UMaine Black Bears, 2nd verse same as the first 2016-2017

[ticapnews]

Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2nd verse same as the first 2016-2017

I'm one of those Donor Seat people and I care about the game and the team, I wouldn't be to happy to get stuck paying more for a less then stellar product on the ice and behind the bench...and I attend each and every game, plus I buy more tickets and bring other people to the game...so think before you open your mouth that the Donor Seat people don't care or attend. And its not a tax write off for me...its my hobby during the winter months...takes the edge out of working all the time...but in the last 10 years it has become more like a job to watch the team/program/Coaching staff take this once proud Program down the drain.

Yes, of course I meant 100% of the people who buy donor seats.

[DoubleA]

So........ a combined two night score of 10-1. In the playoffs. Wow. Pretty evident what Maine was made of this season.

I guess after McGovern's 5-0 whipping last night, I can see why they gave Morris the nod tonight. His last game and all after what, 7 years of eligibility? And he was terrible. 4-1after two periods - two goals in 12 seconds at 14:36 of the second. The Matt Morris era is thankfully over.

Turn the page. Let's go forward.

[ticapnews]

Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2nd verse same as the first 2016-2017

Now that Notre Dame is leaving Hockey East, the 2017-18 schedule shapes up thusly:

Home (10)
Boston College
Boston University
UConn
Lowell
UMass
Merrimack
New Hampshire
Northeastern
Providence
Vermont

Road (10)
Boston College
Boston University
UConn
Lowell
UMass
Merrimack
New Hampshire
Northeastern
Providence
Vermont

Friendship Four (2)
Providence
RPI/Colgate

Undecided (9)
Boston College
Boston University
UConn
Lowell
UMass
Merrimack
New Hampshire
Northeastern
Vermont

Open Dates (3)

Looking at this season's schedule, Maine is owed a pair at home vs Miami and is supposed to play a pair @RPI and @Quinnipiac. Obviously that can't happen. Hopefully the weekend series with Miami is still on, the Friendship Four Game takes care of the RPI obligation (or they only require one game) and the Quinnipiac games are on hold for 2018-19 (if ever).

[DoubleA]

Thanks for clarification, I remember hearing there was some form of communication.
As far as recruiting, if your saying the challenges exist because of recent success I can see that for sure. Good players will want to go to winning programs no matter where they are located. Good players may also come to rebuilding programs to get ice time and be a key part of a team where they may not be able to do at a more successful school.
If your saying its because of the location, school or/and facility etc, I'm not sure I fully agree. There are other more successful D1 programs than Maine in locations, schools that I would think to be less desirable. Everyone has their preferences. Its more complicated than just location.

The recruiting challenges exist for both reasons. Lack of success and location. In that order IMHO. If the program is successful and winning and proud, it makes the location issue go right away.

[Drew S.]

Now that Notre Dame is leaving Hockey East, the 2017-18 schedule shapes up thusly:

Home (10)
Boston College
Boston University
UConn
Lowell
UMass
Merrimack
New Hampshire
Northeastern
Providence
Vermont

Road (10)
Boston College
Boston University
UConn
Lowell
UMass
Merrimack
New Hampshire
Northeastern
Providence
Vermont

Friendship Four (2)
Providence
RPI/Colgate

Undecided (9)
Boston College
Boston University
UConn
Lowell
UMass
Merrimack
New Hampshire
Northeastern
Vermont

Open Dates (3)

Looking at this season's schedule, Maine is owed a pair at home vs Miami and is supposed to play a pair @RPI and @Quinnipiac. Obviously that can't happen. Hopefully the weekend series with Miami is still on, the Friendship Four Game takes care of the RPI obligation (or they only require one game) and the Quinnipiac games are on hold for 2018-19 (if ever).

I could be wrong, but I think there are only going to be 24 league games. Will Maine actually play two at Quinnipiac? They've played quite a few times the last few years and I'm not sure if Maine would have to go there or not. I think you're right as far as RPI and Miami go.

Edit: would they delay RPI a year where they potentially could play them in Northern Ireland?

[UML Puck Hawk]

Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2nd verse same as the first 2016-2017

Now that Notre Dame is leaving Hockey East, the 2017-18 schedule shapes up thusly:

Home (10)
Boston College
Boston University
UConn
Lowell
UMass
Merrimack
New Hampshire
Northeastern
Providence
Vermont

Road (10)
Boston College
Boston University
UConn
Lowell
UMass
Merrimack
New Hampshire
Northeastern
Providence
Vermont

Friendship Four (2)
Providence
RPI/Colgate

Undecided (9)
Boston College
Boston University
UConn
Lowell
UMass
Merrimack
New Hampshire
Northeastern
Vermont

Open Dates (3)

Looking at this season's schedule, Maine is owed a pair at home vs Miami and is supposed to play a pair @RPI and @Quinnipiac. Obviously that can't happen. Hopefully the weekend series with Miami is still on, the Friendship Four Game takes care of the RPI obligation (or they only require one game) and the Quinnipiac games are on hold for 2018-19 (if ever).

