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Notre Dame Hockey 2014-15: The year of the Freshman

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  • Notre Dame Hockey 2014-15: The year of the Freshman

    I didn't see a Notre Dame thread so I'd thought I'd start one up. Here's hoping this year a crop of freshman act like the fresman class of four years ago. Otherwise it could be a long season
    TJ TJ Tynan....KING OF THE WILD FRONTIER

  • #2
    Re: Notre Dame Hockey 2014-15: The year of the Freshman

    After last Sundays game, it"s going to be a long start to the season. The freshman seem to have trouble knowing what end of the ice they are in. New goalie was a real deer in the headlights. Jackson has his work cut out for him and his coaches, but he will get it done, just hope not to much of the season is lost !

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    • #3
      Re: Notre Dame Hockey 2014-15: The year of the Freshman

      For those of you who asked tonight...yes, I'm still around.

      And yeah, it's gonna be a long season. Long, long season.
      "Hockey is the only tribe I belong to." --Jack Falla

      "Why, as a matter of fact, I suggested starting a hockey program to Father Callahan, our president. He was downright interested until we came to the use of sticks, and then he threw up his hands. He said, 'No, that game is not for our University. Notre Dame will never endorse any game that puts a club in the hands of an Irishman.' " -- Knute Rockne: All American

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      • #4
        Re: Notre Dame Hockey 2014-15: The year of the Freshman

        Didn't get to see/hear the game tonight. Seems like it could be a long long season. Jackson said we have potential to be a good team but need experience. Experience hopefully doesn't mean tons of losses. Looks like Connor Hurley didn't dress tonight which shocked me a little? Wonder if he'll play against Duluth. Also wonder of Cal will get the start Sunday in goal. Hopefully they can pull something out against Duluth, then home series against Lake State and Niagara. Gain some experience and maybe some wins along the way?

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        • #5
          Re: Notre Dame Hockey 2014-15: The year of the Freshman

          Well Connor played.... and Dipauli seems to have an extra step to his game. and ummmm, well coach says stay positive! Forget the freshman though, it seemed the veterans were the ones turning the puck over any chance they got. 9 penalties and only 1 committed by a freshman (and coach even noted that a number of those are off of turnovers). I don't know anything about hockey but I hope the next two weekends can get things rolling. I liked the physical play from Connor and so far like some of the play from the freshmen (like Ripley, Gross, and Bjork).

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          • #6
            Re: Notre Dame Hockey 2014-15: The year of the Freshman

            Originally posted by irishstate View Post
            I don't know anything about hockey but I hope the next two weekends can get things rolling.
            I hereby nominate irishstate as 2014's "Most Honest USCHO Poster of the Year Award".
            Minnesota Golden Gopher Hockey

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            • #7
              Re: Notre Dame Hockey 2014-15: The year of the Freshman

              Well hopefully they have some confidence after the past two weekends. Three lines clicking well at different times and different nights. some goals by the veterans (like Vinnie) will hopefully get them to stop trying so hard. The freshman have been getting involved in the offense. Changes to the PP finally got three PPG but Jackson doesn't seem too happy with it yet. Think he got under them some after a 0 for 20 start on the PP.

              Hopefully Wuthrich is good to go for this coming weekend, think they'll need the experience. Vermont seems to be playing well (although against UConn they give me some hope). If they sweep I'll think I'll crap my pants with disbelief and happiness. Would love 3 points but think hoping for a split is more realistic. (hopefully an Irish win on Sat since that's the game I'm going to). Time to find out if our Ice Breaker showing was an opening nervous wreck or if that's really the team we are. Although having seen a game in each of the past two series they seem to be playing way way way better and much more Irish hockey. (then again..as noted... what do I know?)

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              • #8
                Re: Notre Dame Hockey 2014-15: The year of the Freshman

                Originally posted by irishstate View Post
                Vermont seems to be playing well (although against UConn they give me some hope).
                I'd be careful reading too much in the UConn game. The UConn tender, Nichols, is a very good goalie who outside of a single game against PSU hasn't given up more then 2 goals in any of the other 4 outings. Those outings were against UVM (3.25 gpg) MC (2.8 gpg) QU (3 gpg), and PSU (4.3 gpg). Squeeking out victories against UConn is going to be the rule as opposed to the exception.

                That said, this should be a good test for both teams that will have some confidence coming into the weekend. Notre Dame has pounded the competition the last two weekends, but that competition hasn't really been the strongest (winning against teams with a combined 0-14-0). UVM definitely needs more offensive output, but is defensively strong with a 1 GAA coming into the weekend ( and having won against teams with a marginally better combined record (3-10-2).

                This weekend should be exciting and will tell a lot about where each of these teams truly stand. Interestingly they are almost opposites.... ND's offense is ranked 3rd v. UVM's defense tied for 2nd compared to UVM's offense ranked 16th v. ND's defense ranked 16th. Should be really evenly matched...
                Originally posted by Hokydad
                Maine will be better this year relative to rankings than BC will be this year

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                • #9
                  Re: Notre Dame Hockey 2014-15: The year of the Freshman

                  Well, I guess the ND Hockey team has the " How to Play to Lose " part of the playbook, down pat !! They almost did it Friday night, and perfected it Saturday Night.
                  Last edited by 25 years and counting; 11-04-2014, 10:19 PM.

