UNH 2018-19: Souza The Opportunity

[Darius]

Re: UNH 2018-19: Souza The Opportunity

Neverett and Jaffe said Max's name yesterday more than any other players' name, including when Jaffe said that UMass, having seen Gildon earlier in the season, would be make adjustments and focus on him. Gildon will have to learn that other teams are going to try to frustrate him and how to deal with it. The increased attention will likely be a part of his decision to leave or return to UNH next season. Hopefully our other defense men will take some of the burden off Max.

[After the Whistle]

Re: UNH 2018-19: Souza The Opportunity

Hey I re-watch games all the time...Anyway...you could see he was visibly upset at certain periods of that game. So I'm not surprised if he just let them have it. Regardless, too bad the commentators made him look like this big bad whatever. No doubt he was targeted as all good players are. Wanna see some take downs of a darn good player?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXE7ODzOaIY

I had forgotten just how bad it got for Pots, especially after he and TK opened the year leading the nation in points. Can remember now just how brutal it was.

[After the Whistle]

Re: UNH 2018-19: Souza The Opportunity

Now that we all agree that UMass-Flagship is for real, who said "There are no moral victories in sport"? Extra credit for multiple answers.

Maybe only morale victories!? UMass is technically so good in system and structures.
Had the opportunity to watch Carvel up close and must say I am very impressed. He (and his assistants) talk to the team after nearly every shift. sometimes giving specific feedback and sometimes explaining how a play went and why, the good and bad. No yelling and plenty of positives. At TV timeouts he would draw up something to demonstrate what he wanted next. The whole team sits there giving him 100% attention. Heads bobbing to show they are listening. Folks it is working!

[e.cat]

Now that we all agree that UMass-Flagship is for real, who said "There are no moral victories in sport"? Extra credit for multiple answers.

Buffalo Bills fans and Chuck Murray!

[Scott]

Re: UNH 2018-19: Souza The Opportunity

Neverett and Jaffe said Max's name yesterday more than any other players' name, including when Jaffe said that UMass, having seen Gildon earlier in the season, would be make adjustments and focus on him. Gildon will have to learn that other teams are going to try to frustrate him and how to deal with it. The increased attention will likely be a part of his decision to leave or return to UNH next season. Hopefully our other defense men will take some of the burden off Max.

Guess that they will have no choice come this Friday night!

https://www.uscho.com/2018/11/19/hoc...against-umass/

Edit: Gutless call by "Mr. Bean"

[HockeyRef]

Re: UNH 2018-19: Souza The Opportunity

Guess that they will have no choice come this Friday night!

https://www.uscho.com/2018/11/19/hoc...against-umass/

Edit: Gutless call by "Mr. Bean"

( Groans) really????

[HockeyRef]

Re: UNH 2018-19: Souza The Opportunity

So I am trying to figure out the D pairs for Friday?

Wyse/Maass

Boyd/Verrier

Dawson/MacKinnon

[Ray Dorn]

Re: UNH 2018-19: Souza The Opportunity

I did not see the game on Sunday afternoon, but reading the recap of the game bad penalties were an issue again. I am sure the coaches will be working on special teams a lot this week during practices. The team has given up a lot of short-handed goals over the last three games.

The whole team needs to show better discipline and stay out of the penalty box. Gildon, maybe more than any other player needs to not get frustrated, stay focused and not take bad penalties. Hopefully, Max and the team will learn from his penalty and one game suspension. The players have already played at least 14 and maybe some closer to 18 years of organized hockey. Over those years each player probably were the best or one of the best players on a few of their teams. Being one of the best they received special attention from the opposing teams. All hockey players strive to play at the next level. When they are able to play at that next level they then strive to be one of the best at that level before moving on to the next level. Gildon needs to anticipate, plan for and embrace the extra attention from opposing teams and players as he continues to develop and improve as a hockey player. This extra attention will encompass being closely checked, being check extra hard, being slashed, being punched behind the play and being trashed talked. All great athletes have experienced this and gained motivation to perform even better.

[Snively65]

So I am trying to figure out the D pairs for Friday?

Wyse/Maass

Boyd/Verrier

Dawson/MacKinnon

Why was not Wyse suspended for the same following his 5-minute major and 10-minute game misconduct against Lowell?

[HockeyRef]

Re: UNH 2018-19: Souza The Opportunity

Why was not Wyse suspended for the same following his 5-minute major and 10-minute game misconduct against Lowell?

Because Gildon had contact with the head...? That's all I've got on it..

