UNH Wildcats TD Garden and Beyond 2015

[Nick Papagiorgio]

Re: UNH Wildcats TD Garden and Beyond 2015

Agreed JB. I didn't see the previous two BU tourney games when O'Connor apparently let up a pair of other catastrophic goals. So it's even less surprising it happened again. My impression from what I'd seen previously from him was that he was a weak link back there, but the BU defense wasn't doing him any favors with their overall defensive zone coverage. And as others have pointed out since, it's one of those things that sometimes you can slide by with, but it will eventually catch up with you at some point - probably at the worst time.

Regardless, you gotta think Coach Quinn will learn and probably avoid putting too many eggs in one (goalie) basket in the future. He really did not have an option of pulling the kid at that juncture. Considering the rave reviews he's gotten for his recruiting in recent years, it seems in retrospect like he missed an important piece of the puzzle.

If O'Connor were in a UNH jersey for the past 3 years, you guys would have been putting up Hobey campaigns for him. Basically, he is like BU's version of Mike Ayers, the only difference being one couldn't stop a beach ball in the 3rd period of the NCAA title game and the other caught the ball the threw it into his own net.

[JB]

Re: UNH Wildcats TD Garden and Beyond 2015

If O'Connor were in a UNH jersey for the past 3 years, you guys would have been putting up Hobey campaigns for him. Basically, he is like BU's version of Mike Ayers, the only difference being one couldn't stop a beach ball in the 3rd period of the NCAA title game and the other caught the ball the threw it into his own net.

Hey there is a big difference between not being able to stop the beach ball and scoring on yourself.

When a goalie gets the yips weather it be handling the puck or just stopping it you are in trouble ... hello Clemensieve ... it is a joy I think we have all shared at some point.

Until this Championship run the "great" Gilles was just meh in big games.

[JB]

Re: UNH Wildcats TD Garden and Beyond 2015

Agreed JB. I didn't see the previous two BU tourney games when O'Connor apparently let up a pair of other catastrophic goals.

The previous 2 were soft as puppy poo not soul crushing "what the hell just happened" goals. Heck even the HE semi-final against UNH the first goal was pretty week.

On the Nick scale they were Ayers beach balls or Clemensieve 5-holes... not pulling an O'Connor. (ouch!)

[CLS]

Re: UNH Wildcats TD Garden and Beyond 2015

O'Connor was lucky, or unlucky depending on how you look at it, that Lyons also gave up a soft goal i n the Yale game. If it weren't for that, BU would have lost in the first round.

Just generally, of the four games I saw, I was very disappointed in the goaltending. IMO, the only solid performance was Gillies in the semi-finals, and that was partially because Providence outplayed Omaha by so much that he didn't have much to do.

[C-H-C]

Re: UNH Wildcats TD Garden and Beyond 2015

I have watched BU more than a couple times this year and I thought they had significant issues on D and in goal, offense covered well most of the year. The D seemed to be a combination of young D-men and disinterested stretches in the D zone by (young) forwards. I felt that was why many times BU need a crazy come back, 40 minutes of disinterested D-zone play can cause that. It seemed that late in the year the skaters had a handle on the 60-min and play in there own end, not amazing but good enough. O'Connor never seemed on, in 3 years I am not sure he has ever been the goalie to win you a game. Seems like every game I have seen he gives up a soft goal. Seemingly good position but just not good at the details, handling the puck, getting down at the right time, consistent rebound control, etc. I would describe him as a big guy that can read a play. Put it this way if I was a pro scout I wouldn't be interested.

When UNH beat BU 4-3 on February 15th at the Whittemore Center, O'Connor gave up 3 goals by the midway point of the second period and was replaced by LeCouvee. On the first UNH goal, the young BU defenders did not cover Shane Eiserman and O'Connor didn't look like he was on top of his game:

https://youtu.be/PCEuv8jYSQY

[chickod]

Re: UNH Wildcats TD Garden and Beyond 2015

When UNH beat BU 4-3 on February 15th at the Whittemore Center, O'Connor gave up 3 goals by the midway point of the second period and was replaced by LeCouvee. On the first UNH goal, the young BU defenders did not cover Shane Eiserman and O'Connor didn't look like he was on top of his game:

https://youtu.be/PCEuv8jYSQY

Which was what I meant when I said we could "see this coming." We got deluded into thinking we could make it all the way without it coming back to bite us...we got within eight minutes.

[HockeyRef]

Re: UNH Wildcats TD Garden and Beyond 2015

When UNH beat BU 4-3 on February 15th at the Whittemore Center, O'Connor gave up 3 goals by the midway point of the second period and was replaced by LeCouvee. On the first UNH goal, the young BU defenders did not cover Shane Eiserman and O'Connor didn't look like he was on top of his game:

https://youtu.be/PCEuv8jYSQY

Glad you brought up this game because I had been thinking of it while reading all of this...of course we all remember how BU came back in the 3rd to score 3 quick ones...Anyway...onto the HE semi where UNH had many quality chances in the first (and that goal...we were lucky) but Matt O'C did a good job of shutting us down for the remainder of the night. Don't recall really how well we played after the first..
Like I already said, whatever your weakness is during the season has an unfortunate way of showing itself when it counts the most. Not saying that the goal gaffe by MO'C is the reason BU did not win, think that's been hashed out enough. Interesting how it all goes down...

