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

[HockeyRef]

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

Exactly - I can't believe that if Umile was planning on leaving - or being pushed to leave - that winning Sunday and earning the chance to (likely) be swept at Lowell changes everyone's mind.

If this is the end, that decision has probably already been made. If the decision has been made, Umile will follow through on it regardless of outcome. I'm sure he sees that as limited as the team is this season, it is only going to be more so next season...

We'll find out soon if he sees this and isn't willing to go through another difficult year or if he simply can't let go of what has been his life for so long...

Dan, (and others) do you see the loss of TyK and Cleland as 'catastrophic'? Some wonder if we'll win more than 5 games next year...I find that hard to believe even recognizing what we are losing. I know the season isn't over yet but I've already started thinking about next year. Recognizing that we are getting in some defensive help (which will take time to develop) and seeing that the team CAN play competitively (as can most others) will we be looking at much of the same next year?

I think UNH under performed in many games for what reason I have no idea. I do recognize the depth issue esp defensively. (obviously) Personally I do not see a HC change coming next season, so I prefer to leave that out of the equation...and I do think we will really miss those two players mentioned above big time. Maybe this discussion is better left for the post mortem for when we are eliminated from the HE playoffs...

[HockeyRef]

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

Congrats to the 'Cats. You guys have some firepower, and if Tirone plays well, who knows. How did Kelleher not end up at BC? He'd fit perfectly in their lineage of little guys like the Giontas, Voce and Gerbe. He's fun to watch. Very skilled and VERY confident with the puck.
Good luck the rest of the way.

Thank you! You guys had a great season, with many big wins to be proud of. I can't answer that TyK q but we are glad he made the decision! I'm sure others here have the 'inside' scoop. We will miss him desperately next season; I know we've had some skilled players come and go the past few seasons but next year it will be a task to come close.

I am hopeful, tho, that if we can shore up the D who knows; less shots on goal means we don't have to score a ton (perfect world prob lame logic ) but you do have to have the play maker and that's what we'll be missing. It's going to be like when Brett Pesce left; he was only one player but oh the shoes were never quite filled...

[Dan]

Chuck, it is a stretch. If Umile is indeed going to call it a day, I doubt he decided that, if we lose Imgo, if we win I stay.

Exactly - I can't believe that if Umile was planning on leaving - or being pushed to leave - that winning Sunday and earning the chance to (likely) be swept at Lowell changes everyone's mind.

If this is the end, that decision has probably already been made. If the decision has been made, Umile will follow through on it regardless of outcome. I'm sure he sees that as limited as the team is this season, it is only going to be more so next season...

We'll find out soon if he sees this and isn't willing to go through another difficult year or if he simply can't let go of what has been his life for so long...

[RENCEB]

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

Congrats to the 'Cats. You guys have some firepower, and if Tirone plays well, who knows. How did Kelleher not end up at BC? He'd fit perfectly in their lineage of little guys like the Giontas, Voce and Gerbe. He's fun to watch. Very skilled and VERY confident with the puck.
Good luck the rest of the way.

[Greg Ambrose]

I don't think it's a stretch to say DT and his teammates saved Coach's 3rd and final year over the last 24+ hours.

Chuck, it is a stretch. If Umile is indeed going to call it a day, I doubt he decided that, if we lose Imgo, if we win I stay.

[chickod]

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

I suspect we are gonna need it...I will say that if we can at least come to play as we did Sat/Sunday and DT continues to stand on his head we'll at least make a game of things. Hockey is a strange game at times; losing even when you dominate zone time/etc. You just never know. The 'Cats took advantage of their opportunities and hung tough when they had to. Tix bought and we live to play one more weekend.

Anything can happen in a short series. I'm sure it will be a great atmosphere with the proximity of the schools and an arena "slightly" bigger than Lawler.

[HockeyRef]

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

Ha ha! Well, glad your dedication paid off! Good luck next weekend.

I suspect we are gonna need it...I will say that if we can at least come to play as we did Sat/Sunday and DT continues to stand on his head we'll at least make a game of things. Hockey is a strange game at times; losing even when you dominate zone time/etc. You just never know. The 'Cats took advantage of their opportunities and hung tough when they had to. Tix bought and we live to play one more weekend.

[C-H-C]

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

"UNH Wildcats Survive and Advance"
by Ben Nawn

[CollegeHockeyRinkReport]

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

Article on McNicholas with some quotes of interest from him and Salvaggio on playing with Hobey Baker candidate Tyler Kelleher:

http://www.sbncollegehockey.com/hock...aggio-kelleher

[chickod]

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

Actually sorry to disappoint but we decided to leave them in the car 'coz they were "bad luck" Friday!!! But there were other fans with them. We had a great time tonight!

Ha ha! Well, glad your dedication paid off! Good luck next weekend.

[HockeyRef]

HR...I could see the pom poms on the Hockey East stream.

Actually sorry to disappoint but we decided to leave them in the car 'coz they were "bad luck" Friday!!! But there were other fans with them. We had a great time tonight!

[HockeyRef]

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

That'll do 'Cats...that'll do. Just got home will be fun teaching in the morning but IT WAS WORTH IT!!!!

[Markt]

Agreed 100%. It really should be either/or. It's become an officiating cop-out IMO.

Any officials want to comment on this for us?

I'm not an official, but I think the difference dressing up a penalty (even a real one) is that it weakens officials' credibility and affects the game. I used to hate the penalty+embellishment calls, but I'm ok with it most of the time. I'd rather see a tripped player use his energy scrambling to recover and be useful than doing a Pete Rose slide and then throwing his hands up toward the ref.

