UNH Wildcats 2017-2018 Season - The Quest Continues

[e.cat]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017-2018 Season - The Quest Continues

Three weekends, e.cat, three weekends. :-)

yeah you're right snives. i'm looking forward to DU bobblehead night gotta get me one or two

[HockeyRef]

Lookin' back, it appears that the Big Green is not the cupcake that we thought they were.

That was a big win for them for sure! Not sure if the "on any given night" applies here it's always awesome when you beat the big dogs. Speaking of dogs UNH has the Husky variety coming up. Hopefully 'Cats come up with our own "given night" v both teams particularly NU...

[HockeyRef]

The additional feature of whether UNH will get a 10 goal scorer? Looks like UNH's leading scorer will have lowest goal totals since 1964-65. Latest close title was 2012-13, with three 15 goal scorers, and 17 in 1987-77.

Speaks to the season...

[Felger]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017-2018 Season - The Quest Continues

Would totally agree. We've got UConn this weekend, then NU/UMass the next before we hit Vermont. There's points there in this mix for the taking; but which team will show up to earn them? NU is going to be the toughest but at this point, anyone is winning it seems!! I say we get 4 out of this; IF we can sustain some offense. I think UNH did a decent job this weekend; beats losing. Of course the quest/march opps are dwindling. From the Bangor Daily News:

http://bangordailynews.com/2018/01/2...e-with-umaine/

Expect Clark to get the start in that game

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017-2018 Season - The Quest Continues

The additional feature of whether UNH will get a 10 goal scorer? Looks like UNH's leading scorer will have lowest goal totals since 1964-65. Latest close title was 2012-13, with three 15 goal scorers, and 17 in 1987-77.

Now that speaks volumes as to the precipitous drop in offensive talent at the U in recent years, eh?

From the Bangor Daily News:

http://bangordailynews.com/2018/01/2...e-with-umaine/

Interesting how UMaine has a sophomore (Pearson, a DRW draft choice) co-captain and a junior (Michel) co-alternate captain. Always nice to see some thought being put into team leadership choices.

Makes you wonder why it doesn't happen more frequently ... especially when you consider once upon a time, Patrick Foley had a letter on his sweater 3 straight seasons at UNH, and those were pretty special seasons IIRC.

[NCAA watcher]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017-2018 Season - The Quest Continues

Now that speaks volumes as to the precipitous drop in offensive talent at the U in recent years, eh?

No, as Dick Umile and Marty Scarano say, its all uphill from here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVsibzl3zVs

“Coach Umile and I spoke about how this next season will be spent continuing the effort to re-build UNH hockey into a national caliber program that competes in the NCAA tournament and eventually the Frozen Four,” New Hampshire athletic director Marty Scarano said. “That has been, and always will be, our aspiration. We are fortunate to have Mike Souza here already changing the culture in recruiting, and he will hit the ground running at the conclusion of next year.

“We look forward to the challenge of reaching NCAAs next year and our focus is on having the program in great shape when Mike Souza takes over as head coach,” Umile said.

[Snively65]

Now that speaks volumes as to the precipitous drop in offensive talent at the U in recent years, eh?



Interesting how UMaine has a sophomore (Pearson, a DRW draft choice) co-captain and a junior (Michel) co-alternate captain. Always nice to see some thought being put into team leadership choices.

Makes you wonder why it doesn't happen more frequently ... especially when you consider once upon a time, Patrick Foley had a letter on his sweater 3 straight seasons at UNH, and those were pretty special seasons IIRC.

Wow, some people are never happy. The past couple of years, everyone here was complaining about de-fense. So, Souza recruits two stud D-men for this season. Now, the complaint is lack of o-fense.

Was Patrick Foley the perennial fourth liner who never missed a game in four seasons, and carried a 4.0 GPA the entire time? One of my all-time favorite UNH players. Yup, dem were da days.

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017-2018 Season - The Quest Continues

No, as Dick Umile and Marty Scarano say, its all uphill from here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVsibzl3zVs

Then I suppose you will have to pardon my skepticism in the interim, 'watcher. At least until the Souza Factor starts to generate some traction out on the recruiting trails.

Cue an opportunity for you to post an updated grid or chart to show how little progress has been made by Souza and Stu

[Snively65]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017-2018 Season - The Quest Continues

Two ties in Orono kept us in the top 2/3 PWR, 40th, ahead of Air Force but behind Army. Very unlikely now that we will make the NCAA's, unless we win HE tourney.

[mookie1995]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017-2018 Season - The Quest Continues

But closer to Umile getting his name in the coaching record book for “most ties”

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017-2018 Season - The Quest Continues

But closer to Umile getting his name in the coaching record book for “most ties”

Hugely ironic for a guy who eschews ties, and has become synonymous with the cutting-edge turtleneck look.

