Irish hockey '10-11-Everyone bets on a sure thing, but it takes guts not to fold.

[IrishHockeyFan]

Re: Irish hockey '10-11-Everyone bets on a sure thing, but it takes guts not to fold.

I thought from the point in the game when Maday scored his second goal, Notre Dame played like they are capable of playing. Clearly the far superior team, and it showed on the scoreboard. But for the previous 90 minutes of hockey, they were just "getting by" on talent and record. Not playing particularly poor, or being egregiously lazy or anything that dire, but doing just enough to maintain. That's not good enough.

The next two series are going to be played against teams with far more to play for. Both Ferris and Western would be out of the NCAAs if the tournament field was set today, but both are close enough to play their way back in over the next few weeks. Maximum focus and effort will be required over the next four games. And just as Ferris and Western can play their way into the field, Notre Dame is still very much in a position to play their way OUT of it. At the end of the day every game is just as important as every other one over the course of a long season, but the next 4 games can make this season or break it.

We're about to see what this team is made of. Everyone. The Freshman, who have provided so much excitement for the last 5 months. The Sophomores, who haven't yet had the chance to experience some of the glory of recent teams. The Juniors, who as freshman saw what this program is capable of and just how quickly things can sour over the course of a game or a season. And the Seniors, who have experienced all of the highs and lows of the previous 3 seasons and are in the unique position on this team to know what it takes to succeed at some of the highest levels and sink to nearly the lowest. Can they meld these experiences into something amazing? As I said, we're about to see.

[SwedishJustice22]

Re: Irish hockey '10-11-Everyone bets on a sure thing, but it takes guts not to fold.

So if anyone looking to buy tickets or already have tickets to Detroit? I'm looking to go even if Notre Dame isn't in the final four and it looks like I will be going solo so I wanted to see because I thought it might be cool to sit with a Notre Dame contingent if they are there. Let me know

[Jeff_Jackson_for_Pres.]

Re: Irish hockey '10-11-Everyone bets on a sure thing, but it takes guts not to fold.

So if anyone looking to buy tickets or already have tickets to Detroit? I'm looking to go even if Notre Dame isn't in the final four and it looks like I will be going solo so I wanted to see because I thought it might be cool to sit with a Notre Dame contingent if they are there. Let me know

Most of us here would go; however, that's quite a ways off with 4 tough regular season and at least 2 playoff games still to play. I hate looking that far ahead. Superstitions, and all.

BTW, take a peek at FSU's thread. It's humorous (and very telling of the ages of the posters) what they're choosing to focus on right now.

[IrishHockeyFan]

Re: Irish hockey '10-11-Everyone bets on a sure thing, but it takes guts not to fold.

So does this give anyone the feeling that, for at least the 2 final regular season weekends, Jackson will alternate Summerhays and Johnson?

[Jeff_Jackson_for_Pres.]

Re: Irish hockey '10-11-Everyone bets on a sure thing, but it takes guts not to fold.

So does this give anyone the feeling that, for at least the 2 final regular season weekends, Jackson will alternate Summerhays and Johnson?

That was my thought.

[SteveP]

Re: Irish hockey '10-11-Everyone bets on a sure thing, but it takes guts not to fold.

Christian Hanson has been called up by the Maple Leafs after Burke trades Versteeg to Philly.

[Jeff_Jackson_for_Pres.]

Re: Irish hockey '10-11-Everyone bets on a sure thing, but it takes guts not to fold.

Friday's game will be only the 2nd game all season that I won't be viewing with my eyes, but hearing with my ears. My posse and I are going to Saturday's game. Here's to a successful trip.

FSU is in 5th, the last bye position, with the possibility of overtaking WMU for 4th, the last home ice/bye position. They are a pretty experienced team with upperclassmen leading the scoring and the netminding. Senior defenseman Zach Redmond leads the team with 20 points. He is also in a 3-way tie for the lead in G's with 7 (Mikes Embach and Fillinger also have 7 G's). Redmond leads the team with 4 PPG's. Embach leads the team in shorties with 4. FSU has 10 guys in double digits, none of whom is a freshman.

ND is in 1st by a hair. This is the weekend they can put space between themselves and Miami, as Miami is off this weekend. I'd like some distance put between ND and Michigan, too. These are not farfetched wishes. If the 1st period ND can play 3 periods both nights, I'm confident good things will happen. ND is led by several freshmen, T.J. Tynan being the upper crust. He's got 43 points and is tied for the team lead in G's with fellow frosh Anders Lee (each with 19 G's). Freshman Jeff Costello leads the team in PPG's with 6, while Lee has 5 PPG's and Tynan and senior Calle Ridderwall have 4 each. ND has several players with 2 shorties each. ND has 15 guys in double digits in scoring.