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH 2018-19: Souza The Opportunity

Neverett and Jaffe said Max's name yesterday more than any other players' name, including when Jaffe said that UMass, having seen Gildon earlier in the season, would be make adjustments and focus on him. Gildon will have to learn that other teams are going to try to frustrate him and how to deal with it. The increased attention will likely be a part of his decision to leave or return to UNH next season. Hopefully our other defense men will take some of the burden off Max.

If Gildon is this frustrated this early in the season, it does not bode well for his return next season. Sadly, it's things like these that make digging your program out of a hole even more challenging. Your top players ... if there's a decision to be made, and there isn't a sense of purpose and/or the outlook of playing meaningful games is grim, it's a lot easier to just throw your hands up in the air and leave. And if you don't have a critical mass of top players around, then attracting other top players gets more and more difficult.

It'll be interesting to see how UNH fares this weekend, without (then with) their most talented player on the ice.

I'll predict a surprise "backs against the wall" win on Friday, and another typical tough loss on Saturday.

Wishing all on the board a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday with those you care for most.

[HockeyRef]

Re: UNH 2018-19: Souza The Opportunity

Here's the skinny on the RedHawks from their website:

THE SERIES: The Wildcats hold a 6-5-1 lead in the all-time series, though this is the first meeting between the programs since the 2011 NCAA Tournament (3-1 New Hampshire win).

PUCK POINTS
• Miami's freshman class has combined for 33 points (6g, 27a), tied for fourth most in the country.

• The RedHawks' blue line has posted 35 points on 10 goals and 25 assists, a total that ranks seventh nationally.

• Junior goaltender Ryan Larkin has started 81 of Miami's 87 games since his freshman season in 2016-17. He has allowed two goals or fewer in 10 of 12 starts this year.

• Miami has allowed at least 30 shots on goal in five-straight games after doing so just twice in its first nine contests.

• All 26 of senior blue liner Grant Hutton's career goals have come since his sophomore year and his goal total is tied for the fifth most all-time among Miami defensemen. His 10 points (4g, 6a) are tied for sixth among NCAA blue liners (third in the NCHC).

• Senior forward Josh Melnick is six points shy of becoming Miami's 52nd player to hit 100 career points.

• A win would give Miami 10 victories prior to December for the first time since going 10-4 in the season's first two months in 2014-15.

Yep...we're gonna have our hands full! BTW it's 'autograph' night at the 'Whitt Friday night...Let's Go 'Cats!

[Darius]

Re: UNH 2018-19: Souza The Opportunity

NH College Hockey: UNH finds its top line:
http://www.unionleader.com/sports/co...425205b1f.html

[Dan]

Re: UNH 2018-19: Souza The Opportunity

It won’t be an easy weekend for a UNH team that cannot score goals up against a Miami team that ranks fifth in the nation in goals allowed at just 1.86 goals per game. Miami has allowed more than two goals in just four of 14 contests, posting three shutouts and allowing one goal or less half the time.

Now, Miami has not played a murderer’s row schedule to date – their nine wins and staunch defensive performance includes a pair of wins over Alabama Huntsville and another win against Mercyhurst. In those three games they allowed one goal combined. That certainly contributes to their gaudy defensive numbers. That said, they do have a win over North Dakota on their resume as well…

Against common opponents, Miami is 3-1-0 with a sweep of Colgate by a combined score of 10-1 (versus UNH’s 2-4 output) and a split at Colorado College (1-2 & 3-2). In three match-ups with Hockey East opponents Miami is just 1-2-0, falling to Providence, 3-0, and splitting at UMass-Lowell (0-3, 2-1). The RedHawks have split three-straight conference series heading into this weekend, with Omaha, North Dakota and CC.

Miami’s defensive success starts in net with Ryan Larkin – who is a three-year starter with a lot of experience and has gotten better each season. At 6-0, Larkin is superb athlete and really competes for pucks. In the past, his problems have stemmed from a tendency to kick rebounds right back into prime scoring areas. UNH will have to follow their shots and hunt loose pucks if they want to snap their scoring drought this weekend.

When Larkin plays, Miami is even better defensively – he has posted a .941 SPCT and a 1.67 GAA so far this season. If Miami is playing well in front of Larkin or if he’s controlling his rebounds, it could be a long weekend for the Wildcat offense…

Miami, after struggling for two seasons, made a lot of hard decisions last off-season, firing both assistant coaches and cutting nearly 10 skaters. They overhauls were particularly notable on defense where they regularly play three newcomers – a pair of FR and Dartmouth graduate transfer River Rymsha. Two mainstays from last season (juniors Frederic and Switzer have played just three games between them).

