought any of the other three were more likely, with Peters the most likely.