UNH Wildcats 2016-17 -- We're Going to Have a Hockey Season Here!!

[wildcatdc]

That's actually a pretty good take, Snively. UNH's own status as a "cupcake" can't be overlooked.



Agree and disagree. I didn't see last night's game ... but in the Bentley game, while UNH piled up a lot of shots, the quality of the shots weren't that great, and those that were quality chances were often shot right at their goalie. That's not an "all world" goalie beating you, that's p!$$ poor finishing and beating yourself. Maybe last night was different? Sounds like more on here were impressed with this kid than with the Bentley goalie.

As far as the whole "trap" game concept ... correct me if I'm wrong here, but to be a "trap" victim, you have to be a clearly superior team that's looking past an opponent to a more challenging game(s) to follow. This was Sacred frickin' Heart at home, a cupcake if ever there was one ... and we are to believe UNH was looking past them due to the all-imposing powerhouse coming to town tonight that is ... Mercyhurst???



I absolutely positively would have classified tonight's Mercyhurst game as the more likely "trap" game - assuming UNH beat SHU and was looking ahead to the BC game on Tuesday. The best description of UNH's performance last night (pretty much by unanimous agreement) wasn't "trap", but another 4 letter word that rhymes with "trap".

Agreed. We have no trap games anymore. Sad.

[Snively65]

No, we are watching the same games. From basically the same spot, as you know, Snively. I'm just a few rows up from you.

Didn't see you last night, so I'm not sure if you were there, but I think DB's comments were spot on, with regards to last night, anyway.

I absolutely agree with you (and held back in my previous post so as not to seem overly negative) that Salvaggio and McNicholas have generally not appeared to be providing a whole lot of support. If you go back just a few posts, I was clear on what I thought of our first line in relation to our frosh line. I think TyK (as Darius alludes to), feels like he needs to do more on his own than he'd like to.

Nope, not there last night, nor tonight. Three games that I have seen were all Saturday nights, Bentley, CC, and Mac, I think. But, despite changes in centermen on the first line, and various D-men on the ice, the clogging up of the offensive zone along the boards just inside TyK's blueline by too many of our own players was unmistakable. I am not referring to scums for lose pucks in corners, but out near the blue line, where our players should be spread out, rather than constantly banging into a each other. I think that the main reason the "first" line (not to be confused with the senior checking line) was so productive during the first half of last season was that TyK's linemates got themselves open to receive his passes, sometimes next to an open net. Anyway, I guess that we all see different things going on in a game.

[Snively65]

Agreed. We have no trap games anymore. Sad.

I think that UML and Quinnipiac still play decent neutral zone traps, harder to do on the wide sheet.

[e.cat]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016-17 -- We're Going to Have a Hockey Season Here!!

Speaking of OT....I would like to see college hockey adopt the NHL rules regarding OT. Each team getting a point after a tie in regulation, then go to a 4 × 4 OT and then a shootout if necessary.

[HockeyRef]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016-17 -- We're Going to Have a Hockey Season Here!!

Speaking of OT....I would like to see college hockey adopt the NHL rules regarding OT. Each team getting a point after a tie in regulation, then go to a 4 × 4 OT and then a shootout if necessary.

Hmmm on that I thought that this summer it was going to a 4 by 4 but it got voted down?

[scoreboard]

BTW, I got a tweet that Obama will be at the Whit Monday stumping for HRC. He11 I could go see Beyonce if she was coming. Obama not so much, although he'll probably pack the place. Just sayin'

Fitting, another loser showing up at the Whittemore.

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016-17 -- We're Going to Have a Hockey Season Here!!

Fitting, another loser showing up at the Whittemore.

With you on that one!

[norbert]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016-17 -- We're Going to Have a Hockey Season Here!!

I think we made their goalie look all-world tonight. We couldn't pick anything up in the scrums in front of the net, and there were many. McNicholas missed a GAPING net at one point as well.

HR is right. It looked like we took Ambien for the second period. Embarrassing.

Nazarian was back in the ice late in the game, so that was good. How that was not called, I just don't get it. The two players were middle of the ice, on the blue line, with nobody around, when the SHU player ran Naz.

Interestingly, I think our fourth line actually woke the team up midway through the third with a couple of pressing, scrappy shifts. Upped the intensity and I think the rest of the team fed on that.

The Frosh line is pretty quickly starting to look like our best. Most effective in comparison to the other lines, when taken as a group.

While the game started empty, I think enough fans filed in by midway through the first that attendance actually seemed higher than any game this season. Unfortunately, the crowd didn't really wake up until Kelleher scored.

