Northeastern Huskies 2017-18: Every Dog Has its Day

[NU_Husky]

Re: Northeastern Huskies 2017-18: Every Dog Has its Day

I'd say its Ruck's net for the time being, but the leash will certainly be a short one. A split at the very least this weekend is a must, or we would most likely fall outside the top 20 and we all know from the past 2 years it can be hard to make up ground during the second semester. Taking 3 out of the next 5 (at least one against BU) would bump us up a few spots giving us a foundation to build off of heading into the grind of this first semester league schedule.

I agree with this, very solid first post. Welcome to the board! Cayden's poor performance Friday, IMO, made the decision easy to roll with the experienced Ruck to start conference play. I am disappointed in it, and expected Primeau to take the job by BU, but at this point, Ruck should start. Splitting versus Lowell would be a good start to conference play.

[HHound]

I didn't see Friday night, bit sounds like Cayden laid an egg, but I think I would go back with him Friday. We know what Ruck is, now maybe Cayden will be the push to get a better Ruck, and it sounded like he played well Saturday night, but making the next jump they need Cayden to be the goalie that we were told we were getting. The only down I heard was that he is young and probably could have used another year in juniors

Welcome to the board, Richard. You may also want to post or lurk on Dieharddogs.com.
I have to disagree with you over starting Cayden on Friday night. If you are new to the program you may not know that Ruck is 2-2-1 against Lowell and has played very well in those games. Among those wins is the 2016 HEA Final.
I will be very surprised if JM starts the rookie in the first game. If Ruck plays well and wins it, I’d expect him to start the rematch as well.

[Agganis]

Re: Northeastern Huskies 2017-18: Every Dog Has its Day

If you are new to the program you may not know that Ruck is 2-2-1 against Lowell and has played very well in those games.

Ruck has an .873 sv% in his 5 games vs UML, obviously a small sample size, but well below his .905 sv% against all other opponents in his career.

[northeastern]

ruck knows lowell. pls start him friday. go from there.
Go NU

[Roll_Dawgs]

Re: Northeastern Huskies 2017-18: Every Dog Has its Day

I agree with this, very solid first post. Welcome to the board! Cayden's poor performance Friday, IMO, made the decision easy to roll with the experienced Ruck to start conference play. I am disappointed in it, and expected Primeau to take the job by BU, but at this point, Ruck should start. Splitting versus Lowell would be a good start to conference play.

Yes, I do think it will be CP's net at some point this season, but it appears Ruck got the message after seeing CP start @ RIT and the first QU game. To keep flip flopping after Ruck played well against QU would only mentally mess with both goaltenders, so I say ride the hott(er) hand for now.

[Roll_Dawgs]

Re: Northeastern Huskies 2017-18: Every Dog Has its Day

ruck knows lowell. pls start him friday. go from there.
Go NU

Not only that, but I'd say CP starting @ RIT and game 1 against QU sent a message to Ruck that he needs to be on top of his game if he wants to get starts. He went out game 2 against QU and responded and so it would be sending the wrong message and mentally mess with both goaltenders to keep flip flopping for the sake of getting both starts. Jim should ride the hott(er) goalie for the time being. Although UML is on a 3 game streak they have been out shot the last two games, so keeping them to 25 or fewer shots should help make it a bit easier one whoever is in net as well.

[Roll_Dawgs]

Re: Northeastern Huskies 2017-18: Every Dog Has its Day

ruck knows lowell. pls start him friday. go from there.
Go NU

Not only does Ruck have experience and decent numbers against UML, I'd say CP starting @ RIT and game 1 against QU sent a message to Ruck that he'll have to be on his game if he wants starts. He seemed to have received and respond to this against QU game 2. I think Jim will have to ride the hott(er) goalie for the time being as well as not send mixed messages by flip flopping, which will only mess with both goaltenders mentally.

With that being said it should be feasible to hold UML to 20-25 shots tops as they have not put up a large amount of shots the past 3 games against inferior opponents. Playing a more team oriented defensive game will help whomever is in net.

[Richard]

Re: Northeastern Huskies 2017-18: Every Dog Has its Day

Welcome to the board, Richard. You may also want to post or lurk on Dieharddogs.com.
I have to disagree with you over starting Cayden on Friday night. If you are new to the program you may not know that Ruck is 2-2-1 against Lowell and has played very well in those games. Among those wins is the 2016 HEA Final.
I will be very surprised if JM starts the rookie in the first game. If Ruck plays well and wins it, I’d expect him to start the rematch as well.

I've been on this board for about 15 years, I have had to change my username as I cannot remember my password when they require you to change it. Like the one I have now, it is stored in my computer. But anyway, my thing with Cayden is that he had a bad start on Friday night, I don't want a bad taste lingering in his mouth to long where he starts to doubt himself. I agree with the notion go with the hot goalie, we saw what Ruck can do in that respect 2016. But we also know how inconsistent his play can be. Most of the preseason predictions (which are bs in all sports) have NU in the top 4 in HE and some even saying a frozen 4 contender if they can get the national avg in net. I think these may be a little lofty but I would love to see it. Maybe Cayden will push Ruck and make him a better goalie, great! I just worry about crushing the confidence of a young goalie. BUT this was the chance they took bringing him in at 18.

