UNH Wildcats 2018-2019: Souza the Opportunity or Louza the Opportunity

[Ray Dorn]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2018-2019: Souza the Opportunity or Louza the Opportunity

I Know this is a UNH thread, but let me diverge for a moment. Today was the trade deadline in the NHL. There have been many trades over the last week or so. I believe the majority of the people on this thread are also Boston Bruins fans. The Boston Bruins traded away Ryan Donato to the Minnesota Wild for Charlie Coyle. I have been very interested in watching Ryan Donato's play since last year's Olympics when he played for Team USA. In my opinion, he was the star of that team. After last year's college season he joined the Boston Bruins for the remainder of the season. This season he has been going back and forth between Boston and Providence. He never seemed to fit in with the Boston Bruins system. Donato's skill set was never appreciated by the organization. They seemed to want to turn him into something he wasn't.

Ryan Donato has now played in three games with the Minnesota Wild since the trade. Minnesota has won all three games and Donato has one goal, the game winner in OT, and three assists in those games. He seems to have found a NHL team that appreciates his skills. As a Boston Bruin fan I hope the trade is a win/win for both teams and for both players. It would be a lot of fun to watch, however slim, the Boston Bruins face the Minnesota Wild in this year's Stanley Cup Finals!

This situation makes me wonder if Jason Krog and/or Darren Haydar could have had a better NHL career if they had hooked up with different NHL organizations. Were there NHL teams back then that may have appreciated their respective skill sets more than the teams that they ended up with? What if they came along just one decade later? Has anybody read the book "Outliers"?

[chickod]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2018-2019: Souza the Opportunity or Louza the Opportunity

I Know this is a UNH thread, but let me diverge for a moment. Today was the trade deadline in the NHL. There have been many trades over the last week or so. I believe the majority of the people on this thread are also Boston Bruins fans. The Boston Bruins traded away Ryan Donato to the Minnesota Wild for Charlie Coyle. I have been very interested in watching Ryan Donato's play since last year's Olympics when he played for Team USA. In my opinion, he was the star of that team. After last year's college season he joined the Boston Bruins for the remainder of the season. This season he has been going back and forth between Boston and Providence. He never seemed to fit in with the Boston Bruins system. Donato's skill set was never appreciated by the organization. They seemed to want to turn him into something he wasn't.

Ryan Donato has now played in three games with the Minnesota Wild since the trade. Minnesota has won all three games and Donato has one goal, the game winner in OT, and three assists in those games. He seems to have found a NHL team that appreciates his skills. As a Boston Bruin fan I hope the trade is a win/win for both teams and for both players. It would be a lot of fun to watch, however slim, the Boston Bruins face the Minnesota Wild in this year's Stanley Cup Finals!

This situation makes me wonder if Jason Krog and/or Darren Haydar could have had a better NHL career if they had hooked up with different NHL organizations. Were there NHL teams back then that may have appreciated their respective skill sets more than the teams that they ended up with? What if they came along just one decade later? Has anybody read the book "Outliers"?

The Bruins have a history of giving up too soon on young players and then making excuses (see Joe Thornton, Phil Kessel, and Tyler Seguin to name a few). Also, the Jacobs' modus operandi is to make money first, and if a "great team" happens to fall into their laps, wonderful. To me, 2011 was an aberration. Which means that they have won the Stanley Cup four times since 1929 (1970, 1972 and 2011). Yes, that would be four times in NINETY YEARS (for all you young ones you read that correctly). Apparently the "excuse" with Donato was he wasn't strong enough physically and perhaps didn't take the body enough on defense (sound familiar), which, of course, might be difficult to do if you aren't strong enough. They didn't give him time to develop. I was actually shocked they haven't let Pastrnak go (and they still might after the way they made no bones about "hiding" the fact that he "fell" trying to catch an Uber ride after a team dinner - the clear implication was that he was inebriated).

Don't expect anything to change, and although Sweeney and to a certain extend, probably Neely are just "yes" men and puppets for the Jacobs, I'm not surprised that Neely might exert enough influence to convince them that the "lunch pail" style is still what the Bruins want. Unfortunately, they're only about ten years behind the times in the modern NHL, where speed and skill predominate.

And, BTW, the Bruins aren't making the Stanley Cup Finals against anyone. They won't be getting past a superior Tampa Bay team.

[wildcatdc]

Speaking of vR's, JvR got another goal on Saturday night to help beat the archrival Pens, 4-3, sans CDS. :-)

What a plodder! How many SOG did he have??

