official thread of the UNH wildcats

[cat_fan100]

Is there an internet broadcast of tonights game? Please?

[Frozenaffairs]

Originally posted by HEfanatic
yet, even though the minn. game is important and would be a tremndous win for the cats, i think the more crucial series to look at is the wisonsin series. UNH is higher ranked and needs to beat wisco if they hope to have a shot at the FF


UNH needs to totally focus on the Minnesota game with the intent that it is crucial to making the frozen four. The PWR process is strickly a numbers game and you can easily end up on the short side of the score.

If Wisconsin manages a split with UMD, they will be tough in Madison knowing that they have a true shot at the frozen four with a sweep of UNH.

Yes, they must still face Minnesota twice and either Minnesota or Duluth or possibly both in the WCHA tournament. Its a wall, but having 7-8 games against teams currently residing in the top 4 of the PWR rankings provides quantifiable (throw in a few prayers) oppurtunity.

The point is, if Wisconsin picks up two points against UMD, the Minnesota UNH results could prove critical to the FF well being of UNH. The Wisconsin series could be the pivital event in terms of which team will still have frozen four aspirations after next week. This weekend will be the first big hurdle.

[ClOuD 9]

UNH 6, BC 0.

Box Score (http://www.collegehockeystats.com/0203/boxes/wbc_unh1.j14)

[HEfanatic]

well, Dartmouth and Wisconsin step up their games a notch tonight and put the pressure on UNH to perform against minnesota tomorrow. after losing to the big green, the gophers will be hungry for a win on their road trip. an upset will be anything but easy for UNH but it needs to be done if they want to stay in the hunt for a FF appearance.
if UNH can beat minne, that would set them up well going into the wisconsin series. SLU losing to brown only helps the cats in their FF hunt.
UNH has put themselves in a position where they can control their own destiny. they are in the running for sure- tomorrow will show us how seriously a contender they are.

[candianhockey]

So far, it's 1-0 for the Gophers early in the first. :mad:

[candianhockey]

1-0 at the end of the first. UNH had a 5-3 towards the end of the period, but couldn't score.

[candianhockey]

2-0. Gophers score towards the end of the second with a powerplay goal.

[candianhockey]

4-0 for the Gophers. Didn't hear what happened on the goals. I think they said the shots were 27-15 at one point. Sounds like Minnesota is all over them.

[candianhockey]

4-0 Final score. Any comments from those who attended? Thanks

[Da Big Bad Cow]

UNH just isnt quite there yet. the team speed is the biggest thing right now. minnesota kept coming in waves...obviously girls like darwitz and wendell are huge difference makers, but beyond them, UNH just didnt match up the speed up and down the rest of the lineup. minnesota also has a full roster of D capable of jumping up into the rush and being scoring threats...UNH only has one or two D who are capable of doing that.

when UNH was able to get the puck deep in the offensive zone, they were able to generate some pretty good scoring chances with their cycling. obviously, it was tough for them to get possession of the puck deep in the zone with the speed disadvantage.

all things considered they played minnesota to a 2-0 game at even strength. thats not too bad of an effort, but it was pretty clear who the better team was. UNH is heading in the right direction, and im sure they will learn a lot about what they need to work on from todays game

[interestedobserver]

Looked like UNH was holding their own for the first period and a half until the second goal was scored late in the second period. That seemed to relax Minn enough for them to open up and pretty much do as they liked. Huggon played a great game, the line of Hansen, Davis and Kaip seemed to get the puck into the offensive end regularly and created some good scoring chances, but their goalie was no slouch either. The first 40 minutes were more fun to watch than the last 0. Without Darwitz and Wendell, who were played every second shift, it could have been a different game. Wendell has amazing hands and the one-two combination is pretty lethal.

[ClOuD 9]

Frustrating game to watch, the last period especially. Just one of those games where it wasn't clicking, Minnesota out played them, and they were no doubt pumped up after losing last night. Hopefully they will fare better against the Badgers.

[Grandaddy]

can't look past UConn Sunday!

[dave1381]

USCHO recap is finally up:
http://www.uscho.com/recaps/20022003/w/01/18/umn-unh.php

Is anyone else as surprised as I am that McCloskey is so willing to concede that it'll be impossible for his team to compete against Olympic-caliber players? It seems the team doesn't consider itself to be the Frozen Four contender that many people on this board do, which is surprising since they still have a great chance of holding their lead over Dartmouth if they keep winning (there aren't many (any?) Olympians left on their schedule.)

