2009-2010 Official Vermont Season Thread : The Sequel

[GreenCat]

Re: 2009-2010 Official Vermont Season Thread : The Sequel

Well my expectations are fully lowered. I will be happy if we even make the HE playoffs.


[QUOTE=How far into the doghouse must Dan Lawson and Lance Herrington be to not get to play?[/QUOTE]

Particularly Lawson. We know the guy has talent so how does a coaching staff let him lose confidence and supposed ability to the point he goes from a top line defense men to sitting the bench????

[VermontFan]

Re: 2009-2010 Official Vermont Season Thread : The Sequel

I am also a little perplexed by Lawson this season. He was dominant both defensively and offensively at the end of last season, but has not been able to get back to those levels this year. It is hard to do that when you are in street clothes every other game (or both games like this weekend), but we don't know what may be going on in the background that may be limiting his playing time. I'd love to see him get another chance to work himself into form.

Cullity was a pretty highly touted recruit out of prep school, he had committed to BU originally, but then backed out of the commitment after they had asked him to play one more year in juniors before coming to BU (similar to the McCarthy situation). He is an extremely frustrating player to watch, his habit of getting penalties at precisely the wrong time, and his turnovers do drive me crazy.

I still do have confidence in Sneddon, and I think we can get on a streak to finish out Hockey East play. 4 points against Providence is a must.

[GreenCat]

Re: 2009-2010 Official Vermont Season Thread : The Sequel

Perhaps the positive off these losses now is that the pressure drops a bit as now they are just playing to make the HE post season and expectations are less. Now they can go out play a more relaxed. The frustrating part is this team at times looks fantastic and can skate with anyone but they can't seem to bring that to game 1 of a series or with any consistency.

[observer85]

Re: 2009-2010 Official Vermont Season Thread : The Sequel

I still do have confidence in Sneddon, and I think we can get on a streak to finish out Hockey East play. 4 points against Providence is a must.

Fans on the PC thread are pretty down on Army and the team in general. But reading some comments, I get the sense they think they will right their ship this coming weekend with Vermont coming to town to play.

Perhaps the positive off these losses now is that the pressure drops a bit as now they are just playing to make the HE post season and expectations are less. Now they can go out play a more relaxed. The frustrating part is this team at times looks fantastic and can skate with anyone but they can't seem to bring that to game 1 of a series or with any consistency.

I think it is the opposite. Sitting in 8th place, playing the 2 teams in the next 2 weekends wanting to pass you by to the playoffs, might make things more intense vs. relaxed.

[blackbearsfan45]

Re: 2009-2010 Official Vermont Season Thread : The Sequel

I'd just like to echo what UMZero said - we thoroughly enjoyed our visit to UVM and the Gutt, and the recommendation to go to the Windjammer after the games was spot on! I got to chat with a lot of you during our stay, and felt quite welcome - thank you for that! Great fans!

[grantfan]

Re: 2009-2010 Official Vermont Season Thread : The Sequel

I am humbled at being considered a prophet, but rest assured I do take the responsibility of that role very seriously.

I guess I was right, all the team had to do Saturday night was throw their jerseys on the ice and everything was going to be fine and the ship righted.

Coach Sneddon obviously had Cullity on a short leash and Patrick responded by being on his best behavior. Credit the coach for pushing all the right buttons, master manipulator that he is. The guest of the guy whose seats are right next to mine thinks Patrick is not a division I player, but I disagreed and our argument actually drew 4 security guards to cool things down.

From his post-game comments, it sounds like Sneddon will certainly be benching Cullity this coming weekend, but - prophecy alert - that will not happen and here's why: A. Patrick will have a great week of practice; B. Sneddon and Patrick will have had some very good talks in which Patrick rededicated himself to playing with discipline while not sacrificing his passion; C. it's his senior year, it's his team and Patrick wants a chance to be part of helping his team reach its potential; and D. he's still a guy we want on the ice the first and last minute of every period and we don't have anybody better.

Rest assured, fans, Patrick Cullity WILL be in the lineup Friday night in Providence.

One thing I love about Kevin Sneddon, and I mean this sincerely, is his willingness and enjoyment at throwing the players under the bus. In his post-game comments, the professional coach stated that it was the "inability to EXECUTE our penalty kill," among other failings of the players, that killed the team against Maine. Seven PPGs against in 2 games, 10 in the 3 UVM-UMaine games, is the fault of the players, not the coaches. The coaches, of course, devised a brilliant PK system that Maine would have been helpless against, except that the players misexecuted it, because it really was a brilliant PK plan the coaches devised that the players were unable to execute.