[Snively65]

The Bruins have a history of giving up too soon on young players and then making excuses (see Joe Thornton, Phil Kessel, and Tyler Seguin to name a few). Also, the Jacobs' modus operandi is to make money first, and if a "great team" happens to fall into their laps, wonderful. To me, 2011 was an aberration. Which means that they have won the Stanley Cup four times since 1929 (1970, 1972 and 2011). Yes, that would be four times in NINETY YEARS (for all you young ones you read that correctly). Apparently the "excuse" with Donato was he wasn't strong enough physically and perhaps didn't take the body enough on defense (sound familiar), which, of course, might be difficult to do if you aren't strong enough. They didn't give him time to develop. I was actually shocked they haven't let Pastrnak go (and they still might after the way they made no bones about "hiding" the fact that he "fell" trying to catch an Uber ride after a team dinner - the clear implication was that he was inebriated).

Don't expect anything to change, and although Sweeney and to a certain extend, probably Neely are just "yes" men and puppets for the Jacobs, I'm not surprised that Neely might exert enough influence to convince them that the "lunch pail" style is still what the Bruins want. Unfortunately, they're only about ten years behind the times in the modern NHL, where speed and skill predominate.

And, BTW, the Bruins aren't making the Stanley Cup Finals against anyone. They won't be getting past a superior Tampa Bay team.

Six times, I think, unless there is some reason that the B's 1939 and 1941 SC's do not count?

[HockeyRef]

One interesting decision out of Saturday's game was the pulling of Ty Taylor. Northeastern really took it to UNH to start the third, including a pair of in-alone goals, and the lopsided start to the period was hardly a reflection on the rookie goaltender. I'd imagine the decision was based more on frustration with the team's effort in what was still a tight game, the opportunity to get some minutes for a dutiful walk-on once things got away from UNH or (likely) both, (fair enough) but...

Taylor has now been pulled three times in seven starts this season and twice in a row. I saw the CC start live and watched the Yale game online - while he was not good in either game, the team certainly did him no favors with their play in front of him. Taylor is, undoubtedly, a big boy, but he is also human and I'm sure there is some frustration and at least a little doubt haunting him right now.

Robinson has earned the lion's share of the playing time this season - I have no quibble with how they've handled the minutes - but I still think it's best for UNH moving forward (long term) to have both goalies confident and on top of their game. With eighth-place locked in and the chance for upward mobility in the standings slipping away, I hope the staff considers giving Taylor another chance this weekend (and that the team shows up in front of him for 60-minutes), reaffirming their long-term faith in him and giving him something to hang his hat on heading into the off-season...

Splitting the Lowell series could accomplish that goal, while still giving Robinson the necessary starts (UML/NU) - one each weekend - and enough rest to prepare for the post-season, where he would rightly be the starter...

Great post Dan...I hope Ty is ok; the lot of the goal tender is a tough one. At one tv time out I saw Mike R talking to him. Had to be hard. I agree that it would be in the best interest to play the two of them and was glad to see him out there Sat night.

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2018-2019: Souza the Opportunity or Louza the Opportunity

One interesting decision out of Saturday's game was the pulling of Ty Taylor. Northeastern really took it to UNH to start the third, including a pair of in-alone goals, and the lopsided start to the period was hardly a reflection on the rookie goaltender. I'd imagine the decision was based more on frustration with the team's effort in what was still a tight game, the opportunity to get some minutes for a dutiful walk-on once things got away from UNH or (likely) both, (fair enough) but...

Taylor has now been pulled three times in seven starts this season and twice in a row. I saw the CC start live and watched the Yale game online - while he was not good in either game, the team certainly did him no favors with their play in front of him. Taylor is, undoubtedly, a big boy, but he is also human and I'm sure there is some frustration and at least a little doubt haunting him right now.

Robinson has earned the lion's share of the playing time this season - I have no quibble with how they've handled the minutes - but I still think it's best for UNH moving forward (long term) to have both goalies confident and on top of their game. With eighth-place locked in and the chance for upward mobility in the standings slipping away, I hope the staff considers giving Taylor another chance this weekend (and that the team shows up in front of him for 60-minutes), reaffirming their long-term faith in him and giving him something to hang his hat on heading into the off-season...

Splitting the Lowell series could accomplish that goal, while still giving Robinson the necessary starts (UML/NU) - one each weekend - and enough rest to prepare for the post-season, where he would rightly be the starter...

