UNH Wildcats 2016-17 Vol II -- We Do Have a Hockey Season Here!?!

[Dan]

UNH already has one of those. I think he was last seen out there when ASFU laid waste to UNH this past Fall ...

The athleticism it took to dive across on McLeods first period shot sure was a thing of beauty - it almost distracted me from that fact that our small athletic goalie was out of position and then got beat from 65 feet away unscreened...

A wider (or taller) net only widens the gap between Tirone and unathletic stiffs like Oettinger...

[HockeyRef]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016-17 Vol II -- We Do Have a Hockey Season Here!?!

Well that escalated quickly let go 'Cats!!

[norbert]

Well that escalated quickly let go 'Cats!!

Anyone seen this guy? He must have years left of eligibility

https://www.google.com/amp/thechive.com/2015/01/06/terrible-fictional-athletes-that-you-should-never-ever-draft-10-photos/amp/

There needs to be. a Clark sighting

[chickod]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016-17 Vol II -- We Do Have a Hockey Season Here!?!

As someone who has followed the "goalie" discussions to some extent on this thread, I think I understand now where you're coming from after watching UNH for two games in a row. Tirone was ON the ice more than he was upright. He would go down early and BU would just lift it over him. I know my timing is not the best after a tough night...just something I had been aware of from the discussions and it kind of jumped out at me tonight.

[norbert]

As someone who has followed the "goalie" discussions to some extent on this thread, I think I understand now where you're coming from after watching UNH for two games in a row. Tirone was ON the ice more than he was upright. He would go down early and BU would just lift it over him. I know my timing is not the best after a tough night...just something I had been aware of from the discussions and it kind of jumped out at me tonight.

The talent in front of him is bad and some goals are not on him the 4th goal to start the PK was brutal and a back breaker. A bottom team like UNH fights to take a lead then a soft wrister floats off his glove and in

To score 4 each night against BU and come away with 1 point is a horrible weekend. Though it's one step closer to no home playoff game

Could it be Umiles last home game next Friday?

[Scott]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016-17 Vol II -- We Do Have a Hockey Season Here!?!

Saw Vela with a boot on. Eisnerman 2 weeks before he can skate, round 2 if they make it

High ankle sprain for Vela...likely done for the season.

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016-17 Vol II -- We Do Have a Hockey Season Here!?!

The talent in front of him is bad and some goals are not on him the 4th goal to start the PK was brutal and a back breaker. A bottom team like UNH fights to take a lead then a soft wrister floats off his glove and in

To score 4 each night against BU and come away with 1 point is a horrible weekend. Though it's one step closer to no home playoff game

Could it be Umiles last home game next Friday?

Agree with most of these points. I wouldn't dismiss that last piece of speculation, either.

Tough spot for BS35+4, to be honest - although in fairness, I suppose this 3 year plan was probably his idea. Let's just say, I don't see a 17 win season in the cards for next year's 'Cats, and even 16 is likely a step too far.

That's why a win this weekend would have been huge. Now, you get the sense that Coach needs to win 2-3 games from here on out, and there's a really good chance that won't be settled by the end of next weekend.

Awkward.

[Dan]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016-17 Vol II -- We Do Have a Hockey Season Here!?!

Next weekend, UNH will need one more point than NU or two more points than MC to earn home ice. They own tie-breakers over both with 1-0-1 head-to-head records...

[Greg Ambrose]

As someone who has followed the "goalie" discussions to some extent on this thread, I think I understand now where you're coming from after watching UNH for two games in a row. Tirone was ON the ice more than he was upright. He would go down early and BU would just lift it over him. I know my timing is not the best after a tough night...just something I had been aware of from the discussions and it kind of jumped out at me tonight.

My first game live and in person for awhile tonight. I'll state at the outset that BU is not very good. Teams that can sustain an attack will beat them. After all, they gave up eight to UNH in two games. You would think with that output UNH might have picked up 2 or 3 points. But they are so bad defensively, forwards, dmen and goalie, that it was inevitable that BU would pull away. I think the thing that bothers me most is that the team has not improved one iota since they were getting bopped around by the likes of Bentley and CC back in October. The advantage of young players going to college rather than Juniors is that they play only on the weekends giving plenty of time, at least in theory, to improve your basic skills. Obviously that is not happening. With UNH, it's one of two things. Either the players recruited have neither the fortitude nor the aptitude to improve their skills or the coaches don't have the wherewithal to teach them. Either way it is a pox on the coaching staff. I want to be optimistic, not so much for this year but for the years to come, but it's pretty hard given what I saw the last couple of games. It's unbelievable how far we have fallen in a few short years. Marty should be embarrassed but, frankly, I don't think he cares. Ugh!

