The 2nd official 09-10 Maine season thread

[KnowItAll]

Re: The 2nd official 09-10 Maine season thread

Agree about the goalies.

Will O'Neill's not better than he was last year? Tanner House isn't better than he was as a freshman?

you are right about Tanner... he is a HUGE surprise, in m book.. as a freshman, I wondered if he would ever amount to anything... right now, I can see him, if he continues to improve the way he has, playing in the NHL in a while.

ONeill, no, I do not see a lot of improvement. I think he was very good last season. The best thing Will has going for him is that he is the new Hopson, and when he makes a mistake, Tim overlooks it and he is allowed to continue to play his game without worrying about being benched for every little thing. He has not improved more than vandyke has, both are good.

but, no, I have not seen improvement in will worth mentioning

[Sportsmaniac]

Re: The 2nd official 09-10 Maine season thread

I thought Sirman had one hell of a game even after the Bears defense left him out to dry a couple of times. He was squared up to the shooters and move well side to side and never got caught in deep. A great game for a freshman looking for some confidence. I love the reaction between him and Darling after the game in the tunnel with a double high five and a hugh hug.

One thing Tim Whitehead said after the game yesterday is the defense gave USA too manyeasy shots on Sirman

[mainescores]

Re: The 2nd official 09-10 Maine season thread

you are right about Tanner... he is a HUGE surprise, in m book.. as a freshman, I wondered if he would ever amount to anything... right now, I can see him, if he continues to improve the way he has, playing in the NHL in a while.

ONeill, no, I do not see a lot of improvement. I think he was very good last season. The best thing Will has going for him is that he is the new Hopson, and when he makes a mistake, Tim overlooks it and he is allowed to continue to play his game without worrying about being benched for every little thing. He has not improved more than vandyke has, both are good.

but, no, I have not seen improvement in will worth mentioning

IMO...I think that Cornell and Nemec are playing well for Maine,nothing spectacular...simple game with a little moxie....they have played well...make some mistakes but you can see they will be a important part of this team this year and the next few.....

[Runsub5]

Re: The 2nd official 09-10 Maine season thread

IMO...I think that Cornell and Nemec are playing well for Maine,nothing spectacular...simple game with a little moxie....they have played well...make some mistakes but you can see they will be a important part of this team this year and the next few.....

I agree with you. Especially, Nemec. He is turning into a solid defensive player. He was red shirted last year and I think it has helped him. He spent last summer speed skating out in the mid-west (Wisconsin I believe), with Tanner House. Could have been others there?

Here's Larry's article on Saturday's game. I thought the players comments accurately described the game. Especially, the first period.

http://www.bangordailynews.com/detail/135486.html

[Pucknut]

Re: The 2nd official 09-10 Maine season thread

IMO...I think that Cornell and Nemec are playing well for Maine,nothing spectacular...simple game with a little moxie....they have played well...make some mistakes but you can see they will be a important part of this team this year and the next few.....

Neither played well on Saturday but both have shown steady progress since the start of the season. Freshmen make freshmen mistakes, unfortunately. A couple of times this season Cornell has saved goals by sweeping the puck out of the blue, while Nemec is using his size to his advantage.

[GoMaine24]

Re: The 2nd official 09-10 Maine season thread

Speaking of Will O'Neill, he scored a beautiful goal last night (4th in the game), on an assist from Nyquist. Campbell (goal tender), never saw it. Anyone who says this team isn't better or doesn't have more confidence hasn't been paying attention, in my opinion.

O'Neill quickly evolved into my new favorite D-man since he arrived on the scene last year, so I'm not trying to take anything away from him....but from my angle it looked like he shot it into traffic and it trickled in off of one of USA's own players???.... PRYOR had a sick goal off a Nyquist assist...is that what you're thinking of?

[GoMaine24]

Re: The 2nd official 09-10 Maine season thread

Maine did not move in the INCH Power Rankings, remaining at 19.

Not that they're worth anything...but that tells me they didn't put a lot of stock into the result just because it said the word "Exhibition" next to them....which is too bad.

Maine was the first and only non-professional team to beat the #1 team in Canadian college hockey, period, this year and the first and only team to shut out the NTDP this season (not only that, but they've beat more than a couple good D-1 teams)

--all the while, doing so without their starting goalie, and every-game starters like Dee and Mangene.


That's not worth any credit?!

