Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

RPI Hockey 2018 - 2019: 28 Guys Skate onto a Rink ...

Collapse
This topic is closed.
X
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Re: RPI Hockey 2018 - 2019: 28 Guys Skate onto a Rink ...

    Originally posted by engineerhockeyfan View Post
    I really don't know what you guys expected. We have a team that hasn't played together and it shows. The lines have no chemistry and the defense is all over the place.
    We are going to need time to gel. We improved Saturday night, and that bodes well for the future, as these guys can still get much better.
    The problem will still be scoring, as we have not shown any improvement in that department.
    It may very well be a long season, but I will give them a chance at least until January to come together as a team.
    EHF I am a bit of disagreement here. The score may have been closer but we were not better in at all the second night. Friday I felt i saw some things we could work with. At least for the first two periods in which I felt we played well. Take away some of the power play time and we were at least fair 5 on 5. Saturday, I cannot find anything that made me feel we were competing well with UMass. Holding them to 2-1 late into the third period was miraculous. But we did not even show the urgency that you need late to tie that game up. We could not control the puck. Someone pointed out in a previous post that we could not string two passes together. We seemed to make all the wrong decisions and I cannot count how often two of our own players knocked into each other. UMass had so much skating room (especially just inside our blue line) that they could have set up a catered affair. I felt and others can disagree, that Friday was a tighter game at 6-1 and that Saturday was a blowout at 3-1. Just my opinion and i am probably as usual in the minority.
    Take the shortest distance to the puck and arrive in ill humor

    Comment


    • Re: RPI Hockey 2018 - 2019: 28 Guys Skate onto a Rink ...

      sigpic

      Let's Go 'Tute!

      Maxed out at 2,147,483,647 at 10:00 AM EDT 9/17/07.

      2012 Poser Of The Year

      Comment


      • Re: RPI Hockey 2018 - 2019: 28 Guys Skate onto a Rink ...

        Originally posted by RegalFan View Post
        Scoring doesn't just happen. Players rely on chemistry. Nothing has changed from last year or the year before that for that matter with this team. The lines are still mismatched as far as talent and skill is concerned IMO. You can't change players game to game or period to period for that matter. Why are 37, 63 and 88 for the Boston Bruins one of the best lines if not he best line in the NHL the last two season? They have chemistry. They play together night in and night out. I haven't seen a player in the last 2 years under this coach been with the same 2 linemates for more than 3 or 4 games. That's not enough time to build chemistry. You can't have slow footed skaters with speedsters. It goes on and on.
        You can have all the chemistry you want, but if you can't finish with the puck in the net, it's all for naught. Good passing and finding openings is definitely attributable to what you stated. And it's going to happen that the puck misses with or without a deflection, a shot gets blocked, or the goalie swallows it up for a faceoff. Under 2 GPG just isn't going to cut it though, even below 2.5 isn't all that hot (the previous few years). And when the game is over, or the month, or the season, one thing is in common: Losers ask how, winners ask how many. So let's figure out how to finish the chances we do get, and we'll be a tough team.

        Comment


        • Re: RPI Hockey 2018 - 2019: 28 Guys Skate onto a Rink ...

          Originally posted by DrDemento View Post
          EHF I am a bit of disagreement here. The score may have been closer but we were not better in at all the second night. Friday I felt i saw some things we could work with. At least for the first two periods in which I felt we played well. Take away some of the power play time and we were at least fair 5 on 5. Saturday, I cannot find anything that made me feel we were competing well with UMass. Holding them to 2-1 late into the third period was miraculous. But we did not even show the urgency that you need late to tie that game up. We could not control the puck. Someone pointed out in a previous post that we could not string two passes together. We seemed to make all the wrong decisions and I cannot count how often two of our own players knocked into each other. UMass had so much skating room (especially just inside our blue line) that they could have set up a catered affair. I felt and others can disagree, that Friday was a tighter game at 6-1 and that Saturday was a blowout at 3-1. Just my opinion and i am probably as usual in the minority.
          Doc, we stayed out of the box for the most part Saturday, and that is an improvement. As for the play, we don't get a six month preseason to get a team together. Half of the team consists of new players, and they play like they don't know each other.
          I just want to give them a chance to get to know each other. We have an extra day of practice this week, and I expect an improvement over last week. But there is no guarantee that it will happen.
          I just won't give up on these guys until they have had time together.
          I totally agree with the fact that they don't show any urgency at any time during the game. They don't seem to have the energy to kick it up a notch. That could be a reflection of the coach. He seems very laid back to me and that may need to change. JMO
          Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.
          Benjamin Franklin
          The harder I practice, the luckier I get.
          Gary Player

          Comment


          • Re: RPI Hockey 2018 - 2019: 28 Guys Skate onto a Rink ...

