UNH Women's Hockey 2014 - 2015 Looking FORWARD to the game~

[zoofer]

Re: UNH Women's Hockey 2014 - 2015 Looking FORWARD to the game~

Lest we not forget Jonna Curtis, DC as she was HE player of note worthiness! With a 3 game scoring streak, she has been a stalwart, solid player for UNH.... Also kudos to Coach Witt for her First of many to come, UNH wins!!
So looking forward to this weekends games....

[DC78-82]

One day until Home Opening Weekend begins!

Arlan talks about the changes at UNH with Coach Witt and Captain Armstrong.

[Trillium]

Re: One day until Home Opening Weekend begins!

Arlan talks about the changes at UNH with Coach Will and Captain Armstrong.

“I think our job as coaches is to make sure these athletes have the best college experience that they can have,” she said. “It’s about them; it’s not about us as coaches. In my eyes, my job is to make sure that we put them in the best positions to succeed, both on the ice and off the ice, and make sure we prepare them for whatever they’re going to do when they leave UNH"

This!!!

Far too many coaches let their own ego get in the way.

[PuckRush]

Re: UNH Women's Hockey 2014 - 2015 Looking FORWARD to the game~

She also says THIS:

“I think one of the reasons why we don’t score a lot in the women’s game is because we don’t shoot enough,” Witt said. “We’ve passed up too many grade A scoring chances by passing instead of shooting. We want to put pucks on net. We want to go to the net hard for rebounds, be physical, play tough, and be difficult to play against, and that’s how you’re going to create goals.”

I don't agree. I've watched countless girls and women's games (I can't calculate it exactly, but I think it's easily over 1,000 games.. yikes!, but I have 3 daughters). The difference between the men and women is that the shots in the women's game are generally too soft, too late, and/or not accurate. Go look at women's box scores and see how many 40 shot, 1 goal games you see. It's epidemic (yes, I exaggerate a little). Then go to the guys side. It's a rarity (yes, again I exaggerate - but I'm making a point!).

The reality is that the girls side, in general, just hasn't developed the hockey acumen or the shot accuracy we see on the other side. I see too many instances of a player at the point with a sliding defender and they take the shot anyway, instead of skating around the prone player and driving the net. I see too many passes right on the stick of a player with goalie out of position and the player takes too long to collect the puck before shooting. I see WAY too many wrist shots from the the point. I see too many players in the slot with the puck who either shoot it into the goalies chest, don't have the patience to make a move before shooting or don't actually aim for a spot. I see too many 2 on 1's where F1 brings the puck into the zone with F2 driving the net and F1 shoots before F2 can actually be in front of the goalie and see the shot coming to make a difference. I see too many.... etc etc.

Now, I'm a huge fan of the girls game. They work hard and are dedicated to getting better. But there aren't enough of them who as kids went out in the street or to the pond at every opportunity they could to play a 3 hour game of hockey. There aren't enough who shot on a friend who's defending a net made of a rock on one side and a glove on the other. There aren't enough of them who as kids hung out with their friends to watch NHL games on TV, and then just had to go out and play by floodlight. There aren't enough of them who stick-handled in their kitchen with a tennis ball while recounting their day to their mother. It's not their fault, it's just that it's not part of the kid culture for girls... yet.

But the ones who did that? Those who probably had older brothers or hung out with friends who had brothers? They are the rare ones we see on the ice who have patience with the puck, shoot where the goalie isn't, have a quick release, and shoot hard every time.

Hope I didn't get anyone angry... again, I've got 3 daughters and I love watching them play. But I just had to respond to what I see as the obvious problem in the development of the women's game. Hillary thinks it's a problem of not shooting enough - and maybe she's right. But for those of us who got their proverbial 10,000 hours (read Outliers if you don't get the reference) playing street and pond hockey as a kid, we know differently.

[zoofer]

Re: UNH Women's Hockey 2014 - 2015 Looking FORWARD to the game~

I agree Puckrush....my freshman year at Snively, even before the ice was down, we had shot stations set-up which we rotated too....snap, wrist, slap, etc.....
FYI also folks, if you go to YouTube and pull up UNH athletics, you should find today's posted video of Coach Witt and Captain's Armstrong and Carlson....
Hope to see everyone at Lake Whitt tomorrow night to see these new Wildcats in action....

[ARM]

It's not their fault, it's just that it's not part of the kid culture for girls... yet.

Do boys today spend as much time playing pickup games or practicing alone as was common 40 or 50 years ago, not just in hockey, but in any sport? It seems that adults are more involved in their kids' activities today than was the case in my generation, and when kids do hang out with each other now, away from organized sports, they play video games. And I realize that there are exceptions to this, and there are still kids who are driven, passionate, whatever you want to call it. It just doesn't seem to be as common today, so I'll drive by an outdoor rink in the winter and there's never anyone on it.

[PuckRush]

Re: UNH Women's Hockey 2014 - 2015 Looking FORWARD to the game~

Arm... the answer is exactly as you infer. Boys do not spend as much time playing pick-up as when we were kids. But they still do it, and much more than the girls.

I also am glad you brought up video games. I know for the uninitiated it's going to sound crazy, but these games are so realistic that they do teach kids how to play the game. If you talk to any professional player (hockey, football, baseball, basketball), you'll find that many of them play their sports video games in their free time. I know for the older generation, me included, it sounds crazy, but if you actually play them, or watch the kids play them, you'll see what I mean.

