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Spartan Hockey 2018-2019 - Preparing for Glory

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  • #16
    Re: Spartan Hockey 2018-2019 - Preparing for Glory

    A little disappointing last night after the showing on Friday. Northern came out with a strong five minutes that eventually lead to a goal and while we carried the rest of the first, we couldn't get many real chances. The NMU shorty shouldn't have happened. That came off back to back turnovers and DeRidder let a weak rebound get out for a poke through the five hole. We couldn't have had a better start to the third. Essentially two straight PP goals, but I think we were technically a second late on the first one.

    Then it just unraveled. Khodorenko going to the box twice. One for a very weird penalty and another for a retaliation. It's one thing if it's a third or fourth liner racking up penalties, it's another if it's one of your top three. I feel like we had this same issue last year, but it was Lewandowski racking up minutes or getting DQ'd. But really penalties overall killed us. If you give up two PP goals, you're not gonna have a good time, and though we're 80% after two games, I'd feel a lot better about it if it was because we were 4/5, not 8/10. On the plus side, the PP is at 33% and essentially at 44%.

    Time to rest up for a week and see what this team can do against Cornell.
    Go Green! Go White! Go State!

    1966, 1986, 2007

    Go Tigers, Go Packers, Go Red Wings, Go Pistons

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    • #17
      Originally posted by Spartanforlife4 View Post
      A little disappointing last night after the showing on Friday. Northern came out with a strong five minutes that eventually lead to a goal and while we carried the rest of the first, we couldn't get many real chances. The NMU shorty shouldn't have happened. That came off back to back turnovers and DeRidder let a weak rebound get out for a poke through the five hole. We couldn't have had a better start to the third. Essentially two straight PP goals, but I think we were technically a second late on the first one.

      Then it just unraveled. Khodorenko going to the box twice. One for a very weird penalty and another for a retaliation. It's one thing if it's a third or fourth liner racking up penalties, it's another if it's one of your top three. I feel like we had this same issue last year, but it was Lewandowski racking up minutes or getting DQ'd. But really penalties overall killed us. If you give up two PP goals, you're not gonna have a good time, and though we're 80% after two games, I'd feel a lot better about it if it was because we were 4/5, not 8/10. On the plus side, the PP is at 33% and essentially at 44%.

      Time to rest up for a week and see what this team can do against Cornell.
      I’ll credit NMU last night. We popped them in the mouth Friday night and they responded. They made everything much more difficult for MSU last night. We knew NMU is a good team and we’d have our hands full. Most i’m sure assumed they’re straight up a better team going into the weekend, after all.

      Still, it was a grind for both teams. I felt our play was fine but the cats raised their game from the previous night. 1 shot was the difference. That’s Hockey.

      I like what I saw this weekend. I think we appear to be a deeper team than previous years. All 4 lines had their moments, even last night.

      Jury’s out on DeRidder vs. Lethemon. Lethemon was tested less vigorously but DeRidder looked shaky at times. I observed that his glove hand is not his strength. I would wager he didn’t spend his springs on the baseball diamond. Still, he made some big saves and it was his first real action. He’ll improve.
      Last edited by Pirateasaur; 10-14-2018, 10:32 AM.

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      • #18
        Re: Spartan Hockey 2018-2019 - Preparing for Glory

        Oh, and yes, penalties. I hope it’s standard early season touchy refs but we’re taking too many. Loooots of hooking calls out there.

        Also, anyone feel like players are losing their sticks a lot? Maybe the new trend is to butter them up a bit?

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        • #19
          Re: Spartan Hockey 2018-2019 - Preparing for Glory

          Originally posted by Pirateasaur View Post
          I’ll credit NMU last night. We popped them in the mouth Friday night and they responded. They made everything much more difficult for MSU last night. We knew NMU is a good team and we’d have our hands full. Most i’m sure assumed they’re straight up a better team going into the weekend, after all.

          Still, it was a grind for both teams. I felt our play was fine but the cats raised their game from the previous night. 1 shot was the difference. That’s Hockey.

          I like what I saw this weekend. I think we appear to be a deeper team than previous years. All 4 lines had their moments, even last night.

          Jury’s out on DeRidder vs. Lethemon. Lethemon was tested less vigorously but DeRidder looked shaky at times. I observed that his glove hand is not his strength. I would wager he didn’t spend his springs on the baseball diamond. Still, he made some big saves and it was his first real action. He’ll improve.
          As far as the eye test is concerned this group has taken a step forward this season. There's a lot to like from every line, but once the second line starts burying chances with consistency, this team takes another step. Lambdin and Stachowiak are certainly on the same page. I'm concerned a little bit about youth on defense, the penalties (though as some pointed out it could be a matter of a learning curve), and probably #1 uncertainty in goal. Lethemon was good enough Friday night, but DeRidder didn't seem to look all that comfortable Saturday. There were rebound control issues that resulted in two of those goals. Trying to duplicate Friday's outcome though with a freshman goalie against a good team returning a lot of scoring prowess is a bit like throwing someone to the wolves.

