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Ouch! We just dropped 4 spots in the INCH rankings this week from 9 to 13.....

http://www.insidecollegehockey.com/5Poll...s_1015.htm

I'm not too concerned about that at this time. The vote is probably by people that were not at the games, so they are just reflecting what they see on the score sheet.

I was at both games, and in my opinion our players can play against teams of this nature, they just need to mature a little bit when a "bad break" hits them and play through that situation. I summerize it with friends that we played perhaps 8 to 10 minutes of "bad hockey" over the weekend. Both games were lost when we got penalties, and I would question both penalties, but those of you that know me, understand that I rough on them.

Friday night the wheels came off the wagon when in the 3rd period we assessed a second penalty putting the team down two players. The call was for "hooking"???????????? As one players parent stated, the UMD player held the WMU players stick under his arm, causing the hooking to occur. The power play deflated the player for a couple of minutes allowing a second goal to be scored in short order.

Saturday night the score is knotted at 2 - 2 when UMD got a breakaway, our defender was following closely and used his stick from behind to sweep the puck off the stick of the rushing player. I watch as the puck is moved wide left of the goal, and then both players crash into the right side of the Bronco net. The referee behind the goal lifts his arm, and calls a "holding penalty"???????????? Once again UMD scored on the power play and our players lost focus for a couple of minutes as they scored again.

I'm proud of our team, and the fight that they showed all weekend. The ratings are nice, but getting to the Joe and winning the CCHA should be on our minds the rest of the way. Playing this team will prepare them for the rest of the year and give the team the incentive to work harder to get there.

Always proud to be a Bronco.

Broncodan, try not to concentrate on the polls and get out and support your team, that's key in the whole scheme of things.

We need to get on a run, which we really haven't done yet this year. We had that long unbeaten streak last year that carried the day for us with respect to the Pairwise ranking. We have died a little late in games lately, and I am not sure we are playing as well this year overall as we did last year. The losses this past weekend were tough ones. I thought we played pretty well against a very good team, but at home I think we needed to win one of those games.

Upward and onward.

Part of the problem is that the conference as a whole is better this year. LSSU, OSU, MSU, NMU, and Ferris all appear to be better than last year, while only Miami and Michigan have taken steps backwards, and they're both talented enough to turn it around on any given night.

Broval....I too would have liked a split...but to be HONEST with you I didn't have that expectation. I just really wanted our team to play well and give them "cause for concern" AND WE DID THAT!

As for INCH rankings....Like Goon who follows North Dakota....I really don't think too much of them. We'll see what the USCHO and Today polls show...but it is the Pairwise that counts and although we dropped 3 places to a tie for 11th....this still keeps us well in the run for an NCAA berth. Way too early...as many others have said...but we do have some important games coming up and we need to get on track with a good "run".

I really believe that Murray needs to do some line shifting...we haven't truly got any high scoring lines as they are constituted now. Two goals scored in a game is not going to cut-it! Spread the first line scorers out and intersperse some of the Freshman....actually WHEN the freshman line has been out....Kessel/Kovacs/Francis...or for that matter...Kessel/Kovacs/O'Kane.... or Kessel/Kovacs/Leone...the puck does seem to stay in the offensive zone longer...the problem is...playing 8 or 9 minutes a game does not breed scoring. If you look back over the last 4 or 5 games...Kessel and Kovacs have played well....certainly well enough to warrant more shifts and icetime. Fitting them in with some of the top more experienced guys may expand the scoring and make it more consistent so that opponents know they just can't concentrate on our top lines only!

(01-09-2012 02:45 PM)MCBRONCFAN Wrote:  Broval....I too would have liked a split...but to be HONEST with you I didn't have that expectation. I just really wanted our team to play well and give them "cause for concern" AND WE DID THAT!

As for INCH rankings....Like Goon who follows North Dakota....I really don't think too much of them. We'll see what the USCHO and Today polls show...but it is the Pairwise that counts and although we dropped 3 places to a tie for 11th....this still keeps us well in the run for an NCAA berth. Way too early...as many others have said...but we do have some important games coming up and we need to get on track with a good "run".

I really believe that Murray needs to do some line shifting...we haven't truly got any high scoring lines as they are constituted now. Two goals scored in a game is not going to cut-it! Spread the first line scorers out and intersperse some of the Freshman....actually WHEN the freshman line has been out....Kessel/Kovacs/Francis...or for that matter...Kessel/Kovacs/O'Kane.... or Kessel/Kovacs/Leone...the puck does seem to stay in the offensive zone longer...the problem is...playing 8 or 9 minutes a game does not breed scoring. If you look back over the last 4 or 5 games...Kessel and Kovacs have played well....certainly well enough to warrant more shifts and icetime. Fitting them in with some of the top more experienced guys may expand the scoring and make it more consistent so that opponents know they just can't concentrate on our top lines only!

#10 in the USCHO poll

2 big series vs Notre dame and Miami coming up. That's what I'm concerned about. Thanks to BG taking 4 of 6 we have a chance to gain a little ground on the buckeyes!

Yup, this next month is huge for both CCHA and NCAA standings!

I DO believe that OSU's record was an abnormality and that the results of the OSU-BG games were and will be indicative of what will come from OSU...a rapid fall! Could be wrong but don't think so. NEVERTHELESS...it is our responsibility to rise and cement a strong league and overall position....these next two series are "big" in that regard and quite frankly "scare the hell" out of me...considering our level of low scoring. Unless we change in the offensive zone...defense and goaltending are what are going to keep us in place...and we have to stop taking untimely penalties and giving up the puck in our own zone! Hate to say it....we could be in for some tough, gut-wrenching times. God...I hope I'm wrong!

(01-09-2012 03:19 PM)Ubish Wrote:  2 big series vs Notre dame and Miami coming up. That's what I'm concerned about. Thanks to BG taking 4 of 6 we have a chance to gain a little ground on the buckeyes!

can't wait, extra tickets were hard to come by for saturday.