What is wrong with MacInnes Student Arena? MTU dropped yet another
game at home losing 7 to 4 against Univ of Minn at Duluth. Michigan
Tech is 7-2-2 on the road but 12-10-3 overall. We just can't seem
to get it together at home.
UMD got several opportunities last night on breakways in which a man was
uncovered by the MTU defense. Fitzgerald and Ciccarello were able to
gain scores in this fashion. Federenko, while not scoring managed to
give us scares. Several times, the MTU defense literally broke down.
MTU plays a systematic defense which requires players to control their
zones of plays. When a player doesn't, there is no backup. UMD was
very successfull in finding the slow player.
In the first period, Fitzgerald capitalized on a Sittlow blast that rebounded
to Caravaggio's right. Fitzgerald flipped it in at 14:08. Two minutes
later, Fitzgerald five holed Caravaggio on a powerplay breakaway. Then
at 17:52, Ciccarello was left open on a breakaway to Caravaggio's left
and scored putting MTU down 3-0 after the first. The first period was
marked by several roughing penalties and 10 minute misconducts which
essentially removed a line of players from both sides for several minutes.
In the second period, MTU came back at UMD. On a powerplay left over from
the 1st period, MTU's Brett Meyers stuffed the net when MTU in a rare
stroke of brilliance crashed the net. MTU was consistently more effective
when they were able to get close to the net and restrict Lendzyk's reaction
time. Ciccarello got another of the uncontested breakways at 5:33 ricocheting
the puck off the post. Then at 10:52, Andre Savage came in close from behind
the net and jammed a puck past Lendzyk. Jeff Mikesch got a Grade A shot from
the slot at 11:23 to bring MTU within one point of UMD. However, try as
they might, MTU was unable to get the effort to tie and go ahead. Federencko
flipped a rebounding floater in front of the net in 4 on 4 at 16:27. THen
Pat Miesch, who has been trying for two nights to beat Lendzyk on breakaways
down the left side of the slot finally got success at 16:51.
The second ended and the third became with a UMD 5 on 3 advantage. MTU killed
the powerplay but could not find the momentum that should go along with
the feat. Then UMD's Culik took a turnover in for a score. UMD gave MTU a
fine opportunity at 8:38 when Federenko took a 5 minute major for checking
from behind. MTU's powerless play resulted in maybe one or two shots on net.
This doesn't say much for the team that led the WCHA in powerplays coming into
Friday nights game. The game slipped away for the rest of the period. The last
shot was as most can expect an open net goal as MTU could not exert the
pressure that another man on the ice is supposed to bring.
MTU has has problem with home ice. They do not look prepared. They make poor
decisions as to pass or not pass, as to make a move or not move, as to
potential penalties. Last night, Jason Prokopetz (where else have I heard
this name in this manner?) could not back off when UMD gave us a penalty. As
a result we lost a man advantage. I love Prokopetz's aggressiveness during
play; but when play stops, he has to use something between his ears and not
let his emotions give the other team either a way out or an advantage. You
can't teach what he has and we need his skills and aggressiveness; BUT can
we coach into him some common sense?
The coaches need to look closely at MTU's home game preparation schedule.
Something is drastically wrong. As a fan, I can't tell if the team is too
tense or too relaxed. My guess is that they are too tense as they just don't
look confident on the play. It seems that that they are hesitant, trying to
make a decision rather than executing naturally. They pass rather than shoot.
They are passing late after then the hole has closed down. We are not a great
passing team to begin with although this has greatly improved. On the road,
there are fewer expectations. Your are great if you win. If you lose, well,
you were on the road.
Fans at home forget these these are college students
who put a lot of time in trying to put their best foot forward representing
us. Sometimes, we put too much pressure on them. We look upon them as our
local "Pro" team which they are not. They take the same heavy coursework
schedules as everyone else. I have students who can't handle the courses
without playing a NCAA sport. THe primary goal of a student player is to
gain an education and to enjoy the sport of hockey while bettering
themselves. As fans, we can not appreciate the toll daily practices take.
We sit Friday and Saturday nights spectating and criticizing and think that
our team should be better. They players react to this: THEY ARE DOING THEIR
BEST TO PLEASE US. For our team to be better, we need to be better fans, myself
included.
We also saw some great powerplay point action with Aldoff and Larson of UMD.
The coach should use clip these game films and use them in training our
points. I don't know how many times I have seen us cycle the puck out to
the points to either have the point player misplay the puck or not be in
position. The UMD points were exceptional in their ability to stop MTU's
zone clearing shots.
Also give Lendzyk great credit for UMD's win. He made good saves right when
they were needed. MTU didn't put enough pressure on Lendzyk but Lendzyk
consistently was in positon to stop breakaways and screen shots.
Walt Olson
MTU
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