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          • #20
            Re: Spartan Hockey 2018-2019 - Preparing for Glory

            Back in action this week. At the beginning of the season my hope was for this young team to split the first two series. Good news they split against NMU. Bad news NMU got clobbered last weekend by St. Cloud. Maybe I’m a little crazy, but I think we have a good chance to get a split against Cornell.

            As far as how good, or not, this team will be...waiting until GLI time to see how much the Freshmen and defense improve, and how much scoring there is after the first line.

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            • #21
              Re: Spartan Hockey 2018-2019 - Preparing for Glory

              I would pick a split again this weekend. With the extra week to prepare and hopefully straighten some things out after the exhibition and NMU I like our chances to steal a win.

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              • #22
                Re: Spartan Hockey 2018-2019 - Preparing for Glory

                We're going to have to lock down on D and the PK this weekend. Not sure how good Guelph and Laurentian are, but 6 and 7 goals is a lot to put on the board.
                Go Green! Go White! Go State!

                1966, 1986, 2007

                Go Tigers, Go Packers, Go Red Wings, Go Pistons

                Comment


                • #23
                  Originally posted by Spartanforlife4 View Post
                  We're going to have to lock down on D and the PK this weekend. Not sure how good Guelph and Laurentian are, but 6 and 7 goals is a lot to put on the board.
                  I always treat games against Canadian schools as suspect as you don’t often know how seriously each team took them. Play everyone, or only the top lines? Play the number 1 goalie or give the backup game experience? How fast was the pace? Playing physical or playing to avoid possible injury? Regardless, I agree that we need to be on our game this weekend If we want to take a game.

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                  • #24
                    Originally posted by wsummers View Post
                    I always treat games against Canadian schools as suspect as you don’t often know how seriously each team took them. Play everyone, or only the top lines? Play the number 1 goalie or give the backup game experience? How fast was the pace? Playing physical or playing to avoid possible injury? Regardless, I agree that we need to be on our game this weekend If we want to take a game.
                    Yeah, it’s always tough to tell for the reasons you listed and some of those Canadian teams are definitely better than others.

                    Cornell is famous for its tough, defensive minded style, though. No surprise they allowed 1 goal through 2 exhibitions.

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                    • #25
                      Re: Spartan Hockey 2018-2019 - Preparing for Glory

                      Good game for MSU. Nice to see them put up 5 goals against a good Cornell team.

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                      • #26
                        Re: Spartan Hockey 2018-2019 - Preparing for Glory

                        MSU sweeps with a 4-3 victory over Cornell. Should show up in the rankings this week for the first time in a while.

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                        • #27
                          Originally posted by wsummers View Post
                          MSU sweeps with a 4-3 victory over Cornell. Should show up in the rankings this week for the first time in a while.
                          I could not be more pleased with this weekend. I would have bet my apartment that MSU wouldn’t get the sweep out there. Great stuff.

                          We’re scoring goals consistently for the first time in what, a decade? Too early to say Cornell is a powerhouse again but that was most of last year’s top 4 team and a returning goaltender giving up 1.5 GA. The team may have thrown out their backs carrying the rest of the B1G.

                          1 criticism: penalties. Way too many and it’s turning into a trend. Last night MSU had 12 penalties and Cornell had 8 powerplays. MSU only had 3. We won’t be winning many games with a difference like that. Gotta clean that up.

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                          • #28
                            Re: Spartan Hockey 2018-2019 - Preparing for Glory

                            What is this optimism I'm feeling? I've forgotten what to do with it.
                            Go Green! Go White! Go State!

                            1966, 1986, 2007

                            Go Tigers, Go Packers, Go Red Wings, Go Pistons

                            Comment


                            • #29
                              Re: Spartan Hockey 2018-2019 - Preparing for Glory

                              I read the college hockey news piece on Cornell getting swept by MSU. It didn't say much on MSU.. which is a shame. You would think they would give MSU some credit...

                              here is the article: https://www.collegehockeynews.com/ne...or-Big-Red.php

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                              • #30
                                Re: Spartan Hockey 2018-2019 - Preparing for Glory

                                Originally posted by Spartanforlife4 View Post
                                What is this optimism I'm feeling? I've forgotten what to do with it.
                                LOL. Seems like a statement weekend, so early in the season.

                                It's nice to see 3 lines scoring, going 5-for-5 on PK on Friday, and overcoming 12 penalties on Saturday. 9 goals all told - 7 of them against a really good goalie, and a road sweep against a team returning 85% of its scoring from a #1-seeded team in last season's NCAAs.

                                Pleased to add:
                                * MSU is 14th in the way-too-early Pairwise and RPI. But comparisons matter at the beginning of the season as much as at the end in this system so ...
                                * Hirose is tops in points-per-game, who is not playing for Harvard or Dartmouth (each having played but one game).
                                Last edited by owslachief; 11-02-2018, 08:24 AM.

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