First and foremost, kudos to you for sticking to your guns on the goalie rotation. I think we can all agree that Robinson earned it this year, and (like with Robinson last year and Clark before then) even when Taylor did get a start and an opportunity to press for the rotation, he pretty much "spit the bit", with maybe one or two exceptions. I agree, Robinson should get a game apiece over the final two weekends of the RS, and you really should give Taylor one last shot at live game action (1) just in case, and (2) to maybe build some carry-forward confidence to bring into next season. It will be interesting to see if Coach Souza hits the re-set button on a rotation right out of the gate next season or not? However it plays out, Robinson has done enough to get the benefit of the doubt.

I hate to nitpick on your post, 'cuz I think it's a timely and productive discussion to have right now. But the whole "rest" concept for an NCAA D-1 goalie seems to be a needless concern. Ordinarily, we're talking about young guys playing two full games a week plus practices. Not exactly an overload, and then adding to the mix the previous weekend's lack of any games … and that means as of next weekend, Robinson will have played all of one (1) live game in just under 20 days. Talk to me all day about building up your back-up in what is otherwise likely to be a relatively meaningless game, and I'm all ears. Tell me you're doing it because your lead guy needs "rest", and we're dangerously treading on the "wussification" of hockey, like folks do when they get all aghast about a starting pitcher piling up over 100 pitches in a start in August or September . Somehow, I think Robinson will find a way to gut it out down the stretch …

[Dan]

First and foremost, kudos to you for sticking to your guns on the goalie rotation. I think we can all agree that Robinson earned it this year, and (like with Robinson last year and Clark before then) even when Taylor did get a start and an opportunity to press for the rotation, he pretty much "spit the bit", with maybe one or two exceptions. I agree, Robinson should get a game apiece over the final two weekends of the RS, and you really should give Taylor one last shot at live game action (1) just in case, and (2) to maybe build some carry-forward confidence to bring into next season. It will be interesting to see if Coach Souza hits the re-set button on a rotation right out of the gate next season or not? However it plays out, Robinson has done enough to get the benefit of the doubt.

I hate to nitpick on your post, 'cuz I think it's a timely and productive discussion to have right now. But the whole "rest" concept for an NCAA D-1 goalie seems to be a needless concern. Ordinarily, we're talking about young guys playing two full games a week plus practices. Not exactly an overload, and then adding to the mix the previous weekend's lack of any games … and that means as of next weekend, Robinson will have played all of one (1) live game in just under 20 days. Talk to me all day about building up your back-up in what is otherwise likely to be a relatively meaningless game, and I'm all ears. Tell me you're doing it because your lead guy needs "rest", and we're dangerously treading on the "wussification" of hockey, like folks do when they get all aghast about a starting pitcher piling up over 100 pitches in a start in August or September . Somehow, I think Robinson will find a way to gut it out down the stretch …

Fair enough. Robinson certainly doesn't NEED the rest - but I don't think he's at risk of becoming rusty missing one of the last three games. With the possibility of three games in three days in the play-offs a little extra freshness can't hurt. Would it actually help - who knows..?

Of course, the bigger benefit would be for Taylor - who could use some confidence heading into the off-season. I'm sure he's already determined to work extremely hard, after what has to have been a very frustrating year. Adding a little bit of tangible belief with a strong final performance would probably be even more motivation...

UNH has eighth locked up. Maine and BU are still within reach - but UNH would essentially have to win out and get some real help to pass one of those teams. They can't pass both - though it's possible they finish in a three way tie - because those two play each other on the final day of the season. So it seems as if the realistic best UNH can do would be to finish seventh, tying or passing BC (who has three tough games left). This would mean swapping out UMass for NU (who just blasted them) or UML/PC...

Is that worth going all in for? Maybe they think so. I'm not so sure - seventh or eighth it's going to be a very challenging draw. I still believe in Taylor's ability to give them an opportunity to win, anyway - assuming they play hard and confident in front of him (as they did thru two Saturday)...

Robinson is clearly the lead dog heading into next fall - in either a majority or a rotation, but as always I'd like to see both playing well, to their potential and in a competition that maximizes both. That is always going to be what's best for the team no matter how minutes shake out in the end. A little faith in Taylor today could go along way to ensuring they get that next fall...

[BlackI]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2018-2019: Souza the Opportunity or Louza the Opportunity

Blah blah blah... blows like the wind tonight. Protect your net front and drive the other's. Not a hahhhhd consept.

[chickod]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2018-2019: Souza the Opportunity or Louza the Opportunity

Six times, I think, unless there is some reason that the B's 1939 and 1941 SC's do not count?

