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UNH Hockey: Treading Water or Trending Upward

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  • Re: Post of the Night - We Have a Winner!!

    So just heard that UNH's Steve Metcalf is up for the HE commish!
    Here we go 'Cats!!

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    • Originally posted by Ray Dorn View Post
      Speaking of winning. It is going to be a very fine line between making the Hockey East playoffs or not. Six games remaining for UNH so we are going to have to do some winning. It starts with Boston University this weekend. It appears the BU supporters are not very happy after Monday night. The word is that their goaltending has been a little shaky this season.


      My three keys to the BU games this weekend are:

      1. The UNH forwards must backcheck hard and defend the BU defenseman who joins their offensive attack. BU has one or two defensemen who likes to jump up in their offensive rushes.

      2. The UNH defensemen need to exploit the fact that a BU defenseman will likely over commit to their offense so we need to counterattack quickly from defense to offense. We need to get the puck up ice 80 to 100 feet as quickly as possible to take advantage of this. We can create a few odd man rushes, mostly 2 on 1's, from a quick transition to offense.

      3. Special teams play will be important. The BU powerplay is better than what we have seen over the last couple of weeks. Our penalty kill needs to rise to the challenge. The best way to keep BU from scoring on their powerplay is to not give them powerplay opportunities. Don't take bad penalties.


      Other thoughts?
      I agree; stay out of the penalty box. But, that is always what I suggest, longing for the good old days of the SMT's.

      Comment


      • Re: UNH Hockey: Treading Water or Trending Upward

        ...and that makes 40 goals for Pasta!!!...and a HATTIE baby!
        Last edited by HockeyRef; 02-12-2020, 08:14 PM.
        Here we go 'Cats!!

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        • Originally posted by HockeyRef View Post
          ...and that makes 40 goals for Pasta!!!...and a HATTIE baby!
          41 goals for Pasta, moves him back into first place.

          Comment


          • Re: UNH Hockey: Treading Water or Trending Upward

            How many HE points do those of you in the know think at a minimum we need to make it into the post season? Obviously a big finish is required with top competition to boot. Didnt see a MS7 presser yesterday so wonder if Charlie returns this weekend? Go 'Cats!
            Here we go 'Cats!!

            Comment


            • Originally posted by HockeyRef View Post
              How many HE points do those of you in the know think at a minimum we need to make it into the post season? Obviously a big finish is required with top competition to boot. Didnt see a MS7 presser yesterday so wonder if Charlie returns this weekend? Go 'Cats!
              RECALCULATING!

              We are currently 9-8-1 in Hockey East and 15-11-2 overall.

              With 6 games left, 2 with BU, UML and BC, 20 wins in the RS is possible but highly improbable! I'm thinking we split with UML and BU and lose and tie BC to go 17-14-3 overall 11-11-2 in Hockey East.

              UNH has 19 points right now and could finish as high as 31 points in the standings. I'm thinking we finish with 24 points going 2-3-1 through this stretch. The standings are so tight it's difficult to say where this puts UNH in the end.
              UNH Hockey: You can check out any time you like but you can never leave!

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              • Re: UNH Hockey: Treading Water or Trending Upward

                Originally posted by HockeyRef View Post
                How many HE points do those of you in the know think at a minimum we need to make it into the post season? Obviously a big finish is required with top competition to boot.
                The 8th place team finished with 20 and 22 points in 2018 and 2019 respectively. Those are the only completed seasons under the 24 game schedule so really the only fair comparison. It will likely take more than that this season, for a number of reasons. An overlooked one is how poorly Vermont has performed. Even the last place team in the league got into double digits pointswise the past two seasons, As bad as the 2017-18 UNH team was it still got to 15 points. Barring a miraculous turnaround UVM isn't getting anywhere near that number and you have to take those points into consideration when all is said and done.

                Bottom line is UNH needs points this coming weekend as they definitely won't get any the following week.

                EDIT: Sure it sucks that some team is going to be left out when March 7th gets here but I'm so glad that HE went back to teams actually having to earn their way into the playoffs. Given the nature of the situation there should be a league wide intensity over the final month that wouldn't be there if everybody was assured of a seat when the music stopped. For those of us who have been around since the days when more than half of some leagues didn't play in the post season it is a welcome change.
                Last edited by Felger; 02-13-2020, 08:25 AM.
                UNH Hockey: From "Why Not Us' to "Woe is Us"

                Comment


                • Re: UNH Hockey: Treading Water or Trending Upward

                  Originally posted by Felger View Post
                  Sure it sucks that some team is going to be left out when March 7th gets here but I'm so glad that HE went back to teams actually having to earn their way into the playoffs. Given the nature of the situation there should be a league wide intensity over the final month that wouldn't be there if everybody was assured of a seat when the music stopped. For those of us who have been around since the days when more than half of some leagues didn't play in the post season it is a welcome change.
                  +1

                  I can give you Rob Manfred's number so he can learn this lesson.

                  (Now, if we can move onto campus regional games for the NCAA play-ins.
                  The Souza record:
                  15-16 10th place
                  16-17 10th place
                  17-18 11th place
                  18-19 8th place
                  19-20 9th place
                  20-21 10th place
                  21-22 9th place
                  22-23 10th place

                  Comment


                  • Re: UNH Hockey: Treading Water or Trending Upward

                    Originally posted by NCAA watcher View Post
                    +1

                    I can give you Rob Manfred's number so he can learn this lesson.

