UNH Wildcats 2018-2019: Souza the Opportunity or Louza the Opportunity

[Dan]

I don't necessarily disagree, Dan … but we don't have to think too hard to remember back when UNH was swimming high in uncharted waters, and it didn't always work out too well. There is no institutional experience in their program at this point, so unless their talent is overwhelming - and I saw them eke out a last second win over a mediocre BC at home the other night, so that's a possibility - I think we're overrating their postseason prospects just a little bit. I like the looks of both Providence and Lowell on that basis alone.

Yes, but as you well know UNH continued to cough up winnable games well after garnering notable post-season experience. So who could say for sure if 'playoff inexperience' was ever a factor in early post-season shortcomings for UNH...

I think if UMass does get bitten by inexperience it will likely happen further down the line - the first round of league playoffs (the only round that isn't a one-off, giving them a margin for error) against an eight-seed doesn't look like much of a speed bump to me...

More importantly I hate the match-up - they'll lure UNH into the Wildcats preferred style of play (offensive and up-tempo) and they're just far better playing that style right now. NU brings the same nightmare match-up but they're not as talented as UMass...

UML and PC are much more likely to keep the score down and give UNH a chance to hang around in games. PC has been so much better than UNH the last few years - but UNH is always playing close games with the Friars. I also think that up until last weekend, PC has underachieved its talent much of the year...

With the standings so jumbled any combination of first round match-ups seems possible. I like UNH's chances as at least a toss-up against BU, BC or ME. Right now, I think they have a shot (though a longer shot) versus PC and NU. I don't think they can beat UML (who should recover fine from this weekend) or UMass...

But we'll learn a lot about UNH and potential match-ups over the next three weeks. UNH has been playing weak competition for much of the second half. Finally, we'll see them against legit measuring stick competition. They'll have a chance to both prove their surge is for real and to set themselves up for a favorable post-season match-up...

[msprice]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2018-2019: Souza the Opportunity or Louza the Opportunity

https://www.nbcsports.com/philadelph...ey-day-america

Great piece on JVR.

[HockeyRef]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2018-2019: Souza the Opportunity or Louza the Opportunity

Coach Souza has had more postseason "experiences" as a player than Coach Carvel has had as a coach.

Just sayin' …

Good point there Chuck. Think Dan spelled out their (UMass) superiority and we'd rather not play them but...getting into the thing in the first place is a goal I had for them at the beginning so that's a good place to start. On another note, I really like the articles that have been showing up about Coach Souza in the Seacoastonline about his composure and how much he values the job. The team has embraced their 'never give up' mantra and resilience. They will be tested these next few and I can't wait to see how they respond! Go SouzaCats!

[HockeyRef]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2018-2019: Souza the Opportunity or Louza the Opportunity

Yes, but as you well know UNH continued to cough up winnable games well after garnering notable post-season experience. So who could say for sure if 'playoff inexperience' was ever a factor in early post-season shortcomings for UNH...

I think if UMass does get bitten by inexperience it will likely happen further down the line - the first round of league playoffs (the only round that isn't a one-off, giving them a margin for error) against an eight-seed doesn't look like much of a speed bump to me...

More importantly I hate the match-up - they'll lure UNH into the Wildcats preferred style of play (offensive and up-tempo) and they're just far better playing that style right now. NU brings the same nightmare match-up but they're not as talented as UMass...

UML and PC are much more likely to keep the score down and give UNH a chance to hang around in games. PC has been so much better than UNH the last few years - but UNH is always playing close games with the Friars. I also think that up until last weekend, PC has underachieved its talent much of the year...

With the standings so jumbled any combination of first round match-ups seems possible. I like UNH's chances as at least a toss-up against BU, BC or ME. Right now, I think they have a shot (though a longer shot) versus PC and NU. I don't think they can beat UML (who should recover fine from this weekend) or UMass...

But we'll learn a lot about UNH and potential match-ups over the next three weeks. UNH has been playing weak competition for much of the second half. Finally, we'll see them against legit measuring stick competition. They'll have a chance to both prove their surge is for real and to set themselves up for a favorable post-season match-up...

Good synopsis of what's up with Umass and beyond Dan thanks..The stats you posted laid out their strengths. Will be really interesting to see how far they get this season..

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2018-2019: Souza the Opportunity or Louza the Opportunity

With the standings so jumbled any combination of first round match-ups seems possible. I like UNH's chances as at least a toss-up against BU, BC or ME. Right now, I think they have a shot (though a longer shot) versus PC and NU. I don't think they can beat UML (who should recover fine from this weekend) or UMass...

But we'll learn a lot about UNH and potential match-ups over the next three weeks. UNH has been playing weak competition for much of the second half. Finally, we'll see them against legit measuring stick competition. They'll have a chance to both prove their surge is for real and to set themselves up for a favorable post-season match-up...

Totally agree with the second part, these last 5 RS games for UNH will be interesting and revealing.

I won't belabor my point about the "new car smell" on UMass, we'll find that out soon enough too ...

[Snively65]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2018-2019: Souza the Opportunity or Louza the Opportunity

If we do not pick up any points in our final five games, our regular season record will be 11-15-8, one win and two ties better than regular season record last year. Yes, baby steps, but that is still improvement.

[d.gerry]

If we do not pick up any points in our final five games, our regular season record will be 11-15-8, one win and two ties better than regular season record last year. Yes, baby steps, but that is still improvement.

Improvement yes, but not sure that would qualify as improvement, more treading water IMO.