[Runsub5]

Re: The 2nd official 09-10 Maine season thread

O'Neill quickly evolved into my new favorite D-man since he arrived on the scene last year, so I'm not trying to take anything away from him....but from my angle it looked like he shot it into traffic and it trickled in off of one of USA's own players???.... PRYOR had a sick goal off a Nyquist assist...is that what you're thinking of?

Yes, that's the one, and there was a lot of traffic in front of Campbell. According to the BDN today, it went in off a defensive player's skate. Nyquist brought the puck into the offensive zone and passed to O'Neill who made the shot from the left side while Campbell was looking straight ahead. From my view I didn't see it go off a skate. I didn't see the Pryor goal.

[UMLFan]

Re: The 2nd official 09-10 Maine season thread

Sorry to intrude but ...

Maine did not move in the INCH Power Rankings, remaining at 19.

Not that they're worth anything...but that tells me they didn't put a lot of stock into the result just because it said the word "Exhibition" next to them....which is too bad.

Maine was the first and only non-professional team to beat the #1 team in Canadian college hockey, period, this year and the first and only team to shut out the NTDP this season (not only that, but they've beat more than a couple good D-1 teams)

--all the while, doing so without their starting goalie, and every-game starters like Dee and Mangene.


That's not worth any credit?!

Wait ... are you really saying that Maine's ranking should have gone up because they shut out a team in an exhibition game. Wow.

[True Blue Fan]

Re: The 2nd official 09-10 Maine season thread

Sorry to intrude but ...

Wait ... are you really saying that Maine's ranking should have gone up because they shut out a team in an exhibition game. Wow.

We all kind of ignored that little rant.

[ck1969]

Re: The 2nd official 09-10 Maine season thread

I think a reasonable goal would be to get a top 4 seed for a playoff series at the Alfond. I would also say a trip to the NCAA tournament is not an unreachable goal.

Yes it is unless the make it to the Gahdin and win it. The rest of the schedule is brutal in my opinion. UHN is on fire. So we hope for a split at home. Pray for a split this weekend at VT, a split at the Mack will be all that can be expected with how they play at their barn. A split at BU (maybe) as they are playing better in the 2nd half (shocker!! ) Then UML and Umass. Split split. That's being a glass half full guy. That = 10 more HE points which may get them 4th. In reality they could get swept by any or all of the remaining teams.
Wally was right, I gave them the kiss of death a couple of weeks ago with my STUPID 2nd place prediction. This is all my fault. I'll carry the blame.

[gusforhobey89]

Re: The 2nd official 09-10 Maine season thread

Maine comes in at 19 in the polls this week, and 21 in the PWR.

[GoMaine24]

Re: The 2nd official 09-10 Maine season thread

Sorry to intrude but ...

Wait ... are you really saying that Maine's ranking should have gone up because they shut out a team in an exhibition game. Wow.

Let's see.....

New Brunswick is 21-0-0 in their league play, as well as previously 3-0-0 against Hockey East teams (UMass, Vermont, and Providence) and we handed them their only loss barring the Portland Pirates (who gave up 2 goals to our 1 btw)

And this years U-18 club has played more than a half dozen Top 20 D-1 teams, and not only had they yet to be shut out, but they even beat a team the caliber of Cornell....

So I guess the answer to your question is, yea...

In related news, Maine is up 1 spot to #19 in the actual poll.

[Hokydad]

Re: The 2nd official 09-10 Maine season thread

Let's see.....

New Brunswick is 21-0-0 in their league play, as well as previously 3-0-0 against Hockey East teams (UMass, Vermont, and Providence) and we handed them their only loss barring the Portland Pirates (who gave up 2 goals to our 1 btw)

And this years U-18 club has played more than a half dozen Top 20 D-1 teams, and not only had they yet to be shut out, but they even beat a team the caliber of Cornell....

So I guess the answer to your question is, yea...

In related news, Maine is up 1 spot to #19 in the actual poll.

getting spanked by PC should drop you, and then losing the next night. They look at conference back to back losses, not exhibitions

No, an exhibition win over a borderline club team is a joke

[Gusforhobey]

Re: The 2nd official 09-10 Maine season thread

getting spanked by PC should drop you, and then losing the next night. They look at conference back to back losses, not exhibitions

No, an exhibition win over a borderline club team is a joke

I don't think the voters saw the PC lose as a "spanking" we lost 3-2, we did score the last two goals in the final minute but that doesn't matter. A borderline club? I would say both exhibition wins were good quality wins, especially UNB.