[HockeyRef]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016-17 Vol II -- We Do Have a Hockey Season Here!?!

Next weekend, UNH will need one more point than NU or two more points than MC to earn home ice. They own tie-breakers over both with 1-0-1 head-to-head records...

Thanks for that update Dan! Going to be interesting to say the least. We currently sit in 9th if I have that right. Merrimack has VT up there so that's not going to be easy for them but NU has Maine up at the Alfond so anything could happen (although Maine fans would prob disagree!) UNH should be able to get some points out of the weekend I would think...but will wait and see before making any bold predictions. Hurts to have 2 forwards out now. Like us this weekend Maine had leads in both of their games and like us..tied and lost. NU took care of business. I'm going to give the 'Cats credit for putting up some points on BU. Hopefully they can end the regular season on a good note.

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016-17 Vol II -- We Do Have a Hockey Season Here!?!

WIS Productions arrives early to the party (for once!) with the latest edition of "Umile's Last Stand - The _____ for 600"

"Umile's Last Stand - The Quest for 600"

Coach Umile's current career wins total: 583
Wins Remaining to the next round number: 17
*Games Remaining (Next 2 Seasons - Min.): 40
Win Pct. Required to Hit Target: 42.5%
WIS Estimated Likelihood of Success: 60%
2016/2017 Cupcake Conversion Ratio (CCR): 9/15 (60%)

* - minimum games remaining assumes 34 regular season games, and at least 2 games in the MBPBEGAM "playoffs"

Looking on the bright side of things ... UNH managed to play a highly-ranked BU squad pretty evenly over the first 5 periods of the weekend, and Hobey hopeful Tyler Kelleher was back in top form with a 6 point weekend. Beyond that ... ugh. There's no doubt "The Gauntlet" has claimed UNH as a casualty, with a 1-7-2 record since the trip to NICC about a month ago. Giddy discussion of a potential bye, and home ice for the REAL first round of the HE Tourney has turned to grim analysis of what's going to be necessary to right the ship in time to earn some home ice dates in the MBPBEGAM first round of the "playoffs". No less than three (3) two goal leads were squandered by the 'Cats over the last two evenings, and speculation about an earlier-than-expected end to Coach Umile's tenure has once again surfaced in this thread. The 3rd party capitulation last night on home ice was loaded with symbolic overtones, as another all-too-familiar collapse from a program that brought back some painful memories of similarly embarrassing *performances* in much higher-profile circumstances in the past.

Entering the final weekend of the HE regular season ... UNH has managed to slip under the "Mallen Line" (named after the former UMass Amherst coaching *legend* whose teams consistently defined what 9th place in a then-9 team league meant) and are looking for help from all corners of Hockey East to somehow wrest some extra home ice games away from Merrimack and/or Northeastern for the first time in a couple of seasons. So thank goodness for the arrival of UMass Amherst Mach II, a/k/a UConn this weekend. And if there's a team that's staggering through the last month-plus worse than UNH ... well, these are your guys, and once again, hope springs eternal.

The Big Picture - the only realistic goals of relevance continue to be (1) earning some home "post-season" games, and (2) finding a way to make sure Coach Umile's career ends successfully around this time next season with a happy ending to The Quest. No wins against BU this past weekend can't be seen as a shocker ... but the way they happened was highly disappointing, and raises the issue of the team's intestinal fortitude. And that's the last thing any team or coach wants to have to answer questions about at this time of any season. But things like throwing away multiple two-goal leads, and forgetting to compete in the 3rd period last night, don't make that issue go away.

Just when things might seem darkest, the Hockey East schedulers have thrown Coach Umile and the 'Cats a fresh batch of ... CUPCAKES!!! Yes, after all this time, starved of these confectionary treats, the UConn Luce Canaans arrive in *top* form, in the midst of their own six (6) game winless streak, with one win in their own last ten (10) games, and two wins in their last twelve (12) games. Despite the hype which had begun to emanate from Storrs about how Luce's program was "on the rise" with another exciting batch of stud recruits. they are still a couple of points behind UNH and languishing in 10th place. I guess it just goes to show that the lesson we all learned from Coach Mallen a generation ago - y'know, the one where the long-time, high profile BC assistant goes to State U to build a strong D-1 program where none previously existed ... and proceeds to fall flat on his face, showing how fortunate he was to have been on Jerry York's good side for so long - still hasn't gained appropriate traction in the hockey world. Hey, at least Luce has got that coaching tr - oops, er - shrub going for him ...

Predictions:

Friday (Feb. 24th): @ UNH 5 UConn 3
Saturday (Feb. 25th): *UNH 4 @ UConn 4

* - UNH blows 2 goal lead late in the 3rd, Coach Umile plays defensively in OT waiting for the shootout ...

