UNH Wildcats 2012-2013 Postseason Thread

[Umileated]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2012-2013 Postseason Thread

I will go with #3. Despite only getting one assist from Goumas and Downing in two periods against DU, having to shake up three of our four lines for another game in less than 24 is not a good recipe for a successful outcome. I think that the Cats played well against PC in the HE quarters and against DU and UML in Manchvegas, especially after sleep walking through the second half of the regular season. I think that UNH should be fine for next season if they can build on their stellar defensive play during the early part of this season. This year's team was the most disciplined in years with one of the lowest penalty minutes per game in Div 1. But, sure would be nice if they could develop a sniper or two.

Kelleher?

[JB]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2012-2013 Postseason Thread

Some relatively random and rambling thoughts on a new national champ, the end of the UNH season, the UNH season overall and looking forward. (Chuck you kinda asked for this series…)

A new member of the national champs club – I HATE IT!

This is honestly out of jealousy. I didn’t mind UMD two years ago they have some history of knocking at the door. In 2009 I was for BU, partly because they are in Hockey East but mostly because I didn’t want to be a new member Miami that hasn’t had their hearts ripped out enough times. The least irritating of this Frozen 4 is Yale, at least they have been Division I hockey long enough to have been in the final 4 in 1952. In order of least to most irritating for me:

Yale - 118 yrs old, Div 1 – 118 yrs, Current Coach for 6 years
Quinnipiac - 38 yrs old, Div 1 – 12 yrs, Current Coach for 19 years
St. Cloud - 82 yrs old, Div 1 – 36 yrs, Current Coach for 6 years
Umass-Lowell - 46 yrs old, Div 1 – 29 yrs, Current Coach for 2 years

See UML drives me nuts for a couple reasons. Bazin has only been there 2 years. Now some of that says to me McDonald could find great groceries but **** he can’t cook. Bazin has done this with very few of his own picks for players. I would have to look at commitment date but how many of this year’s freshmen did he get? It will be interesting to see if Bazin can evaluate talent as well as he has been coaching. Beyond the just 2 years for Bazin the style is like watching paint dry, I hate it, as impressive as it is. The discipline to play such error free hockey and just wait for your opponent to screw up is a sign of fantastic coaching. Additionally the ability to capitalize on those mistakes, Lowell is great on the odd man rush. WISCO was just so sloppy in that game which is why it was 6-1 but Lowell just seems happy with a 1-0 game. Good luck to Lowell by the way, I can force my logic through the jealousy of why not us.

I might dabble more in these thoughts later.

[UMLFan]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2012-2013 Postseason Thread

See UML drives me nuts for a couple reasons. Bazin has only been there 2 years. Now some of that says to me McDonald could find great groceries but **** he can’t cook. Bazin has done this with very few of his own picks for players. I would have to look at commitment date but how many of this year’s freshmen did he get? It will be interesting to see if Bazin can evaluate talent as well as he has been coaching. Beyond the just 2 years for Bazin the style is like watching paint dry, I hate it, as impressive as it is. The discipline to play such error free hockey and just wait for your opponent to screw up is a sign of fantastic coaching. Additionally the ability to capitalize on those mistakes, Lowell is great on the odd man rush. WISCO was just so sloppy in that game which is why it was 6-1 but Lowell just seems happy with a 1-0 game. Good luck to Lowell by the way, I can force my logic through the jealousy of why not us.

Every Lowell freshman on this roster was Coach Bazin's. He had two commits left over from Coach MacDonald, but one has been released from his commitment, and the other will come in this year.

FWIW, from what I can tell, the the talent level of Lowell's recruits for the future (specifically '14 and '15) are getting better. Coach Bazin is known as a very good recruiter, from his days both at Lowell and more specifically CC.

On a different note ... very impressed by how UNH played Saturday, and even more when you consider the circumstances.

[Darius]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2012-2013 Postseason Thread

UML winning a national championship before UNH would kind of hurt and worse add high octane fuel to the "Fire... " thread.

MUST... ROOT... for HEA Team. MUST... ROOT...