            Originally posted by engineerhockeyfan View Post
            Doc, we stayed out of the box for the most part Saturday, and that is an improvement. As for the play, we don't get a six month preseason to get a team together. Half of the team consists of new players, and they play like they don't know each other.
            I just want to give them a chance to get to know each other. We have an extra day of practice this week, and I expect an improvement over last week. But there is no guarantee that it will happen.
            I just won't give up on these guys until they have had time together.
            I totally agree with the fact that they don't show any urgency at any time during the game. They don't seem to have the energy to kick it up a notch. That could be a reflection of the coach. He seems very laid back to me and that may need to change. JMO
            Do not get me wrong, all of your points are valid. It is early in the season and lots of new guys getting to know each other. But this is also the same for every other team and as we 'get to know each other and get better', so will every other team. Also, these are not midgets playing out there, they are for the most part 20+ years old men who have played hockey all over the place for much of their lives. If by this stage (both age and hockey experience) they cannot adapt quickly to each other and NCAA Division I play, what makes any of us think they will? After 55+ years of RPI hockey I do not throw in the towel easily. But i must say that our poor starts to the season have become the routine and I for one would just like to see us come out of the gate with some TNT in our skates and I just do not see it this year. In 2 days we get Connecticut. A team that years ago would not even appear on our schedule. Let's see how Saturday goes and we will have more information about how this season might progress.
            Take the shortest distance to the puck and arrive in ill humor

            Comment


            • Re: RPI Hockey 2018 - 2019: 28 Guys Skate onto a Rink ...

              Originally posted by DrDemento View Post
              Do not get me wrong, all of your points are valid. It is early in the season and lots of new guys getting to know each other. But this is also the same for every other team and as we 'get to know each other and get better', so will every other team. Also, these are not midgets playing out there, they are for the most part 20+ years old men who have played hockey all over the place for much of their lives. If by this stage (both age and hockey experience) they cannot adapt quickly to each other and NCAA Division I play, what makes any of us think they will? After 55+ years of RPI hockey I do not throw in the towel easily. But i must say that our poor starts to the season have become the routine and I for one would just like to see us come out of the gate with some TNT in our skates and I just do not see it this year. In 2 days we get Connecticut. A team that years ago would not even appear on our schedule. Let's see how Saturday goes and we will have more information about how this season might progress.
              Isn't "getting to know each other" for the captain's practices before the season starts? Are the kids even doing that anymore, or was it too grey and got shot down?

              Comment


              • Re: RPI Hockey 2018 - 2019: 28 Guys Skate onto a Rink ...

                Aspy Dad,

                Did you and Coach Appert have something to do with this?

                sigpic

                Let's Go 'Tute!

                Maxed out at 2,147,483,647 at 10:00 AM EDT 9/17/07.

                2012 Poser Of The Year

                Comment


                • Re: RPI Hockey 2018 - 2019: 28 Guys Skate onto a Rink ...

                  Originally posted by DrDemento View Post
                  Do not get me wrong, all of your points are valid. It is early in the season and lots of new guys getting to know each other. But this is also the same for every other team and as we 'get to know each other and get better', so will every other team. Also, these are not midgets playing out there, they are for the most part 20+ years old men who have played hockey all over the place for much of their lives. If by this stage (both age and hockey experience) they cannot adapt quickly to each other and NCAA Division I play, what makes any of us think they will? After 55+ years of RPI hockey I do not throw in the towel easily. But i must say that our poor starts to the season have become the routine and I for one would just like to see us come out of the gate with some TNT in our skates and I just do not see it this year. In 2 days we get Connecticut. A team that years ago would not even appear on our schedule. Let's see how Saturday goes and we will have more information about how this season might progress.
                  Choosing to reply to the good Doc here but this is more of a general post...

                  I tend to disagree with the guys need to get to know each other statements here. It takes about one or two periods of playing with a set of line mates to understand what they can and cannot do. Sure... it's possible to fine tune and get a little better with even more familiarity but you should get a good gist for how combinations work fairly quickly. This morning I skated with a new center on my line and after the 2nd shift I realized it was going to be a good fit. Granted... I play old man hockey now but any player at any level that has good hockey sense figures this out pretty quickly - or at least should. It doesn't take long to figure out where everyone wants to go. And coaches should see this too. Two things do take more time: getting used to the pace of D1 (for new guys) and getting used to the coaches systems. Honestly... that should take 1-2 months max (IMO). I suggest the Thanksgiving rule of thumb for evaluating your team in the NHL is about right for college too.