Having not yet viewed the videotape, Sneddon was unable to hand out credit where credit was due immediately after each game, so take a bow, boys. On Friday, when Maine scored 4 PPGs in 7 attempts, Wahs Stacey was on for all 4, Brian Roloff and Johnathan Higgins were each on for 3 of them, and Josh Burrows was on for 2. On Saturday, when Maine's PP efficiency dropped to only 50% (3 of 6), Roloff was on for all 3 (6 for the weekend as well as being a vital cog on the team's 1st PP unit), MacKenzie and Medvec were on for 2 each (3 each for the weekend), and Brayden Irwin was teamed with Higgins (3 for the weekend) on the unit that gave up the PPG that tied the game for Maine. These are the main culprits, not including Irwin, who were unable to execute the brilliant penalty kill that Sneddon had devised that was sure to shut down the UMaine powerplay had the players not been unable to execute it as brilliantly as it was devised.

Here's good news, UVM fans. The PK should recover next weekend against Providence's league-worst PP and it will be all set for the rest of the season. A good week of practice under the watchful eye and guiding hand of coach Sneddon will almost certainly help the players get over their inability to execute pure hockey genius.

And I am positive the coach will address any problems his scrutinizing eye can detect in the power play units, because we know the systems work. A few guesses, not prophecies, bench Wahs Stacey (a proven good idea), move Wahs to the 1st PP unit, reinstate Matt Marshall. Even Kevin Sneddon, who I am not a huge fan of, cannot revert to the Barry Melrose-approved 'roll the lines' PP rotation. I know the argument for that Sneddon-concocted idea is that they can't do worse than the 2 current PP units. That may be true, but they WILL be as bad, and that's the idea of a solution, isn't it?

So, with everything solved, we set sail for.................9th place? Hey, the pressure is off, right?

Two weeks from now, after 2 games on the road and 2 against a team that will certainly outwork the Cats, UVM can very easily be in 9th place in Hockey East. Fitting, wouldn't you say, for a team that ranks 9th in PP success, 7th in PK success and is tied for last, with Providence, for combined special teams 'success.' If the players were only able to do justice to the incredibly brilliant special teams schemes Sneddon and his crack staff devise while the players go to class and concentrate on all the other things college kids concentrate on on weeknights.

If the Cats play themselves into 9th place in spite of their coach's brilliant coaching, the pressure will really be off, right? If they play themselves into 9th place in spite of their coach's brilliant coaching, they will be able to "fight" (to use snwbrdr's term) their way back into the playoffs, dare we hope for home ice?, against BU, UNH, and Lowell.

So, let's recap. Patrick Cullity, the new, disciplined Patrick Cullity, will be in the lineup on Friday. The PK will right itself against Providence. And we're so lucky to have Kevin Sneddon as our coach, not just because he can devise unstoppable PP systems and inpenetrable PK systems but also because he is a master at pointing out how the players are responsible for all failings.

Go Cats Go.

[Cat lover]

Re: 2009-2010 Official Vermont Season Thread : The Sequel

I am humbled at being considered a prophet, but rest assured I do take the responsibility of that role very seriously.

I guess I was right, all the team had to do Saturday night was throw their jerseys on the ice and everything was going to be fine and the ship righted.

Coach Sneddon obviously had Cullity on a short leash and Patrick responded by being on his best behavior. Credit the coach for pushing all the right buttons, master manipulator that he is. The guest of the guy whose seats are right next to mine thinks Patrick is not a division I player, but I disagreed and our argument actually drew 4 security guards to cool things down.

From his post-game comments, it sounds like Sneddon will certainly be benching Cullity this coming weekend, but - prophecy alert - that will not happen and here's why: A. Patrick will have a great week of practice; B. Sneddon and Patrick will have had some very good talks in which Patrick rededicated himself to playing with discipline while not sacrificing his passion; C. it's his senior year, it's his team and Patrick wants a chance to be part of helping his team reach its potential; and D. he's still a guy we want on the ice the first and last minute of every period and we don't have anybody better.

Rest assured, fans, Patrick Cullity WILL be in the lineup Friday night in Providence.

One thing I love about Kevin Sneddon, and I mean this sincerely, is his willingness and enjoyment at throwing the players under the bus. In his post-game comments, the professional coach stated that it was the "inability to EXECUTE our penalty kill," among other failings of the players, that killed the team against Maine. Seven PPGs against in 2 games, 10 in the 3 UVM-UMaine games, is the fault of the players, not the coaches. The coaches, of course, devised a brilliant PK system that Maine would have been helpless against, except that the players misexecuted it, because it really was a brilliant PK plan the coaches devised that the players were unable to execute.

