2009-2010 UNH Wildcats Season

[UNHhockey29]

Re: 2009-2010 UNH Wildcats Season

I'm not sure when it happened, but when we weren't paying attention we somehow teleported to a parallel universe when Maine is 4th in the country in team scoring.

The best way to hold a lead against Maine (this year) is to keep adding to it. Maybe Foster would like to have one or two of this weekend's goals back. But UNH didn't give him much margin for error.

In all seriousness, some of the blame has to go to UNH's power play for going 0-for-the-weekend. And Darling probably gets some of the credit for making some key 2nd and 3rd period saves. As much as anything, I think those two things were the difference.

Either way, UNH has had Maine's number lately. It was nice to get back in the win column.

Maybe we'll get a March rematch...

Not trying to make excuses but UNH was without 2 of their forwards and played Hardowa (who is a d-man) as the 4th line center.

[Jacques "Rabbit" Poriveau]

Re: 2009-2010 UNH Wildcats Season

The Curse of Poriveau (posted on Jan 24)

Mon ami, I no you oping dat what eet is mais ave I beened posting on dis bord pour 20 year? Non mon ami I ain't been.

Da Curse de Dicks Umile iz zee probleme *ouch, dat one aint so eezy to feex is it my friend*

Ow you say en Anglais de commons dnomnator? 20 year divide by Dicks Umile = nutting

[JB]

Re: 2009-2010 UNH Wildcats Season

What bugs me is blowing early leads. Third game in a row that UNH blew a 2-goal lead (they led MC 2-0 and 3-1 at stages in the game last Saturday). They managed to sneak away with a W in the first game, but in all 3 the offense virtually disappeared. I know Braithwaite and Darling played great games, but the offense was there early, and then just evaporates. Very frustrating.

More frustrating than third in a row. In the last 6 UNH has had a 2 goal lead in 5 of the games. Record in those games 1 W, 2 OT W, 2 L. That means the 2 goal lead has been squandered 4 times in the last 6 games (the problem seems to start in the 2nd period each time).

That is more than a little problem, it is a trend...

[JB]

Re: 2009-2010 UNH Wildcats Season

I'm not trying to dismiss what Umile's done this year (I agree that he's done a fine job); nor do I think the team is going to collapse down the stretch. I just think a number of people got ahead of themselves when the team was doing well. I think the same of this team as I did back in November - should get home ice, might make the Garden, will possibly make the NCAAs as a low seed, and will probably lose in the first round. It's not the most cheerful outlook, but that's about all I think we can expect from this team. Maybe I'm wrong, and hopefully they exceed my expectations,

I disagree. From where this team started 2-6-2 that is a great outlook. I haven't counted but the number I heard was 15 freshman and sophomores. It is not all 1st and 2nd round talent like some young western schools. I started this year thinking home ice would be a long shot and I was determined to enjoy watching this team grow, I have and will.

[C-H-C]

Re: 2009-2010 UNH Wildcats Season

Mon ami, I no you oping dat what eet is mais ave I beened posting on dis bord pour 20 year? Non mon ami I ain't been.

Da Curse de Dicks Umile iz zee probleme *ouch, dat one aint so eezy to feex is it my friend*

Ow you say en Anglais de commons dnomnator? 20 year divide by Dicks Umile = nutting

It is obvious now what motivates Poriveau. In a perverse way, he is gratified when UNH loses because it bolsters his belief that Coach Umile is the problem.

[thecomicbookguy]

Re: 2009-2010 UNH Wildcats Season

The offense didn't just disappear. We didn't play so well in the second both nights but they didn't let up. We had some good chances but Maine played some great hockey this weekend.

I don't mean they weren't playing hard, I meant that the scoring disappeared. In the past 7 games, I think they've scored 3 third-period goals. And in that stretch they've blown 2-goal leads 5 times (as JB notes below). Not a good pattern.

More frustrating than third in a row. In the last 6 UNH has had a 2 goal lead in 5 of the games. Record in those games 1 W, 2 OT W, 2 L. That means the 2 goal lead has been squandered 4 times in the last 6 games (the problem seems to start in the 2nd period each time).

That is more than a little problem, it is a trend...

(quoted for use above)

I disagree. From where this team started 2-6-2 that is a great outlook. I haven't counted but the number I heard was 15 freshman and sophomores. It is not all 1st and 2nd round talent like some young western schools. I started this year thinking home ice would be a long shot and I was determined to enjoy watching this team grow, I have and will.

Fair enough, but you seem to be one of the few who's kept their expectations realistic.

[Jacques "Rabbit" Poriveau]

Re: 2009-2010 UNH Wildcats Season

It is obvious now what motivates Poriveau. In a perverse way, he is gratified when UNH loses because it bolsters his belief that Coach Umile is the problem.

So waht is the real probleme.

[C-H-C]

Re: 2009-2010 UNH Wildcats Season

So waht is the real probleme.