Sorry...brain cramp. It's tough to get old... (But the point about this ownership still remains)

[Snively65]

Sorry...brain cramp. It's tough to get old... (But the point about this ownership still remains)

Agreed on the ownership. Never understood having out-of-town ownership. :-(

[Snively65]

First and foremost, kudos to you for sticking to your guns on the goalie rotation. I think we can all agree that Robinson earned it this year, and (like with Robinson last year and Clark before then) even when Taylor did get a start and an opportunity to press for the rotation, he pretty much "spit the bit", with maybe one or two exceptions. I agree, Robinson should get a game apiece over the final two weekends of the RS, and you really should give Taylor one last shot at live game action (1) just in case, and (2) to maybe build some carry-forward confidence to bring into next season. It will be interesting to see if Coach Souza hits the re-set button on a rotation right out of the gate next season or not? However it plays out, Robinson has done enough to get the benefit of the doubt.

I hate to nitpick on your post, 'cuz I think it's a timely and productive discussion to have right now. But the whole "rest" concept for an NCAA D-1 goalie seems to be a needless concern. Ordinarily, we're talking about young guys playing two full games a week plus practices. Not exactly an overload, and then adding to the mix the previous weekend's lack of any games … and that means as of next weekend, Robinson will have played all of one (1) live game in just under 20 days. Talk to me all day about building up your back-up in what is otherwise likely to be a relatively meaningless game, and I'm all ears. Tell me you're doing it because your lead guy needs "rest", and we're dangerously treading on the "wussification" of hockey, like folks do when they get all aghast about a starting pitcher piling up over 100 pitches in a start in August or September . Somehow, I think Robinson will find a way to gut it out down the stretch …

I think that it was the team in front of him, not Taylor, who "spit the bit" on Saturday night. None of those four goals were Taylor's fault. The D-men played horribly in the third period, and the forwards were no help either. Missed opportunity, after giving up only 2 SOG in the first and 5 SOG in the second to those Fuskies.

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2018-2019: Souza the Opportunity or Louza the Opportunity

I think that it was the team in front of him, not Taylor, who "spit the bit" on Saturday night. None of those four goals were Taylor's fault. The D-men played horribly in the third period, and the forwards were no help either. Missed opportunity, after giving up only 2 SOG in the first and 5 SOG in the second to those Fuskies.

Wasn't necessarily saying TT "spit the bit" in Saturday's games, but merely remarking that he had several opportunities to lay a claim for more playing time during the season, and he never quite managed to grasp those opportunities. The pattern wasn't all that different the last few years during Tirone's reign, when first Clark, and then last year Robinson didn't make the most of their opportunities. The only difference, it seems, is that Souza seemed to give TT more chances than Umile gave DT's back-ups. For example, there's no way DU would have started TT in last Saturday night's game. Souza did. And I think Souza made a good call, regardless of how it turned out.

I didn't look at the SOG's for Saturday night's game, but if you're telling me that UNH held NU to less than ten (10) over the first two periods before the deluge in the 3rd, all that tells me is that NU has one or two additional gears in their gearbox that UNH just doesn't have. Yet, anyway.

After the developments of the last couple of weekends, a first round match-up with UMass doesn't seem so awful after all. There's an argument to be made that of the top four teams (and let's say that's UMA, UML, PC and NU, in no particular order), UMA has far less postseason experience than any of them. Maybe UNH goes out there with a game plan, a relatively inexperienced UMA team can't shake them, one or two bounces go in UNH's direction, and then self-doubt begins to creep into the Minutemen's mindset? If any program can talk to the issue of RS talent not translating into postseason success, it's UNH. We've seen the blueprint. And it usually doesn't happen by accident. Time will tell if UMA turns out to be the real thing or not, but if I'm UNH, I want a piece of that challenge, every day of the week, and twice on Sundays. Now that we're unlikely to see BC and/or BU, UMA is at the top of my UNH to-do list.

[Greg Ambrose]

I Know this is a UNH thread, but let me diverge for a moment. Today was the trade deadline in the NHL. There have been many trades over the last week or so. I believe the majority of the people on this thread are also Boston Bruins fans. The Boston Bruins traded away Ryan Donato to the Minnesota Wild for Charlie Coyle. I have been very interested in watching Ryan Donato's play since last year's Olympics when he played for Team USA. In my opinion, he was the star of that team. After last year's college season he joined the Boston Bruins for the remainder of the season. This season he has been going back and forth between Boston and Providence. He never seemed to fit in with the Boston Bruins system. Donato's skill set was never appreciated by the organization. They seemed to want to turn him into something he wasn't.

