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RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020: Nordic Combined

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  • Re: RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020: Nordic Combined

    Yes, now is the time for our guys to get their act together.

    Two four-goal losses are not pleasant, but at least they did not occur in league games.

    I figure Cornell, Harvard, and Clarkson are shoo-ins to finish in the ECAC top four. Dartmouth and Quinnipiac seem likely to fight it out for fourth and fifth - maybe they won't finish that high, but it's hard to see either of them dropping out of the top eight.

    That leaves seven teams. In order to gain home ice for the first round of the playoffs, RPI needs to finish ahead of four of them.

    This weekend is the only time RPI will have home games against two of those other six. It would not be good to let this opportunity slip by.

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    • Re: RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020: Nordic Combined

      Originally posted by engineerhockeyfan View Post
      Not only is goal direction headed in the wrong direction, but team defense has gone out the window.
      Earlier in the season we were playing very tight defense and keeping opponents to the outside regularly. In the last 5 games, we have been setting up the opposition with passes in front of our own net and sloppy coverage in our defensive zone.
      Scoring can't be taught, but defense can be and we better address it now.
      You think maybe that teams have scouted us and figured out what we did and continue to try to do defensively? In this day and age of film and technology i doubt we surprise anyone any more. Perhaps we need to change things up a bit? I have no clue what you do or how you would do it but if we have become predictable on defense and on the power play then we obviously need to change something.
      Take the shortest distance to the puck and arrive in ill humor

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      • Re: RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020: Nordic Combined

        Early line predicting 3-3 on Friday against Yale with us being a micro favorite of 48% to 42%. Saturday also predicting a tie at 2-2 with Brown a slight favorite at 46% to our 42%. No doubt about it, we need all 4 points this weekend and perhaps our last and best chance to do something like that.
        Take the shortest distance to the puck and arrive in ill humor

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        • Originally posted by DrDemento View Post
          You think maybe that teams have scouted us and figured out what we did and continue to try to do defensively? In this day and age of film and technology i doubt we surprise anyone any more. Perhaps we need to change things up a bit? I have no clue what you do or how you would do it but if we have become predictable on defense and on the power play then we obviously need to change something.
          Defense is a 5 man process and were not even close it's not the amount of shots you give up it's the amount of grade A chances you give up and we give them up all night long its like the nationals against the globetrotters it also doesn't help that our best offensive player is a defenseman #24 so if we need to stretch out he's the only one that can do it and that leaves us wide open.Like I said we are a goalie dependent team if he is not outstanding every night we have trouble winning against anybody.
          What was the Guy who discovered milk doing to the cow ????????...Or for that matter how bout the fist Guy to drink it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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          • Re: RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020: Nordic Combined

            Originally posted by troyboy View Post
            Defense is a 5 man process and were not even close it's not the amount of shots you give up it's the amount of grade A chances you give up and we give them up all night long its like the nationals against the globetrotters it also doesn't help that our best offensive player is a defenseman #24 so if we need to stretch out he's the only one that can do it and that leaves us wide open.Like I said we are a goalie dependent team if he is not outstanding every night we have trouble winning against anybody.
            Your assessment is absolutely correct. But for the first part of this season, we were playing very good five man defense and holding down those grade A chances.
            The last three weekends, we are running around and no one is covering anyone. We have set up at least three goals against with great passes to the opposition in the slot.
            What happened? We seem to have lost all of our confidence and poise in our defensive zone, and that is on the players.
            They had a system that they played well at the beginning of the season, I don't think we changed that system, so why the reversal?
            We have two games this weekend that we should be able to win if we go back to playing defense.
            Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.
            Benjamin Franklin
            The harder I practice, the luckier I get.
            Gary Player

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            • Re: RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020: Nordic Combined

              we need 3 points this weekend.

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              • Re: RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020: Nordic Combined

                Yale is 2-7 overall and is coming off of losses to BC (6-2) and CCT (4-1). Brown is 3-7 and also coming two losses to Bentley (1-0) and Providence (4-2).
                ""Ralph is the Chuck Norris of this board. Ralph doesnt sleep he just waits." - fishcore12

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                • Re: RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020: Nordic Combined

                  Originally posted by Wicked Slappaahs View Post
                  Yale is 2-7 overall and is coming off of losses to BC (6-2) and CCT (4-1). Brown is 3-7 and also coming two losses to Bentley (1-0) and Providence (4-2).
                  Records comparable to that of Merrimack last weekend and that did not turn out as expected. Although every weekend series is important, playing at home, against two less than stellar teams, after our poorest weekend series of the season, with the long Christmas break coming very soon, this could be the make it or break games for this season.
                  Take the shortest distance to the puck and arrive in ill humor

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                  • Re: RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020: Nordic Combined

                    Originally posted by DrDemento View Post
                    Early line predicting 3-3 on Friday against Yale with us being a micro favorite of 48% to 42%. Saturday also predicting a tie at 2-2 with Brown a slight favorite at 46% to our 42%. No doubt about it, we need all 4 points this weekend and perhaps our last and best chance to do something like that.
                    Thanks Doc. Must do well against teams at the bottom of pair wise. The Canisius trip seemed to take a lot out of the team. Maybe it's the Patriot's Foxboro flu. I was at the Lowell game and watch most games on TV. This weekend will measure where the program is. Still hope for home ice.

