Re: 2009-2010 Official Vermont Season Thread
It is easy to blame things on lack of effort. I think the loss at Maine was a lack of effort, I'm not sure if the loss at Merrimack was an effort thing, maybe it was. Those are the only two games that I would explain as lack of effort.
But I do not think lack of effort has been a major part of this team's problems to date. I think the 7-1 BC loss was goaltending with a lot of help from the defense. Remember, that embarrassment began as a 1-1 tie in a period in which the Cats played better than fine, that is, the effort was there. The UMass embarrassment was penalty killing, or more properly, being killed by the penalty kill. That 6-2 embarrassment turned a 2-1 lead into a loss in eight quick, painless minutes, so the effort had been there. The effort was there in the loss at Denver. Even in games where the team began "flat" or had to weather the other team's early onslaught - the 4-1 BC win, Yale the other night - the team managed to stay in the game and summon the effort and guts to win.
I think the explanation for the team's erratic and inconsistent play is largely, not exclusively but largely the erratic play of the defense. (Let us try to forget special teams.) The big, veteran defense was anticipated to be the backbone of the team in light of the loss of forwards Stalberg, Lenes, Strong, and Carlson, but it has often been awful. Aside from only Kyle Medvec and Anders Franzon, they have hurt the team badly with immature play, monumental mistakes and an abundance of penalties. That is my explanation for the Catamounts' play to this point in the season. Even in the shutout of Yale, the defense allowed Mike Spillane to be severely tested with no margin for error. Breakaways are not a sign of thinking defense first.
I do not expect much difference from the defense playing the rest of the season. My hope is for just competence from the defense, the level of goaltending we have seen in the last three games from both goalies, for more of the penalty killing we saw against a very good Yale powerplay, for the forwards to play up to their abilities and as they have in Denver and against BC, and for the powerplay to go on a nice little multi-game stretch of success despite the coaches' impatience.
I still think this Catamounts team can be right at or near the top of Hockey East, should compete for the League championship and should earn their way into the NCAA Tournament.
This weekend can be a huge one for the Cats. At some point, a team has to make a statement. The Cats need to just be better than a talented but flailing BU team and then beat the current League leaders at home if they are going to fight for top spots. Coming off two hard-fought wins, this is a great and important time for this team to make its statement.
