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

[Dan]

Would you guys like some nice camembert with that whine?

Sorry, win or (more than likely) lose, id rather UNH did so against a team with a less boring style of play. Good luck this weekend...

[Greg Ambrose]

UNH hoops won their 20th tonight. Any guess the next time the hockey team does that?

[RENCEB]

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

Really a shame ... I'd SO much prefer to see hockey at Mathews Arena than that HS rink up in North Andover.

Watching those two lines burn out the scoreboard would have been enjoyable hockey win or lose. Watching MC stifle the life out of the sport in that box of a rink will be less enjoyable...

Would you guys like some nice camembert with that whine?

[Scott]

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

Not to carry the Umile "will-he-stay-or-will-he-go" theories any further, but my wife and I noticed something interesting going on at center ice about an hour before game time. We usually get there early (6 pm-ish) and walk several laps around the Whitt before settling in for the game. Anyway, down at center ice was Coach Umile with his family, daughters and grandchildren posing in the player's box for photos. We had never seen this happen before, and wondered what the occasion could have been. A thought passed through each of our heads: Was this some sort of celebration marking his final regular season home game behind the UNH bench?

Yes, it was Senior Night with plenty of professional photographers in the house, but it just seemed odd that Umile's entire family was there for a "photo op". It could have very well been some other family celebration of sorts. To us however, it just seemed to insinuate that retirement was indeed imminent.

[HockeyRef]

Sorry to break up all the negativity but here's a story on Tyler Kelleher:

http://www.sbncollegehockey.com/hock...ate-dick-umile

Thank you Jeff appreciate the excellent article about TyK!

[CollegeHockeyRinkReport]

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

Sorry to break up all the negativity but here's a story on Tyler Kelleher:

http://www.sbncollegehockey.com/hock...ate-dick-umile

[HockeyRef]

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

TK surprised me the second half continuing to tally points against a tough schedule. He unlike Pots last year was able to adjust. His defensive hustle and back checking remains suspect.

As for Tirone I agree he works hard but that doesn't mean he is not without fault. He is continually out of position, down on the ice too early and did not keep his team in games. He will make a miraculous save gen moments later let a soft goal in killing any momentum

Yeah I hear what you are saying about DT's technique. In his defense it can't be easy to be on as much as he's expected to be...the lopsided SOG's he sometimes faces etc. but that being said...that is the lot of the goal tender. Hopefully with the arrival of the new D next year things even up abit if we can replace the obvious TyK contributions. I look forward to Mike Robinson's arrival as well. He seems to fit that 'mold' that so many of you speak regarding goal tenders, goal keepers haha as it were! Kelleher will no doubt move on right after the season ends. You speak of Pots' lack of production in the second half...he seems to be doing just fine now. (not to excuse the lack of goals in the second half for whatever reason).

Without calling myself an apologist I just try to recognize good work when I see it. And that game Saturday night DT deserved some recognition for our lack of offense. You can't play defense all night without losing most of the time. That's where we have been for the past couple of seasons. That is a fact, and not an apology. Our record has not been a total reflection of his game. Would a stronger goalie have made the difference? In some games, yes. Momentum killers, I'd agree with that.

My husband pointed out that we don't score many goals on transition like we used to. Seems to me in the past speedy forwards picked up the puck and away they went. Strong, capable blueliners skated it out of the zone, put the shot on net, rebounds were scored upon. This was our game and can be again. Anyway... offense wins games; defense, championships!

[norbert]

Awesome; see you there. We UNH fans have to stick together. Sitting somewhere in Section 12...It would be highly gratifying to make it out of this round. At least they are still playing....even if most feel this first round is nothing more than a HE $$grab. And nada on a third game if it goes that far. Too hard and I've got school in the morning. Besides, I'd rather be home doing my usual 'pace back and forth'...ha!

ps lost in all of this is that our Tyler Kelleher shares top scoring honors in the nation (along with NU's Zach Aston-Reese) with 59 points. TyK also wins the HE scoring title, the second Wildcat to do so in two years with Andrew Poturalski winning it last year. Jason Salvaggio had a great regular season with 21 goals, as well as Michael McNick with his 38 points, along with his 9 PP goals. Bright spot on the D of course is Captain Matias Cleland in 5th slot for assists. Rookie forward Patrick Grasso potted 17 goals.
Finally I would be remiss if I didn't mention Danny Tirone who gets a lot of flack (guilty as charged on occasion) But if you sat behind him on Sat nite you would see like I did just how hard he works to keep the puck out of the net. Well done.