Hockey East is not returning to 3 games against all opponents. Press release a while back said 4 games against other HEA opponents, decided on previous years standings. So you have 24 in conference games, plus 8 OOCs

[ticapnews]

Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2nd verse same as the first 2016-2017

I could be wrong, but I think there are only going to be 24 league games. Will Maine actually play two at Quinnipiac? They've played quite a few times the last few years and I'm not sure if Maine would have to go there or not. I think you're right as far as RPI and Miami go.

Edit: would they delay RPI a year where they potentially could play them in Northern Ireland?

I was told it was a 2 home/1 road situation for every team. I know there was talk about the 24-game schedule, but IIRC no one could agree to how the extra four games would be scheduled. The thought was a mathematical formula to balance the schedule as much as possible but that was never accepted. It is unfortunate because 24 would be preferential to 30.

Looking at recent schedules, Maine still owes QC two games but with Maine's lackluster RPI, QC might let it slide. Hosting Maine won't do them a lick of good in the pairwise.

It might actually benefit Maine if they need to play a pair at RPI to start next season and the Miami games at Alfond were pushed to 18-19. Winning two games on the road is just what this team needs. Of course, losing those games would be crushing.

New Hampshire also owes Maine a non-conference game in Portland but that may be scrapped as well with the new schedule (and because the series isn't the cash cow everyone hoped).

So the three OOC games will most likely either be 2 @ RPI or 2 vs Miami with one leftover game potentially being UNH in Portland.

[ticapnews]

Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2nd verse same as the first 2016-2017

Hockey East is not returning to 3 games against all opponents. Press release a while back said 4 games against other HEA opponents, decided on previous years standings. So you have 24 in conference games, plus 8 OOCs

It was an official HEA press release? To the website I go...

ETA: Not finding it.
http://www.hockeyeastonline.com/men/media/index.php

[Ma#1ne Hky]

Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2nd verse same as the first 2016-2017

Yes, of course I meant 100% of the people who buy donor seats.

No you might not have meant 100%...but 100% would have to absorb the ticket/donation raise in price though...right?

[ticapnews]

No you might not have meant 100%...but 100% would have to absorb the ticket/donation raise in price though...right?

If that's what they have in mind, yes. Or downgrade season tickets to the lower bowl.

[Runsub5]

Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2nd verse same as the first 2016-2017

Larry Mahoney went back into the archives and found this gem. Vermont's goal tender (Stefanos Lekkas), became the first in Hockey East history to shut out Maine in a playoff game on Friday night.

[Drew S.]

I was told it was a 2 home/1 road situation for every team. I know there was talk about the 24-game schedule, but IIRC no one could agree to how the extra four games would be scheduled. The thought was a mathematical formula to balance the schedule as much as possible but that was never accepted. It is unfortunate because 24 would be preferential to 30.

Looking at recent schedules, Maine still owes QC two games but with Maine's lackluster RPI, QC might let it slide. Hosting Maine won't do them a lick of good in the pairwise.

It might actually benefit Maine if they need to play a pair at RPI to start next season and the Miami games at Alfond were pushed to 18-19. Winning two games on the road is just what this team needs. Of course, losing those games would be crushing.

New Hampshire also owes Maine a non-conference game in Portland but that may be scrapped as well with the new schedule (and because the series isn't the cash cow everyone hoped).

So the three OOC games will most likely either be 2 @ RPI or 2 vs Miami with one leftover game potentially being UNH in Portland.

I had never heard that. I wouldn't mind a 30 game league schedule but it would be nice if they let teams schedule a couple extra non-conference games for 36 total. Hockey East really messed up going to teams playing each other twice and I'm sure (real if you could ever get them) attendance figures back this up.

[AMC]

Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2nd verse same as the first 2016-2017

If they mean the people who buy the donor seats, go ahead and get whatever money you can from them. They don't seem to care about the product on the ice and rarely attend games in person. Their donations seem to be tax write-offs. Lower the season ticket prices in the lower bowl though.

Good idea, run off the last people who pay for tickets.

[rufus]

The recruiting challenges exist for both reasons. Lack of success and location. In that order IMHO. If the program is successful and winning and proud, it makes the location issue go right away.

Funny, but Vermont seems to be able to recruit some decent players. Can score, play some solid defense, and a goaltender who can stop the puck. Anyway, at least that's what it looked like this weekend. Their location isn' t exactly the center of the world. State school, too. Why can they do, but all we do is whine about location and make excuses?

[ticapnews]

Good idea, run off the last people who pay for tickets.

For many of them price isn't an object, nor is the product on the ice. Many of them will buy anyway. Remember what it looked like on TV when the donor seats were behind the team benches? Lots of empty seats, but they were sold. They don't come to games.

All of this is moot anyway because we don't know what the athletics department has in mind for the upcoming season.