[Chuck Murray]

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

WIS Productions weighs in with its MBPBEGAM edition of "Umile's Last Stand - _____ for 600"

"Umile's Last Stand - The Quest for 600 Continues"

Coach Umile's current career wins total: 585
Wins Remaining to the next round number: 15
*Games Remaining (This Season & Next - Min.): 38
Win Pct. Required to Hit Target: 39.5%
WIS Estimated Likelihood of Success: 60%
2016/2017 Cupcake Conversion Ratio (CCR): 9/17 (53%)

* - minimum games remaining assumes 34 regular season games, and at least 2 games in the MBPBEGAM "playoffs"

Out of absolutely nowhere, with things looking incredibly glum after a pathetic 4-0 opening game loss in the MBPBEGAM round against hosts Merrimack, Coach Umile and the boys come up with back-to-back wins to advance to the HE Quarterfinals against Coach Bazin and the first seeded UML Riverhawks. I don't know where the heck it came from, but a good start is between the pipes for UNH, where G Danny Tirone turned away all but two of nearly 90 shots over the final two games. And for a team that didn't score until the 3 game series was more than halfway over ... Hobey candidate Tyler Kelleher and his teammates struck for 9 goals in just a little over 4 periods' worth of play (with 3 ENG's sprinkled into the mix). You have to wonder if MC blew this one last night when they didn't take advantage early and let UNH stay in the game. Suddenly, as things will happen sometimes, you have this situation seemingly under total control ... and then something you didn't expect happens, it gets away from you, and suddenly you're trying to make up two goal deficits for most of Sunday's finale, and you never get any traction, because all of a sudden, the guys you assumed were going to mail it in ... well, they figured, why not give it a shot?

Putting things somewhat in perspective ... UNH's 10th place finish was not an accident, and their current status as the most underwhelming of underdogs in a 3 game road series that none of us can rationally be expecting to turn out in anything but a UNH loss (likely via a sweep) remains unchanged. But boy oh boy, does this take a ton of pressure off of Coach's shoulders, and by extension those of his very grateful boss, who no doubt was hoping he wasn't going to have to push the button on his paisan. More on that later. This weekend's outcome is terrific news for those hoping to follow The Quest to a happy ending at around this time next season (and hopefully WAY sooner).

The Big Picture - the only realistic goals right now are twofold - one for the short run, and the second the same as it's been since the lifetime contact "contracted" to only three (3) seasons. In the short run, having earned some real "post-season" games now, UNH will have up to three chances this coming weekend to add another 1-2 W's to Coach's CV ... but more importantly, an improbable upset sends Coach and the boys back to Boston with some honest to goodness real momentum. That also helps keep the "Kelleher for Hobey" campaign out in the public eye and relevant. Of course, the long term goal remains the NRN, which just received a HUGE boost this weekend. His return to his HC duties next season are just as assured as HRC's chances for the Democratic nomination were this time last year. Well done, Coach!!

As I said this time last weekend ... "win this series, and steal a game in the QF round ... and The Quest lives to improbably fight on for another season". So that's where we are right now. And to a degree, UNH is playing with house money, no real pressure, and if Danny Tirone can keep to his "Dr. Jekyl" form for a few more games, Coach Umile may very well legally adopt him. On to next week/end in Lowell, where it all ends for now ... or does it?

Predictions:

Game One: @ Lowell 3 UNH 1
Game Two: @ Lowell 4 UNH 3 (OT)

NEXT CUPCAKE ON THE SHELF (PROJECTED): AIC (10/13/17); @ AIC (10/14/17)

IS BS35+4 PAYING ATTENTION YET?

Tonight, the UNH AD is in a restless mood, having a hard time settling his nerves after the ordeal his Men's Hockey program and its long-time head coach have subjected him to. But it's ended well for our hero, and before he settles down for a late winter's nap, with visions of a Men's Hoop title dancing like sugarplums in his head, he realizes there's a very good chance that the man he was worried about having to usher off the stage a year early has emerged from his latest trial by fire on the winning side, and may well be the last Winter sports coach standing yet. But first, the AD stops by the bathroom briefly and gazing into the glass, begins to consult with his most trusted of advisors ...

MS: YES!! I KNEW it would work!! YES!! That'll show 'em, doubting ME. Whaddaya think NOW?
ZM: Yes sir, you are the all-knowing, ever-powerful Oz ...
MS: DARNED STRAIGHT I'M AWESOME!! Yes!! YES!! (shakes fist defiantly at glass)
ZM: Sire, I never doubted you and your 35+ years of experience for a sec-
MS: STICK IT, WIS!!
CS: ... honey, what's all the noise in the bathroom, dear? Your kidney stones acting up again??
MS: No darling, I'm just chatting with Richie on the cell ...
CS: ... but your phone is right here, on the dresser dear?
MS: (ack!) Oh, uh, gee thanks hon. I was wondering why Richie wasn't responding ...
CS: ... yeah, funny how it works better this way. Well, g'night dear, tell Richie congrats.
MS: Sure, will do sweetie. Be there in a couple (shutting the door tightly for privacy)
ZM: You were saying, Your Excellency ...
MS: (putting down phone, still off, cups hands over mouth) SCREW YOU ALL, YOU UNBELIEVERS!!!
ZM: Are you quite finished, sire?
MS: yeah, for now. first thing tomorrow, let's ring up Matty Johnson and Bobby V to get this schedule stuff sorted ...
ZM: Your wish is my command, master. May I add one thing though?
MS: Depends ...
ZM: I just want to state, your brilliance knows no bounds.
MS: I know. G'night!!

[Chuck Murray]

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

So,they basically do jack for two months, then this? Actually,it's Tirone. But the same question applies. On to Lowell.

I don't think it's a stretch to say DT and his teammates saved Coach's 3rd and final year over the last 24+ hours.