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

[Dan]

Not bad, but remember that we are 46th in SOS, not to be confused with e.cat's SOG.

Opponents GPG Rank / out of 60:
Boston College - 5th (3.74)
St Lawrence - 18th (3.26)
Clarkson - 23rd (3.11)
Cornell - 30th (3.00)
Mercyhurst - 33rd (2.86)
Maine x 2 - 37th (2.78)
Bentley - 39th (2.60)
Merrimack x 2 - 44th (2.44)
Arizona State - 48th (2.35)
Massachusetts x 2 - 49th (2.33)
Colorado College - 51st (2.27)
Sacred Heart - 53rd (2.24)
Rensselaer - 54th (2.16)
Dartmouth - 56th (2.10)

I'm enjoying the recent wins and TK's scoring race as much as anyone, but the fact of the matter is that 8-6-2 would have been considered a disappointment prior to the season. Say what you will about this program, but they have the talent to be sitting here at 12-4-0. Hopefully the team can carry some late first half confidence into the second half of the year (and 5-1-1 in conference play is great regardless of who they've played) - but I for one won't get carried away based on two wins over a hapless Maine team and a pre-thanksgiving win over an RPI team that may very well be the worst team in the country...

They get Dartmouth tonight, as well as another shot at Maine, a key game with UML and a trip to Brown (59th - 1.82) before hitting the meat of the schedule. Anything less than 11-7-2 heading into Northeastern will be unfortunate.

If they can get to 11 wins or more by that point, in dominating fashion, then I may allow myself to start getting excited about what they can do in the second half against a lackluster NU team, far from perfect ND and PC clubs, an identical UConn group, a UVM team they have historically outclassed and a BU team struggling to find chemistry...

In the meantime, a Commesso commitment and a recent trend of beating the teams they're supposed to beat is a happy/hopeful distant light at the end of the tunnel...

[Snively65]

Wow that's noteworthy! Hey keep us in the loop tonight ok? I'll be checking in...

Will need to drag over posts on rink construction and comparison from old thread, as there are lots of differences between Thompson Arena and Lake Whitt.

UNH down 1-0 after one, but leads 9-8 in SOG. Both teams had one successful PK in first. Big Green jerseys have thick dark stripes (supposedly throwbacks), so hard for me to distinguish from UNH dark blues; glad that I am not trying to tell the difference on the ice, or maybe my eyes are just getting bad?

Oops, BG up 2-0 only 16 seconds into second.

Eiserman all alone in front and shoots low into Buffalo's pads; talk about a player who has regressed.

[HockeyRef]

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

Ugh 'Come on 'Cats!!! 🙀

[Dan]

Ugh 'Come on 'Cats!!! 🙀

3-0...

[Snively65]

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

And, Cats face 1:35 of 5-3 PK to begin third. Both teams have hit the pipes twice. Cats just not good in OOC games.

[Scott]

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

Well, it was fun while it lasted. Discombobulated 'Cats once again showing their true colors. Wake me up when it's January.....

[Snively65]

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

Killed off the 5-3, but gave up fourth at the beginning of the remaining 25 secs of 5-4.

First line just got one back, so now 4-1.

[HockeyRef]

Killed off the 5-3, but gave up fourth at the beginning of the remaining 25 secs of 5-4.

First line just got one back, so now 4-1.

Woof..One of those nights. Heard they came out very lethargic...

[Lemonade]

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

Opponents GPG Rank / out of 60:
Boston College - 5th (3.74)
St Lawrence - 18th (3.26)
Clarkson - 23rd (3.11)
Cornell - 30th (3.00)
Mercyhurst - 33rd (2.86)
Maine x 2 - 37th (2.78)
Bentley - 39th (2.60)
Merrimack x 2 - 44th (2.44)
Arizona State - 48th (2.35)
Massachusetts x 2 - 49th (2.33)
Colorado College - 51st (2.27)
Sacred Heart - 53rd (2.24)
Rensselaer - 54th (2.16)
Dartmouth - 56th (2.10)

I'm enjoying the recent wins and TK's scoring race as much as anyone, but the fact of the matter is that 8-6-2 would have been considered a disappointment prior to the season. Say what you will about this program, but they have the talent to be sitting here at 12-4-0. Hopefully the team can carry some late first half confidence into the second half of the year (and 5-1-1 in conference play is great regardless of who they've played) - but I for one won't get carried away based on two wins over a hapless Maine team and a pre-thanksgiving win over an RPI team that may very well be the worst team in the country...

They get Dartmouth tonight, as well as another shot at Maine, a key game with UML and a trip to Brown (59th - 1.82) before hitting the meat of the schedule. Anything less than 11-7-2 heading into Northeastern will be unfortunate.

If they can get to 11 wins or more by that point, in dominating fashion, then I may allow myself to start getting excited about what they can do in the second half against a lackluster NU team, far from perfect ND and PC clubs, an identical UConn group, a UVM team they have historically outclassed and a BU team struggling to find chemistry...

In the meantime, a Commesso commitment and a recent trend of beating the teams they're supposed to beat is a happy/hopeful distant light at the end of the tunnel...

