Union College: 2016-2017

[Union27]

Re: Union College: 2016-2017

Hey guys let's keep this about U hockey.
Great to see U playing so well. This team has a ton of fight and grit. They blow a late lead against Yale and Foo scores 20 seconds later.
Pretty amazing that Vech has 35 pts and Foo has 30 pts and we are still in mid December.
Nice to see Wayne Simpson doing so well in the AHL. I hope he gets a shot with the Bruins. Wayne was a stud at U and his brother John was a very good player as well. The Simpson/Simpson was a great line combo. Wayne scored some big time goals for U in beating Yale when they were #1 in the country at Messa, to beat Clarkson in OT at Clarkson, and in the ECAC/NCAA tourney's. I think he might have also played in every game over the course of his U career. Not too many guys can claim that feat.
Let's hope U can keep the mojo going vs a tough UVM team next weekend.

Go U !!

[Rolevio]

Re: Union College: 2016-2017

Whatever is going on here just makes me sad! I won't be able to attend any games this year, and now one of the few places to learn about Union Hockey is being trashed by some clown? It's sad that someone really has nothing better to do than this...

[Dutchman]

Re: Union College: 2016-2017

Foo's game-winning goal. Note the number of arms in the air... looks like we had a great turnout !!!

Foo's game-winning goal. Note the number of arms in the air...#GoU pic.twitter.com/Oil05GXY7w

— Union Hockey (@Unionmhockey) December 11, 2016

[Union27]

Re: Union College: 2016-2017

Foo just makes it look easy......

Jooris put on waivers by the Rangers hopefully he gets picked up.

Great to see U back at the top of the ECAC

[Union27]

Re: Union College: 2016-2017

Jooris claimed by Coyotes.....

[Pokey]

Re: Union College: 2016-2017

Foo's game-winning goal. Note the number of arms in the air... looks like we had a great turnout !!!

Foo's game-winning goal. Note the number of arms in the air...#GoU pic.twitter.com/Oil05GXY7w

— Union Hockey (@Unionmhockey) December 11, 2016

All out effort by all three guys - #18 doesn't beat the 2 back checkers - maybe there is no goal..

[Dutchman]

Re: Union College: 2016-2017

In going forward and looking at the schedule for each of the ECAC teams, I counted the number of future games against teams that are, as of today, ranked in the USCHO Top 20. We have the most difficult schedule of any ECAC team. St. Lawrence and Q have the easiest. This is not to imply that other teams did not have serious non-conference competition already. This is only measuring going forward from today.

Union = 8
Colgate = 7
Yale = 6
Brown = 6
RPI = 6
Princeton = 6
Brown = 5
Cornell = 5
Harvard = 5
Clarkson = 4
Q = 3
St. Lawrence = 3

[bothman]

Re: Union College: 2016-2017

In going forward and looking at the schedule for each of the ECAC teams, I counted the number of future games against teams that are, as of today, ranked in the USCHO Top 20. We have the most difficult schedule of any ECAC team. St. Lawrence and Q have the easiest. This is not to imply that other teams did not have serious non-conference competition already. This is only measuring going forward from today.

Union = 8
Colgate = 7
Yale = 6
Brown = 6
RPI = 6
Princeton = 6
Brown = 5
Cornell = 5
Harvard = 5
Clarkson = 4
Q = 3
St. Lawrence = 3

Yup. While Union's record is impressive, they are vastly untested (very mediocre schedule). Too heavy on Atlantic Hockey and unfortunately played a very pedestrian Michigan team.

[ADK11]

Re: Union College: 2016-2017

Yup. While Union's record is impressive, they are vastly untested (very mediocre schedule). Too heavy on Atlantic Hockey and unfortunately played a very pedestrian Michigan team.

Well things are going to get a lot tougher real quickly now and we'll know a lot more after the next 6 games that include UVM (2), BU, North Dakota, & Harvard. Not sure why U ended up with 5 AHA games this year.. have to think that something fell thru with either a western or HE doubleheader. Haven't played UML or Providence in a scheduled non-conf game in many moons and was hoping to see them on the schedule this year. In the end, the SOS will be fine..

From Bennett's post-game comments sounds like Vidmar and Brassard were "banged up" in the Brown game. Supinski should be a great fit on 1st line (he was the #18 that Pokey noted making the hustle play on the GWG), but would be nice to get them both back at least by January for league play. We'll see if either is back next week. Great to get the league points and hopefully another step toward finishing in top 4 in league, though a lot of work to be done. Harvard looks like a cut above everyone else (great offensive depth and improved D). U likely will have to fight it out with Quinnipiac, SLU, Clarkson, Cornell & Yale for top 4. No easy weekends from this point out..

[Dutchman]

Re: Union College: 2016-2017

No easy weekends from this point out..

Boy you got that right !!!

[sshablak]

Re: Union College: 2016-2017

Well things are going to get a lot tougher real quickly now and we'll know a lot more after the next 6 games that include UVM (2), BU, North Dakota, & Harvard. Not sure why U ended up with 5 AHA games this year.. have to think that something fell thru with either a western or HE doubleheader. Haven't played UML or Providence in a scheduled non-conf game in many moons and was hoping to see them on the schedule this year. In the end, the SOS will be fine..