[Scott]

Re: UNH Wildcats TD Garden and Beyond 2015

If O'Connor were in a UNH jersey for the past 3 years, you guys would have been putting up Hobey campaigns for him. Basically, he is like BU's version of Mike Ayers, the only difference being one couldn't stop a beach ball in the 3rd period of the NCAA title game and the other caught the ball the threw it into his own net.

Twelve years later and the Mike Ayers jokes still fly with you guys! One has to wonder what kind of coaching wisdom he is dispensing with the likes of Demko?

[billb]

Re: UNH Wildcats TD Garden and Beyond 2015

Coaching wisdom notwithstanding, I watched the final game while UNH fans were saying yah we're so great, we beat both of these teams. I watched two goals late in the game which even the announcers said were scored on set plays, but the initial assumption on both plays was winning the faceoff. Umile was a hard-nosed player, never famous for his brains as were not most Theta Chi undergrads. He did not as a player consider winning faceoffs important, because, with hustle, he could get back a quarter of those pucks. It's a different game now; Umile couldn't make the UNH squad today. If you lose a faceoff now, the puck is gone, start skating the other way.
But Big Dick never learned. He himself never could win a faceoff, and he couldn't teach someone how to, either. He's never learned the importance of winning faceoffs; maybe a skill so basic is too cerebral for him. And every game I watch and see mise en jeu, and UNH is at the bottom in that stat, I know Umile is collecting his checks, and UNH is still a second rate power.
I also see Mr. DeSmith is out on the streets, and I wonder about due process. Just a kid, a talented kid, who made some small mistakes, all of which turned out to be inconsequential, but Big Dick said kick his sorry butt out. Such a sad end for DeSmith, and for his team mates who knew he had done little wrong, because they had to claw their way out of a hole all season, but Big Dick still collected his checks.
I'm a UNH alumnus, and I like to see UNH win, especially in the post-season. Unfortunately, winning is not the issue with the Athletic Department; the happiness of one Dick Umile is for some perverse reason the driving force behind the hockey program. He is free to strut around like a tick behind the bench as UNH loses the big games and potential recruits say "Why UNH," and other programs are excelling while UNH stagnates. This is getting old.

[C-H-C]

Re: UNH Wildcats TD Garden and Beyond 2015

FWIW from the Boston University thread:

Posted by buoldtimer:

Has anyone met Hokydad? Does anyone know his background?

Given his strong opinions and the confidence with which he dispenses his insights and information, I must surmise that hockey is his livelihood.

Posted by Deuce:

He's the father of PC's 7th D.

If accurate, would explain familiarity with Providence College and Malden Catholic hockey programs.

[Dan]

Re: UNH Wildcats TD Garden and Beyond 2015

Regarding Eichel, I saw him enough this year to know that he needs to improve defensively. Let's just say that Claude Julien would have worries about him. So, question. Does he stay or does he go? Since there is precedent for #2 picks staying (Toews and JVR) in college it might not be a slam dunk. I guess it comes down to how big the bonus is.

Both JVR and Toews had excellent NCAA freshmen seasons, averaging NEARLY one point per game. Eichel was much closer to TWO points per game. He may decide to stay because he loves BU and he loves college - but there is no way the team that drafts him will not do everything they can to get/convince/push him into the pros ASAP. He is ready to move on, with a good chance to slide right onto an NHL roster. 98.5% chance - he gone...

[Snively65]

Re: UNH Wildcats TD Garden and Beyond 2015

Both JVR and Toews had excellent NCAA freshmen seasons, averaging NEARLY one point per game. Eichel was much closer to TWO points per game. He may decide to stay because he loves BU and he loves college - but there is no way the team that drafts him will not do everything they can to get/convince/push him into the pros ASAP. He is ready to move on, with a good chance to slide right onto an NHL roster. 98.5% chance - he gone...

Sabres will have 20% chance of nabbing the first pick this Saturday, with Connor McDavid ranked no.1 , Jack Eichel no. 2, and Noah Hanifan at BC no. 3. Coyotes probably will have second worst record for 13.5% chance at the first pick. Bruins at no. 14 will have 1% chance for the first pick, according to Sporting News.

I have no idea whether either Eichel or Hanifan would leave after freshman year, although I agree that the pressure will be on them, as those bottom feeder NHL teams need all the help that they can get.

McDavid and Eichel are being compared to Taylor Hall and Tyler Sequin in the 2010 NHL draft.

[chickod]

Re: UNH Wildcats TD Garden and Beyond 2015

McDavid and Eichel are being compared to Taylor Hall and Tyler Sequin in the 2010 NHL draft.

Well that would make sense...after all, Seguin can't play defense, right? Who needs goals? That's what they're saying about Eichel, too. Guess we don't have to wonder where Schiarelli stands on him...

[Snively65]

Re: UNH Wildcats TD Garden and Beyond 2015

Well that would make sense...after all, Seguin can't play defense, right? Who needs goals? That's what they're saying about Eichel, too. Guess we don't have to wonder where Schiarelli stands on him...

Oh, I think that if the no. 2 pick fell all the way to the B's, Chiarelli would pick Eichel, and then trade him for some big tough guys who can play Claude's "system." Oops, thread drift here, my bad.

[chickod]

Re: UNH Wildcats TD Garden and Beyond 2015

Oh, I think that if the no. 2 pick fell all the way to the B's, Chiarelli would pick Eichel, and then trade him for some big tough guys who can play Claude's "system." Oops, thread drift here, my bad.

I hear you, though (unfortunately I agree)