Totally agree with you on UNH trending the right direction. I think once Souza gets the head job he will be able to give the program a shot in the arm it desperately needs. Umile is a legend but I am willing to bet he doenst connect with the younger recruits and the weird situation of Umile still being head coach with retirement looming is sort of odd to some recruits that are looking for a clear and concise answer to who will be coaching them when they get there. The Commesso commitment was probably the biggest get in the last 3-4 years. He was supposedly a lock at BU and he decided he wanted UNH and you have to give Souza huge amounts of credit on that one. Commesso is the type of commit that will be able to pull in some other high caliber players down the road at that age level. You get one and more will follow...thats usually how it works. It may be an up and down type thing for a while but the future looks bright for the Wildcats in my opinion.

[HockeyRef]

Totally agree with you on UNH trending the right direction. I think once Souza gets the head job he will be able to give the program a shot in the arm it desperately needs. Umile is a legend but I am willing to bet he doenst connect with the younger recruits and the weird situation of Umile still being head coach with retirement looming is sort of odd to some recruits that are looking for a clear and concise answer to who will be coaching them when they get there. The Commesso commitment was probably the biggest get in the last 3-4 years. He was supposedly a lock at BU and he decided he wanted UNH and you have to give Souza huge amounts of credit on that one. Commesso is the type of commit that will be able to pull in some other high caliber players down the road at that age level. You get one and more will follow...thats usually how it works. It may be an up and down type thing for a while but the future looks bright for the Wildcats in my opinion.

If any post deserves a like button it's this one!! Time...it's all any of us has!!
The future can't come soon enough for this program and its fans...

[Greg Ambrose]

Woof..One of those nights. Heard they came out very lethargic...

Last game for three weeks. How can that be? Must be worried about finals.

[Snively65]

Woof..One of those nights. Heard they came out very lethargic...

I was standing behind the railing above the UNH bench, and the Cats did not look lethargic to me. But, they were missing on most of their passes, and not winning battles in the corners. However, the latter dump and chase into the corners always has been a pet peeve of mine, especially when the opposing team is bigger and dominating in those areas. And, once again, like most of the games that I have seen this season, Salvaggio and McNickolas were not getting open in the O zone to receive passes from TyK, including on the PP, unlike his linemates last season. The UNH PP was lousy tonight, the PK better. I thought that Ty Rone was fine; BG easily could have added 3 or 4 more goals but for some excellent saves by Ty.

[HockeyRef]

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

I was standing behind the railing above the UNH bench, and the Cats did not look lethargic to me. But, they were missing on most of their passes, and not winning battles in the corners. However, the latter dump and chase into the corners always has been a pet peeve of mine, especially when the opposing team is bigger and dominating in those areas. And, once again, like most of the games that I have seen this season, Salvaggio and McNickolas were not getting open in the O zone to receive passes from TyK, including on the PP, unlike his linemates last season. The UNH PP was lousy tonight, the PK better. I thought that Ty Rone was fine; BG easily could have added 3 or 4 more goals but for some excellent saves by Ty.

Thanks for the synopsis...wait til we play UVM...they are tough (although BU handled them quite easily tonight after last night's loss). I'm with you...hate that dump n chase game... See you at the Verizon game (or whatever the arena is called, SNHU?)

[Snively65]

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

JvR got goal against Bs tonight, so that is three UNH alums with goals in NHL this week.

[Chuck Murray]

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

I'm enjoying the recent wins and TK's scoring race as much as anyone, but the fact of the matter is that 8-6-2 would have been considered a disappointment prior to the season. Say what you will about this program, but they have the talent to be sitting here at 12-4-0. Hopefully the team can carry some late first half confidence into the second half of the year (and 5-1-1 in conference play is great regardless of who they've played) - but I for one won't get carried away based on two wins over a hapless Maine team and a pre-thanksgiving win over an RPI team that may very well be the worst team in the country...

They get Dartmouth tonight, as well as another shot at Maine, a key game with UML and a trip to Brown (59th - 1.82) before hitting the meat of the schedule. Anything less than 11-7-2 heading into Northeastern will be unfortunate.

If they can get to 11 wins or more by that point, in dominating fashion, then I may allow myself to start getting excited about what they can do in the second half against a lackluster NU team, far from perfect ND and PC clubs, an identical UConn group, a UVM team they have historically outclassed and a BU team struggling to find chemistry...

In the meantime, a Commesso commitment and a recent trend of beating the teams they're supposed to beat is a happy/hopeful distant light at the end of the tunnel...

The sad thing is, Dan ... every time someone like you or me starts to believe, or makes a projection about where they should be after a certain stretch of games ... they just seem to find a way to come up short.

I expected at least 10 wins by the time they returned to action for the UMaine game in ManchVegas. Your statement that 12-4-0 would not be unreasonable, given the talent level (meh, but ... ) and especially the cupcake-laden schedule, is right on the button. Think about the games this team has lost so far. Tonight's disappointing loss barely cracks the top five (ASFU/Sacred Heart/Bentley/CC). UGH.

UNH almost never wins the "back from break" game (or at least it seems like a rarity?), so UMaine is in doubt ... Normie's boys are up next and he's got their number in recent years ... then Brown on the road. That's got 1-1-1 written all over it. So like I have been disappointed with their inability to hit certain benchmarks to date, I think you will be disappointed too (although obviously I hope it works out for you).

I can only imagine how quiet the bus ride back down Rte. 89 would have been after tonight's dud.

I'm going to stew on this for a few days before letting rip with the next edition of The Quest. This one hurts.