Krog hit the goalpost instead of the back of the net against UMaine in the '99 National Championship game. If that puck goes in, Umile's a hero, there's THE banner in the rafters at the Whitt, there's THE trophy in the now empty trophy case, and UNH fans would be more proud of the teams' accomplishments over the last 10 years. Instead, Shawn Walsh became a legendary figure, fans of opposing teams get their jollies by ridiculing the "university of no hardware," and many UNH fans can't overcome the recurring negative attitude that their team, coaches and future recruits aren't good enough.

[Mosrite]

Re: 2009-2010 UNH Wildcats Season

Krog hit the goalpost instead of the back of the net against UMaine in the '99 National Championship game.

If I remember correctly--and not to nitpick---I believe that it was John Sadowski's shot that hit the goalpost?

Other than that, your post nailed it. The '99 championship game has been UNH's cross to bear.

[C-H-C]

Re: 2009-2010 UNH Wildcats Season

If I remember correctly--and not to nitpick---I believe that it was John Sadowski's shot that hit the goalpost?

"Men of a certain age" tend to have memory problems. You're probably correct. I have a VCR tape of that game buried somewhere in the house. Someday, I'll dig it up and refresh my memory (and try not to cry in my beer).

[Gibber]

Re: 2009-2010 UNH Wildcats Season

If I remember correctly--and not to nitpick---I believe that it was John Sadowski's shot that hit the goalpost?

Other than that, your post nailed it. The '99 championship game has been UNH's cross to bear.

Sadowski had the puck in the crease and just needed to flip it over Alfie's outstretched paddle, Krog hit the post....

[zoofer]

Re: 2009-2010 UNH Wildcats Season

C-H-C, 3 of the best players we ever had, (and great teammates), I agree with your view of our hallowed Wildcats....why is it that no one cares that only UNH and Minnesota have made the NCAA's for the last 8/9 years...being in the top 10 every year isn't good enough! Aside from the funding differential that we battle....in '04' it was UNH, Cornell, Minnesota, and ???...realize that the Gross income for New England doesn't match up to the endowments of the other schools! If you want to look at failures, how does ND get an endowment of 100 million and not as well as UNH...inho!
With that diatribe over, in '99' I think it was the fact that the puck wrap around in OT that hit the ref at the blueline, to stay in the UNH zone, which then was sent to the player left alone in front of Conklin, was the killer. That and the fact that Alfie played the game of his career.

[Gibber]

Re: 2009-2010 UNH Wildcats Season

C-H-C, 3 of the best players we ever had, (and great teammates), I agree with your view of our hallowed Wildcats....why is it that no one cares that only UNH and Minnesota have made the NCAA's for the last 8/9 years...being in the top 10 every year isn't good enough! Aside from the funding differential that we battle....in '04' it was UNH, Cornell, Minnesota, and ???...realize that the Gross income for New England doesn't match up to the endowments of the other schools! If you want to look at failures, how does ND get an endowment of 100 million and not as well as UNH...inho!
With that diatribe over, in '99' I think it was the fact that the puck wrap around in OT that hit the ref at the blueline, to stay in the UNH zone, which then was sent to the player left alone in front of Conklin, was the killer. That and the fact that Alfie played the game of his career.

Michigan has by far the longest stretch of NCAA's followed by UNH. Michigan was also the other team in the FF in 03 with UNH, Cornell and Minny, Mich had the lead late in the game and Vanek tied it and then the Goph's won it in OT... I thought UNH matched up better with Michigan and had a better shot.... not having Gare in the FF hurt them big time too. That FF lost wasn't nearly as heartbreaking as 99....

[e.cat]

Re: 2009-2010 UNH Wildcats Season

With that diatribe over, in '99' I think it was the fact that the puck wrap around in OT that hit the ref at the blueline, to stay in the UNH zone, which then was sent to the player left alone in front of Conklin, was the killer. That and the fact that Alfie played the game of his career.

I would add to that list of reasons; NOETH the ECAC ref called a nightmare game for UNH. Umile had to be physically restrained by Lassonde several times on Noeth calls. I thought Dick was literally going jump the boards and kill the guy

"Men of a certain age" tend to have memory problems. You're probably correct. I have a VCR tape of that game buried somewhere in the house. Someday, I'll dig it up and refresh my memory (and try not to cry in my beer).

I would pay you for a copy of that tape. The offer is good also for anybody who has copies of the "79 ECAC Championship and the two Hockey East Championship games.

[Fishman'81]

Re: 2009-2010 UNH Wildcats Season

(Though, maybe it's not just UNH fans guilty of this: I had to listen to the Maine broadcast of Friday night's game, and you'd think AIC was beating Miami the way they roared about Maine "knocking off" UNH. )

I agree that it sucks to listen to the opponents homers call a win for their team...But every college hockey fan in the country considered the Maine sweep an upset of considerable magnitude.(Us included.)

UNH is as consistently excellent as any program in the nation.So they haven't won the big one yet;it'll come.'Least you Cat fans find your team in the mix every year.Try a couple of years like the past two Maine had on for size,if you want to feel true despair!