                    (Now, if we can move onto campus regional games for the NCAA play-ins.
                    Would love a return to campus sites for NCAA regionals. Of course Providence might not - they would actually have to EARN a home game

                    I like what the WCHA has done with its postseason tourney moving it back to on campus sites. Doubt it would ever happen in HE and it might not be realistic. Although if you read about the search for Bertagna's replacement what to do with the league tourney is a topic of discussion. But imagine what the last month of this season would be like if teams were jockeying not just to get in the playoffs but for home ice slots all the way though the tournament?
                    UNH Hockey: From "Why Not Us' to "Woe is Us"

                    Comment


                    • Re: UNH Hockey: Treading Water or Trending Upward

                      Originally posted by Felger View Post
                      I like what the WCHA has done with its postseason tourney moving it back to on campus sites. Doubt it would ever happen in HE and it might not be realistic. Although if you read about the search for Bertagna's replacement what to do with the league tourney is a topic of discussion. But imagine what the last month of this season would be like if teams were jockeying not just to get in the playoffs but for home ice slots all the way though the tournament?

                      I'm not sure I agree with the HE tourney being on campus. The WCHA has too large a footprint, which is why there is no easy central locale. I'm good having the playins be on campus, but for the final four HE torney, the Gahden is a close enough central location, and it makes it an "event."
                      The Souza record:
                      15-16 10th place
                      16-17 10th place
                      17-18 11th place
                      18-19 8th place
                      19-20 9th place
                      20-21 10th place
                      21-22 9th place
                      22-23 10th place

                      Comment


                      • Re: UNH Hockey: Treading Water or Trending Upward

                        Originally posted by Snively65 View Post
                        Just to stay focused on UNH hockey, I met the former Massachusetts governator, who garnered over 12,000 votes yesterday in New Hanoshire, at Conte Forum a couple of times when our Cats were playing there, as apparently he was a BC hockey fan at the time, and maybe still is?
                        Would that have been William Floyd Weld or Deval Patrick, Snives?

                        Fauxcahontas a/k/a Lie-a-Watha never got to be Gov, so she's out of the discussion.

                        Always fun when NH voters dish a HUGE slice of humble pie to our entitled neighbors to the south.
                        Sworn Enemy of the Perpetually Offended
                        Montreal Expos Forever ...

                        Comment


                        • Re: UNH Hockey: Treading Water or Trending Upward

                          Originally posted by Felger View Post
                          Sure it sucks that some team is going to be left out when March 7th gets here but I'm so glad that HE went back to teams actually having to earn their way into the playoffs. Given the nature of the situation there should be a league wide intensity over the final month that wouldn't be there if everybody was assured of a seat when the music stopped. For those of us who have been around since the days when more than half of some leagues didn't play in the post season it is a welcome change.
                          Nice to see you back, Felger. In true Massarotti (sp?) style, I'll just say "I totally agree, Mike!!"
                          Sworn Enemy of the Perpetually Offended
                          Montreal Expos Forever ...

                          Comment


                          • Re: UNH Hockey: Treading Water or Trending Upward

                            Originally posted by Chuck Murray View Post
                            Fauxcahontas a/k/a Lie-a-Watha never got to be Gov, so she's out of the discussion.

                            This "D+" level forced trolling is way too weak to trigger us "snowflakes" and score you some trigger points on your scoresheet. Or is the trigger scoring system so watered down that you will still get credit? I would think you'd need to at least link it with a "Odummy" reference.
                            Last edited by NCAA watcher; 02-13-2020, 09:14 AM.
                            The Souza record:
                            15-16 10th place
                            16-17 10th place
                            17-18 11th place
                            18-19 8th place
                            19-20 9th place
                            20-21 10th place
                            21-22 9th place
                            22-23 10th place

                            Comment


                            • Originally posted by Felger View Post
                              Would love a return to campus sites for NCAA regionals. Of course Providence might not - they would actually have to EARN a home game

                              I like what the WCHA has done with its postseason tourney moving it back to on campus sites. Doubt it would ever happen in HE and it might not be realistic. Although if you read about the search for Bertagna's replacement what to do with the league tourney is a topic of discussion. But imagine what the last month of this season would be like if teams were jockeying not just to get in the playoffs but for home ice slots all the way though the tournament?
                              HE has campus sites for the quarters now. What could happen is moving the semis and finals out of the Garden. Even with Boston schools in it, attendance has lagged the last few years. IMO, this, and lack of a NESN deal is why Bertagna’s contract wasn’t renewed. What the schools need to understand is that glory days are over. The FF doesn’t sell out so why should a league championship? I can see a day in the not so distance future where the finals will be played at Conte or Agganis and if it gives BC or BU and advantage so be it.

                              Comment


                              • Re: UNH Hockey: Treading Water or Trending Upward

                                Good points Felger; it's tight tight tight thanks for the perspective. And like many I echo the sentiments that it's good you have to earn your way in. How unusual is right that this year's standings are the way they are. Maybe the parity that seems to exist in the league this year can work in our favor. When all is said and done , and we know where we end up, I agree with DB that we've made quite a few big jumps this season and that's a good sign for the future. That said...I still wanna watch til late March...

                                Ps we won't get any points the next weekend coz we aren't playing...haha
                                Here we go 'Cats!!

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