UNH Wildcats 2013-14 Season Thread (Part 2)

[HawkUnderground]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2013-14 Season Thread (Part 2)

NU and UNH are soft , im sure Providence and Lowell would love to play either as opposed to Maine or UVM.

UML wouldn't mind playing UNH again, just from season results. I would guess with NU however that the riverhawks wouldn't be looking too forward to playing other than trying to gain some revenge.

[e.cat]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2013-14 Season Thread (Part 2)

I don't. But I do expect to win in two.

FWIW, NU has not been the same team since the Beanpot, or, since the Ferriero brothers quit the team.

Fair enough. Agree it would be an upset for the Irish to take two and also agree NU def has fallen. No easy games though even still.

I think with ND's stingy D , they will steal one game , and nesn will keep their trucks in Boston

You're probably right 82.

[HHound]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2013-14 Season Thread (Part 2)

I don't. But I do expect to win in two.

FWIW, NU has not been the same team since the Beanpot, or, since the Ferriero brothers quit the team.

Agree with the first part of your statement. Disagree with the second. Possibly an addition by subtraction. Neither Ferriero had made any positive contribution to the team this year. Cody was expected to produe 12-15 goals this year. He had 3, and had taken more penalties than total points, when Saracino rang bell. He had his chance in the BP and accomplished more nothing. Big disappointment. No effect on the lost weekend with bu that gift wrapped UNH 4th place and its home games.

Here's an thought: Just maintain the idea that NU is a soft opponent. Mention it to your friends on the team. Remind them that they can score on the NU D whenever they need a goal. Witt is overrated and has peaked. Do that!

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2013-14 Season Thread (Part 2)

You don't think Maine is soft? They haven't won a game against a team not named "Merrimack" in over a month.

Agreed. UMaine has (I believe?) one road win all season, and given a chance to seal the deal on home ice and a bye into the QF's at home against PC, they gacked up a pair ... and now we're to believe they will finally discover their real form on the road ... against the Friars??? As I said after the RS dust settled weekend before last, UMaine's choke down the stretch rid us all of any preconceptions or assumptions Red Gendron was bringing back the "glory days" of Walshy to the Downeast. I don't see that changing this weekend.

UMaine isn't "your father's UMaine" anymore, and hasn't been for some time now. if anything, UMaine IS "your father's UNH" on a good day, and have arguably dropped from their previous perch more precipitously than has UNH.

Putting aside the NU vs. UNH match-up ... the only upset I really give ANY chance of happening would be UVM vs. UMass-Lowell, and if there is a 1% chance of a ND upset of BC, and a 10-15% chance of UMaine over PC, I don't give UVM anything better than a 25% shot at advancing past Lowell. UNH *should* beat NU, but if they do, I expect it to be the full 3 games, AND there'll be at least one meltdown on this thread at some point this weekend about UNH possibly not advancing, like we saw when Les Habitants d'Merrimack were skating circles around the 'Cats in the RS finale. It will make for "appointment reading" for sure, noo doot aboot it, eh?

[unh1982]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2013-14 Season Thread (Part 2)

Agree with the first part of your statement. Disagree with the second. Possibly an addition by subtraction. Neither Ferriero had made any positive contribution to the team this year. Cody was expected to produe 12-15 goals this year. He had 3, and had taken more penalties than total points, when Saracino rang bell. He had his chance in the BP and accomplished more nothing. Big disappointment. No effect on the lost weekend with bu that gift wrapped UNH 4th place and its home games.

Here's an thought: Just maintain the idea that NU is a soft opponent. Mention it to your friends on the team. Remind them that they can score on the NU D whenever they need a goal. Witt is overrated and has peaked. Do that!

if you looked further on earlier threads we consider UNH soft as well . This will go three and its a toss up , and UNH has like a 500 record on their ice .

[sterlippo1]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2013-14 Season Thread (Part 2)

Just curious. Do you think ND is a soft draw?

it is the worst draw for a #1 seed in a conference in recent memory. ND is in no way shape or form a soft draw. This will be one tough series

[sterlippo1]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2013-14 Season Thread (Part 2)

Agree with the first part of your statement. Disagree with the second.!

FiveHole12 is pulling your leg

[unh1982]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2013-14 Season Thread (Part 2)

it is the worst draw for a #1 seed in a conference in recent memory. ND is in no way shape or form a soft draw. This will be one tough series

absolutely , the worst I have ever seen , not to mention their current ranking . Thinking back years ago UNH was a one seed facing BU an eight seed ,however they were nothing close to the caliber of ND this year .

