UNH At The Starting Gate....

[i'zonprize]

Re: UNH At The Starting Gate....

I'm wondering if DeSimone is the right fit on that line. I don't know who else you'd put up there, but I think that line is mainly Sislo and Thompson, and DiSimone is just there by default.

That's a good point- Thought DeSimone as a very capable, even exciting at times with the puck - I mean he'll set a personal best for assists this yr- and points too perhaps. What's so bad about that right? But w/ 10g's last yr, I thought he'd be a shoe in for 10+ this yr too, but 5? Even if you are dishing the puck out(and he is), that puts a lot of pressure on the other 2 to score(and they do). Anyway, I guess I'm going out of my way to find fault with one of the very best lines in the country. I just think, seeing him and Sislo find the back of the net a bit more keeps the D a bit more honest. Thompson nearly has 20assists for the second yr in a row-- he knows how to dish the puck!

On a side note-- Merrimack jumps past UNH in PWR last night- I know DeCosta gets a lot of attention but Cannata is the real deal in net as well. Very solid.

You might not think it, but I am routing for UNH tonight- as always!!

[C-H-C]

Re: UNH At The Starting Gate....

On a side note-- Merrimack jumps past UNH in PWR last night- I know DeCosta gets a lot of attention but Cannata is the real deal in net as well. Very solid.

My brother and I were very surprised that Cannata didn't get the first star - or any star, for that matter. He was the difference.

[goblue]

Re: UNH At The Starting Gate....

the game was over before it even started

...

l]

Oh, and BC has had better luck against MC this year?

[Darius]

Re: UNH At The Starting Gate....

Hoping we get hot, making sure I enjoy the ride as long as it lasts. Tonight will reveal a lot about the 'cats and also about HE and the NCAAs. No easy games (are there ever?) remain except maybe UML as each team we play is fighting for something. If we slip up a bit and ME doesn't completely implode, we could see them in the HE quarters.

[jackieg]

Re: UNH At The Starting Gate....

Da Costa can score goals but he is more of a playmaker with great puck handling skills. He didn't stand out as much last night as he did the first game @ UNH. His parents are in from Paris to watch him play this weekend, it's a shame he'll be in the stands sitting next to them for tonight's game.

I thought it was lousy when UNH fans sent boos towards Da Costa when he was carried off the ice at the end of the game.

I saw the play, Da Costa was going through center ice and was trying to avoid contact by #39. Da Costa made a move and #39 extended to make contact.

['MackFan]

Re: UNH At The Starting Gate....

Da Costa can score goals but he is more of a playmaker with great puck handling skills. He didn't stand out as much last night as he did the first game @ UNH. His parents are in from Paris to watch him play this weekend, it's a shame he'll be in the stands sitting next to them for tonight's game.

I thought it was lousy when UNH fans sent boos towards Da Costa when he was carried off the ice at the end of the game.

I saw the play, Da Costa was going through center ice and was trying to avoid contact by #39. Da Costa made a move and #39 extended to make contact.

that's exactly what I saw too

[billb]

Re: UNH At The Starting Gate....

I'm really hoping against hope tonight that UNH can turn the tables on Merrimack tonight. Merrimack is a going concern. A sweep this weekend does not bode well for the post-season tournaments for UNH.

[WildShawn]

Re: UNH At The Starting Gate....

I'm really hoping against hope tonight that UNH can turn the tables on Merrimack tonight. Merrimack is a going concern. A sweep this weekend does not bode well for the post-season tournaments for UNH.

hoping against hope that you'll chime in one of these years after a victory and not just a loss...

Actually scratch that. Who cares.

[thecomicbookguy]

Re: UNH At The Starting Gate....

Nice job by UNH to comeback at the start of the 3rd. Too bad that was about all they had in them. Tons of unforced errors, sloppy play, and just terrible decisions. Against some teams, they can get away with that. Against a team like MerrimacK? They were lucky to take that game into OT.

Also, Thompson, I don't care how blatant you thought a play was, get off the * ice! Umile should have had him serve his own bone-headed penalty.

I thought it was lousy when UNH fans sent boos towards Da Costa when he was carried off the ice at the end of the game.

Can't speak for the rest of the fans, but the student section (and those in that area) was booing the Merrimack players who came over and taunted the fans. Happened as DaCosta was being helped off, so I can see the confusion there.

[Gibber]

Re: UNH At The Starting Gate....

More experimenting with Time Lapse Friday night from 6PM-post game.

[thecomicbookguy]

Re: UNH At The Starting Gate....