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                  • #10
                    Re: Notre Dame Hockey 2014-15: The year of the Freshman

                    Originally posted by 25 years and counting View Post
                    Well, I guess the ND Hockey team has the " How to Play to Lose " part of the playbook, down pat !! They almost did it Friday night, and perfected it Saturday Night.
                    Really? They won Friday night 3-2 while getting outplayed in large part. Very efficient in the offensive zone creating quality chances. Then they had the win Saturday night until the desperation "pull the goalie" moment where they gave up the tying goal. Note: Game ends in a tie. So not sure how they got the "how to lose" play right without losing? Looks like they may have found more of the "how to blow a lead once you have it" play down. OR perhaps the "how to grind out a win when maybe you shouldn't" play. 3 points against Vermont is hardly losing in my books.

                    Don't forget this is the same team that had a goalie looking like "deer in headlights" and with freshmen that didn't know an offensive from a defensive zone at the beginning. As it is, big big test this weekend. Faults will be exploited by Minnesota, but I also think they'll step up and make a fight of it.

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                    • #11
                      Re: Notre Dame Hockey 2014-15: The year of the Freshman

                      Now that...... that is how you perfect the "how to play to lose" playbook.

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                      • #12
                        Re: Notre Dame Hockey 2014-15: The year of the Freshman

                        Can we get the refs to not call any penalties against our opponents???? There was one power play where I'm not sure how many open shots got passed up exactly only to have a shot taken directly in front of a defender. I think there were a few PP where at least a minute seemed to be played outside the offensive zone. We'll just ignore their penalties and skate 5-5 thank you???

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                        • #13
                          Re: Notre Dame Hockey 2014-15: The year of the Freshman

                          Originally posted by irishstate View Post
                          Can we get the refs to not call any penalties against our opponents???? There was one power play where I'm not sure how many open shots got passed up exactly only to have a shot taken directly in front of a defender. I think there were a few PP where at least a minute seemed to be played outside the offensive zone. We'll just ignore their penalties and skate 5-5 thank you???
                          As the phrase is used by another Notre Dame coach, I guess it applies here: Get used to it.

                          I've said it before, one power play without a shot on net in a game is a bit of a head scratcher, 2 is cause for real concern. But 4? That's a fireable offense for the coach responsible for special teams.

                          This team has enough raw talent that were they to execute a fundamentally sound power play it could routinely be among the NCAAs top 10-15. That it has struggled to a 10% clip over the last 27 games is inexcusable. Russo missing last season and new faces this one should not mean this level of ineptitude. Only two teams last season connected on fewer than 10% of their PPs, Alabama Huntsville and Niagara. With all that this staff has at their disposal being grouped among those teams is inexcusable.

                          With goals at such a premium anymore at every level of hockey, being this bad at any one aspect of the game can single handedly derail a season. Had our PP gone on a tear last season instead of finishing at a 5-56 clip, perhaps this team would have challenged for a first round bye instead of needing a 5-0-1 finish just to hold onto 8th place. Perhaps being able to avoid an emotional 3 game road series at BC to advance to Boston would have meant a more resilient effort in our semi-final game instead of that sleep walking 4-0 performance. Were the PP to be connecting at just a .171 clip right now (Jackson's teams here have averaged a .171 PP% in his 9 full seasons, not great but on the mediocre end of effective) that would be an additional 3 or 4 PP goals so far this season. In the right circumstances that could have turned around 1 or more of 4 of the 5 games we have not won.

                          I think all this might matter just a little when the season is over if we are staring at another 8th place finish. Or sitting 17th in the pairwise and wondering why Notre Dame isn't among the 4 teams I was forced to pay to watch in an NCAA regional for the privilege of purchasing my season tickets this season.

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                          • #14
                            Re: Notre Dame Hockey 2014-15: The year of the Freshman

                            I hope someone has the guts to give the ND coaches a copy of the video of yesterdays game complete with Barry Melrose's commentary.

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                            • #15
                              Re: Notre Dame Hockey 2014-15: The year of the Freshman

                              Right. Maybe even the team since it might provide some motivation.

                              Although I do like, "I'll shoot, no. I'll shoot, no. No, Again no. and again no. It's not like Coach Jackson isn't telling them to shoot. Trust me, he's telling them to shoot. They just aren't." Or something like that. I'm not sure how many times in the 3rd he said, "you got to shoot that puck. you are down 2 and have what you need, shoot it.

                              Although I kind of assume we are talking about no hunger, no fight, no aggression. no desire for the puck etc.

                              and was a good point about last year. I forgot the PP seemed to fall away at the end of the year. total sadness.

                              What happens at Merrimack this weekend?

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