Having not yet viewed the videotape, Sneddon was unable to hand out credit where credit was due immediately after each game, so take a bow, boys. On Friday, when Maine scored 4 PPGs in 7 attempts, Wahs Stacey was on for all 4, Brian Roloff and Johnathan Higgins were each on for 3 of them, and Josh Burrows was on for 2. On Saturday, when Maine's PP efficiency dropped to only 50% (3 of 6), Roloff was on for all 3 (6 for the weekend as well as being a vital cog on the team's 1st PP unit), MacKenzie and Medvec were on for 2 each (3 each for the weekend), and Brayden Irwin was teamed with Higgins (3 for the weekend) on the unit that gave up the PPG that tied the game for Maine. These are the main culprits, not including Irwin, who were unable to execute the brilliant penalty kill that Sneddon had devised that was sure to shut down the UMaine powerplay had the players not been unable to execute it as brilliantly as it was devised.

Here's good news, UVM fans. The PK should recover next weekend against Providence's league-worst PP and it will be all set for the rest of the season. A good week of practice under the watchful eye and guiding hand of coach Sneddon will almost certainly help the players get over their inability to execute pure hockey genius.

And I am positive the coach will address any problems his scrutinizing eye can detect in the power play units, because we know the systems work. A few guesses, not prophecies, bench Wahs Stacey (a proven good idea), move Wahs to the 1st PP unit, reinstate Matt Marshall. Even Kevin Sneddon, who I am not a huge fan of, cannot revert to the Barry Melrose-approved 'roll the lines' PP rotation. I know the argument for that Sneddon-concocted idea is that they can't do worse than the 2 current PP units. That may be true, but they WILL be as bad, and that's the idea of a solution, isn't it?

So, with everything solved, we set sail for.................9th place? Hey, the pressure is off, right?

Two weeks from now, after 2 games on the road and 2 against a team that will certainly outwork the Cats, UVM can very easily be in 9th place in Hockey East. Fitting, wouldn't you say, for a team that ranks 9th in PP success, 7th in PK success and is tied for last, with Providence, for combined special teams 'success.' If the players were only able to do justice to the incredibly brilliant special teams schemes Sneddon and his crack staff devise while the players go to class and concentrate on all the other things college kids concentrate on on weeknights.

If the Cats play themselves into 9th place in spite of their coach's brilliant coaching, the pressure will really be off, right? If they play themselves into 9th place in spite of their coach's brilliant coaching, they will be able to "fight" (to use snwbrdr's term) their way back into the playoffs, dare we hope for home ice?, against BU, UNH, and Lowell.

So, let's recap. Patrick Cullity, the new, disciplined Patrick Cullity, will be in the lineup on Friday. The PK will right itself against Providence. And we're so lucky to have Kevin Sneddon as our coach, not just because he can devise unstoppable PP systems and inpenetrable PK systems but also because he is a master at pointing out how the players are responsible for all failings.

Go Cats Go.

Simple question. Why do you even care?

I would say you are like New York Newspapers, they also seem to be more happier when things are going bad for the home team.

[grantfan]

Re: 2009-2010 Official Vermont Season Thread : The Sequel

Catlover, I wouldn't say I'm more happier when things go bad, mostly because I went to the 5th grade and could never even think that illiterately.

I am, we are, watching a very predictable train wreck, watching it move by move. I know I am not, we are not, smarter than the coach, so I try to follow along and learn, and I am, we are, watching idiocy and the predictable results that come with it.

Again, why not pick a point I tried to make and address it, why I am not right, why I am an idiot, why you see things differently.

How would you like to refund the cost of my 4 tickets in light of the garbage I am watching from this team?

[grantfan]

Re: 2009-2010 Official Vermont Season Thread : The Sequel

On a much brighter note, I feel vindicated in my support of Brayden Irwin when I see that Brayden is one of only 75 candidates for the NCAA Skills competition. As this is similar to the Hobey Baker Award in that it is only open to US-born players, it is a tribute to Brayden that the NCAA made an exception for the big fellow.

I cannot imagine any player in the NCAA that will be able to even come close to Brayden in competitions involving skating speed and agility or stickhandling or passing. I suppose someone could match his shooting, but I'd have to see that to believe it.

If Brayden is not going to be a Walter Brown Trophy candidate in this, his senior year, then what better honor than to be selected by the NCAA as a candidate for the NCAA Skills competition.

