Alexander Krushelnyski, Jaden Schwartz and David Civitarese scored, but goaltender Josh Thorimbert struggled, and No. 15 Colorado College blew a 3-1 lead Saturday in a 5-3 loss against Nebraska-Omaha at World Arena.
Contact Brian Gomez: 719-636-0256 or brian.gomez@gazette.com. Facebook: Brian Gomez. Twitter: @gazettehockey. Google+: Brian Gomez. YouTube: Colorado College Hockey, Covered by The Gazette. For the CC homepage, visit www.gazette.com/sections/sports/cchockey. For the CC blog, visit http://cchockey.freedomblogging.com.
Owens needs to put Winkler back with Rylan or Nick’s line, besides Jaden is is the best playmaker on the team. CC needs more goals 5 on 5 and the 2 top lines are not doing that on a regular basis.
Winks sure set Civi up nice on that 3rd goal! I rest my case!
This team reminds me of the 08-09 team that had a lot of talent and momentum but could rarely put it together. This team’s play has no discipline or control. Lack of discipline makes me think it’s a coaching issue more than anything. This seems to be a pattern with Scott Owens. I think he’s a good coach and recruiter but maybe he’s taken the CC program as far as he can. Coaches, like players, have ceilings. After 14 seasons behind the bench there is more than enough evidence to say we’ve seen his.
[...] Colorado College (16-12-2), No. 14 in INCH, comes to Duluth this weekend following a home split with Nebraska-Omaha. Brian Gomez of the Colorado Springs Gazette has some video following Saturday’s 5-3 Omaha win, including an interview with CC coach Scott Owens here. [...]
Adam, have to agree with you and it’s the same story every year, do great in the beginning and slide mid-season. I also think the coaching staff are great at finding good talent. I feel at the beginning of each year these fine young men are so keen to do well and they are using their God given talent to win games. Then, when it gets into mid-season the players need more i.e. good coaching! At this level, other teams will change or tweak their systems when approaching different opponents or do the same if they are up or down by a goal. I just don’t see that with CC, all I see is a team which will reduce down to 2 or 3 lines (which is ok) but sometimes that is just not good enough and if CC do lose, the staff just can’t keep blaming the players, that’s the easy way out!
Also everyone knows Owens has his 4 favourite players and he will not change any of them even when they are not playing well. I feel at least one of those four hasn’t been playing up to par and has been making very bad decisions every game since xmas, one which actually cost CC the game when they were on a PP Saturday and Owens did and will do nothing. Owens is famous for having his “no touch players” for years now and this too has to change! You are only as good as your last shift no matter who you are!
Doug, I think we all know what certain defenseman you refer to that has a propensity to be on the ice for a majority of the shorthanded goals against CC. His play concerns me, specifically his errant passing and sloppy puck handling in the defensive zone. I do think injuries have contributed more this year than in the past and that certain has to factor in. As I stated previously I think Owens has maximized his talent as a coach and taken this program as far as he can. He has an impressive resume and has accomplished great things…but maybe his role is just up.
I agree with most of this, but I don’t think Jaden is as good as he is made out to be. He is an average player and if he does not start picking up his game he will wash out of the NHL quick. It happens all the time where a 1rst round pick will play a year or two in college, then when they get to the league the cant keep up. There is alot of talent on this team that goes unnoticed. Hall is a good example. He was out this weekend and no big game changing goals. And as for blowing a 3-1 lead this does not fall back on Thorimbert. A goalie can only do so much. He kept CC in the game all weekend and has out played most goalies in the WCHA. I think the coaching staff needs to wake up and realize that they need to take blame for the teams downward spiral. But this is only my 2 cents…..