Vermont 2023/24: Stuck in the Wieds

[Jim F.]

Providence beat Merrimack last night. Merrimack is mathematically eliminated from first round home ice. Merrimack can still catch UVM for 9th or 10th, but 6 games would all have to go a certain way with only one pointto spare. UVM is mathematically eliminated from quarterfinal round home ice. UVM can still catch Maine or UMass, but not both. UVM will be eliminated from 5th and a 1st round bye if UMass gets more points than we do tonight. UVM controls its own destiny for a first round home ice spot and will continue to until at least the UConn game.

[UVM Cat in Texas]

On a different note from the ME/VT series this weekend...is there still talk of building a new arena,which I thought Martin St. Louis was donating money towards the project..?

I haven't heard that and would be surprised if it's true. I've pretty much given up on it happening. There's been talk of a new arena since I was a student at UVM and I graduated in 1987!

[UVM Cat in Texas]

I agree with the others who said a split would be nice. Wouldn't be surprised though to see Da Bearsz take both.

[walrus]

I think most maine fans would be surprised . They haven't put a weekend together since end of December

[TovarishchLisa]

Retreated into the defensive shell a bit too much in that third period buuuuuuut....huge 3 points is a huge 3 points and Gabe was awesome.

[Jim F.]

After Friday's results, 4 points against anybody clinches first round home ice unless UConn and Northeastern go to overtime, then a fifth point could be necessary. A regulation win against UConn guarantees home ice. If Northeastern beats UConn in regulation, UVM clinches home ice with just 2 points vs. UConn.
Merrimack can't catch UVM and will finish 10th or 11th. Only way UVM doesn't play the first round at UConn, Northeastern or Gutterson is if they finish tenth. In that situation, UVM could go to Durham. The only way UVM finishes tenth is if Lowell beats UMass, UNH and UNH in regulation and UVM loses all three games in regulation. If that happens and Northeastern loses both of their games in regulation, Lowell gets 8th and hosts Northeastern.
UVM controls its own destiny for 7th place. At least 29 points are needed for 7th. Seven points clinches 7th.

[UVM Cat in Texas]

I think most maine fans would be surprised . They haven't put a weekend together since end of December

Ha, you called it!

[j24vt]

UVM did a great job winning puck battles in the offensive zone and knocking the Maine players off the puck last night. By far the best 60 minute effort I have seen at the Gut this season

[Jim F.]

If UVM beats UConn in regulation or overtime/shootout, UVM gets home ice.
If UConn beats UVM in overtime/shootout, UVM gets home ice if UVM gets 2 or 3 points vs. BU. Otherwise, UVM will be #9 and go to #8 UConn.
If UConn beats UVM in regulation, UVM will be #9 and go to #8 UConn.

[Cat lover]

Worst case of official interference I have ever seen. How do you get hit by a puck that was throw from over 50 feet away from you while you are all by yourself at center ice?. I can understand when linemen get in the way on the blueline when they have nowhere to go but he had time and space to move.

[Jim F.]

UNH lost to BC. UVM is still alive for 6th place. But it would require UVM (vs UConn & BU) and Lowell (vs UNH x2) to get a total of 11 or 12 out of 12 points.
BC clinches 1st. BU locked into #2.

[Jim F.]

UVM locked into #9 seed. Will play at #8 UConn. If Lowell and Merrimack lose, the winner gets BC. One upset, winner gets BU. Upsets by both Lowell and Merrimack would send the winner to #3 Maine or UMass. Saturday BU game is meaningful for BU's pairwise ranking. No impact on HE standings. Mangbo??

[rufus22]

Really disappointing result tonight. A win tonight seemed do-able and would have been a big step forward. Hope we can pull something off vs. BU or playoffs otherwise this seems like regression to the UVM mean. Hope I’m wrong.

[KennyCat]

Really disappointing result tonight. A win tonight seemed do-able and would have been a big step forward. Hope we can pull something off vs. BU or playoffs otherwise this seems like regression to the UVM mean. Hope I’m wrong.

I think you are wrong.

we lost to BU tonight, but definitely a spirited effort. Mangbo in net played really well! Too many PKs against a top team. In fact, refs weren’t calling ANY penalties against BU. Needed to challenge a play to finally get a call. Loved that Coach argued with refs between periods (guessing he also disliked the no calls). Also liked Jack Malinski play - he had a great rush and almost finished. Future looks great.

play same way against UConn and we will get to see at least one more game.

[UVM Cat in Texas]

Hope I’m wrong.

I think you're right. The team has had a long and storied recent history of sucking. I had really high hopes after we joined HE, and we had decent success at first. A HE final in our third year, and a Frozen Four appearance a year later. But right now, I have zero hope for the future. Don't know what it is exactly, but we don't seem able to recruit impact players. Kind of think if we're gonna be a league doormat we probably should have stayed where we were. We might have been a little more competitive. HE is eating us for lunch and I don't see any end in sight. My assessment is dim, but I've had enough small victories -- we played hard, we outworked them, we outshot them, our goalie played great, so and so's coming in next year, etc.