UNH Wildcats-The Back Nine and Beyond!

[Snively65]

Hey, 8th place means home ice for the MBPBEGAM round of the so-called *playoffs".

Could make all the difference in whether The Quest ends happily or predictably ...

Last season, in the 12-team HEA, Mac had 8 wins for 7th, NU 9 wins for 8th, Yukon 8 wins for 9th, and youuuuurrrr UNH Wildcats(!) 7 wins for 10th. If the HEA coaches are right about an 8th place HEA finish for UNH this season, then that probably means 7 or 8 conference wins, depending on the number of ties, etc. So, if 7 conference wins, and then say our Cats take 2 of 3 in the MBPBEGAM round at the Whitt, just a split in the 10 OOC games gets Umile to the NRN. Here are the 10 OOC games (the opposition average PWR last season was somewhere well south of 40th ranking, IIRC): Colgate (2 at home), CC (2 at home), Vlae (1 in New Haven, 1 in Hanover), Dartmouth (1 in Hanover), RPI (1 in Troy), Army (1 at home), and the Brown Bears (1 at home). If the HEA coaches are right, it now looks to me like a slam dunk, err, and an ENG, to the NRN.

[NCAA watcher]

Re: UNH Wildcats-The Back Nine and Beyond!

Kudos to Mike Zhe for being as subversive as a local writer is allowed:

Hockey East coaches sad to see Dick Umile go

http://www.fosters.com/sports/201709...-dick-umile-go

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH Wildcats-The Back Nine and Beyond!

Zhe also shortchanges Richie at 585 wins, and not the official tally of 586 that the rest of us are using ...

[Dan]

Re: UNH Wildcats-The Back Nine and Beyond!

Zhe also shortchanges Richie at 585 wins, and not the official tally of 586 that the rest of us are using ...

Pessimism: 9-22-3 (5-17-2 - 595 career wins
Prediction: 12-18-4 (7-14-3) - 598 career wins
Optimism: 17-14-3 (10-12-2) - 603 career wins (The symbolism would almost make it all worth it...)

---

Non-Conference (total USCHO Pre-Season Poll Points for NC Opponents - 13!?)
W - Colgate, CC, Army, Brown, @RPI
L - Colgate, @Yale, @Dartmouth, vsYale
T - CC

Hockey East
W - Merrimack, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, Northeastern, @Massachusetts, @Maine
L - Lowell, Lowell, BC, BU, Vermont, @Lowell, @Vermont, @BU, @PC, @BC, @Connecticut, @Northeastern, @Merrimack, @Northeastern
T - Providence, Vermont, @Maine

Prove me wrong fellas...

[Snively65]

Re: UNH Wildcats-The Back Nine and Beyond!

Pessimism: 9-22-3 (5-17-2 - 595 career wins
Prediction: 12-18-4 (7-14-3) - 598 career wins
Optimism: 17-14-3 (10-12-2) - 603 career wins (The symbolism would almost make it all worth it...)

---

Non-Conference (total USCHO Pre-Season Poll Points for NC Opponents - 13!?)
W - Colgate, CC, Army, Brown, @RPI
L - Colgate, @Yale, @Dartmouth, vsYale
T - CC

Hockey East
W - Merrimack, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, Northeastern, @Massachusetts, @Maine
L - Lowell, Lowell, BC, BU, Vermont, @Lowell, @Vermont, @BU, @PC, @BC, @Connecticut, @Northeastern, @Merrimack, @Northeastern
T - Providence, Vermont, @Maine

Prove me wrong fellas...

I doubt that your 7-14-3 HEA prediction would earn the Cats 8th place in HEA as polled by the coaches. Maybe a couple of additional upset HEA wins would get Dick to the NRN. Or, one additional regular season HEA win and one MBPBEGAM win. I think that your 5-4-1 OOC prediction is quite likely.

[Scott]

Re: UNH Wildcats-The Back Nine and Beyond!

Pessimism: 9-22-3 (5-17-2 - 595 career wins
Prediction: 12-18-4 (7-14-3) - 598 career wins
Optimism: 17-14-3 (10-12-2) - 603 career wins (The symbolism would almost make it all worth it...)

---

Non-Conference (total USCHO Pre-Season Poll Points for NC Opponents - 13!?)
W - Colgate, CC, Army, Brown, @RPI
L - Colgate, @Yale, @Dartmouth, vsYale
T - CC

Hockey East
W - Merrimack, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, Northeastern, @Massachusetts, @Maine
L - Lowell, Lowell, BC, BU, Vermont, @Lowell, @Vermont, @BU, @PC, @BC, @Connecticut, @Northeastern, @Merrimack, @Northeastern
T - Providence, Vermont, @Maine

Prove me wrong fellas...