[Hux]

Re: UNH Women's Hockey 2014 - 2015 Looking FORWARD to the game~

Do boys today spend as much time playing pickup games or practicing alone as was common 40 or 50 years ago, not just in hockey, but in any sport? It seems that adults are more involved in their kids' activities today than was the case in my generation, and when kids do hang out with each other now, away from organized sports, they play video games. And I realize that there are exceptions to this, and there are still kids who are driven, passionate, whatever you want to call it. It just doesn't seem to be as common today, so I'll drive by an outdoor rink in the winter and there's never anyone on it.

Of course not. Too much structured time spent in rinks, and then there is the safety factor...seems no one wants to let their kids out on the ice on a pond. (Probably don't want to be out in the cold themselves, and too many nuts in the world to let pre-teen/early teens out on their own).

One of the most talked about young female players in Massachusetts lives around the corner from me. Since she could first rollerblade, she has been going around the block with her twin sister (usually riding a bike) dangling a street hockey ball. On our street there are a dozen or so kids all within two years of one another and the whole lot of them always seem to be in some kind of motion; street hockey games, whiffle ball, "touch" football, and skating on back yard rinks in the winter. You name it and they are doing it. Even kids who aren't in organized sports play. The end result is those kids who do play organized sports seem to have greatly benefited from the time spent with their friends playing pick-up whatever (not to mention the few thousand shots they have taken on net in their driveways.)

I agree ARM, I think the downfall of western civilization is the overreach of parent's into their child's childhood. Let 'em be kids.

[zoofer]

Re: UNH Women's Hockey 2014 - 2015 Looking FORWARD to the game~

Long off season....even longer last "on" season....but tonite is the home opener on the new season, the new Witt era, and the beginning of the next 40 years!! Bring it on....good luck Wildcats!!

[zoofer]

Re: UNH Women's Hockey 2014 - 2015 Looking FORWARD to the game~

Nice game last night....once again Vilma V was clutch in nets, making the timely and critical saves when necessary, especially in the third period, when UNH was in a 3 on 5 situation and at the games end when the on ice players were gassed out! I thought the line juggling came up with some nice combinations, with the Armstrong-Curtis-Mork line making some nice plays....I also liked the fourth line of all freshman, Avery- Praus-Toews....nice possibilities for the future.....also a nice crowd turned out.....though 230 isn't huge, all appreciated the efforts of our young team.....all in all, a nice home opener to start the season....as for Sunday's game vs. BC, we either step up many levels or we try and disrupt their game and bring them to our level....we all know how teams sometimes play at the level of their opponent.....so I'm hoping that will happen and Vilma continues her outstanding play....."it's why we play the game"

[freak]

Re: UNH Women's Hockey 2014 - 2015 Looking FORWARD to the game~

They need to figure out a combination to get Vilgrain going.

[zoofer]

Re: UNH Women's Hockey 2014 - 2015 Looking FORWARD to the game~

Well, today's game went about the way I thought it would....BC has speed, and it showed, but UNH is tenacious and didn't give an inch.....were we out skated, for sure, but were we outplayed? I'm not so sure.....per the usual early season matchup, late into the third, if UNH scored on a pp than it would've been a one goal game....as it was, we didn't, and on an ensuing pp for BC, Carpenter had a nice tip in to cement the game...there were a couple of strategic things that baffled me but who am I to say boo....I do like the Curtis-Armstrong-Mork line, as they were the best line out there. The other lines don't seem to have found any mojo yet but it's still early....the defense as well needs a bit of time to find themselves.....they're really not playing together and helping each other, rather seem independent and it costs them....possession time was obscene, even given that it's BC.....way to much energy spent chasing and not controlling the puck.....all in all, we stand at 2-4-1, with some nice wins.....given the variables to start the season, we're doing okay......

[sonar]

Re: UNH Women's Hockey 2014 - 2015 Looking FORWARD to the game~

There seemed to be a bit more "grit" and tenacity along the boards from this UNH team .... as opposed to the last few years. I think the increased size of the defense factors into this. Sitting just behind the UNH bench .... I cannot quantify it but there seemed to be less tension and thus more on ice aggressive play from the players.
Again, hard to quantify but perhaps less of a "fear atmosphere" .... nothing beats focused aggression that flows from confidence. Fear driven aggression gets you nowhere.

Well, today's game went about the way I thought it would....BC has speed, and it showed, but UNH is tenacious and didn't give an inch.....were we out skated, for sure, but were we outplayed? I'm not so sure.....per the usual early season matchup, late into the third, if UNH scored on a pp than it would've been a one goal game....as it was, we didn't, and on an ensuing pp for BC, Carpenter had a nice tip in to cement the game...there were a couple of strategic things that baffled me but who am I to say boo....I do like the Curtis-Armstrong-Mork line, as they were the best line out there. The other lines don't seem to have found any mojo yet but it's still early....the defense as well needs a bit of time to find themselves.....they're really not playing together and helping each other, rather seem independent and it costs them....possession time was obscene, even given that it's BC.....way to much energy spent chasing and not controlling the puck.....all in all, we stand at 2-4-1, with some nice wins.....given the variables to start the season, we're doing okay......

[TonyTheTiger20]

Re: UNH Women's Hockey 2014 - 2015 Looking FORWARD to the game~

For what it's worth I thought UNH put up more of a fight than SLU did against BC last week, which is weird given the scores. UNH was pretty aggressive and did a pretty decent job of pressuring BC when they had the puck. Thought they carried a bit more zone time than the Saints did, too, and SLU looks to be pretty solid this year.

At least it appears you guys should throw your rivals the Friars into the basement this year.

[zoofer]

Re: UNH Women's Hockey 2014 - 2015 Looking FORWARD to the game~

TTT, DC totally agrees with you about BC's previous opponents and UNH's play.....