[Richard]

Re: Northeastern Huskies 2017-18: Every Dog Has its Day

Ruck has an .873 sv% in his 5 games vs UML, obviously a small sample size, but well below his .905 sv% against all other opponents in his career.

They won the HE championship game, I was there, he played well. He also gave up 2 goals from behind the net. So...

[Roll_Dawgs]

Re: Northeastern Huskies 2017-18: Every Dog Has its Day

I've been on this board for about 15 years, I have had to change my username as I cannot remember my password when they require you to change it. Like the one I have now, it is stored in my computer. But anyway, my thing with Cayden is that he had a bad start on Friday night, I don't want a bad taste lingering in his mouth to long where he starts to doubt himself. I agree with the notion go with the hot goalie, we saw what Ruck can do in that respect 2016. But we also know how inconsistent his play can be. Most of the preseason predictions (which are bs in all sports) have NU in the top 4 in HE and some even saying a frozen 4 contender if they can get the national avg in net. I think these may be a little lofty but I would love to see it. Maybe Cayden will push Ruck and make him a better goalie, great! I just worry about crushing the confidence of a young goalie. BUT this was the chance they took bringing him in at 18.

I agree you want to build up CP's confidence and that along with sending Ruck a message is why he got the RIT & QU game 1 starts. With that being said Ruck responded well in QU game 2 and with every league point being huge I'd say its Ruck's net to lose for now. Aside from that I think Jim would risk messing with both goaltenders mentally if he was to keep flip flopping between the two just for the sake of getting CP starts.

On another note, UML has not been generating a large volume of shots over their past 3 wins (against inferior opponents). If NU can tighten up defensively as a whole and limit UML to lets say 20-25 SOG, it'd benefit whichever goalie is in net tremendously.

[Thiessen'sBetter]

Re: Northeastern Huskies 2017-18: Every Dog Has its Day

Jim gonna shock us all and start Theut on Friday.

Everyone has focused on the defense and goaltending, and rightfully so, but I'm also hoping Nolan gets it going soon. There were quite a few instances in the past two weekends when it felt like the next NU scoring chance would occur the next time 8 and 9 came on the ice. NStevens has 1 even strength point (against SHU) and to use a Cronin word, he hasn't been "visible" too often. He was absolutely dominant during the run at the end of 2016, and was very productive when healthy last year, so I'm confident he'll get going. But we absolutely need him to, especially if we're playing 5-4 games every night.

[Roll_Dawgs]

Re: Northeastern Huskies 2017-18: Every Dog Has its Day

Jim gonna shock us all and start Theut on Friday.

Everyone has focused on the defense and goaltending, and rightfully so, but I'm also hoping Nolan gets it going soon. There were quite a few instances in the past two weekends when it felt like the next NU scoring chance would occur the next time 8 and 9 came on the ice. NStevens has 1 even strength point (against SHU) and to use a Cronin word, he hasn't been "visible" too often. He was absolutely dominant during the run at the end of 2016, and was very productive when healthy last year, so I'm confident he'll get going. But we absolutely need him to, especially if we're playing 5-4 games every night.

I couldn't agree more. He has not looked himself and seems to be over-complicating things out there thus far. It could be him putting more pressure on himself being "the guy" on that line and/or it taking some time for him to get accustomed to new line-mates as him John and ZAR were very use to playing with one another the past two seasons. Either way I expect him to work things out and get back to finding the score sheet on a nightly basis.

[Split-N]

Re: Northeastern Huskies 2017-18: Every Dog Has its Day

...Everyone has focused on the defense and goaltending, and rightfully so, but I'm also hoping Nolan gets it going soon....

Matt Filipe too.

[NU_Husky]

Re: Northeastern Huskies 2017-18: Every Dog Has its Day

They won the HE championship game, I was there, he played well. He also gave up 2 goals from behind the net. So...

1 good game does not a good goalie make. I have been one of if not the loudest, biggest Ruck critic there is, but I agree that he should get the start Friday night. I would see how it goes and if by some miracle it goes well (not just a win, but him looking/performing well), ride him again Saturday. If not, give Primeau the start Saturday and try to build him back up.

Now I want to go back and look how Ruck did last season game 1 of a 2-game weekend versus Game 2 of that weekend...so much work involved in that though. Would be interesting to see.

Re; Stevens, I thought he looked better against QU than he did against SHU (didn't see the RIT game), so I think he'll get going. He earns his keep in front of the net and along the boards, and IMO he's been solid there all year. He just isn't getting those put-backs and tip in goals we are so used to seeing. They'll come. Solow/Jozefek/Filipe are too good of players to not find and use Stevens' skill

[Tilldog40]

Re: Northeastern Huskies 2017-18: Every Dog Has its Day

I think they just need to use their talent to score goals and not try to do to much. Seems like they try too hard to make every goal a sportscenter top ten play. Shoot the puck and get the rebound.