I think it was a terrible tie. 1-9 on the power play, and the 8 missed chances was the same poorly designed power play over and over. Cleland and TK as the point, in which they play pass and TK tries a one-timer. The most "gifted" goal scored with a weak slap shot taking them from 80 is not going to work, nor does the gross ice pass from faceoff dot to faceoff dot. The ice is too big, plays need to happen quicker or the goalie can move across. The goal was scored on transition with people moving.

As for Nazarian, from what I remember (no replay) is he cut back toward the middle and his own guy was on the line in his way and when he went around him there was a SHU guy coming that way. Ugly potential injury but not a call IMO.

It was sloppy, uninspired hockey. Marty should have had the checkbook out last night to write the amount for the next 1+ years and say thanks but moving on. There is no great upside/potential for this to turnaround in the next two years, might as well jump in with both feet.

[wildcatdc]

I think that UML and Quinnipiac still play decent neutral zone traps, harder to do on the wide sheet.

Cute. That Bentley Hockey hat is seeping into your brain!

[wildcatdc]

Nope, not there last night, nor tonight. Three games that I have seen were all Saturday nights, Bentley, CC, and Mac, I think. But, despite changes in centermen on the first line, and various D-men on the ice, the clogging up of the offensive zone along the boards just inside TyK's blueline by too many of our own players was unmistakable. I am not referring to scums for lose pucks in corners, but out near the blue line, where our players should be spread out, rather than constantly banging into a each other. I think that the main reason the "first" line (not to be confused with the senior checking line) was so productive during the first half of last season was that TyK's linemates got themselves open to receive his passes, sometimes next to an open net. Anyway, I guess that we all see different things going on in a game.

I will definitely look for that tonight.

[wildcatdc]

I think it was a terrible tie. 1-9 on the power play, and the 8 missed chances was the same poorly designed power play over and over. Cleland and TK as the point, in which they play pass and TK tries a one-timer. The most "gifted" goal scored with a weak slap shot taking them from 80 is not going to work, nor does the gross ice pass from faceoff dot to faceoff dot. The ice is too big, plays need to happen quicker or the goalie can move across. The goal was scored on transition with people moving.

As for Nazarian, from what I remember (no replay) is he cut back toward the middle and his own guy was on the line in his way and when he went around him there was a SHU guy coming that way. Ugly potential injury but not a call IMO.

It was sloppy, uninspired hockey. Marty should have had the checkbook out last night to write the amount for the next 1+ years and say thanks but moving on. There is no great upside/potential for this to turnaround in the next two years, might as well jump in with both feet.

From what I hear, (and apparently Chuck has heard this as well), they are working on it. I hope we have the leverage to do it, and I wouldn't care if it happened on Monday.

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016-17 -- We're Going to Have a Hockey Season Here!!

I think it was a terrible tie. 1-9 on the power play, and the 8 missed chances was the same poorly designed power play over and over. Cleland and TK as the point, in which they play pass and TK tries a one-timer. The most "gifted" goal scored with a weak slap shot taking them from 80 is not going to work, nor does the gross ice pass from faceoff dot to faceoff dot. The ice is too big, plays need to happen quicker or the goalie can move across. The goal was scored on transition with people moving.

As for Nazarian, from what I remember (no replay) is he cut back toward the middle and his own guy was on the line in his way and when he went around him there was a SHU guy coming that way. Ugly potential injury but not a call IMO.

It was sloppy, uninspired hockey. Marty should have had the checkbook out last night to write the amount for the next 1+ years and say thanks but moving on. There is no great upside/potential for this to turnaround in the next two years, might as well jump in with both feet.

If a game (and result) like last night's doesn't force the folks in charge to lie awake at night, staring at the ceiling, wondering why they're continuing along this path ... then I'm not sure anything will.

And when I say "folks in charge", I'm talking about the head coach (much) more than the AD ...

[wildcatdc]

If a game (and result) like last night's doesn't force the folks in charge to lie awake at night, staring at the ceiling, wondering why they're continuing along this path ... then I'm not sure anything will.

And when I say "folks in charge", I'm talking about the head coach (much) more than the AD ...

I sat there last night, looking around at all of the distraught fans, (many clearly long-timers, with their game-worn jerseys from years past), thinking about what this would be like in any pro franchise. I'm sure there would be robust booing, "Dick must go!" chants, and a variety of banners and signs to that effect. Instead, it was morgue-like. Like we were resigned to almost two more years of this s&it.

I feel the worst for our players. It has to be an absolutely awful set of circumstances to endure.

[e.cat]

Fitting, another loser showing up at the Whittemore.

Winning!

[HockeyRef]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016-17 -- We're Going to Have a Hockey Season Here!!

Just overheard at Libby's

"Who are the 'cats playing tonight"?
Ans: "Mercyhurst"
"Who's that"
Ans: I dunno and I dunno why we are playing them?"
'Nuff said. Sighhhhh go 'Cats!!!