NEXT CUPCAKE ON THE SHELF (CONFIRMED): UConn (2/24/17); @ UConn (2/25/17)

WIS BRAIN-BUSTING TRIVIA QUESTION: Which former Bruins' goalie is now an assistant coach with a HE program?

IS BS35+4 PAYING ATTENTION YET?

It's a gray morning in Durham, as an unseasonably warm February Sunday morning finds higher-than-usual foot traffic across the campus. One man wanders over to the Wildcat statue on Main St. with a bag of peanuts, looking pensive as he finds a comfy spot on the imposing creature's pedestal. A few wayward birds wander over, and the man shares the contents of his brown paper bag selflessly with the winged migrants. Oblivious to the inanimate status of his new-found friend, the man begins to reflect on some issues currently on his mind ...

BS35+4: Hey big guy ... tough times over there of late (pointing to The Whitt). You ever do something you thought was the smartest thing you ever thought of, and then eventually came to realize it wasn't?

W-CAT:

BS35+4: ... I mean, I like the guy. I really do. He's won a lot of games. Reflected well on the U ...

W-CAT:

BS35+4: ... but he just ran out of gas, you know what I mean? Went from being really good, to good, to good enough, and he just didn't know either how to turn it around, or when to quit and let someone else try ...

W-CAT:

BS35+4: ... and that G-D lifetime contract, my God, what the hey was Judy thinking?? Can you imagine???

W-CAT:

BS35+4: ... so here I am, with a 3 year plan that we worked up to get Coach to the next round number. Load up the schedules with a ton of easy games, hope we can tread water, get him his gold watch moment at The Whitt sometime next Winter ...

W-CAT:

BS35+4: ... and now he's struggling to do even THAT (shaking head). I mean, the guy absolutely won't quit, so now I gotta either be the bad guy and pull the plug on his last season this week so we can give him a going away night at the arena this coming weekend ... or else I gotta stick with the plan, and watch another year of this turgid crap ... (looking to the statute, and then to the heavens) what do I do?

W-CAT:

BS35+4: I suppose you're right, big guy ... standing pat worked with Coach Mac and the Football program ... it's starting to work with Bill across the street, and lord knows we were beyond patient with that guy ... you sure?

W-CAT:

BS35+4: Then it's decided. One more year, then I'll look like a genius again. Good talk, big guy.

W-CAT:

[HockeyRef]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016-17 Vol II -- We Do Have a Hockey Season Here!?!

...meanwhile, across the street, the women's bball team has the best season on record with 23 wins...tops in AE!

[cavbim]

WIS Productions arrives early to the party (for once!) with the latest edition of "Umile's Last Stand - The _____ for 600"

"Umile's Last Stand - The Quest for 600"

Coach Umile's current career wins total: 583
Wins Remaining to the next round number: 17
*Games Remaining (Next 2 Seasons - Min.): 40
Win Pct. Required to Hit Target: 42.5%
WIS Estimated Likelihood of Success: 60%
2016/2017 Cupcake Conversion Ratio (CCR): 9/15 (60%)

* - minimum games remaining assumes 34 regular season games, and at least 2 games in the MBPBEGAM "playoffs"

Looking on the bright side of things ... UNH managed to play a highly-ranked BU squad pretty evenly over the first 5 periods of the weekend, and Hobey hopeful Tyler Kelleher was back in top form with a 6 point weekend. Beyond that ... ugh. There's no doubt "The Gauntlet" has claimed UNH as a casualty, with a 1-7-2 record since the trip to NICC about a month ago. Giddy discussion of a potential bye, and home ice for the REAL first round of the HE Tourney has turned to grim analysis of what's going to be necessary to right the ship in time to earn some home ice dates in the MBPBEGAM first round of the "playoffs". No less than three (3) two goal leads were squandered by the 'Cats over the last two evenings, and speculation about an earlier-than-expected end to Coach Umile's tenure has once again surfaced in this thread. The 3rd party capitulation last night on home ice was loaded with symbolic overtones, as another all-too-familiar collapse from a program that brought back some painful memories of similarly embarrassing *performances* in much higher-profile circumstances in the past.

Entering the final weekend of the HE regular season ... UNH has managed to slip under the "Mallen Line" (named after the former UMass Amherst coaching *legend* whose teams consistently defined what 9th place in a then-9 team league meant) and are looking for help from all corners of Hockey East to somehow wrest some extra home ice games away from Merrimack and/or Northeastern for the first time in a couple of seasons. So thank goodness for the arrival of UMass Amherst Mach II, a/k/a UConn this weekend. And if there's a team that's staggering through the last month-plus worse than UNH ... well, these are your guys, and once again, hope springs eternal.

