Same here, probably easier to secure tickets at Stonehill than at Alfond. Im going to try to hit both, but those UMaine tix are always tough gets.
Was hoping for a joint hockey/football weekend I could attend but maybe next year
I’ve been out of the loop awhile but Stonehill? St Thomas? Where are those? New conference?
St Thomas is in the Twin Cities, and now part of the NCHC. It is also known as The House of Rico.
We’re hosting Stonehill in football before the Nebraska game next year. It’s located in a Boston suburb. The school made the jump to D1 in all sports 3 years ago. Apparently the men’s hockey team plays its home games at the Bruins’ practice facility, with massive windows taking up one side, limiting seating and giving everyone a nice view of the highway.
The interesting news here is that the travel moratorium imposed on Bergeron appears to have been lifted. Yay! With that said an OOC schedule of Northern Michigan (60), Alaska Anchorage (62), Stonehill (57) and Robert Morris (47) with Maine thrown in is absolutely, positively dreadful. This OOC schedule will be a drag on the conference if we lose even a single game (Maine aside) and will do nothing for anyone if we sweep (Maine aside). Blech. Double blech. Look at BUGS. Their coach started the same time as Noreen. Their OOC this year is Niagara, Michigan, Notre Dame, Denver, and the Ice Breaker (UConn, and Sacred Heart). Our OOC schedule is a disappointment. Over the same time period BUGS put together a killer OOC schedule while we did the opposite. Grrrrrr…
I’m done complaining. Let’s go collect some wins (even though they won’t help our NPI). OK, NOW I’m done complaining.
Back to lurking.
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Only 3 of 10 non-conference games at home again this season, and it’s UAA and Robert Morris.
I understood it last year because Miami had 19 home games the season prior, but I don’t get having only 15 a year after hosting just 14.
And lots of OOC traveling to bottom-tier opponents. Not a fan of this schedule.
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Bonk what is your take on the additions to the roster over the last few months - added depth or potential first / second line high rated contributors ?
Oh, the incoming class is outstanding. I’m extremely excited. First time in probably 15 years they’ve had a group this good.
Seelinger and Loomer will be instantly awesome up front and Runtso will be a standout right away on D.
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Well. At 4 hours, Robert morris remains the closest game for me to attend.
Well then let’s just repeat what we did last season
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Bonk,does the uptick in recruiting impact scheduling?
BUGS has a nice OOC schedule. But their conference schedule is shit in the CCHA. They have very little opportunity to improve their resume in conference. We are just the opposite.
They’ve been a pain in the A** at times too.
( Robert Norris)
Being better should make Miami a more desirable OOC opponent?
Sounds like Bugs needs to enhance their non conf. schedule to compensate for weak CCHA .
BUGS needing to enhance their OOC schedule and successfully enhancing their OOC schedule are two separate things. We need to enhance our OOC schedule and have been unsuccessful in doing so. Whatever William’s is doing up there is working. Now scheduling arrangements are made years in advance so I’m guessing it’s taking Noreen some time to unwind the mess Bergeron left him so he gets a pass from me. But I do hope to see some sort of improvement next year. Our other challenge is geography. The good OOC teams in our immediate area still have us blackballed (I’m surprised BUGS hasn’t appeared on the schedule) which means we have to $travel$ east or to the UP/Minnesota.
And before people start in on me for my UP/Minnesota comment note that OOC games against Minnesota State (13), Augustana (15), and Michigan Tech (20) would not only be a massive improvement in our OOC schedule, it would be a big lift in our NPI potential as all those teams finished way ahead of us (33). And Rico finished at 16 so that’s 4 CCHA teams in the top-20 NPI. I keep saying this is not the CCHA of old.
Back to lurking.
Can’t Miami lobby the state to force OSU and BG to play Miami. Full home and home might be a reach, but even if it’s in a Columbus based tournament, it would be a positive?
tl;dr: No.
Long answer:
Miami: Can we get some assistance with our hockey program to schedule OSU and BUGS?
State of Ohio: Did you say football?
MU: No, hockey. We want to get things started with the other Ohio hockey schools.
SoO: So not football?
MU: No, hockey.
SoO: Football?
MU: Never mind.
Back to lurking.
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Certainly, Miami has some friends in the legislature who could reach out to those who have OSU’s ear. Since we’re not talking football or men’s basketball, it would be a “just give them an in-state tournament to keep the peace…what the hell does it matter to you guys?”
May not come to anything, but not at least trying will absolutely yield no results.
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