                  One of my pet peeves is the constant line juggling that goes on in hockey these days. Coaches seem to have a waiting period of about 2 games before they start trying something else whenever his team has a bad game or two. Sometimes 2 periods sometimes 2 shifts. I think you should find something that works and give it a longer ride - even when bumps come along. There is way too much over coaching in sports.

                  And lastly... I will now contradict that statement a bit. Having a working line and an optimum lineup are two different things. 63-37-88 may be the best line in hockey but the B's are just too top heavy IMO. Honestly anyone with 63 & 37 will make a strong line (even Sid Crosby ). Butch Cassidy needs to balance his lineup more as a one line team won't go far in the playoffs. As a Bruin's season ticket holder, I keep waiting for the day that he decides to try to develop a 2nd scoring line with 88. But... I digress.

                  Comment


                  • Re: RPI Hockey 2018 - 2019: 28 Guys Skate onto a Rink ...

                    Originally posted by jmhusker View Post
                    One of my pet peeves is the constant line juggling that goes on in hockey these days. Coaches seem to have a waiting period of about 2 games before they start trying something else whenever his team has a bad game or two. Sometimes 2 periods sometimes 2 shifts. I think you should find something that works and give it a longer ride - even when bumps come along. There is way too much over coaching in sports.
                    Let's take this the other way... Of the lines that were switched, what made you think that they work? As much as I agree there's over-coaching and a lot of mind games being played, if you can get as good of a gist with linemates when out there, maybe the same thing is happening with the 'tute. I'll give you it's been probably since the 12-13 season that I've really seen the same lines be kept for most of the year, but maybe things just really aren't clicking.

                    Comment


                    • Re: RPI Hockey 2018 - 2019: 28 Guys Skate onto a Rink ...

                      Again I go back to the old days. The successful (perhaps not even a strong enough descriptive term) Rusian teams of the old amateur days in the Olympics were usually a set group of five skaters. They kept them together for as much of a shift as possible to then be replaced by the next 5, Detroit in the NHL used a similar strategy for a few years and found it very successful. i could not agree with JMH more. Too much tinkering. These fellows are not little kids. They are for the most part not even teenagers and certainly not new to hockey. They either mesh or they don't. it should not take too long to see it and know what you have. Teams can improve as a season goes along but I think that is not the rule. Even if it were to be then as we learn and mesh and get better, so does everyone else. We did not look good last weekend and that is just a fact. I will hold judgement until after the Union weekend but after that we will have shown what this season will be like.
                      Take the shortest distance to the puck and arrive in ill humor

                      Comment


                      • Originally posted by DrDemento View Post
                        Again I go back to the old days. The successful (perhaps not even a strong enough descriptive term) Rusian teams of the old amateur days in the Olympics were usually a set group of five skaters. They kept them together for as much of a shift as possible to then be replaced by the next 5, Detroit in the NHL used a similar strategy for a few years and found it very successful. i could not agree with JMH more. Too much tinkering. These fellows are not little kids. They are for the most part not even teenagers and certainly not new to hockey. They either mesh or they don't. it should not take too long to see it and know what you have. Teams can improve as a season goes along but I think that is not the rule. Even if it were to be then as we learn and mesh and get better, so does everyone else. We did not look good last weekend and that is just a fact. I will hold judgement until after the Union weekend but after that we will have shown what this season will be like.
                        So a group of people who have been working together as a team for all of what , 8 weeks?? and we're declaring that we need to set things in stone ?? I'm not sure in what world that makes sense...regardless of what line of work you're in....
                        ""Ralph is the Chuck Norris of this board. Ralph doesnt sleep he just waits." - fishcore12

                        Comment


                        • Re: RPI Hockey 2018 - 2019: 28 Guys Skate onto a Rink ...

                          Originally posted by Wicked Slappaahs View Post
                          So a group of people who have been working together as a team for all of what , 8 weeks?? and we're declaring that we need to set things in stone ?? I'm not sure in what world that makes sense...regardless of what line of work you're in....
                          The point seems to be that, by now, there has to have been at least some form of cohesion where the coaching staff can confidently say they want to keep X, Y, and Z on the same line. Whether that's the 1st or 4th line that gets drawn up, let's "set that aside" so it can continue to work, and try to get at least 1, maybe 2 more triples, together.