UVM is the only school to have a player nominated 2 years in a row, Lenes was picked last year, so the NCAA is obviously acknowledging the skill level of coach Sneddon's teams and players. Next year I look for Jack Downing to be selected and the following year is likely to be Matt Marshall's turn, if he is not already in Tampa Bay.

[grantfan]

Re: 2009-2010 Official Vermont Season Thread : The Sequel

Wow, the honors just keep coming!

Rob Madore, who, if he would have stopped the tying goal against Maine would have had a .90 save percentage - a save % not often found on successful teams, is a candidate for the Walter Brown Trophy and is being considered among the best American born players in New England. I guess I was distracted by Brayden Irwin's candidacy and didn't realize Madore was having that outstanding a season. Funny how that happens, eh?

The honors just keep being bestowed on this team, all deserved.

Look for Brian Roloff for Hockey East Defensive Forward of the Year, Cullity for both Individual and Team Sportmanship Awards, Brayden Irwin for Player of the Year and 2nd Team All America (All-Canada?), Sebastien Stalberg for Freshman ofthe Year, Dan Lawson for Best Defensive Defenseman and 2nd Team All-Hockey East, and, of course, Sneddon for Coach of the Year.

Congrats to all the award winners. It seems they'll have lots of time between the end of UVM's season and the ceremonies to write their acceptance speeches.

[CatsFan37]

Re: 2009-2010 Official Vermont Season Thread : The Sequel

What could possibly make you happy (G)rantfan? It seems you are looking for an altercation from someone. Hard to argue your points but the team has improved under Coach Sneddon each season. This one is not over yet although I am quite sure that if the Cats do not win the national title you will consider it a failure. Actually if they do win it I am sure that you will find away to complain about how they won it. I don't seriuosly think it is in the cards this season but "rant" you need to chill and stop answering your own posts. Really.

[Cat lover]

Re: 2009-2010 Official Vermont Season Thread : The Sequel

Again, why not pick a point I tried to make and address it, why I am not right, why I am an idiot, why you see things differently.

How would you like to refund the cost of my 4 tickets in light of the garbage I am watching from this team?

You dont make points. You make sarcastic comments that only you find interesting.

And by all means please give up your tickets so someone who knows what it means to be a sportsfan.

And since when is a above .500 team that is currently right on the edge of NCAA consideration a trainreck? Vermont has only made the tourney what 3 times in the last 20 years or so. It looks like you and some others got a little spoiled after last year and thought this is what was going to happen every year.

[observer85]

Re: 2009-2010 Official Vermont Season Thread : The Sequel

Again, why not pick a point I tried to make and address it, why I am not right, why I am an idiot, why you see things differently.

The hard part of picking a point and addressing it is that there are a lot of points to address - but here I go.

Coach Sneddon obviously had Cullity on a short leash and Patrick responded by being on his best behavior. Credit the coach for pushing all the right buttons, master manipulator that he is. This is obviously a perception of just on your part. Short leash or long leash, it does not seem to matter. Cullity is a cancer on this team. Could not believe the comment in the BFP from Sneddon - “Our power play...,” said Sneddon. “Patrick’s working his tail off out there, but two penalties are not a good sign and that unfortunately negates all the good things he did.” - Wow, what is Sneddon seeing? Cullity working his tail off? Good things...like what? Sorry, but this kid should not be playing...

Rest assured, fans, Patrick Cullity WILL be in the lineup Friday night in Providence. Unfortunately, you will probably be proven to be accurate. When you watch him, you tend to think he can not make anymore mistakes, that he has used up his quota for the game and then the blind faith that Sneddon shows in him, more times than not, comes back to haunt the team...and the faithful fans of the team.

One thing I love about Kevin Sneddon, and I mean this sincerely, is his willingness and enjoyment at throwing the players under the bus. In his post-game comments, the professional coach stated that it was the "inability to EXECUTE our penalty kill," among other failings of the players, that killed the team against Maine. Seven PPGs against in 2 games, 10 in the 3 UVM-UMaine games, is the fault of the players, not the coaches. The coaches, of course, devised a brilliant PK system that Maine would have been helpless against, except that the players misexecuted it, because it really was a brilliant PK plan the coaches devised that the players were unable to execute.