The top-3 defenseman include the aforementioned Grant Hutton and a couple of FR in Derek Dashke (3-8-11), and offensive minded defenseman, and the more stay-at-home Bray Crowder. Miami poached both defensive recruits from Omaha, late in the process, after hiring Manino early last summer.

Hutton is their Max Gildon – a terrific skater with good size and a minute muncher. He will be on the ice in all key situations and is especially dangerous on the PP. They’ll look to set him up for slap-shots and one-timers and he has a great shot. He especially loves to walk down to the top of the slot between the circles and bomb away. He’ll probably skate with Rourke Russell who is just a picture of steadiness, a smooth skater and the perfect defenseman to play with the offensive-minded Hutton. The type of D-man UNH is currently missing to pair with Gildon which would allow him to really flourish.

Dashke is a real nice young player who has made the seamless transition to NCAA Hockey. He’s provided the bulk of Miami’s FR scoring from the blueline – with the rest being made up by quantity more than any early-career quality.

The other three regular defensemen can be had – the first three will play a lot, but UNH needs to target and attack the bottom three whenever possible. Sinard is a big freshman still learning how to move around the college rink – he may struggle on the big ice in Durham (and I wouldn’t be surprised if he doesn’t play as a result). Mahalek is a risk-taking offensive guy – and he’s just OK at that. He gets beat back up ice a lot and can be a defensive liability versus speedy forwards. He plays to play on the PP. Rymsha is the same average player he was at Dartmouth.

Offensively, Miami is top-heavy – but their top is really strong – especially when they get support from their more gifted offensive defensemen. Gordie Green is Miami’s most dangerous player and Josh Melnick is not far behind (as referenced above he is closing in on 100 points). Both are averaging near a point per game this season. Green has 6-6—12, with a knack for scoring big goals, and Melnick has posted 4-9—13.

This line and this team would be much more dangerous – and perhaps a consistent top-10 team if they hadn’t blown it with Carson Meyer. If you don’t know the story, google it – but fair warning, its gross. To sum it up, Meyer after a big FR year struggled as a SO with an illness no one could diagnose. He’s now at Ohio State and among their top scoring players…

An interesting aside for Josh Melnick, he was originally set to go to Princeton before changing his mind late (and able to do so only due to no NLI’s at Ivy League schools). What a recruiting class for Princeton – Verroneau, Kufner, Teves may already be the best recruited trio in the country, when looking back after four years, but add Melnick - he would be equally as dynamic playing with the other two forwards - and, Wow. If Ron Fogarty can reload after he loses this class, he should be on the radar of any bigger school looking for a head coach in the near future…

Karch Bachman is Miami’s other dangerous threat – he’ll play on the second line with a mix of linemates. He is a BIG BOY with some skill and he’ll go to the net hard. UNH cannot let him camp out like they did with Bowers…

The rest of the forward group is a mix of talented players who are extremely inconsistent in Knies, Lown and Gilling (these three should really produce more than they do), freshmen still finding their way in Gruden, Hawkinson, Corbett and Graham and role players. When Miami gets offense from these players, and doesn’t have to rely solely on its top-tandem, they’re really tough to beat. Knies and Gilling are especially capable and can be really good when they bring their best games…

Miami is a MUCH better team this year than the last couple, its been an impressive turnaround, but they still have a long way to go and lack consistency. Blasi has probably saved his job for the time being after being under the gun at the end of last year. I predicted a split at the beginning of the year and that is still very possible for UNH.

Without Gildon, scoring will be much more difficult for the Wildcats against what has been a very good defensive team this year, however. It will be interesting to see if UNH is forced to find offense from other sources of if their two-goal (one from Max) offense sputters even more. Miami will definitely be coming into Durham thinking sweep, but they have been a very hard team to predict the last few years. Not only whether they win or lose, but whether they play well or not, score a bunch or not, allow a bunch or not. Anything goes this weekend, I’d imagine. If I had to guess, I’d predict a pair of low-scoring games, with UNH either splitting or at least grabbing one tie. Miami could sweep – it wouldn’t surprise me at all. A UNH sweep certainly would be a surprise, at least to me…

[Snively65]

Re: UNH 2018-19: Souza The Opportunity

Yup, a UNH sweep would surprise me, too, given we have not done so since a year ago October, right?

I predict a tie on Friday without Max and a win on Saturday with Max. How is that for optimism, from one who predicted more than 13.5 wins at the beginning of the season?