Time for predictions....

[Spectator]

OK, let's hear it, where do you see the Falcons finishing in the CCHA this year?

Also, predict the line combos and overall record? I will add mine in a couple of days.

[Redwingtom]

Last or next to last.

[rood]

I'm going to hedge on the finish:

With outstanding goaltending - 7th
With better goaltending than we've seen lately - 9th
With the same crappy goaltending - 11th or 12th

I'll have to spend more time looking at the roster to put together line combos.

[MACMAN]

Folks like to blame one postition or one aspect of the game for wins and losses, but it takes 3 consistant periods of play to win a game, where each aspect is solid.
Should this group be enlightened and find some grove and serious team feelings, 6th-7th and catch some breaks along the way as well.
A team that is groving, but still not getting those lucky breaks will end up 9-10

[Falcon Frenzy]

I was thinking we would finish 9th or 10th. But who knows? Attitude can carry a team a long ways. I don't think we will finish in the top tier but we should be better than last year.

I really think we are going to surprise a lot of teams and people. I feel like the program has had its back up against the wall over the past year and Williams is going to have the team come out and play really aggressive.

I know I have said this before but I can't wait for the season to begin!

[falcons86]

Please stop blaming Jimmy for all the teams problems in the past. Calgary saw something in him to draft him, didn't they? A goalie is only as good as the team in front of him. Jimmy's butterfly style, unfortunately, made him susceptible to the high, over the shoulder shots. I'm sure he worked very hard on that this summer. Jimmy is a good kid, and I wish him nothing but the best. That being said, I hope Nick has put his sophomore year behind him, I'm sure he would just rather forget it completely. And I have a really good feeling about Andrew Hammond. A very nice young man, with a good head on his shoulders. In fact, the whole freshman class are outstanding young men. We had the team BBQ this past Sunday. Very impressed, is what I can say. The whole team was very polite and appreciative. This isn't going to happen overnite. But hopefully we've turned the corner and have started something that will gain strength in the years to come and put BG back in the forefront of college hockey, where we should be. The history and tradition is here, and now the passion has returned under Coach Williams. BG hockey is going to be great again, and I can hardly wait!

Jim and Cookie

GO FALCONS!!!

NEVER GIVE UP! NEVER SURRENDER!

[DWhite21]

I think realistically we're looking at a 11th or 12th place finish. But who knows, like a lot of people have said, attitude and camaraderie can give a team a boost.

If we somehow manage a decent finish I think it'll have to be because of solid defense and goaltending. The fact that we don't have any real offensive defensemen could spell disaster for the PP. That combined with the fact that we finished 3rd to last in the league in goals last year, lost a few decent offensive dmen in addition to Svendsen and Sexton makes it look like we won't be scoring much. Plus none of the dmen we're bringing in look like they're going to put up big numbers.

Hopefully some of the new freshmen like Pageau and Samuels-Thomas can somewhat replace Svendsen and Sexton. If Eno and Hammond can manage to steal some games it'll def. help too.

[Spectator]

BG ends up ahead of Ferris, LSSU, NMU, WMU, OSU and MSU. I think they will end up in 7th place. Goaltending is huge!! I think that ENO is going to be improved and Hammond has been very successful in Jrs. Five frosh demen and four frosh forwards will also determine how high we soar.

Defensively we have big questions. Can the new class adjust to the speed and size of Div 1 hockey fast enough? Also being in the ND, UM and MSU Pod is going to force the team to grow up quickly or go down in flames.

We have some very talented new forwards that could make an immediate impact including Samuel Jordan Thomas and Pageau. Both of these guys bring impressive resumes. Rodriquez did not put up big numbers in jrs but he plays both ways and Freismuth put up some big numbers early last year in jrs and could contrubute this year offensively.

[MACMAN]

We HAve some Big D guys, that are going to put a hurt on folks...I think the bigger question is who finds the net? Will it be a flash back type season where one of these D men get some serious tallies from the blue line?

[Altoid_storm]

I agree with Jim & Cookie. So many things came down to the defense.

But for this year, I'm going to say around 8-10. I'm hopeful, but still realistic. I think I'm going to make another prediction when I've actually seen this squad in action and how they work together as a team. That makes so much difference.

[Spectator]

Some more...

Leading point getters in order ...

Dee
Solway
Kantola
Perkin
Samuels-Thomas
Pageau
Boyd
Page
McIntosh
Rodriquiz
Friesmuth

The lines could be:

Forwards:

Solway; Kantola; Perkins
Samuel-Thomas; Dee; Perkin
Boyd; Pagaeu; Friesmuth

D lines

Page; Ruel
Krelove; Grover/Shea
Moore; Rushing/Peltoma


This is total speculation, but I thought it would be fun to throw out there. I did not intend to miss anyone, and I am sure that I am probably not real close on the lines but hey, it was fun to write.

[pdt1081]

After reading the article in last night's newspaper, I'm gonna say 6th. This team has a lot more talent than has been shown on the ice.

Although, if the article is "off" so to speak it'll be more of the same ole same ole.