Vermont 2013-2014 Season Thread : The Golden Year

[snwbrdr]

Re: Vermont 2013-2014 Season Thread : The Golden Year

Friday:
Disappointed with the UVM effort on Friday night, they did not have the same speed, grit and physicality that has won them games this season; and little offensive sustainability except that first PP. Hoffman was good though, I will give him that. Best game I have seen from him in his UVM career thus far, hopefully the beginning of a new era.

Tough bounce to lose on that odd man rush, puck went off our skate and right to UML guy with open net. Better bounce and it ends tied. Tie would have been justice, neither team deserved it or played well.

Saturday:
Better effort but still not what they are capable of. Nice gift from Hellbuck, but then he made the save of the game keeping the Cats from taking 3 goal lead on that Puskarich backhand shot. Nice work by Cats and Hoffman holding down the fort at the end. a much needed win for pairwise to stay in contention.

Hoffman has elevated his game, I hope he can keep it there.

Gotta win the play in so we can have a rematch with UML and hopefully improve PWR a bit more. Apparently they are not re-seeding HE brackets if a lower seed wins a play in game? That does not seem right but that is how the brackets seem to be established. Anyone know anything different?

Overall a good weekend of hockey even if Cats did not play their best and UML got out of town with two points.

[BTV802]

Re: Vermont 2013-2014 Season Thread : The Golden Year

Also "super" Mario might want to consider a forecheck or winning a wall battle. Otherwise he will go from Mario to Luigi. Two wins and in.

Love his goalscoring but totally agree. He's prone to the one handed stick flailing flyby instead of gripping the stick with two hands and getting stuck in. Needs to get stronger and tougher but has many years to work on this.

[gochiefs]

Re: Vermont 2013-2014 Season Thread : The Golden Year

Apparently they are not re-seeding HE brackets if a lower seed wins a play in game? That does not seem right but that is how the brackets seem to be established. Anyone know anything different?

Hockey East always re-seeds for the next playoff round.

[jcarter7669]

Re: Vermont 2013-2014 Season Thread : The Golden Year

Nice to end the regular season with a win and move back up some in the PWR. Play in game v. Umass was probably the best case scenario... BU has been playing really well and that would have been a stressful play in game. UVM should have a better time against the minutemen. If everything shakes out by seeds 3 of the 4 QF's will see teams that played this weekend play again... that's crazy.

I think the guys probably gained a little confidence winning last night and nearly squeeking out the tie Friday against Lowell. They didn't play with the intensity they are capable of and came out of it with some points. A QF match up would be a tight series, but with the split the Cats should be confident that they CAN win if they play at 100%.

The first 2 goals set a program record for quickest 2 goals.

[jcarter7669]

Re: Vermont 2013-2014 Season Thread : The Golden Year

With a win in the play in round and one win in the QF's UVM would have 20 wins on the season... that's a pretty dramatic turn around from the previous few season. No matter what happens from here on out the team has enjoyed a significant more success then anyone predicted and we should all be happy as fans in that. I'd like to see the Cats at the Garden and they certainly have the capability to make it there if they have the will.

[BTV802]

Re: Vermont 2013-2014 Season Thread : The Golden Year

So stoked to have another game at the Gut! Whatever happens I'm proud of this group and the season they have put together. 7th place in HE is not indicative of what they have done this year. Huge improvement that will hopefully become a trend back in the right direction.

[snwbrdr]

Re: Vermont 2013-2014 Season Thread : The Golden Year

Beating UMass is not going to be easy, hate the concept of a one game play in. Hope Cats can manage to get to the next level and continue to try to stay inside the PWR bubble (Maine losing did not help us as it discounted those 3 wins)

If they do get by Umass then I hope for an upset in one of the other games, I like the Cats chances against anyone but BC or UML. While it was pretty tight this past weekend with UML I do suspect UML would prevail in a 3 game series

[snwbrdr]

Re: Vermont 2013-2014 Season Thread : The Golden Year

And yes, nice improvement in the team this year. McCarthy and Paliotta stepped up nicely and the freshman class is our best in a long time - I really like Puskarich, Bradley, Shaw and Forgionne. Imagine if we had Reynolds we would have been good for another quarter to half goal per game so probably another win or two.

Does anyone know what happened to Stenerson? Is he a healthy scratch or injured?

Hopefully the incoming D next year are half as good as some of their stats

[BTV802]

Re: Vermont 2013-2014 Season Thread : The Golden Year

Also love the idea of putting a beating on UMass Amherst after half our staff defected over there.

[BTV802]

Re: Vermont 2013-2014 Season Thread : The Golden Year

It just occurred to me that Polesello left the team, that he's not injured and won't ever be coming back. 'Tis a bummer 'cause I liked him.

[jcarter7669]

Re: Vermont 2013-2014 Season Thread : The Golden Year

Hope Cats can manage to get to the next level and continue to try to stay inside the PWR bubble (Maine losing did not help us as it discounted those 3 wins)

If they do get by Umass then I hope for an upset in one of the other games, I like the Cats chances against anyone but BC or UML. While it was pretty tight this past weekend with UML I do suspect UML would prevail in a 3 game series

I'd take anyone but BC... as for UMO the TUC is gone this year. ALL 59 teams factor into the equation... the wins didn't go anywhere.

[jcarter7669]

Re: Vermont 2013-2014 Season Thread : The Golden Year

It just occurred to me that Polesello left the team, that he's not injured and won't ever be coming back. 'Tis a bummer 'cause I liked him.

Sucks because between Polesello and Reynolds I suspect UVM would have at a minimum 2-3 more wins... that would have pretty much guaranteed an NCAA berth and home ice in the QF's. Crap happens.

[BTV802]

Re: Vermont 2013-2014 Season Thread : The Golden Year

Sucks because between Polesello and Reynolds I suspect UVM would have at a minimum 2-3 more wins... that would have pretty much guaranteed an NCAA berth and home ice in the QF's. Crap happens.

And if we want to feel even more sorry for ourselves we can talk about this kid from Latvia who is crushing it in the pros

That being said I don't want to take anything away from what Decenzo did in place of Massar last weekend. Crucial assist on Brick's goal and I vaguely remember him having a good look on goal for the game winner before Mario eventually got it. Much respect.

[jcarter7669]

Re: Vermont 2013-2014 Season Thread : The Golden Year

And if we want to feel even more sorry for ourselves we can talk about this kid from Latvia who is crushing it in the pros

That being said I don't want to take anything away from what Decenzo did in place of Massar last weekend. Crucial assist on Brick's goal and I vaguely remember him having a good look on goal for the game winner before Mario eventually got it. Much respect.

Girgenson doesn't bother me, he wouldn't have stuck around for more then a year or two at the most and frankly he didn't do much last season and I wouldn't exactly call 6 goals "crushing it." It certainly would have been nice to have him, but I don't think it was the loss we all felt like it was.

Nice to see Decenzo in the line up. He looked good to me... I wish he would have seen more ice time this year. While the team has had more depth then in the past there are guys that just aren't performing like they should and Decenzo should have been given more time. But nice to see him on the ice and playing well.

[BTV802]

Re: Vermont 2013-2014 Season Thread : The Golden Year

Girgenson doesn't bother me, he wouldn't have stuck around for more then a year or two at the most and frankly he didn't do much last season and I wouldn't exactly call 6 goals "crushing it." It certainly would have been nice to have him, but I don't think it was the loss we all felt like it was..

Not crushing it but to his credit it looks like he might have made the right decision considering how quickly he made the jump up to the big show.