UNH Wildcats 2016-17 Vol II -- We Do Have a Hockey Season Here!?!

[riverchief1]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016-17 Vol II -- We Do Have a Hockey Season Here!?!

Well that sounds like a putdown to me...."Oh, let's play you because you're the easiest to beat."

SO...are you going to take that?????

Oh no not at all. Just thinking we can help hasten Umile's departure if UNH plays Lowell. Just trying to be helpful.

[HockeyRef]

Oh no not at all. Just thinking we can help hasten Umile's departure if UNH plays Lowell. Just trying to be helpful.

Yeah right....

[chickod]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016-17 Vol II -- We Do Have a Hockey Season Here!?!

Yeah right....

You took the words right out of my mouth...

[Dan]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016-17 Vol II -- We Do Have a Hockey Season Here!?!

MC will do what they always do in that rink against UNH - clog up the neutral zone to take away transition and put every puck that ends up on their sticks on goal. Tirone needs to make the easy saves, control rebounds and cover up pucks. The defense needs to block, corral and clear as many of these attempts as possible. If pucks get through and Tirone starts scrambling MC will jump on them for garbage goals.

Offensively, UNHs PP needs to lead the way. The group is ranked eighth in the country, while MCs PK is rated 47th overall. Get early leads, draw penalties and convert.

That's how UNH advances. If they fall behind or kick pucks around in their own end, season over...

[HockeyRef]

MC will do what they always do in that rink against UNH - clog up the neutral zone to take away transition and put every puck that ends up on their sticks on goal. Tirone needs to make the easy saves, control rebounds and cover up pucks. The defense needs to block, corral and clear as many of these attempts as possible. If pucks get through and Tirone starts scrambling MC will jump on them for garbage goals.

Offensively, UNHs PP needs to lead the way. The group is ranked eighth in the country, while MCs PK is rated 47th overall. Get early leads, draw penalties and convert.

That's how UNH advances. If they fall behind or kick pucks around in their own end, season over...

Bingo...coupled with the usual "how hard it's going to be to play at Lawlor" mantra they will be subjected to by the powers that be....which will be the convenient explanation if they lose...I just wonder about their confidence right about now...and just how prepared they will be to play. Granted it IS a tough rink no doubt about it but your plan sounds about right.

[Dan]

Bingo...coupled with the usual "how hard it's going to be to play at Lawlor" mantra they will be subjected to by the powers that be....which it is...I just wonder about their confidence right about now...

Well, confidence cannot be good. Hopefully, there is some sense of pride in the room and they will bring more of an effort this weekend. Though, it is certainly fair to wonder why they wouldn't have done that last weekend. SOG and possession are much maligned on the board - but the lack of zone time and Saturday's SOG total certainly don't indicate a sense of urgency...

While Umile's media quotes are uninspiring I'm certain that's not what's being expressed in the room. So, hopefully there is some fight in there that is just as of yet unseen. Maybe next weekend we'll see it...

[HockeyRef]

Well, confidence cannot be good. Hopefully, there is some sense of pride in the room and they will bring more of an effort this weekend. Though, it is certainly fair to wonder why they wouldn't have done that last weekend. SOG and possession are much maligned on the board - but the lack of zone time and Saturday's SOG total certainly don't indicate a sense of urgency...

While Umile's media quotes are uninspiring I'm certain that's not what's being expressed in the room. So, hopefully there is some fight in there that is just as of yet unseen. Maybe next weekend we'll see it...

Sorry just cranky from the weekend of games. Am hopeful they will be prepared guess I am steeling myself...but I'll head down there and do my part! Heck maybe even break out the Pom Poms!!

[deltabravo62]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016-17 Vol II -- We Do Have a Hockey Season Here!?!

I'll be down there Friday and Saturday as well. No go for Sunday though. Not expecting much but I hope to be surprised.

[HockeyRef]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016-17 Vol II -- We Do Have a Hockey Season Here!?!

I'll be down there Friday and Saturday as well. No go for Sunday though. Not expecting much but I hope to be surprised.

Awesome; see you there. We UNH fans have to stick together. Sitting somewhere in Section 12...It would be highly gratifying to make it out of this round. At least they are still playing....even if most feel this first round is nothing more than a HE $$grab. And nada on a third game if it goes that far. Too hard and I've got school in the morning. Besides, I'd rather be home doing my usual 'pace back and forth'...ha!

ps lost in all of this is that our Tyler Kelleher shares top scoring honors in the nation (along with NU's Zach Aston-Reese) with 59 points. TyK also wins the HE scoring title, the second Wildcat to do so in two years with Andrew Poturalski winning it last year. Jason Salvaggio had a great regular season with 21 goals, as well as Michael McNick with his 38 points, along with his 9 PP goals. Bright spot on the D of course is Captain Matias Cleland in 5th slot for assists. Rookie forward Patrick Grasso potted 17 goals.
Finally I would be remiss if I didn't mention Danny Tirone who gets a lot of flack (guilty as charged on occasion) But if you sat behind him on Sat nite you would see like I did just how hard he works to keep the puck out of the net. Well done.