TK surprised me the second half continuing to tally points against a tough schedule. He unlike Pots last year was able to adjust. His defensive hustle and back checking remains suspect.

As for Tirone I agree he works hard but that doesn't mean he is not without fault. He is continually out of position, down on the ice too early and did not keep his team in games. He will make a miraculous save gen moments later let a soft goal in killing any momentum

[riverchief1]

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

So true. Home away from home. More ticket starved UNH fans than Merrimack fans, like clockwork.

Same at Lowell. Some of us used to call Tsongas "Whittemore South" as the place would turn into a UNH home game. I remember athletics even marketing to UNH to help generate ticket sales.

[Chuck Murray]

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

The thing is, we never said this in "the good ole days." it was an easy place to play when the Cats were good.

So true. Home away from home. More ticket starved UNH fans than Merrimack fans, like clockwork.

[Aerman]

Granted it IS a tough rink no doubt about it but your plan sounds about right.

The thing is, we never said this in "the good ole days." it was an easy place to play when the Cats were good.

Admittedly, MC is better than they used to be.

[d.gerry]

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

UNH wins the Hockey East tourney, and then wins the NCAA's: Umile steps down, his choice, Hollywood beckons

Maybe you'll get a cameo!

[Chuck Murray]

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

Chuck, do you think the answer to this question will be different depending on what happens this weekend? (And potentially the weekend(s) following?) I mean if there is a fluky mini-run like there was two years ago do you think that changes anything? And if so, is that a good thing?

I do think it's very fluid at this point, Felgie. If they lose this weekend at Merrimack, then I strongly suspect it's all over. If they find a way to advance, and make some noise the following weekend against BU or UML, then that might be enough to convince the only two guys that matter that it's worth playing it out for the final season. If they make it back to the Garden ... well, that's maybe the toughest scenario to guess. IF "the next round number" thing really figures prominently in Coach's thinking, then he'd have no more than 13 W's to earn next season, and BS35+5 can make that happen over the summer (if he hasn't put the finishing touches on an ultra-creampuff schedule already).

But IF what Coach craves is that one final big moment in the spotlight to ride off into the sunset ... walking away with a final appearance in the HE Semis is about as good as it's ever going to get, given UNH's current positioning.

If you look at next year's projected UNH squad ... the returning players are going to be the last vestiges of the Borek era, many of whom have really done nothing of note for Coach to make him yearn to spend that one final year with them (and some of whom have badly let him down in recent weeks) ... and then there will be Souza's first real haul of incoming players, to whom Umile has little if any connection now, and would only be coaching them for next season. So IF he does come back, it has to be for that one final moment in the spotlight.

UNH loses this weekend (sweep or not): Umile is not back (and maybe not his choice)
UNH advances this weekend, and gets drilled next weekend: Umile is not back (his choice)
UNH advances this weekend, and pushes the QF to 3 games: Umile will be back (NRN - his choice)
UNH advances to the Garden, doesn't win: Umile steps down (spotlight trumps NRN - his choice)
----------
UNH advances to the Garden, wins, qualifies for NCAA's: Umile stays, wants NRN, thinks extension is in the cards
UNH wins the Hockey East tourney, and then wins the NCAA's: Umile steps down, his choice, Hollywood beckons

Of course, those last two under the dotted line are pure fantasy, but I figured I'd play it out regardless.

As to whether any of these outcomes are a "good thing" or not, I guess that all depends ...

[Darius]

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

Since it's unlikely Maine or Amherst will do anything, I'm going with UNH to hopefully take out Merrimack so as the lowest remaining seed, we'd get the Wildcats in the quarterfinals. Really don't feel like dealing with either UConn or NU, especially UConn who really seems to have Lowell's number. Go Wildcats (and eat plenty of Fuddrucker's as that's pretty much the only benefit of having to play at Merrimack).

Attending UML's quarterfinal series was already on my radar, regardless of who y'all play. Count me in for sure if your opponent is the 'cats.

[Felger]

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

The only question I have is, would Coach resign voluntarily before he gets pushed? He has to be devastated with how things have turned out this season down the stretch. For the first time ever, I think that answer may be "yes". The kicker, though, is ... we may never know. I do know it's going to be an interesting next few weeks in UNH-land.

Chuck, do you think the answer to this question will be different depending on what happens this weekend? (And potentially the weekend(s) following?) I mean if there is a fluky mini-run like there was two years ago do you think that changes anything? And if so, is that a good thing?