[FiveHole12]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2013-14 Season Thread (Part 2)

Agree with the first part of your statement. Disagree with the second. Possibly an addition by subtraction. Neither Ferriero had made any positive contribution to the team this year. Cody was expected to produe 12-15 goals this year. He had 3, and had taken more penalties than total points, when Saracino rang bell. He had his chance in the BP and accomplished more nothing. Big disappointment. No effect on the lost weekend with bu that gift wrapped UNH 4th place and its home games.

Here's an thought: Just maintain the idea that NU is a soft opponent. Mention it to your friends on the team. Remind them that they can score on the NU D whenever they need a goal. Witt is overrated and has peaked. Do that!

Well, first of all, I'm a BC fan, so me talking to the team ain't gonna help ya.

Second... I never said NU was soft, just that they weren't the same team since the Beanpot. Re: Ferriero contribution... I have no idea, but there may have been some contribution/positive team chemistry that is now missing.
Re: Witt... has allowed 19 goals in his last 5 starts. That's a 3.80 gaa. If that continues, UNH will feast. You better hope DeSmith sucks more.

[HockeyRef]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2013-14 Season Thread (Part 2)

it's a soft draw

Soft or not, we'll take it. Those are our cards; how we play this hand depends on our preparedness and can we push back if and when pushed. Home ice...that's a great thing and I'm glad we have it. Can the team embrace it to the max? I hope so! (yeah, I know how it's gone at the 'Whit this season) UNH CAN beat NU and I believe they can do it in 2. Question is: which team shows up to play? Reading the Fosters story today about the series gives me hope that the 'Cats are hungry for this one and know that coming out 'flat' isn't going to cut it...there are no second chances and a trip to the Garden and maybe, just maybe...a NCAA bid, is on the line. Doubt this is lost on anyone! Am I glad we aren't playing BC in this round? Heck yeah!

BTW that tough schedule we played? Those were our cards too..can't look at another team at this point and say they don't belong in the NCAA's based on their schedule. Or, maybe you can. Cream usually rises to the top in most circumstances and I suspect "cawlidge hawkey" is no different... At any rate... Bring it 'Cats!!

[e.cat]

it is the worst draw for a #1 seed in a conference in recent memory. ND is in no way shape or form a soft draw. This will be one tough series

Right. I think what some people are missing, not you necessarily, is that fact that HE is such a tough league. If you do not show up ready to go, night in and night out, you're going to get an arse whoopin'. UNH not excluded from this. They have, by their own admission on occasion, not showed up ready to go in some games.

There are likely going to be some surprises in the gf's. ND is the most probable candidate for an upset over BC but there are others as well. We shall see. The fun part will be seeing how this all plays out. Fasten your seatbelt!

[unh1982]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2013-14 Season Thread (Part 2)

folks played around with the simulator UNH is screwed as far as NCAA play unless we run the table . I thought we had lots of movement with a sweep but does absolutely nothing , well a few spots . So I guess just a trip to Boston will be the highlight if that happens .

[HockeyRef]

folks played around with the simulator UNH is screwed as far as NCAA play unless we run the table . I thought we had lots of movement with a sweep but does absolutely nothing , well a few spots . So I guess just a trip to Boston will be the highlight if that happens .

I think most of us are prepared for that honestly and aren't kidding ourselves about this reality! I am so hopeful the boys can get past NU and skate in the Garden! Given the season with its ups and downs this would be enough. Has to be? Sadly the numbers stack up against you eventually! Who knows...Bring it 'Cats!

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2013-14 Season Thread (Part 2)

it is the worst draw for a #1 seed in a conference in recent memory. ND is in no way shape or form a soft draw. This will be one tough series

We can dress it up however you like, but Notre Dame is still the #8 team in Hockey East. I said they were overrated during the week leading up to their sweep by UNH, and I'll say it again here and now. Just because they beat BC in the RS finale when the game meant absolutely zip, zero, nada to BC, but carried some valuable PWR points to ND, all of a sudden we have this contingent of fans (or at least e-cat anyway ) who suddenly think BC is going to struggle to get out of the QF. Please. Keep in mind ...

* ND played almost twice as many home games (22) as road games (12), with one neutral site
* ND played/beat Alabama Huntsville about 9 times this season (OK - I exaggerated - *only* 3)
* ND split with Minnesota (2 home games) and BC (see above; meaningless RS finale for BC)
* Other than Minnesota and the Huntsville Red Army, ND's other non-conference opponents was littered with nothing more than teams hovering around .500 like Western Michigan, Michigan Tech, Minnesota-Duluth and Lake State - not exactly "running the gauntlet"

Teams that Notre Dame finished behind in Hockey East: soft teams like NU, UNH, UMaine and UVM

Somehow I think BC will find a way to squeak past this *vaunted* foe ...

[FiveHole12]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2013-14 Season Thread (Part 2)

ND is the most probable candidate for an upset over BC but there are others as well.

So, are you saying you think BC is overrated, or, they're a bunch of lucky bahstards?