I tend to sandbag this team every year, so I'm going to lean on the pessimistic side of things. Coach U. will fall short of the magic "600" number.

Last season's cupcake-laden OOC schedule only reinforced the notion that the 'Cats were in fact, the "cupcake". I really cannot see how this season will fare much better.

Sorry Dickie....I certainly hope that you and the boys prove me wrong. But hey, even without the 600 wins, we'll still have the bobblehead.

[Snively65]

Re: UNH Wildcats-The Back Nine and Beyond!

Did our fortunes begin to turn to the worse when our theme song was outlawed at the Whitt?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6ly7WzkKDg

[HockeyRef]

Re: UNH Wildcats-The Back Nine and Beyond!

Well folks a couple of days away from the pilgrimage to the 'Whitt. For this fan the NRN means very little. I didn't come into this like you all did so I can't blame you for keeping a close watch on that. Makes total sense. Do keep me posted!! I'm in it for the game, the players, and the diversion to be totally honest. Maybe that bobblehead they are promising haha. Not to mention the awesome peeps I know that will be haunting the concourse hoping for a few good games here and there. Can't believe this is season 5! Hope to see a few of you around. I predict an interesting season to say the least. Can't help but admit like always it will be hard not to see the Sr's on the ice but looking forward to the new faces and yet another namesake on the ice (CKell)

Now if you'll excuse me I've gotta rustle up the jersey, the hat, and of course, the single pom Go 'Cats!

[HockeyRef]

Re: UNH Wildcats-The Back Nine and Beyond!

Did our fortunes begin to turn to the worse when our theme song was outlawed at the Whitt?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6ly7WzkKDg

When did they play this, when the team skated out?? I know they have played it (well, parts of it) at "opportune" times but not like they used to...

[HockeyRef]

Re: UNH Wildcats-The Back Nine and Beyond!

Not sure we'll see Patrick Grasso out there Sunday; Coach U said in a interview yesterday he has a shoulder injury but thought he'd be back for the opener v UML. He also said there would be healthy competition (or something to that effect) for the goal tending position...

[Dan]

Re: UNH Wildcats-The Back Nine and Beyond!

Not sure we'll see Patrick Grasso out there Sunday; Coach U said in a interview yesterday he has a shoulder injury but thought he'd be back for the opener v UML. He also said there would be healthy competition (or something to that effect) for the goal tending position...

Foster's Season Preview

Yeah, healthy competition, for the back-up spot - according to Al Pike...

Tirone and Adam Clark are back. Tirone enters the season as the No. 1 with Clark and incoming freshman Mike Robinson of Bedford competing to be the backup.

[Lemonade]

Re: UNH Wildcats-The Back Nine and Beyond!

Foster's Season Preview

Yeah, healthy competition, for the back-up spot - according to Al Pike...

Tirone and Adam Clark are back. Tirone enters the season as the No. 1 with Clark and incoming freshman Mike Robinson of Bedford competing to be the backup.

I think the "competition" ended when they named Tirone a captain a few months ago. Stupid idea.

[Snively65]

Foster's Season Preview

Yeah, healthy competition, for the back-up spot - according to Al Pike...

Tirone and Adam Clark are back. Tirone enters the season as the No. 1 with Clark and incoming freshman Mike Robinson of Bedford competing to be the backup.

Thanks for posting Foster's link. I thought that Al Pike had retired, but good to see that he is still punching the clock.

[HockeyRef]

Foster's Season Preview

Yeah, healthy competition, for the back-up spot - according to Al Pike...

Tirone and Adam Clark are back. Tirone enters the season as the No. 1 with Clark and incoming freshman Mike Robinson of Bedford competing to be the backup.

Actually I got this from a live interview Coach did; his comments regarding the goalie situation doesn't appear in this article FWIW dept.

[Dan]

Re: UNH Wildcats-The Back Nine and Beyond!

Actually I got this from a live interview Coach did; his comments regarding the goalie situation doesn't appear in this article FWIW dept.

I know where you got this from - Al Pike has, at least, the same sources (he was probably in attendance for that very quote and the surrounding context) and many more.

Interpret the coach's quotes however you'd like. Many will interpret them differently on face value alone. Without even considering that it was supposed to be an 'open competition' last year, that Tirone's FR arrival stapled Clark to the bench, coach's predilection for relying on upperclass players or Tirone being given an A this summer. When considering all factors, its clear, regardless of what is said, that unless Tirone is an abject failure it is his crease. A performance so-so or better and there will be no genuine competition. Clark will (maybe) get a chance if Tirone is notably below average. Robinson will get a chance if he's below average and Umile - after caring little about developing younger players through playing time taken from upperclassmen his entire career - suddenly decides he cares in the one year it finally doesn't matter to his interests at all...