Having not yet viewed the videotape, Sneddon was unable to hand out credit where credit was due immediately after each game, so take a bow, boys. On Friday, when Maine scored 4 PPGs in 7 attempts, Wahs Stacey was on for all 4, Brian Roloff and Johnathan Higgins were each on for 3 of them, and Josh Burrows was on for 2. On Saturday, when Maine's PP efficiency dropped to only 50% (3 of 6), Roloff was on for all 3 (6 for the weekend as well as being a vital cog on the team's 1st PP unit), MacKenzie and Medvec were on for 2 each (3 each for the weekend), and Brayden Irwin was teamed with Higgins (3 for the weekend) on the unit that gave up the PPG that tied the game for Maine. These are the main culprits, not including Irwin, who were unable to execute the brilliant penalty kill that Sneddon had devised that was sure to shut down the UMaine powerplay had the players not been unable to execute it as brilliantly as it was devised. Having looked at the box scores, you are correct. This is a very good point. The penalty killers, in particular the forwards are not doing so well. From what I can tell, the only forwards that do not kill penalties are Milo, Stalberg, Nilsson-Roos and Pacan. Maybe these guys should get a shot. If nothing else, maybe they can create some shorthanded chances.

And I am positive the coach will address any problems his scrutinizing eye can detect in the power play units, because we know the systems work. A few guesses, not prophecies, bench Wahs Stacey (a proven good idea), move Wahs to the 1st PP unit, reinstate Matt Marshall. Even Kevin Sneddon, who I am not a huge fan of, cannot revert to the Barry Melrose-approved 'roll the lines' PP rotation. I know the argument for that Sneddon-concocted idea is that they can't do worse than the 2 current PP units. That may be true, but they WILL be as bad, and that's the idea of a solution, isn't it? It seems to me that if a team prepares against another team's PP unit in practice and that PP is as potent at Maines, why would a coach not scrap his crappy PP and "copy" the PP that actually works? Is it ego?

....If the players were only able to do justice to the incredibly brilliant special teams schemes Sneddon and his crack staff devise while the players go to class and concentrate on all the other things college kids concentrate on on weeknights. Are you implying that coaching staffs actually work during the day?...while the student athletes attend school? I have often wondered how hard it is for a coaching staff to come up with something that works. Perhaps they should be watching the PP units of say, maybe Maine (30% PP efficiency), Merrimack (26.2%), Colorado College (23.7%), UMass (22.7%) and on and on... I mean, football coaches go to other team's camps to learn other versions of offenses and defenses, why can't Sneddon and his staff go do the same? His PP and PK haven't been working for the last 3 years or so...

So, let's recap. Patrick Cullity, the new, disciplined Patrick Cullity, will be in the lineup on Friday. The PK will right itself against Providence. And we're so lucky to have Kevin Sneddon as our coach, not just because he can devise unstoppable PP systems and inpenetrable PK systems but also because he is a master at pointing out how the players are responsible for all failings. Nice summary...however, in that same BFP game article, the following quote appears - "We’ve got play with that energy all the time,” Sneddon said. “I vowed to the guys I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure it happens." - could actually happen...

What could possibly make you happy (G)rantfan? Hard to argue your points but the team has improved under Coach Sneddon each season. This one is not over yet...

I think that for us Vermont fans, the transition over the Gilligan years in the ECAC (middle to bottom of the pack) to Hockey East has been on an uphill trajectory. The problem may be that the bar may now have been set too high since the program went Hockey East. Year 1 in Hockey East was a 2 game loss to BC, Year 2 was a 3 game loss but tough battle vs. BU, Year 3 was making it to the "Garden" and losing the championship game to BC, Year 4 was not making it to the Garden but making the tournament and ultimately the Frozen Four. Now Year 5 and the team is underacheiving - in a BIG way - and that is a problem since expectations are so high.

In professional sports, coaches are fired when the players "tune" them out. In college sports, coaches who get tuned out just wait for the season to end and then they get a different cast the next year to work with. Maybe this is one of those years...

[Cat lover]

Re: 2009-2010 Official Vermont Season Thread : The Sequel

Its hard to figure out which pair leaving had hurt the Casts more...

Stalburg and Lenes for their scoring or Strong and Carlson for the Defense and leadership.

[jcarter7669]

Re: 2009-2010 Official Vermont Season Thread : The Sequel

Its hard to figure out which pair leaving had hurt the Casts more...

Stalburg and Lenes for their scoring or Strong and Carlson for the Defense and leadership.

I would argue its much more Lenes and Strong. These two guys brought the intangibles that are lacking this year. Strong was a leader plain and simple. Both by example as well as vocally. And Lenes provided a spark for the team, something they can't seem to find this year. THey can't seem to get it going, no energy, and Peter would bring that every time he was on the ice. Those two are missed more then Stalberg. Let's face it, when UVM loses it isn't by one goal, it's huge. Other then maybe making the team focus on him Stalberg would not be a huge benefit or have changed the outcome. But Strong especially and to a lesser extent Lenes have hurt.