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                    • Re: RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020: Nordic Combined

                      to be fair appert played a lot harder schedule. this is one of the weakest schedules we have played in 10 years.

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                      • Re: RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020: Nordic Combined

                        Originally posted by puckit717 View Post
                        to be fair appert played a lot harder schedule. this is one of the weakest schedules we have played in 10 years.
                        And your point is?
                        We have to play the teams that are put in front of us. Winning is contagious, and so is losing. I think that Appert's schedules taught us how to lose. I know that playing a better opponent is supposed to make you stronger,but all it does is make you frustrated.
                        And this is handed down by the upper classmen from year to year.
                        We need to learn to win, and that has not happened yet.
                        I am convinced that we have the talent to compete with and beat any team in our league. Now someone has to convince the players of that.
                        The only reason that this weekend is any more important that any other weekend is the fact that it is the next one.
                        I thought that at the beginning of the season that Smith had them heading in the right direction, but the train has come off the tracks and he has to find a way to fix it.
                        JMO
                        Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.
                        Benjamin Franklin
                        The harder I practice, the luckier I get.
                        Gary Player

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                        • Re: RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020: Nordic Combined

                          Originally posted by engineerhockeyfan View Post
                          And your point is?
                          We have to play the teams that are put in front of us. Winning is contagious, and so is losing. I think that Appert's schedules taught us how to lose. I know that playing a better opponent is supposed to make you stronger,but all it does is make you frustrated.
                          And this is handed down by the upper classmen from year to year.
                          We need to learn to win, and that has not happened yet.
                          I am convinced that we have the talent to compete with and beat any team in our league. Now someone has to convince the players of that.
                          The only reason that this weekend is any more important that any other weekend is the fact that it is the next one.
                          I thought that at the beginning of the season that Smith had them heading in the right direction, but the train has come off the tracks and he has to find a way to fix it.
                          JMO
                          I suspect that fact that our OOC schedule is now weaker than it was under SA is likely due to a different coaching philosophy. The fact that the ECAC may be weaker this year outside of Cornell, Clarkson, and Harvard is also a factor.
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                          • Re: RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020: Nordic Combined

                            It's time to ask for suggestions for a title for "RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020: Part II".
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                            Let's Go 'Tute!

                            Maxed out at 2,147,483,647 at 10:00 AM EDT 9/17/07.

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                            • Re: RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020: Nordic Combined

                              Originally posted by engineerhockeyfan View Post
                              And your point is?
                              We have to play the teams that are put in front of us. Winning is contagious, and so is losing. I think that Appert's schedules taught us how to lose. I know that playing a better opponent is supposed to make you stronger,but all it does is make you frustrated.
                              And this is handed down by the upper classmen from year to year....
                              If losing a string of games to top competition is frustrating, then what does losing a string of games to "lesser" competition make us. (Given RPI's track record over the last 15+ years, I'm not prepared to say any team is lesser than the 'tute? )

                              Our reality is that we hired a career .500 coach who is now facing the challenge of recruiting and coaching against a far more competitive league and depending on who you believe, is doing so with limited institutional support.

                              No one should be surprised we are taking our lumps. The question that remains unanswered is can he turn the battleship around?...only time will tell. There have been glimmers of hope, mainly early in the year, but this upcoming stretch of games will go along way from separating the wheat from the chaff. A return to having 5 skaters on the ice who are committed to 200' team defense would be a good place to start.

                              As I've stated previously, we are all too often an "easy" team to play against - i.e. we don't consistently compete for pucks, we don't finish checks, we don't defend our crease, etc. We have plenty of flashy dmen who like to play offense, but not many who are interested in defending our zone with the necessary tenacity that a team like Cornell or CCT displays on a regular basis. My two cents.
                              ""Ralph is the Chuck Norris of this board. Ralph doesnt sleep he just waits." - fishcore12

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                              • Re: RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020: Nordic Combined

                                Originally posted by Wicked Slappaahs View Post
                                If losing a string of games to top competition is frustrating, then what does losing a string of games to "lesser" competition make us. (Given RPI's track record over the last 15+ years, I'm not prepared to say any team is lesser than the 'tute? )

                                Our reality is that we hired a career .500 coach who is now facing the challenge of recruiting and coaching against a far more competitive league and depending on who you believe, is doing so with limited institutional support.

                                No one should be surprised we are taking our lumps. The question that remains unanswered is can he turn the battleship around?...only time will tell. There have been glimmers of hope, mainly early in the year, but this upcoming stretch of games will go along way from separating the wheat from the chaff. A return to having 5 skaters on the ice who are committed to 200' team defense would be a good place to start.

                                As I've stated previously, we are all too often an "easy" team to play against - i.e. we don't consistently compete for pucks, we don't finish checks, we don't defend our crease, etc. We have plenty of flashy dmen who like to play offense, but not many who are interested in defending our zone with the necessary tenacity that a team like Cornell or CCT displays on a regular basis. My two cents.
                                If we are indeed a battleship, we should be able to eventually turn it around. My concern is if we are actually the Titanic or a garbage scow.
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                                Let's Go 'Tute!

                                Maxed out at 2,147,483,647 at 10:00 AM EDT 9/17/07.

                                2012 Poser Of The Year

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