More thoughts on last night's game, with the benefit of some cooling down time: UNH came out strong, much better than Friday night, and generated some offensive pressure. Merrimack, however, clogs the front of the net very well, and UNH never really tested that, instead simply passing around the perimeter and trying to fire shots through bodies. Shockingly, this didn't work. UNH's first goal came from crashing the net. The second was a one-timer (an actual, shoot-as-it-gets-to-you one-timer). Other than that, we saw the typical "hold the puck while the defense gets in position" stuff that UNH seems to enjoy.

UNH was exposed this weekend. They don't seem to have the team speed to skate with fast teams (who's worried about the BC weekend?), and don't seem to know how to beat a team that plays physical with solid defensive positioning. Here's hoping Umile can work on some of this over the next few weeks. I think UNH has enough talent to beat teams like this, but they don't seem to know how to utilize it properly on the ice.

[Greg Ambrose]

Re: UNH At The Starting Gate....

UNH was exposed this weekend. They don't seem to have the team speed to skate with fast teams (who's worried about the BC weekend?), and don't seem to know how to beat a team that plays physical with solid defensive positioning. Here's hoping Umile can work on some of this over the next few weeks. I think UNH has enough talent to beat teams like this, but they don't seem to know how to utilize it properly on the ice.

Well, if they don't have any team speed, there's not much Umile can do to correct it. Friday night I think what happened is, after Goumas got hurt, he slotted Burke on the second line. He can't keep up with Moses and Borisenok, so it slowed down the whole line. In that game, UNH came out flat footed. They recovered in the second half of the first period and did a good job for most of the second. They had their chances but didn't bury any of them. Last night the early PP's exposed what is wrong with UNH. As we all know, they like to pass the puck around the perimeter and get a shot off from one of the face-off dots. With Merrimack, in that rink, it is not going to work. When they finally scored in the third, the first goal was in a scrum at the crease, and the second was from in close. I would hope that this is the way we will play going forward. Every game will probably be decided in Andy Brickley's "dirty areas," not in the perimeter. That is what, IMO, Umile has to get across.

[thecomicbookguy]

Re: UNH At The Starting Gate....

Well, if they don't have any team speed, there's not much Umile can do to correct it. Friday night I think what happened is, after Goumas got hurt, he slotted Burke on the second line. He can't keep up with Moses and Borisenok, so it slowed down the whole line. In that game, UNH came out flat footed.

I was referring more to speed on the blue line. I think it's been a problem all year (Michigan was blowing our d-men away; I was amazed by the number and ease of their odd-man rushes). And no, you can't coach speed, but there are ways to neutralize it. The coaches need to recognize the team's deficiencies, and find ways to mitigate them. Perhaps playing more physically?

[Darius]

Re: UNH At The Starting Gate....

Already reflecting on this year’s ’cats in a way usually reserved for the post season. We have been trending down or more accurately many are improving and we are not. The ME game in Orono seems like it was played in 2003 (and by that team) not two months ago.

We do not currently have the offensive mentality to beat solid defensive teams nor the snipers to beat good goaltenders. Coupled with good, but not great team defense and too many turnovers we have a tough time against good defensive opponents with better than average offenses.

There is time to work things out. As previously suggested maybe line up changes are in order. I am not sure changing the 2nd or 3rd lines makes sense. Coach Umile is unlikely to move DeSimone to the 4th line; it is late in the season for him to make big changes, likely nothing more than 4th line changes will occur.

Winning two at VT is not a given, nor is four points against NU. BC? Ouch. Obviously anything can happen, but with last year in mind winning a quarter final series is not a given. Assuming we do, anything more in the HE tournament is a bonus. Short of a complete collapse we will make the NCAA’s (3 seed?), but advancing to the second round? Another bonus. Who knows, maybe we will be able to sneak up on some opponents?

The final numbers will likely show this as another average UNH 20 win season that many programs aspire to, but it will be disappointing based on our first half performance.

Listening to Saturday’s radio broadcast, the ultimate solution became obvious during a break when I heard the Merrimack PA playing…. Black Betty!

[zoofer]

Re: UNH At The Starting Gate....

Maybe I'm a glutten for punishment but I always thought that you could learn more from a loss then to just keep sweeping the teams as the season goes by...i for one thought that UNH played to different games as needed on 2 differing surfaces...assuming the media has the numbers correct, if you throw 80 shots to the net, with only 40 finding home, and 17 off net, then you learn, from it...to say that UNH has no speed would be a surprise to Maine....and remember we did beat a fast BC earlier....I don't like a sweep but i like that instead of heading up to UVM with everything going okay, we now have the players thinkiing that they've got to be more than good, they have to impose their game on strong teams....teams that are the real deal....so let's go with the treasure from trash theory UNH'ers and stop whining....on another thought, I noticed the other day that UNH has never been the #1 seed in the regionals...is that good, (soyou play the night before and are hot), or get the highest seed and sit till the finals.....thoughts....