Ryan Donato has now played in three games with the Minnesota Wild since the trade. Minnesota has won all three games and Donato has one goal, the game winner in OT, and three assists in those games. He seems to have found a NHL team that appreciates his skills. As a Boston Bruin fan I hope the trade is a win/win for both teams and for both players. It would be a lot of fun to watch, however slim, the Boston Bruins face the Minnesota Wild in this year's Stanley Cup Finals

This situation makes me wonder if Jason Krog and/or Darren Haydar could have had a better NHL career if they had hooked up with different NHL organizations. Were there NHL teams back then that may have appreciated their respective skill sets more than the teams that they ended up with? What if they came along just one decade later? Has anybody read the book "Outliers"?

Ryan Donato was traded because he didn’t meet the expectations that the Bruins have for their forwards. No matter how gifted you are offensively, you are expected to play two ways. Donato wasn’t doing that and it’s why his playing time was diminished in Boston and it’s the reason he was sent down to Providence where he didn’t play any better. Frankly I just didn’t think he was strong on the puck at either end. Hope it works out for him because he does have a good shot. But the NHL is a two way, both ends of the ice game. Btw, there is not a ghost of a chance that the Bruins and the Wild will meet in the Cup final. You could probably get good odds in Vegas though.

As for Krog, Haydar, sure either guy could have benefited playing with a different franchise, although both moved around during their pro careers. If they were college players today my take is the neither they nor guys like Drury, Mowers and the like would have stuck around for four years. IMO the talent pool has thinned out and it’s why you see college players leaving after one or two years.

[Snively65]

Wasn't necessarily saying TT "spit the bit" in Saturday's games, but merely remarking that he had several opportunities to lay a claim for more playing time during the season, and he never quite managed to grasp those opportunities. The pattern wasn't all that different the last few years during Tirone's reign, when first Clark, and then last year Robinson didn't make the most of their opportunities. The only difference, it seems, is that Souza seemed to give TT more chances than Umile gave DT's back-ups. For example, there's no way DU would have started TT in last Saturday night's game. Souza did. And I think Souza made a good call, regardless of how it turned out.

I didn't look at the SOG's for Saturday night's game, but if you're telling me that UNH held NU to less than ten (10) over the first two periods before the deluge in the 3rd, all that tells me is that NU has one or two additional gears in their gearbox that UNH just doesn't have. Yet, anyway.

After the developments of the last couple of weekends, a first round match-up with UMass doesn't seem so awful after all. There's an argument to be made that of the top four teams (and let's say that's UMA, UML, PC and NU, in no particular order), UMA has far less postseason experience than any of them. Maybe UNH goes out there with a game plan, a relatively inexperienced UMA team can't shake them, one or two bounces go in UNH's direction, and then self-doubt begins to creep into the Minutemen's mindset? If any program can talk to the issue of RS talent not translating into postseason success, it's UNH. We've seen the blueprint. And it usually doesn't happen by accident. Time will tell if UMA turns out to be the real thing or not, but if I'm UNH, I want a piece of that challenge, every day of the week, and twice on Sundays. Now that we're unlikely to see BC and/or BU, UMA is at the top of my UNH to-do list.

Yup, agreed; a trip to Amherst-Flagship might be better than most other sites, with the possible exception of Schneider, where we have had some postseason success.

But, back to Saturday night at the Whitt, I do not think that it was so much the Fuskies shifting into another gear, but rather that the Wildcats shifting into reverse for the third period, which began with our scoring the first Fusky goal for them near the end of the second.

[Dan]

Yup, agreed; a trip to Amherst-Flagship might be better than most other sites, with the possible exception of Schneider, where we have had some postseason success.

But, back to Saturday night at the Whitt, I do not think that it was so much the Fuskies shifting into another gear, but rather that the Wildcats shifting into reverse for the third period, which began with our scoring the first Fusky goal for them near the end of the second.

UM and NU are problematic draws because both represent high-powered offenses. Their up-tempo and quick-strike approaches mirror UNH's, which means they can both play their game and they're better at said game...

UML and PC are more likely to keep the score down, based on the stylistic match-up, keeping UNH in the game. They score thru hard-work as much as skill. Especially PC who is very Hoosiers-like (five passes/put in the work before you score) in their offensive approach. Those two teams represent UNH's best chances to advance, although odds will still be against them.

UNH GF/GA vs...

UM - 3/9
NU - 3/12
UML - 2/2
PC - 2/4