The University of Maine’s men’s hockey team all but ensured its first berth in the NCAA Tournament since the 2006-2007 season with its quarterfinal series win over Merrimack over the weekend.
Maine will play Boston University on Friday night in the Hockey East semifinals. What has been the most important factor in Maine’s 19-6-2 turnaround following a 3-6-1 start? If the Black Bears do make the NCAA Tournament, how far can they go?
I think the players were tired of playing for a losing side and stepped up their game. I think the public outcry on both Facebook and the petition held feet to the fire, and inspired better play.
Reason #1: Dan Sullivan
Reason #2: Whole team commitment-including coaches. Way to head-off certain doom Tim.
The biggest factor is the team attitude and the emergence of a reliable goalie. The team has finally skated and tried to outwork the opposition as oppose to trying to do too much.
However that being said can’t be happy yet. There is still work to be done!
That’s an easy one. Blodgett’s firing made Whitehead (and the other coaches) ante up!
And then of course there is Nostrajimus continually calling out the men’s hockey & hoops teams :)
Walsh had his distractors and they were relentless. Every college hockey coach is blasted, at one time or another, by the local press. Cronin finally had enough and left for the pros. If you push Whitehead out, what makes you think anyone any good wants to relocate to Orono?
Change in playing style and the FACT that TW knew that a after Christmas SWOON would more or less cost him his job…pressure from within(A.D.)…but I am not sold either that they have turned the corner…hence they play well one night and the next night you wonder what happen to the team that played the night before…they are streaky and with a flavor of inconsistance. Only way they move on is the Goaltending has to be solid…the Team has to be committed to playing Defense,thats 60 minutes of Hockey every night. This years NCAA’s are up for grabs…alot of Parity from East to West….still comes down to who has the HOT netminder the rest of the way.
This one’s easy Larry. Hockey is always all bout the goaltending. No team has ever won by offensive firepower alone. Sure we’ve sprinkled in a few other accessories like secondary scoring and solid defensive play in our own end, but this team will only go as far as Sully takes them. I think we could easily win a first round NCAA game but after that who knows.
Well you have certainly changed your tune from earlier in the season.
This one’s simple Larry. No college or pro team has ever won baseded on offensive firepower alone, including the powerhouse ’93 team. Sure we ‘ve sprinkled in some secondary scoring and solid defensive play in our own end of late, but this team will go as far as Sully takes them. It’s always bout the goaltending.
This ones easy Larry. No college or pro team has ever won based on offensive firepower alone, including our powerhouse ’93 team. Sure we have sprinkled in some nice ingredients like secondary scoring and solid defensive play in our own end, but this team will go as far as the goaltender Sully takes them. It’s always bout the goaltending.