[HEfanatic]

yeah, it surpises me a bit too. i mean sure, harvard and UMD are definately better teams than UNH- no questions about it. minnesota and dartmouth, they are also stronger teams when you compare talent on rosters v. UNH, but as a coach- i would expect mccloskey to realize that his team is still in a great position to secure a spot in the FF.

i mean, both minnesota and dartmouths coaches and even wisconsins has a goal in mind and that is to reach the FF. i understand how mccloskey wants to take it one step at a time and make his first goal as a coach to win HE, which is a very probable task, but every time they lose to a big team he just notes the olympians on the opposing rosters. thats just not something you see with the other contenders like wisco or SLU. i have a lot of respect for a team like wisconsin, who is obviously not as strong as UMD or minne, but they go out there and play those teams just like any other and sure enough, the badgers win their share in those series'. IMO, UNH is just as good as wisconisn. SLU got pounded by minnesota earlier this season, but they are still hungry for that final spot.

i guess that it just doesnt seem like mccloskey even considers a run for a FF spot and that is bothersome because statistically they are in great shape for one...not to mention that they have a much better remaining schedule than dartmouth or wisconsin. anybody can win any game at any time against any opponent. you play the games because nothing is certain in hockey. the team with more olympians doesnt get the victory without taking the ice. i just wish mccloskeys comments after minnesota were more oriented toward what his team will improve upon to change the outcome next time. a FF spot is within the cats grasp for the first time in a few years. who cares if harvard beat you 7-1 and minnesota 4-0. UNH should still want that final spot and a rematch with harvard, whether they keep it close or get blown out. why? because that final spot is open for the taking and in hockey- that means if you can take it- you do.

[dave1381]

To play the devil's advocate for a second, maybe it does help UNH psychologically for the rest of the season to look at all their failures as games that were impossible to win because of the Olympians, and that'll help their confidence. Though it's certainly not the best strategy if you ever expect to beat those teams.

McCloskey doesn't hide the fact that he's used to dealing with the men's game, and having to deal with some of the top players in the world still at the college level is new to him.

I was curious to see whether Mark Johnson's been saying the same kind of thing to the media at Wisconsin, so I did a quick search. Look at this quote from the Wisconsin State Journal in October on UMD: "That's a problem," Johnson said about Ouellette's addition. "It's like Pittsburgh getting (Mario) Lemieux back all of a sudden." Sound familiar? Perhaps the only difference between Johnson and McCloskey is that McCloskey likes to use Joe Sakic as his example world-class player. LOL.

[ARM]

Originally posted by HEfanatic
i have a lot of respect for a team like wisconsin, who is obviously not as strong as UMD or minne, but they go out there and play those teams just like any other and sure enough, the badgers win their share in those series'. IMO, UNH is just as good as.

One thing that helps Wisconsin against the top teams is that they have nine or ten games a season against UMD and Minnesota. When you play a lot of games against top teams, you improve. The flip side to that is it puts a big dent into their winning percentage. In their first six games against the Bulldogs and the Gophers, the Badgers have sufferred four losses and a tie. It is hard to overcome that and still make the Frozen Four. Conversely, UNH, with single games against Harvard, Minnesota, and Dartmouth, has only three games against what figure to be top five teams. They emerge with a better winning percentage, but are less likely to spring an upset against a top five team.

[HEfanatic]

Originally posted by dave1381

I was curious to see whether Mark Johnson's been saying the same kind of thing to the media at Wisconsin, so I did a quick search. Look at this quote from the Wisconsin State Journal in October on UMD: "That's a problem," Johnson said about Ouellette's addition. "It's like Pittsburgh getting (Mario) Lemieux back all of a sudden." Sound familiar? Perhaps the only difference between Johnson and McCloskey is that McCloskey likes to use Joe Sakic as his example world-class player. LOL.

good find. that is kind of funny.
i wonder though, how much both those coaches are aware of their FF situation. i bet mccloskey knows quite well that his team is in great position in regards to the FF. but when it comes down to the committee selecting the top four, if the #4 and 5 spots are really close, i dont think mccloskeys comments on not being able to compete with the top teams are going to help his squads case when dartmouth isnt shy about their desire and ability to see FF action and compete.

