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

[boblav1]

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

Would rather keep it in Manchester regularly. That drive back and forth to Albany last year was a killer. Manchester has many places for pre-gaming within walking distance and although it was the state capital, Albany was a pretty dead atmosphere last year.

Springfield at least is closer, and has a Golden Corral.

The only positive about Worcester is the close proximity like Manchester. But other than that, the facility is a dump and not much around it.

I thought there was some talk about Portland ME submitting a bid for a future regional.

[riverchief1]

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

If UNH stopped bidding I wonder if Albany and Springfield might get a shot.

Would rather keep it in Manchester regularly. That drive back and forth to Albany last year was a killer. Manchester has many places for pre-gaming within walking distance and although it was the state capital, Albany was a pretty dead atmosphere last year.

Springfield at least is closer, and has a Golden Corral.

The only positive about Worcester is the close proximity like Manchester. But other than that, the facility is a dump and not much around it.

[UML Puck Hawk]

I don't think they'd stop going to Manchester as it's one of the go-to places and is the best of that group. Worcester's the worst of the bunch in my mind and Bridgeport was surprisingly ok in 2013.

If UNH stopped bidding I wonder if Albany and Springfield might get a shot.

[scoreboard]

Just because UConn is a cupcake doesn't mean UNH hasn't fallen to cupcake status themselves. Thread rule, sorry.

Not to mention, there's a fair few past cupcakes who've since bypassed UNH. Make of that what you will.

As the saying goes ... if you can't see the cupcakes on your schedule, then YOU are the cupcake.

I guess we have a different meaning of cupcake. To me, a cupcake is a team that is playing higher level opponent with a minimal chance of winning.

[riverchief1]

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

I bought Regionals tix today fully knowing it's doubtful UNH will make it interested in the hockey you know. My question is now that we've missed the past two that have been held in Manchester (am including this one) will the NCAA stop considering this site? UNH puts the bid in am I correct?
I know it alternates between here and Providence/Worcester/Bridgeport.

I don't think they'd stop going to Manchester as it's one of the go-to places and is the best of that group. Worcester's the worst of the bunch in my mind and Bridgeport was surprisingly ok in 2013.

[HockeyRef]

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

I bought Regionals tix today fully knowing it's doubtful UNH will make it interested in the hockey you know. My question is now that we've missed the past two that have been held in Manchester (am including this one) will the NCAA stop considering this site? UNH puts the bid in am I correct?
I know it alternates between here and Providence/Worcester/Bridgeport.

[HockeyRef]

Well, well....guess which UNH coach just earned a 600th career victory???
(and my wife and I were there to witness it too! )

http://www.unhwildcats.com/news/2017...us-temple.aspx

That's awesome! I have heard that UNH has a killer gymnastics team would love to see them compete. Congrats Coach Goodspeed!

[Chuck Murray]

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

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.

Just because UConn is a cupcake doesn't mean UNH hasn't fallen to cupcake status themselves. Thread rule, sorry.

Not to mention, there's a fair few past cupcakes who've since bypassed UNH. Make of that what you will.

As the saying goes ... if you can't see the cupcakes on your schedule, then YOU are the cupcake.

[chickod]

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

I'll state at the outset that BU is not very good.

A little harsh, don't you think, Greg? Admittedly many of us have been critical, but that's because we feel that given their (purported) talent, they have underachieved. But they DO have 20 wins. And if they win both next weekend and BC loses one, they win the league. Are they up with the elite teams this year (Western Michigan, Denver, etc.)? No. But to say they're "not very good" is a little bit of an overstatement, IMO. They DID beat Harvard (before the Beanpot, earlier in the season), Union, Providence and Vermont. You can absolutely say that they are "inconsistent" or even "perplexing" at times, but if you say they're "not good" then apparently Hockey East is "not good" either.

[riverchief1]

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

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.

I wouldn't consider them a cupcake either. I have no desire to see UConn play Lowell again this season after the difficulty they've had with them this season and in the past.

[Scott]

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

Well, well....guess which UNH coach just earned a 600th career victory???
(and my wife and I were there to witness it too! )

http://www.unhwildcats.com/news/2017...us-temple.aspx

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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!