[HockeyRef]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2018-2019: Souza the Opportunity or Louza the Opportunity

Thinking this season wasn't going to be about the win/loss record. Think this season was about transition to something different and change doesn't happen overnight. The first part of the season was about acclimating new skaters into bigger roles than they might have expected but, they embraced and came along very well. Pierson, Crookshank, McKinnon, Esposito found their stride right away and that can't be easy in D1 Hockey. Blackburn sets National record with 15 game point streak. Other players assert themselves like Joe Sacco and Charlie Kelleher.

Excellent play by our Captain as tough as they come. New goal tender; proved he was capable and has the shutouts to prove it. Great wins this season over BC and Miami. Played from behind and WON on more than one occasion. Swept Merrimack and took 2 of 3 over UVM this season. So many of those 8 ties could've gone the other way to W's. Still a young team; took some lumps too along the way. No illusions about what we have, and what we face going in to the final stretch. I think they're ready to make some noise...

So let's see what happens. Big thing is the intensity level from the get - go this weekend. They have to know what they are up against and they need to push back just as hard or it's going to be a long couple of games. A big test time to put together all the good stuff and bring that up a couple of notches..let's see what you got 'Cats! Oh, and Snively and ATW, regardless of whether or not we hit the 13 win mark, I'd still buy you a beer...

[Snively65]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2018-2019: Souza the Opportunity or Louza the Opportunity

Thinking this season wasn't going to be about the win/loss record. Think this season was about transition to something different and change doesn't happen overnight. The first part of the season was about acclimating new skaters into bigger roles than they might have expected but, they embraced and came along very well. Pierson, Crookshank, McKinnon, Esposito found their stride right away and that can't be easy in D1 Hockey. Blackburn sets National record with 15 game point streak. Other players assert themselves like Joe Sacco and Charlie Kelleher.

Excellent play by our Captain as tough as they come. New goal tender; proved he was capable and has the shutouts to prove it. Great wins this season over BC and Miami. Played from behind and WON on more than one occasion. Swept Merrimack and took 2 of 3 over UVM this season. So many of those 8 ties could've gone the other way to W's. Still a young team; took some lumps too along the way. No illusions about what we have, and what we face going in to the final stretch. I think they're ready to make some noise...

So let's see what happens. Big thing is the intensity level from the get - go this weekend. They have to know what they are up against and they need to push back just as hard or it's going to be a long couple of games. A big test time to put together all the good stuff and bring that up a couple of notches..let's see what you got 'Cats! Oh, and Snively and ATW, regardless of whether or not we hit the 13 win mark, I'd still buy you a beer...

We need 14 wins for the free beers from Chuck, as the over/under is 13.5 wins.

I hope to be at the Whitt on Saturday night, assuming that I can get my usual gen admin ticket as a walk up.

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2018-2019: Souza the Opportunity or Louza the Opportunity

If we do not pick up any points in our final five games, our regular season record will be 11-15-8, one win and two ties better than regular season record last year. Yes, baby steps, but that is still improvement.

I'll say they'll snag at least 4 points out of the last 5 RS games.

These are not your Uncle Richie's die-at-the-end Wildcats …

[Aerman]

Improvement yes, but not sure that would qualify as improvement, more treading water IMO.

I already feel like I’m ahead of the game as I predicted eight wins.

That aside, my blue-colored take on improvement is that last year’s team tanked after the break (and a bit before) while this year’s version has looked better in the second half than the first. Sure, the competition has been soft lately, but they weren’t the Red Army last year either.

[Dan]

The reality is UNH is in a two year window with both their most talented teams in a while and the weakest HE level of play in decades. So some of this intangible success needs to start resulting in some tangible steps forward on the ice and in recruiting...

UNH is pretty much a lock to make the playoffs - as even a winless finish would force UConn and/or UVM to wind up 3-0-1 just to force a tiebreaker. More importantly a fifth-place finish is well-within their grasp with a strong finish and THAT is a tangible selling point to top talent. THAT would prove that UNH is on an upswing and make this an exciting program to be a part of moving forward...

Fail to pick up another point and then drop the first round at UMass? That is the smallest of baby steps and I bet a lot of the positivity would be sucked out of this board with eight-straight loses (or eight of nine) to finish this season. Suddenly we're not talking about eight ties that could be wins and a great win over Miami, but instead 8 more games they easily could have lost and a win over a Miami team that is 2-10-3 since that game. Losing out cannot happen...

This has been a great second half - opponents aside - but they have a chance to really make a statement and they need to make it. Two wins should be the minimum expectation - with 2-2-1 acceptable. Any better? All the better...

Recruits don't follow the program day in and day out like we do. Baby steps aren't going to carry as much weight with them. UNH needs to head into this summer with momentum and get some commitments. Next year they really need to capitalize on both the ice and the trail, with a team that should be home-ice competitive with or without Gildon. Because after that, current players start leaving in bunches and without an uptick in recruiting they could be stuck in neutral - or worse, right back where they were last year...

[Snively65]

I'll say they'll snag at least 4 points out of the last 5 RS games.

These are not your Uncle Richie's die-at-the-end Wildcats …

Four ties and a loss would give us a 11-11-12 record, an even 0.500, which just might give us 6th place, if other teams help us out. :-)

Would that record with 12 ties be a cup half empty or half full?

[UNH1932]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2018-2019: Souza the Opportunity or Louza the Opportunity

We need 14 wins for the free beers from Chuck, as the over/under is 13.5 wins.

I hope to be at the Whitt on Saturday night, assuming that I can get my usual gen admin ticket as a walk up.

I will leave a ticket for you at will call for Saturday game

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2018-2019: Souza the Opportunity or Louza the Opportunity

Four ties and a loss would give us a 11-11-12 record, an even 0.500, which just might give us 6th place, if other teams help us out. :-)

Would that record with 12 ties be a cup half empty or half full?

The Quest is dead & buried. The only thing ties hurt you with are those frosties you are so counting on.