[JB]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2012-2013 Postseason Thread

Next ramble in reply to Chuck (Monty - you guys suck!, good recruiter too crap, crap crap)

The end of the UNH season:


I worry the game would have been more lopsided win for Lowell if Goumas and Downing had played. See I don’t think UNH plays such disciplined game if those two are in the line-up. I think you see more aggression and more turnovers leading to more Lowell goals. If you could give me the UNH tight D and Goumas and Downing I think UNH has a good shot. But I just don’t think the team of October and November was really back.

I think the worst thing that happened to UNH was the trip to Colorado. They learned they could come back from a big hole against a good team. In turn they didn’t have to be as focused or work as hard all game. That is when the sloppy undisciplined play started. Even against Denver last weekend that 1st period was a mess.

Those 2 injuries I think were the driver of returning to the focused play. If they didn’t happen I am not sure the focus would have been back.

What amazed me most is the pair of Senior D men that 1 of them always seemed to be on the ice when it went wrong (all 2nd half). Hardowa was on the 1st Lowell goal and Denver 2nd. Kostolansky was on the ice for the Lowell 2nd goal and the Denver 1st. All 4 goals were defensive breakdowns where the puck was mishandled, positions not held and guys not tied up. I can give Kostolansky a sort of pass on Lowell #2 as UNH was starting to press at that point. No I have not looked at all the box scores and I will admit these 2 have been irking me for most of the 2nd half – is this that because I notice or because it goes wrong more often with these 2 on the ice. Hardowa became a shell of his 1st half self the longer the season went, all confidence gone. At least when Kostolansky started handling the puck like it was a live ferret in the 3rd period against Denver he bee lined to the bench the instant the puck cleared the zone.

[chickod]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2012-2013 Postseason Thread

You may have seen this in the Denver thread.

George Gwozdecky out as Denver Pioneers hockey coach after 19 years - The Denver Post http://www.denverpost.com/du/ci_2291...#ixzz2PF8Cv7fh

But here's something that should be of even more interest...

However, first-year assistant David Lassonde, the former associate head coach at New Hampshire, is considered an excellent head-coaching candidate

They swear it's NOT an April Fool's Joke...

[Jacques "Rabbit" Poriveau]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2012-2013 Postseason Thread

A new member of the national champs club – I HATE IT!

In order of least to most irritating for me:

Yale - 118 yrs old, Div 1 – 118 yrs, Current Coach for 6 years
Quinnipiac - 38 yrs old, Div 1 – 12 yrs, Current Coach for 19 years
St. Cloud - 82 yrs old, Div 1 – 36 yrs, Current Coach for 6 years
Umass-Lowell - 46 yrs old, Div 1 – 29 yrs, Current Coach for 2 years

I ate eet to mon ami. Mais I tink it go like dis

Yale - I can live wit dat, no probleme
Ste. Clouds - just to see da Goofer fan go crazy - Jan Brady stoled Marsha's boyfren!

QU - non
UML - non ***** way

[JB]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2012-2013 Postseason Thread

I ate eet to mon ami. Mais I tink it go like dis

Yale - I can live wit dat, no probleme
Ste. Clouds - just to see da Goofer fan go crazy - Jan Brady stoled Marsha's boyfren!

QU - non
UML - non ***** way

I basically had them tied. SCSU has been around longer but QU has had a coach working at it longer. SCSU would be funny to watch those goofers.

[i'zonprize]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2012-2013 Postseason Thread

Classy comments from some of the outgoing Sr. class- Thanks for a great effort over the last 4 yrs!! Not to long ago UNH found it difficult to get out of the first round- of the NCAA's - Something you did 3 times. Best of luck to you.

http://www.collegehockeynews.com/new..._next_year.php



Hope to see Goumas and Downing back healthy-for another crack at it. While they lose a ton of experience in the Sr. Group- The Top 3 scorers are back(when's the last time that happened!)

[WIrinkrat]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2012-2013 Postseason Thread

Next ramble in reply to Chuck (Monty - you guys suck!, good recruiter too crap, crap crap)

The end of the UNH season:


I worry the game would have been more lopsided win for Lowell if Goumas and Downing had played. See I don’t think UNH plays such disciplined game if those two are in the line-up. I think you see more aggression and more turnovers leading to more Lowell goals. If you could give me the UNH tight D and Goumas and Downing I think UNH has a good shot. But I just don’t think the team of October and November was really back.

