UNH Wildcats 2021/2022 - Return of the Champions of October?

[Chuck Murray]

Might get reported at 3,100 but historically Sundays are a TERRIBLE draw for UNH, even when we were still respectable in the late 2000's/early 2010's. Some of those Hockey East game 3 playoffs were sad sights.
I'd guess 1,000 real attendance at the absolute max, 2,500 reported.

Boy, you nailed it. Watching it on the live streaming, looks like a "friends and family" affair.

Friars ahead 1-0 past the midway mark of the second period.

[Chuck Murray]

End of two periods

Providence 2
UNH 0

More excitement watching the Zambonis drive in ovals between periods.

Both beaten out by the bonfire going at the WIES Estate right now. Bye ...

[Jon]

Still in scenic ‘Tosa here in the land of Cheese and Beer. I saw the second period. Seemed pretty even with Stauber being the difference.

[Chuck Murray]

Suspect your Friars will grab at least 3 out of the 4 points on the table next weekend, Jon.

Didn't look like PC had to break a sweat tonight, very methodical performance all they needed.

Spent some fun work travel trips to Wausau WI in the early days of USCHO ...

[HockeyRef]

A non descript game where we had some chances. Highlight for.me was seeing Aerman! See you next.Sat...

[Snively65]

According to box score on CHN, UNH took FOW 36-20; awesome! :-)

[HockeyRef]

According to box score on CHN, UNH took FOW 36-20; awesome! :-)

What is FOW? We really need to generate offense....sigh.

[Snively65]

What is FOW? We really need to generate offense....sigh.

Happens in da circles painted on da ice. FOW is da “new” SOG in importance, next to goals scored, of course. Some say dat FOW are irrelevant, like SOG, and SA. :-)

[HockeyRef]

Happens in da circles painted on da ice. FOW is da “new” SOG in importance, next to goals scored, of course. Some say dat FOW are irrelevant, like SOG, and SA. :-)

Lol gotcha!!!!!! Thats right my fave stat!!!

[Chuck Murray]

From this morning's Union Leader is a quote with an unguarded, frank assessment of UNH's coaching capacity and abilities, coming straight from none other than the team's senior captain ...

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“I think we saw (Sunday) ... they’re incredibly detailed, they don’t give you anything,” UNH senior captain and defenseman Will MacKinnon said. “I think we’re right there with them in terms of talent level and skill level. ... We made a couple mistakes and that was the difference in the game.”

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So, according to the team's leader, UNH can match Providence's talent and skill, but the difference boils down to PC being better coached, thus avoiding the mistakes than cost UNH the game.

Then he continues with another frank assessment of the team's shortcomings on special teams ...

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“If we win the special-teams battle there in the second, it’s a completely different game.”

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Again, if we accept that UNH is "right there" with PC on talent and skill, it points to coaching, no?

Now, don't get me wrong, I don't think the skill level of the two programs is equal, PC looks far more talented, and they won this game without really getting too far out of neutral. Last night is what usually happens when a talented and well-coached team is up against a less talented and less well-coached team. The weaker team usually needs to catch the stronger team on an off-night, get some breaks, and be well-coached enough to hold off the stronger team when they push back later in the game. Providence probably wasn't at their best last night, but they did get the first goal, UNH didn't take advantage of the small number of opportunities the well-coached Friars gave them, and PC was disciplined enough to hold on for the win.

MacKinnon's comments don't make him a bad guy, and they don't disqualify him from a future in scouting or recruiting for a living, but they are instructive for his insight into what he and the other players think. It's not a flattering portrait of MS7 and his staff, when his own captain is admitting the detail and discipline of the opposing team is superior to yours.

With all that said ... what did Coach Souza have to say about last night's game?

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“Disappointing because I thought our team worked hard but you can’t win hockey games if you don’t score,” Souza said.

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That strikes me as either just another hockey platitude that our head hockey coach is known for churning out on a regular basis ... and/or an indictment on the skill level of his own players. There are a lot of different versions of the saying "work beats talent, unless talent works" and MS7 is allowing for the fact that his guys did work hard, so he's basically admitting that PC won the game on skill and talent, which in this sport is putting the puck in the net.

This is not a marriage made in hockey heaven, to say the least. The players think they're better than they are, and think the difference is other teams are better-coached, whilst the coaches think they're saddled with inferior talent (which is on their collective plates as the program's recruiters). And while I tend to agree with MS7's analysis of overall talent/skills on the two rosters last night, the mirror offers him the best explanation why that might be the case.

I know we're only one (1) game into the league schedule, but unless the players and coaches get on the same page, it's gonna be a looooong season in Durham, and a 10th or 11th place finish.

JMHO.

[HockeyRef]

I am surprised to see these comments from MacKinnon; because as a rule, and, I could be wrong, its been rare that the team CAPTAIN even has the chance to speak, at least, in recent communications I've seen/read. Look at the comments leading up to the game...he didn't figure into the mix. Maybe he wasn't available, but, that isn't the first time the Capt hasn't been included in commentary. Not saying there's 'anything going on' with that, just noticed it over the past couple of season.

I watched the short segments about the Wednesday presser (which, by the way, USED to be out for the public to view in its entirety, and I used to watch every single one. Maybe I'm wrong, but I do believe that presser is now only given to select media and we get sound bites) So hey, good for Mac giving his testimony of what he thinks is going on out there. Chuck, I don't deign to say I have the same hockey prowess as you do, but my husband and I see the team as playing very 'tight'...like they are trying to do things exactly as laid out and not necessarily adjusting to what's happening right then and now. And, I do agree that if they could have capitalized on some PC mistakes (or didn't miss on the pucks sittin' in the blue....) they would have scored. I also see some Frosh in the mix who are new to the level of play and I think/hope the two factions get it together enough to make it at least...positive at some point? Of course, it's not for a lack of trying. I thought Robinson had a decent game.

Will also be interesting to see how much 'air time' MacKinnon gets going forward....

[NCAA watcher]

I'm less interested in what they say. That's pretty irrelevant - I can form my own opinions on whether they are well coached. It's how their talent lets them play this year. We can reconvene on that in March.

[HockeyRef]

I'm less interested in what they say. That's pretty irrelevant - I can form my own opinions on whether they are well coached. It's how their talent lets them play this year. We can reconvene on that in March.

Well that's true what happens on the ice is what matters most. Any early opinions then? I'm thinking we will come along....hoping at least!

[Dan]

I think too much is being read into what was said by MacKinnon and Souza. I doubt there is any divide between the players and the coaching staff this early in the season. What is said after the game - especially after a loss - is often cliche speak just to get through an interview (which is the last thing anyone wants to be doing in the moment)...

MacKinnon is right about Providence under Leaman; He's wrong about UNH's talent. You wont meet a last-place team, however, that doesn't think they match up with the first-place team. That's just the nature of competitors and competitive sports. Souza commenting on the effort is a face value opinion on the team's work ethic last night, independent of the team's talent (or lack thereof, which IS entirely his fault).

I don't share Ref's optimism or even Watcher's belief/hope that the end of the year might tell us anything we don't already know, but don't think these post-game comments carry any undertone. They're superficial and likely already forgotten, though Chuck does project the absolute reality of UNH hockey onto them (i.e. not good enough)...

[zoofer]

Question for you Gents….I turned on the broadcast briefly Sunday, and while I agree that Sunday attendance has always been less than impressive, how much has the demise of the Friends group aided in stunting any UNH hockey growth? I’ll refrain from further comment until you all have your say….