Here's my contribution to MOSTLYRPI-L. :-) Steve Weisfeldt wrote: > > I've always thought that a team should make every effort to have a > reliable pair of goalies. Depending on a sole netminder can cause serious > problems if he goes down to an injury. Despite that Roloson was the man > for Lowell last year, I had wished that Craig Lindsay had seen a little > more action. Lowell was lucky, but what would've happened if Dwayne was > hurt down the stretch? It would've been "game-over" for Lowell. > Given Lindsey's mediocre performances this year, if Roloson had gotten injured last year it would have been "game-over" even if Lindsey had picked up a few more games. > Likewise, an ideal tandem would have the two goalies in different classes > so that when one graduates, you've got one seasoned goalie left. Again, > see Lowell. Would this year's team be enjoying a little more success if > Craig Lindsay had seen more action last year? Not a lot perhaps, but > certainly a little.... > That depends. If Lindsey's problems are totally inexperience, then if he'd played more last year UML would have sacrificed some wins last year for some this year. A debateable proposition. Teams thrive on feeling that the best players are playing. This is especially true for senior-laden teams like last year's UML squad. Considering that they felt they came a whisker away from the NC$$ tourney the previous year, and considering that Crowder had a choice between the top goalie in Hockey East and Lindsey, I think Crowder made the right choice. You can look back in hindsight and said that they'd have made the tourney with a few more losses, but there was no way of knowing that beforehand. I'm convinced that sacrificing wins on a senior-oriented team is a big mistake. Assuming that you'll still make The Dance even with a couple unnecessary losses is setting yourself up for heartbreak. All the above is based on Lindsey's problems this year being totally inexperience. If, however, Lindsey is simply a mediocre collegiate goalie, then taking those unnecessary losses would not have helped the UML situation this year. I'm convinced anyways that most of a player's improvement comes in practice time and Lindsey must have gotten his share last year. Games are important but if you've got a horse in goal, ride him! DaveH