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017-2018 Season - The Quest Continues

Two ties may equal a win in the Hockey East standings, the PWR and the like, but even with a weekend split of two games in Orono by way of ties, those two ties have done nothing - nada, zero, zilch - to get Coach a much-needed W as things go from bad to worse on the "Long Goodbye Tour". Yours truly is admittedly starting to have second thoughts about this ongoing feature, as while it's getting more and more fascinating as the 2017/2018 UNH Men's Hockey season lurches into the stretch drive, it's also starting to feel a little like "piling on", and perhaps the unfathomable 9 game winless streak (0-6-3) against the anything-but-iron of what's been a very manageable schedule (thanks Peaches!!) makes it feel worse than it really is. At least for now, anyway. Ten regular season games and at least two MBPBEGAM "playoff" games remain, and it's very clear that time is running short, as WIS presents its prognostications in this "The Nearer Your Destination, The More You're Slip Slidin' Away" edition of "Umile's Last Stand - The _____ for 600".

"Umile's Last Stand - The Quest for 600"

Coach Umile's current career wins total: 595
Wins Remaining to NRN (Next Round Number): 5
Games Remaining (plus 2 min. MBPBEGAM games): 12
Win Pct. Required to Hit Target: 41.7%
WIS Estimated Likelihood of Success: 45%
2017/2018 Cupcake Conversion Ratio (CCR): 5/12 (41.7%)

The two ties in Orono were not bad results, and saw UNH avoid a loss (and I'm counting Brown as a loss, sorry) for a weekend in almost two months. At this point, we're measuring progress in baby steps, and this is what we've come to, I'm afraid. Coach went with his goalie binky Danny Tirone this past weekend in both games, given his apparent hex over the Black Bears, and I suppose it's hard to criticize the outcomes. But as far as the Quest goes, it's two more games without a W. And an achievement that was looking to be a virtual certainty after a road win at RPI now looks like a desperate Chase, where Coach is suddenly playing catch-up. Not good.

Looking at the big picture ... with five (5) wins still needed in the final 12 games (minimum) left in the season, the win percentage needed in those games now exceeds the team's overall winning percentage this season to date (.375) for the first time, so the WIS panel has for the first time dropped its forecast for a successful ending to this NRN stuff to below 50%. Now, by no means is the NRN unreachable, but games are running out, and ties may be OK for a team that can't buy a win as part of the "steady the ship" process, but they're badly in need of one final surge, and that surge needs to come soon. With that said, here are the WIS panel's predictions for this coming weekend:

Predictions:

Friday: @ UNH 5 UConn 2
Saturday: UNH 3 @ UConn 3

NEXT CUPCAKE ON THE SHELF: 2/3/18 v. UMass Flagship

WIS CONTEST - GUESS THE DATE COACH HITS THE NRN!!!

So ... what happens when you throw a contest, and nobody wins? Some might cynically say that the outcome here is "typical UNH", and with even the tempered (possibly cynical) WIS prediction now looking almost as naively optimistic as those eliminated earlier, the Orono Tie Festival has now officially kicked the last contestant to the curb. Do we want to start from scratch, or just let this thing go? As your gracious host, I'm happy to spring for a post-season round at Libby's or other local watering hole regardless, since I'm the closest loser.

1/06/18 vs. Brown @ home: Snively65, HockeyRef
1/12/18 vs. BU @ home: phb, e.cat
1/19/18 vs. UMaine @ Alfond: Dan, deltabravo, Nifty16
1/20/18 vs. UMaine @ Alfond: After the Whistle, Scott, scoreboard, Darius
1/26/18 vs. UConn @ home: Aerman
2/03/18 vs. UMass @ home: WIS

Once we're done with the regular season, we'll turn our attention to the MBPBEGAM round of the HE "playoffs", and the GRSN - not to be confused with the NRN. This was brought to the fore by Dan regarding the prospects of Patrick Grasso's potentially lost season, and the chances he'll be allowed a "medical redshirt". A minimum of six (6) post-season games will be necessary for Grasso's 2017/2018 season not to become a total loss. So the Grasso Red Shirt Number sits at a 40 game UNH slate. The WIS panel sets Grasso's chances of following in the career path of the great Tommy Nolan to be Slight. We'll revisit this assessment periodically as things progress.

FOXHOLE CHALLENGE - US AGAINST THE WORLD (in honor of Felger)

Us 0
The World 5

GO UNH - GOT TO GET THE GOODBYE TOUR TO THE GAHDEN!!!