i am most bothered in the uscho recap by the last sentence about UNH "admittedly not having enough talent to make a serious run for the national title." thats why i say- hockey is a game that must be played- its not won on paper. that would never be said about a mens top 10 team. for example, umass is hardly umaine talent wise but you would never hear anybody say that the minutemen cant make a serious run for a ncaa title. you never know what can happen, and history in the ncaa tournament proves that to us every year. the most talented mens team gets knocked off alot. and in regards to the womens game being different, it is in some regard, but i know that it is exaclty the same when it comes to the fact that all it takes is a game for someone to upset a better team. just an opportunity and it can happen. look at bc taking dartmouth to OT last year. the eagles werent in the same league talent wise with dartmouth. but with some hard work, a little help from your goaltender and some luck, BC was able to really scare the big green. and how about providence winning ECACs last year? nobody picked them as the favorite- everyone was looking at niagara and northeastern. everyone is a serious contender until the final buzzer.

[Homer]

I'm not surprised at all. Brian McClosey was hired to lead a program, not coach this team for this season alone (see Mike Keenan with the Rangers when they won the '94 Cup). I don't know of many first-year coaches who have walked into a locker room and declared a national tournament bid or a national title as a defined goal for his/her first season at the helm. Rick Comley has won an NCAA title, he took over a perennial title contender at Michigan State and even he didn't throw down the gauntlet in that fashion. Usually, first-year coaches keep the goals simple and largely independent of the players they have because they want to change the attitude, the work ethic, the general way of doing business before they worry about how their team's talent actually matches up with what else is out there. And one of the key reasons for that: a first-year coach is working with someone else's tools. Check back in Year #4 and see how he talks about players and player matchups since that will be his first team of all his players and I don't know of any college coach who doesn't want people to wait to pass final judgment on the state of a program until that coach has fielded a team made up exclusively of players recruited by the coach (disclaimer: this statement is not meant to undermine the program, I don't think I have to worry about UNH fans reading it that way, but other fans on this board had a problem processing this argument as anything but a slam at their program). By no means is McCloskey sacrificing this season or else he wouldn't spend the time he has in breaking down film of each opponent and trying to pass along that knowledge to his team...but I would argue that is still a part of his grander scheme of showing his players how he wants to pilot the ship now and in the years to come (it also sends a message that he is committed to teaching them not waiting 3-4 years to teach players he recruits). I would further add that most coaches probably don't run to a computer and pop up the Pairwise Rankings after every game. Are they aware to some extent? Sure. Does it consume their thoughts? Definitely not. Players have brains, they can read that and figure that stuff out for themsleves. Meanwhile, the coach is going to try to keep focus on the game at hand, on what's in house, and let everything else shake out on its own. I have no problem with fans or media placing great emphasis on a game like the Harvard or Minnesota game or projecting Frozen Four scenarios since that's what being a fan/reporter is about, but to expect a first-year coach to adjust his goals for the program and based on a good first 20 games and to publicly state that change doesn't make sense to me. The team's success reflects in large part the commitment of the existing players to the changes that have been made in the way UNH Women's Hockey is run. What ultimately comes of that this season is less important than securing the foundation of that change and allowing McCloskey to assemble his first group of recruits, integrate those recruits into the system, and establish a higher set of goals come next year. If you want an example of the danger of simply eyeing the prize right away, go check Harvard Men's Hockey in the early 1990s and what came after...where exactly did those 3 straight first place finishes and that 1994 Frozen Four appearance ultimately get the program???

[HEfanatic]

homer- as always- well stated.

but as a UNH fan, its been a few years since the cats have been in a position where they sit at #4 in the PWR with the schedule they have left. you can understand as fans and after watching karen kay take the majority of the upperclassmen on this team and do nothing to help them improve, why we are a bit anxious when we see that fourth spot within our grasp.

but your point is well taken, and i cant wait to see what mccloskey does as far as recruiting in the next few years. and you are right- im sure his goal will be on the prize then.

mccloskeys game by game strategy and hockey east goal this season isnt going to hurt UNHs chances of a FF bid. they still control their own destiny. they are at #4 right now and do have the talent to beat all the teams left on their schedule while dartmouth has to play harvard and wiso has to play minne.
even without eyeing the prize, the cats could still wind up with a great opportunity to rematch with harvard or take on UMD for the first time. who knows