FSU's PP is clicking at a 13.3% rate, while their PK is a robust 88.8%. They have scored and given up 17 PPG's. They have 7 shorties and have had 1 scored against them. They average 2.41 GF and give up 2.06 GA. They are 10-3-2 when scoring first and have a 9-4-3 home record. The 2nd period is their best O by far and they give up fewer as the game wears on.

ND's PP is a respectable 17.1%, while their PP is a decent 84.2%. They've scored 27 PPG's and given up 23. They still lead with 12 shorties (a number they've been stuck on for a while) and have given up one. They average 3.66 GF and give up 2.72 GA. ND is 15-1-3 when scoring first and have a 6-5-2 road record. While their D is fairly even throughout the game, the 2nd period is by a wide margin their best offensive output.

Senior Pat Nagle has been in net for the majority of the Bulldogs' games and rightly so. He's 16-10-4 with a stellar GA of 1.9 and a save % of .925. I'm green with envy.

Mike Johnson is 14-7-4 with a GA of 2.57 and a save % of .904. As pointed out by IHF, Coach Jackson indicated that he may be going with shared time in net. Steven Summerhays is 4-2-1 with a GA of 3.17 and a save % of .840. Unless Johnson morphs into Jordan Pearce, Summerhays may be seeing time the next 2 Saturdays.

Dante said, "He who knows most grieves most for wasted time." Crunch. Crunch. Crunch. It's crunch time, boys.

[IrishHockeyFan]

Re: Irish hockey '10-11-Everyone bets on a sure thing, but it takes guts not to fold.

Erik Condra has been called up to Ottawa. He was tied for 12th in scoring in the AHL, and was second in scoring for Binghamton. Notre Dame players in the NHL are no longer an anomaly.

[DominicHennig]

Re: Irish hockey '10-11-Everyone bets on a sure thing, but it takes guts not to fold.

Ferris State vs. Notre Dame Series Preview:

[Jeff_Jackson_for_Pres.]

Re: Irish hockey '10-11-Everyone bets on a sure thing, but it takes guts not to fold.

Yay for Erik Condra (or as the Isles PBP guy, Erik Condor...) for the dish on the GTG. Too bad the Sens blow in the SO. Yay for Christian Hanson as the Leafs played very well and beat the Bruins. Thank goodness the games started 30 minutes apart allowing us to basically watch both.

[Jeff_Jackson_for_Pres.]

Re: Irish hockey '10-11-Everyone bets on a sure thing, but it takes guts not to fold.

Senior defenseman Zach Redmond leads the team with 20 points. He is also in a 3-way tie for the lead in G's with 7 (Mikes Embach and Fillinger also have 7 G's). Redmond leads the team with 4 PPG's.

Edit: Redmond is likely out all weekend, so FSU's top guy is Embach with 16 points.

[IrishHockeyFan]

Re: Irish hockey '10-11-Everyone bets on a sure thing, but it takes guts not to fold.

Edit: Redmond is likely out all weekend, so FSU's top guy is Embach with 16 points.

As will Eric Alexander, for Friday anyway, after receiving a game DQ to go along with a hitting from behind penalty last Saturday. Travis Ouellette, who many will remember for similar actions last year, also was dinged with a five-minute major for a check from behind, but received a GM and will be suited up.

[IrishHockeyFan]

Re: Irish hockey '10-11-Everyone bets on a sure thing, but it takes guts not to fold.

This is 48 hour old news but in case anyone interested missed it, it is a fun listen and a pretty good interview of Erik Condra on the local WSBT Sportsbeat show with Irish play-by-play voice Darin Pritchett. Congratulations to Erik on a personally successful NHL debut.

[Jeff_Jackson_for_Pres.]

Re: Irish hockey '10-11-Everyone bets on a sure thing, but it takes guts not to fold.

Whew.

I have to admit, Mike Johnson looked pretty solid, made a humongous save on the breakaway and another huge one with seconds left to earn a hard fought victory. I only hope tomorrow can be as solid of an effort by whoever is in net for ND. That's the room-for-improvement stat for ND and there's no time like the present to improve.

[SteveP]

Re: Irish hockey '10-11-Everyone bets on a sure thing, but it takes guts not to fold.

Another ND alum is part of the Leafs family thanks to a rash of goalie injuries

On Friday, the Marlies announced they had signed goalies Andrew Engelage and David Brown to professional tryout contracts. They will help fill the void at the AHL level until some of the other goalies return from injury.