MTU Huskies - 9 power plays: 3 goals. UAA Seawolves - 5 power plays: 1 goal. While MTU was officially credited with only 2 power play goals we all know what getting a goal seconds after a power play expires means. It's pretty clear that UAA is taking TOO many penalties. While the team's penalty killing looks sharp and has been full of excellent effort, it is just simply on the ice too much.I watched the game and for most of it I'd say that UAA outplayed the undermanned Huskies. That's no solace when you get no points. But then again, this game is a great example of exactly why the two game series is so nice. As far as I'm concerned, the Seawolves have to make only one major adjustment to have success tomorrow night. Stay out of the box. These days that may be easier said than done, but it's got to change. Only UConn and Northeastern took more penalties in games against UAA; everyone else has taken fewer. With that in mind, I think I have to say the team should feel lucky to have the decent record they have. They won't survive the rigors of the WCHA this way.
The Seawolves had some real nice sections where they dominated play at even strength. I was mostly happy with the way the quality of the penalty killing. I thought UAA's power play was a bit unlucky a couple of times on the power play. Credit that to Rob Nolan and the MTU penalty kill. Being called upon on 5 times helps that effort for MTU.
Tommy Grant's two goals is a nice bright spot. He really has a nice release and both of his goals were well taken. I wonder if Jeremy Smith got a little over-excited for a second when just after his penalty expired he found himself skating in on a clear breakaway. He stumbled a bit a first but recovered nicely. I really didn't see how close his shot was but it was a fun moment for him I'm sure. I hope tomorrow evening that the #1 and #2 UAA lines can establish themselves a bit more in the MTU zone. Keeping the play 5-on-5 should help.
I have a feeling we'll see Curtis Leinweber tomorrow night. I think Shyiak has engaged in some minor sandbagging with regard to injuries (i.e.. Tuton and Moir both came back earlier than we were led to believe). Coach said on his show this week that Curtis wouldn't be making the trip but then he took him with. I'll assume we'll see Bryce Christianson in between the pipes tomorrow as well. Not that there was anything wrong with Jonny O's performance tonight that I saw (the video stream was down for about a whole period).
I'm disappointed they lost but I wouldn't go so far as to call it a frustrating loss. Discuss.
14 comments:
what website did you go to to watch the game?
Donald, I totally agree. I didn't like much about Talafous, but cleaning up the penalties is something he excelled at.
In his first year he took a team who led the league year after year in penalty minutes and reduced it to the leagues fewest penalty minutes.
Not to say we need the kind of drastic measures of Dean Talafous, but this is clearly an area that the coaching staff has control over. Something needs to change ... starting tomorrow night. If the players want to play, they better stay out of the box.
Way to go Huskies... :)
Hi Goon!
Come on guys, don't do this to us again this year. No way can we win games if we are spending time in the box and killing off power plays. I'm sure the guys are all aware of how the games are going to be called. They either change or it is going to be a long season of disappointments where they play well enough to win but don't get the win. Play the same game but stay out of the box and it will be a win tomorrow night. It is just one loss.
The penalty kill has been a weakness for most of the season (not to mention previous seasons). 80% is not going to be good enough when the team is going to need every goal it can get anyways. What I am saying is as improved as this team MIGHT (we shall what it does) be, it still cannot afford to be down that low on the PK it needs to be closer to 85%. Besides the fact that this team seems to have given up several other goals as our guy has just gotten out of the box. The PK might look really good at times but if it is just tiring itself out, then it doesn't do much good.
Towards the game in general. It is a horrible loss to take. If you are going to move out of the cellar you are going to have to get as many points as possible from the more "beatable" teams. Duluth and Tech are the two teams that have been just above us in the standings. The whole split on the road, sweep at home thing is crap when you are not a top or even middle of the pack team. We need every point that we can get from these series and they failed to do that tonight. I would have settled for three against Duluth if more could have been done tonight but now the most we can hope for is a 2 point weekend. Plainly, that is not good enough if this team honestly wants to be something other than the cellar dwellers. It is also ridiculous that three games into the WCHA schedule and this team has yet to score in the 3rd period and allowed three third period goals (of course one was an empty netter). That is not going to cut it. Last year I was upset because the team would lag for two periods and then try to muster something in the third. I kept asking why it couldn't play like that the first two periods as well. Now it is a get it close and don't screw up mentality. This team needs to find a goalie they can trust to leave back there a little and take some chances to WIN the game. You can't play not to lose. Well, I am really tired so I hope this all makes sense and is correct and I am not imagining things.
donald was the vidio on the game OK IS is it worth it?
The video was awful, from my perspective. Static noise in the background the entire time, and 1/3 of the game wasn't even on. Tech fans said they had the same problem last weekend.
Kris I agree with you, unexceptable it was nice to see them battle back in the scound but thats the only brightspot Im tired of looking at bright spots if UAA is going to get ny respect this shit has to stop. going to the box is part of the game but they can be limited and 20 min is not limited disapline needs to be key lets salvage 2 points and start playing better.
I understand keeping your backup goalie fresh, but does anyone know why we have been changing goalies every game?
Who's the backup goalie ??
Shyiak is rotating goalies because neither guy has earned more than 50% of the playing time.
I watched the video from MTU's website supplied by JumpTV ... the audio on the stream was fuzzy. The video is what you'd expect for an internet stream. Hard to see the puck. Was it worth it? If they refund 1/3 of my money since the stream was down from the middle of the 2nd to the middle of the third.
I can't imagine that Shyiak et al haven't mentioned to the guy how important it is to stay out of the box. But I agree with you guys (just not as vehemently) that they need to do it again. See, I don't think the team can really afford to sit too many players ... the roster isn't that thick. So they're going to have to find other ways to get some players to be more disciplined.
Anyway ... today is a new game. Let's see where we are mentally afterward.
Well, the team wasn't there "mentally" were they? Two 5 on 3's? Gotta stop guys, you're killing us.
Gord Mccann is the best hockey player ever! Even better than Jeff Edwards!
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