I think the worst thing that happened to UNH was the trip to Colorado. They learned they could come back from a big hole against a good team. In turn they didn’t have to be as focused or work as hard all game. That is when the sloppy undisciplined play started. Even against Denver last weekend that 1st period was a mess.

Those 2 injuries I think were the driver of returning to the focused play. If they didn’t happen I am not sure the focus would have been back.

What amazed me most is the pair of Senior D men that 1 of them always seemed to be on the ice when it went wrong (all 2nd half). Hardowa was on the 1st Lowell goal and Denver 2nd. Kostolansky was on the ice for the Lowell 2nd goal and the Denver 1st. All 4 goals were defensive breakdowns where the puck was mishandled, positions not held and guys not tied up. I can give Kostolansky a sort of pass on Lowell #2 as UNH was starting to press at that point. No I have not looked at all the box scores and I will admit these 2 have been irking me for most of the 2nd half – is this that because I notice or because it goes wrong more often with these 2 on the ice. Hardowa became a shell of his 1st half self the longer the season went, all confidence gone. At least when Kostolansky started handling the puck like it was a live ferret in the 3rd period against Denver he bee lined to the bench the instant the puck cleared the zone.

At the end of the season these two were definitely playing like #5 and #6 on the depth chart. TvR is a stud, Knodel has improved tremendously in his two seasons, Pesce is a defensive stalwart who just doesn't get beat, and Agosta has his moments, but generally speaking you just don't notice him much...which is actually a pretty good thing. The shaky moments all too often came on the heels of #2 and #15. I think with the continued growth of Knodel and Pesce and the addition of the freshmen coming in our group of D will be even stronger next season.

Excited to see Kelleher next season, but I definitely have concerns about some of the forwards. Goumas and Downing are both 50 point threats if other guys around them can step up a little bit. Sorkin and Speelman had, IMO, largely disappointing seasons when considered against expectations...and for a team that struggled to score, they have to be better. I like Thrush's game a lot...but he shouldn't be the 5th leading scorer among forwards on your team. I don't see him having explosive offensive potential..getting 15-20 points out of him is pretty good...he and Silengo make up 2/3 of a pretty capable 3rd line...the problem is they may becalled upon to be top 6 guys. Among freshmen I think Correale takes a pretty good step next season, though the jury is still out on everyone else. Gaudreault was a mixed bag in the games I saw. McDonald seems like he could be a poor man's Burke (hopefully a healthier version). I'm still not on the Willows bandwagon. He was awful against Lowell, directly responsible for the 2nd goal and missed several other very receiveable outlet passes that negated rush opportunities. Save for that one 5 or 6 game stretch toward the end of the year, he was rather unproductive especially for the ice time he was getting.

Just for fun, looking at next season (bearing in mind I have not much knowledge of the recruits other than things I've read/heard):

Correale-Downing-Kelleher
Speelman-Goumas-Sorkin
Poturalski-Silengo-Thrush
Gaudreault-Camper-Willows
Smith-MacDonald-Masters

vanRiemsdyk-Pesce
Agosta-Knodel
Cleland-Maller
Quast-Randall

[Gibber]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2012-2013 Postseason Thread

Entirely too many images from Saturday night's Regional Championship game

[Darius]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2012-2013 Postseason Thread

Nice pics, Josh. The post game shots clearly show how much UNH hockey means to the players as does:

http://www.tnhonline.com/polopoly_fs...3390526914.jpg

[NCAA watcher]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2012-2013 Postseason Thread

TvR is a stud,

And a likely early departure

[Darius]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2012-2013 Postseason Thread

Kostolansky Signs With Rapid City Rush of Central Hockey League:

http://www.unhwildcats.com/sports/mi...20130403uyh9qn

[JB]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2012-2013 Postseason Thread

And a likely early departure

The question is this year or next. I don't see him going 4 but I could see him back for 1 more.