                          Now here's where the tricky part comes in: League allows only 3 lineup changes on a weekend, and you have some individual situational talents (e.g. Burke's good against muscle play, while DiGrande seems to fit well against the speed teams; not sure if it's 100% the case, but seems that way based on the limited information we have). Maybe you need that use that wild card energy line in such a way, especially if it's impractical to replace an entire line. I'll give you that the extra man this year removes a bit of the wrench, and you can hope to piece things together, although I still believe you should leave the extra man for a utility player.

                          Comment


                          • Re: RPI Hockey 2018 - 2019: 28 Guys Skate onto a Rink ...

                            Originally posted by Wicked Slappaahs View Post
                            So a group of people who have been working together as a team for all of what , 8 weeks?? and we're declaring that we need to set things in stone ?? I'm not sure in what world that makes sense...regardless of what line of work you're in....
                            WS: Not exactly. Just making the point that it appears almost every year that we start out poorly, the statement is made that we are to wait while everyone gets used to each other. That changes have to made until we find the right lines and pairings. That could be said about every team and every roster. These are guys who have played this game often for almost 15 years and really should adapt quickly and have had to do that every year for a long time. Once they are together, perhaps just leave them that way without making changes every time a shift has a little problem.
                            BTW, 8 weeks? That's a pretty long time, i would think working together you know what you have in a much shorter time. When i was in Medical School, all of my various rotations through specialties (Surgery, Medicine, OB GYN, Pediatrics, Neurology, etc) were all that length or shorter and i was expected to be qualified in each by the end of that time.
                            I suppose I am just getting tired of looking through rose colored glasses and making and accepting excuses for why we start each season so terribly and find ourselves in the bottom 10 of the NCAA rankings while we wrestle with the same problems of integrating new players that virtually all of the other programs have also.
                            Take the shortest distance to the puck and arrive in ill humor

                            Comment


                            • Re: RPI Hockey 2018 - 2019: 28 Guys Skate onto a Rink ...

                              Originally posted by FlagDUDE08 View Post
                              The point seems to be that, by now, there has to have been at least some form of cohesion where the coaching staff can confidently say they want to keep X, Y, and Z on the same line. Whether that's the 1st or 4th line that gets drawn up, let's "set that aside" so it can continue to work, and try to get at least 1, maybe 2 more triples, together.

                              Now here's where the tricky part comes in: League allows only 3 lineup changes on a weekend, and you have some individual situational talents (e.g. Burke's good against muscle play, while DiGrande seems to fit well against the speed teams; not sure if it's 100% the case, but seems that way based on the limited information we have). Maybe you need that use that wild card energy line in such a way, especially if it's impractical to replace an entire line. I'll give you that the extra man this year removes a bit of the wrench, and you can hope to piece things together, although I still believe you should leave the extra man for a utility player.
                              FDude: Normally I can follow your reasoning and either agree (more often than I would expect) or disagree (less often but more violently). But in this case, color me sort of confused?? I just do not think that it is all that complicated. Sometimes as a coach you need to just sit back and let these young men go out and play since most of them have had a lot more ice time experience in their lives than some coaches have had. I just think hockey is a sport in which most of the decisions have to made on the ice (with preparation made from behind the bench).
                              Take the shortest distance to the puck and arrive in ill humor

                              Comment


                              • Re: RPI Hockey 2018 - 2019: 28 Guys Skate onto a Rink ...

                                Originally posted by DrDemento View Post
                                FDude: I just do not think that it is all that complicated. Sometimes as a coach you need to just sit back and let these young men go out and play since most of them have had a lot more ice time experience in their lives than some coaches have had. I just think hockey is a sport in which most of the decisions have to made on the ice (with preparation made from behind the bench).
                                Doc, I totally agree with that statement. And I also agree that all teams have to incorporate new players and will get better as the season progresses. But how many teams have to incorporate half their roster?
                                This is a very different situation, and we do have to have a little patients.
                                I have only been following RPI hockey for 25 years and I feel your frustration. Except for the Pirri, D'amigo year, we haven't had a competitive season since the Murley, Tapper, Cavosie teams. And that is way too long.
                                Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.
                                Benjamin Franklin
                                The harder I practice, the luckier I get.
                                Gary Player

                                Comment

                                Working...
                                X