The Big Picture - the only realistic goals of relevance continue to be (1) earning some home "post-season" games, and (2) finding a way to make sure Coach Umile's career ends successfully around this time next season with a happy ending to The Quest. No wins against BU this past weekend can't be seen as a shocker ... but the way they happened was highly disappointing, and raises the issue of the team's intestinal fortitude. And that's the last thing any team or coach wants to have to answer questions about at this time of any season. But things like throwing away multiple two-goal leads, and forgetting to compete in the 3rd period last night, don't make that issue go away.

Just when things might seem darkest, the Hockey East schedulers have thrown Coach Umile and the 'Cats a fresh batch of ... CUPCAKES!!! Yes, after all this time, starved of these confectionary treats, the UConn Luce Canaans arrive in *top* form, in the midst of their own six (6) game winless streak, with one win in their own last ten (10) games, and two wins in their last twelve (12) games. Despite the hype which had begun to emanate from Storrs about how Luce's program was "on the rise" with another exciting batch of stud recruits. they are still a couple of points behind UNH and languishing in 10th place. I guess it just goes to show that the lesson we all learned from Coach Mallen a generation ago - y'know, the one where the long-time, high profile BC assistant goes to State U to build a strong D-1 program where none previously existed ... and proceeds to fall flat on his face, showing how fortunate he was to have been on Jerry York's good side for so long - still hasn't gained appropriate traction in the hockey world. Hey, at least Luce has got that coaching tr - oops, er - shrub going for him ...

Predictions:

Friday (Feb. 24th): @ UNH 5 UConn 3
Saturday (Feb. 25th): *UNH 4 @ UConn 4

* - UNH blows 2 goal lead late in the 3rd, Coach Umile plays defensively in OT waiting for the shootout ...

NEXT CUPCAKE ON THE SHELF (CONFIRMED): UConn (2/24/17); @ UConn (2/25/17)

WIS BRAIN-BUSTING TRIVIA QUESTION: Which former Bruins' goalie is now an assistant coach with a HE program?

Andrew Raycroft

Earlier you mention about the advantage the goalies have but what about the advantages other players derive from technology that allows them to move faster due to skates/pads being lighter and the harder shots from the composite sticks.

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016-17 Vol II -- We Do Have a Hockey Season Here!?!

Earlier you mention about the advantage the goalies have but what about the advantages other players derive from technology that allows them to move faster due to skates/pads being lighter and the harder shots from the composite sticks.

Aren't the goalies' pads also lighter, allowing them to move more quickly in their position as well?

Their catchers (can't seriously call it a "glove" anymore) are certainly a lot bigger now than before.

Is anyone shooting faster and/or more challenging pucks than Bobby Hull was shooting over 50 yrs. ago?

Is there any logical reason why - with the current technology available - goalies' padding is (much) larger now than in the old days, when better protection can be afforded now with less bulk?

Goalies are now bigger. Their protection is too, but still affords them more mobility.

Size of the hockey goal remains at 24 sq. feet (4'H x 6'W), same now as it was 100 years ago (or whenever). Why not change that to 30 sq. feet by raising the crossbar a foot (5'H x 6'W)?

If they make that change tomorrow, there's not going to be a single D-1, Major Junior or pro goalie (on skates) whose well-protected head is still not going to be above the crossbar. Some goalies may no longer need to stoop over quite so much to fit inside the frame, though. Shooters with more room up top might not be so prone to keeping shots low, and seeing them blocked by sprawling defensemen.

If this is too shocking for the hockey establishment ... why not experiment with it in the ECHL first, and see how it goes? A few more goals might spice up attendance for goon league hockey while they're at it.

I'm not a big proponent of changing the rules - that mentality is one of the things I dislike most about the current-day NFL, actually - but this is something that's been out of balance for some time now. Personally, I'd like to see more (not less) Olympic sized ice surfaces since everyone else is bigger and faster these days too ... but retrofits for buildings built to accommodate the current prevailing ice surface (NHL) just aren't feasible in a majority of situations, and super costly where it can be done. Adding a foot to the height of the goal frame is easy and ridiculously cheap by comparison ... and you don't even have to adjust the locations of the pegs/posts or any of the ice markings, either.

You know it makes sense. Oh, and P.S. - you got the trivia question right.

[scoreboard]

NEXT CUPCAKE ON THE SHELF (CONFIRMED): UConn (2/24/17); @ UConn (2/25/17)

Not sure why you consider UConn a "cupcake". UNH is ranked lower in the pairwise. Unfortunately, UNH is not a prohibitive favorite which would make UConn a "cupcake". Actually, UConn may be the favorite.