[C-H-C]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016-17 Vol II -- We Do Have a Hockey Season Here!?!

"UNH Looks For Success in Hockey East Playoffs"
by Ben Nawn

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016-17 Vol II -- We Do Have a Hockey Season Here!?!

Well, confidence cannot be good. Hopefully, there is some sense of pride in the room and they will bring more of an effort this weekend. Though, it is certainly fair to wonder why they wouldn't have done that last weekend. SOG and possession are much maligned on the board - but the lack of zone time and Saturday's SOG total certainly don't indicate a sense of urgency...

While Umile's media quotes are uninspiring I'm certain that's not what's being expressed in the room. So, hopefully there is some fight in there that is just as of yet unseen. Maybe next weekend we'll see it...

Looks like I'm not the only one hoping for more than I'm realistically expecting from the team this weekend.

[Felger]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016-17 Vol II -- We Do Have a Hockey Season Here!?!

The only question I have is, would Coach resign voluntarily before he gets pushed? He has to be devastated with how things have turned out this season down the stretch. For the first time ever, I think that answer may be "yes". The kicker, though, is ... we may never know. I do know it's going to be an interesting next few weeks in UNH-land.

Chuck, do you think the answer to this question will be different depending on what happens this weekend? (And potentially the weekend(s) following?) I mean if there is a fluky mini-run like there was two years ago do you think that changes anything? And if so, is that a good thing?

[Darius]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016-17 Vol II -- We Do Have a Hockey Season Here!?!

Since it's unlikely Maine or Amherst will do anything, I'm going with UNH to hopefully take out Merrimack so as the lowest remaining seed, we'd get the Wildcats in the quarterfinals. Really don't feel like dealing with either UConn or NU, especially UConn who really seems to have Lowell's number. Go Wildcats (and eat plenty of Fuddrucker's as that's pretty much the only benefit of having to play at Merrimack).

Attending UML's quarterfinal series was already on my radar, regardless of who y'all play. Count me in for sure if your opponent is the 'cats.

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016-17 Vol II -- We Do Have a Hockey Season Here!?!

Chuck, do you think the answer to this question will be different depending on what happens this weekend? (And potentially the weekend(s) following?) I mean if there is a fluky mini-run like there was two years ago do you think that changes anything? And if so, is that a good thing?

I do think it's very fluid at this point, Felgie. If they lose this weekend at Merrimack, then I strongly suspect it's all over. If they find a way to advance, and make some noise the following weekend against BU or UML, then that might be enough to convince the only two guys that matter that it's worth playing it out for the final season. If they make it back to the Garden ... well, that's maybe the toughest scenario to guess. IF "the next round number" thing really figures prominently in Coach's thinking, then he'd have no more than 13 W's to earn next season, and BS35+5 can make that happen over the summer (if he hasn't put the finishing touches on an ultra-creampuff schedule already).

But IF what Coach craves is that one final big moment in the spotlight to ride off into the sunset ... walking away with a final appearance in the HE Semis is about as good as it's ever going to get, given UNH's current positioning.

If you look at next year's projected UNH squad ... the returning players are going to be the last vestiges of the Borek era, many of whom have really done nothing of note for Coach to make him yearn to spend that one final year with them (and some of whom have badly let him down in recent weeks) ... and then there will be Souza's first real haul of incoming players, to whom Umile has little if any connection now, and would only be coaching them for next season. So IF he does come back, it has to be for that one final moment in the spotlight.

UNH loses this weekend (sweep or not): Umile is not back (and maybe not his choice)
UNH advances this weekend, and gets drilled next weekend: Umile is not back (his choice)
UNH advances this weekend, and pushes the QF to 3 games: Umile will be back (NRN - his choice)
UNH advances to the Garden, doesn't win: Umile steps down (spotlight trumps NRN - his choice)
----------
UNH advances to the Garden, wins, qualifies for NCAA's: Umile stays, wants NRN, thinks extension is in the cards
UNH wins the Hockey East tourney, and then wins the NCAA's: Umile steps down, his choice, Hollywood beckons

Of course, those last two under the dotted line are pure fantasy, but I figured I'd play it out regardless.

As to whether any of these outcomes are a "good thing" or not, I guess that all depends ...

[d.gerry]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016-17 Vol II -- We Do Have a Hockey Season Here!?!

UNH wins the Hockey East tourney, and then wins the NCAA's: Umile steps down, his choice, Hollywood beckons

Maybe you'll get a cameo!