[Snively65]

Two ties may equal a win in the Hockey East standings, the PWR and the like, but even with a weekend split of two games in Orono by way of ties, those two ties have done nothing - nada, zero, zilch - to get Coach a much-needed W as things go from bad to worse on the "Long Goodbye Tour". Yours truly is admittedly starting to have second thoughts about this ongoing feature, as while it's getting more and more fascinating as the 2017/2018 UNH Men's Hockey season lurches into the stretch drive, it's also starting to feel a little like "piling on", and perhaps the unfathomable 9 game winless streak (0-6-3) against the anything-but-iron of what's been a very manageable schedule (thanks Peaches!!) makes it feel worse than it really is. At least for now, anyway. Ten regular season games and at least two MBPBEGAM "playoff" games remain, and it's very clear that time is running short, as WIS presents its prognostications in this "The Nearer Your Destination, The More You're Slip Slidin' Away" edition of "Umile's Last Stand - The _____ for 600".

"Umile's Last Stand - The Quest for 600"

Coach Umile's current career wins total: 595
Wins Remaining to NRN (Next Round Number): 5
Games Remaining (plus 2 min. MBPBEGAM games): 12
Win Pct. Required to Hit Target: 41.7%
WIS Estimated Likelihood of Success: 45%
2017/2018 Cupcake Conversion Ratio (CCR): 5/12 (41.7%)

The two ties in Orono were not bad results, and saw UNH avoid a loss (and I'm counting Brown as a loss, sorry) for a weekend in almost two months. At this point, we're measuring progress in baby steps, and this is what we've come to, I'm afraid. Coach went with his goalie binky Danny Tirone this past weekend in both games, given his apparent hex over the Black Bears, and I suppose it's hard to criticize the outcomes. But as far as the Quest goes, it's two more games without a W. And an achievement that was looking to be a virtual certainty after a road win at RPI now looks like a desperate Chase, where Coach is suddenly playing catch-up. Not good.

Looking at the big picture ... with five (5) wins still needed in the final 12 games (minimum) left in the season, the win percentage needed in those games now exceeds the team's overall winning percentage this season to date (.375) for the first time, so the WIS panel has for the first time dropped its forecast for a successful ending to this NRN stuff to below 50%. Now, by no means is the NRN unreachable, but games are running out, and ties may be OK for a team that can't buy a win as part of the "steady the ship" process, but they're badly in need of one final surge, and that surge needs to come soon. With that said, here are the WIS panel's predictions for this coming weekend:

Predictions:

Friday: @ UNH 5 UConn 2
Saturday: UNH 3 @ UConn 3

NEXT CUPCAKE ON THE SHELF: 2/3/18 v. UMass Flagship

WIS CONTEST - GUESS THE DATE COACH HITS THE NRN!!!

So ... what happens when you throw a contest, and nobody wins? Some might cynically say that the outcome here is "typical UNH", and with even the tempered (possibly cynical) WIS prediction now looking almost as naively optimistic as those eliminated earlier, the Orono Tie Festival has now officially kicked the last contestant to the curb. Do we want to start from scratch, or just let this thing go? As your gracious host, I'm happy to spring for a post-season round at Libby's or other local watering hole regardless, since I'm the closest loser.

1/06/18 vs. Brown @ home: Snively65, HockeyRef
1/12/18 vs. BU @ home: phb, e.cat
1/19/18 vs. UMaine @ Alfond: Dan, deltabravo, Nifty16
1/20/18 vs. UMaine @ Alfond: After the Whistle, Scott, scoreboard, Darius
1/26/18 vs. UConn @ home: Aerman
2/03/18 vs. UMass @ home: WIS

Once we're done with the regular season, we'll turn our attention to the MBPBEGAM round of the HE "playoffs", and the GRSN - not to be confused with the NRN. This was brought to the fore by Dan regarding the prospects of Patrick Grasso's potentially lost season, and the chances he'll be allowed a "medical redshirt". A minimum of six (6) post-season games will be necessary for Grasso's 2017/2018 season not to become a total loss. So the Grasso Red Shirt Number sits at a 40 game UNH slate. The WIS panel sets Grasso's chances of following in the career path of the great Tommy Nolan to be Slight. We'll revisit this assessment periodically as things progress.

FOXHOLE CHALLENGE - US AGAINST THE WORLD (in honor of Felger)

Us 0
The World 5

GO UNH - GOT TO GET THE GOODBYE TOUR TO THE GAHDEN!!!

So, Yukon is not a cupcake, but UMass-Flagship is a cupcake? Black is white, day is night!

And, what are the chances of the Cupcake Conversion Ratio and the NRN needed wins/game ratio being identical at 41.7% (5 of 12)?

[e.cat]

So, Yukon is not a cupcake, but UMass-Flagship is a cupcake? Black is white, day is night!

And, what are the chances of the Cupcake Conversion Ratio and the NRN needed wins/game ratio being identical at 41.7% (5 of 12)?

UMASS just beat NU 3-0 on Friday. There are no cupcakes!

[HockeyRef]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017-2018 Season - The Quest Continues

UMASS just beat NU 3-0 on Friday. There are no cupcakes!

A few HE teams have experienced losing to UMass this season, including the likes of Providence. We won't have a 3-0 return match with them, but I could be wrong.