From Bennett's post-game comments sounds like Vidmar and Brassard were "banged up" in the Brown game. Supinski should be a great fit on 1st line (he was the #18 that Pokey noted making the hustle play on the GWG), but would be nice to get them both back at least by January for league play. We'll see if either is back next week. Great to get the league points and hopefully another step toward finishing in top 4 in league, though a lot of work to be done. Harvard looks like a cut above everyone else (great offensive depth and improved D). U likely will have to fight it out with Quinnipiac, SLU, Clarkson, Cornell & Yale for top 4. No easy weekends from this point out..

Yale won't be there.

[Dutchman]

Re: Union College: 2016-2017

How Vermont sees us ...

THE VERMONT HOCKEY BLOG
Fan blog for the University of Vermont men's and women's ice hockey teams.
https://thevermonthockeyblog.wordpress.com/

Men’s Preview: #13 Union @ #11 UVM (2x)
DECEMBER 15, 2016

In 2014, a Union College Dutchmen side led by Shayne Gostisbehere pummeled the Catamounts 5-2 in the first round of the NCAA tournament en route to the national title.

The players that were freshmen for UVM then – Bradley, Puskarich, Shaw, Hamilton, and Santaguida, among others – are seniors now, and they’ll remember what Union did that day quite well: dominate.

Yes, the Cats have played the Dutchmen in the interim, losing 3-2 in overtime in Schenectady last season. But still…in your last season, you’ve got a demon to vanquish, you may as well vanquish it, especially after the stress of finals week.

The Dutchmen have gotten out to a fantastic start, sitting at 12-3-2 and first in the ECAC. They have four games against mutual opponents, going 2-2 (defeating Michigan and Quinnipiac while losing to the Wolverines and Clarkson). However, a skeptic could point to their schedule – among those Ws have been Brown, Niagara, and RPI, all bottom ten teams in the Pairwise.

In goal, Union rolls with senior Alex Sakellaropoulos (and I’m going to copy-paste that from now on because that name is, like, Vadim Krasnoslobodtsev length). He’s been okay, but nothing special, posting a .916 save percentage in 13 games. He has lost only one game, though, so it’s good enough I guess. Backup sophomore Jake Kupsky has been woeful, with a .875 SV%.

Defensively, Union is a middle-of-the-pack team, but Jeff Taylor has been dynamic offensively with 16 points. However, no other defender has more than 10 points, with Nick DeSimone second with 8. So the defense is fairly unremarkable – don’t produce a whole lot past Taylor, and concede about an average amount of goals.

It’s the offense where the Dutchmen really shine, ranking fourth in the nation in goals per game. Mike Vecchione leads the country with an eye-popping 35 points, and Spencer Foo isn’t far behind with 30. Sebastian Vidmar also cracks the top 20 nationally with 21 points. It’s proven this year that stopping this trio is nearly impossible, but you CAN limit their effectiveness, something Clarkson were able to do a month ago when they handed Union their last L this season (the trio were limited to a Foo assist on the night in a 3-1 loss). This offense against the UVM defense and goaltending will be an interesting watch.

Games will be Friday and Saturday on CatamounTV, yet another showdown at the Gutt of two ranked teams.

Go Cats Go.

[Dutchman]

Re: Union College: 2016-2017

A little history (Vermont)

Bill Cleary coached the great Harvard 1989 NCAA Championship Team that defeated Minnesota in the final. Ted Donato, Harvard's current head coach played on that team and among many other awards, was the "Most Outstanding Player" of the tournament. Ted's son now plays on Harvard's current outstanding team.

Another outstanding player on that championship team, who also was selected to the all-tournament team that year, was Kevin Sneddon. Kevin is the current head coach of Vermont. Kevin coached Union from 1993 - 2003 and was promoted to head coach in 1998. In 2003 Vermont was part of the ECAC so Kevin stayed in the ECAC when he left to take over the Catamounts.

A Long History Between Kevin Sneddon and Union Hockey
By Steve Manney | smanney@nexstar.tv
Published 12/14 2016 08:12 PM
Updated 12/14 2016 08:12PM

Here is a video interview ...
http://www.mychamplainvalley.com/spo...ckey/620012996

(Click on the picture at the bottom - Sneddon talks history with Union College)

[Pokey]

Re: Union College: 2016-2017

How Vermont sees us ...
Games will be Friday and Saturday on CatamounTV, yet another showdown at the Gutt of two ranked teams.
Go Cats Go.[/I]

Take with a grain of salt - they don't even know that the games are Saturday and Sunday... :-)

[Dutchman]

Re: Union College: 2016-2017

Vermont is better than advertised. They have outscored their opponents nearly 2:1 (24 to 13) in the third period. Almost half of all their scoring has been in the third period (24 of 53). That speaks to their ability to shut down an opponent in period three and taking over the game. They are averaging over the last 7 games, 3.7 goals/game and allowing 2.1 goals/game. They are reported (USCHO) to be playing the best hockey of any team in HE right now.

Whatever our SOS is going into these next four games, it will come out much higher after playing:

N. Dakota SOS = 2
B.U. SOS = 8
Vermont SOS = 11