2009-2010 Official Vermont Season Thread

[KennyCat]

Re: 2009-2010 Official Vermont Season Thread

Sounds like so many of the Cats games in the past versus the old big 4. Vermont used to come out and play well but not get a goal and then the other team scores on the first good chance they get and then it would go downhill from there.

AGreed. Good to be us.

What's happening with the upperclassmen this year? The production seems to be coming from McCarthy and Pacan...or are they getting the nice feeds from Irwin, Vock, etc?

First time that I can remember that there's such parity in the league. Key will be get hot in the playoff run. Game vs Yale helped our RPI too, which will be key to getting into the NCAAs.

 

[jcarter7669]

Re: 2009-2010 Official Vermont Season Thread

UVM has done well against ranked opponents for the most part, currently the PWR, and KRACH show them in 15th (before the BU game) so the win against Denver and taking 2 from BC have helped a lot with that regard. They need to pick up the play and if they do well in league play they should have a good shot, but they definitely need to go on a winning streak and play some good hockey.

 

[UVM Cat in Texas]

Re: 2009-2010 Official Vermont Season Thread

5-2 UNH after two. This is so typical of the way things seem to go in big games. Other team capitalizes on every opportunity. UVM can't seem to put the puck in the net, even open nets. One way or another, we need to recruit some guys with a knack for scoring!

 

[GuttCheck]

Re: 2009-2010 Official Vermont Season Thread

Even though the 5-2 score looks pretty lopsided, I am pretty happy with the way the UVM played. They hit a bunch of posts, had ample grade A chances and just couldn't bury them. Goaltending was not great, but really the difference is UNH just buried their chances when they had them. That game could have gone either way, credit to UNH they buried their chances and we didn't. Positive is the power play looked good (2/3), as did the penalty kill (0/4). Who woulda thought we would win the special teams battle and get routed??

 

[UVM Cat in Texas]

Re: 2009-2010 Official Vermont Season Thread

Even though the 5-2 score looks pretty lopsided, I am pretty happy with the way the UVM played. They hit a bunch of posts, had ample grade A chances and just couldn't bury them. Goaltending was not great, but really the difference is UNH just buried their chances when they had them. That game could have gone either way, credit to UNH they buried their chances and we didn't. Positive is the power play looked good (2/3), as did the penalty kill (0/4). Who woulda thought we would win the special teams battle and get routed??

GuttCheck, I respect your opinion, but it's not enough to be happy with good play. Unfortunately, we don't get points for that. In the only measure of play that actually counts, scoring goals, we failed miserably.

 

[GreenCat]

Re: 2009-2010 Official Vermont Season Thread

GuttCheck, I respect your opinion, but it's not enough to be happy with good play. Unfortunately, we don't get points for that. In the only measure of play that actually counts, scoring goals, we failed miserably.

I disagree. It is a long season and yes every win counts but you need to see consistent play and improvement which we have not seen out of this team this year.

Even though the 5-2 score looks pretty lopsided, I am pretty happy with the way the UVM played. They hit a bunch of posts, had ample grade A chances and just couldn't bury them. Goaltending was not great, but really the difference is UNH just buried their chances when they had them. That game could have gone either way, credit to UNH they buried their chances and we didn't. Positive is the power play looked good (2/3), as did the penalty kill (0/4). Who woulda thought we would win the special teams battle and get routed??

Agree 100%. Thought the game was very even with UNH closing their opps and with slightly better goal tending. Foster was swallowing up pucks with rarely if ever a rebound. PP looked great and almost went 3/3.

 

[observer85]

Re: 2009-2010 Official Vermont Season Thread

Starting on Tuesday, the Cats will play 5 games that I think will define their season. These Cats really need to have 4 wins or at a minimum, 3 wins, a loss and maybe a tie. They currently sit at an overall record of 4-4-1. If they do win 4 or 3 with a tie, they will have positioned themselves ranking wise for another NCAA bid. If they don't, then the 2nd half of the season will need to be pretty special to get back to the dance.

And they go 2-2-1. Surprisingly they do not move much in Hockey East. They were in the middle of the pack and remain there. A tie and a loss to 2 unranked teams (BU an UNH) result in an exit from the top 20...now the 21st ranked team in the country.

UVM has done well against ranked opponents for the most part, currently the PWR, and KRACH show them in 15th (before the BU game) so the win against Denver and taking 2 from BC have helped a lot with that regard. They need to pick up the play and if they do well in league play they should have a good shot, but they definitely need to go on a winning streak and play some good hockey.

Agreed with the ranked opponent thing. Vemont just needs to win games from here out..no excuses. Plus hope that Denver and Boston College stay in the upper tier of college hockey so they can pull Vermont up in the pair wise rankings.

I am less and less a fan of Sneddon's the more I pay attention to him. I think he is a borderline awful coach during games, though you have to watch closely to appreciate how awful and his impact.......The team has a long way to go before they look like they can do what they did last season. Sneddon has to start helping instead of hurting.

You have any solutions?

Interesting thoughts on Sneddon, although it is a bit short sighted. you have to look at the whole body of work. many on here have said they love Leonard. I give coach a ton of credit for giving him a chance and showing his team that players who work hard and put the team first will get a chance. At how many other programs would a kid who hasn't played for 2 years get a chance?

And the question now is: will his 5 minute penalty hurt his playing time?

The team has had its up and downs and the coaches have sent a message to the players that this is unacceptable. They have brought in Pacan, McCarthy, Stalburg, Roos and Franzon who are all contributing this year and there classes for 10 and 11 look great.

The common element of these 4 players is they seem to have hockey sense.

 

[GreenCat]

Re: 2009-2010 Official Vermont Season Thread

Agreed with the ranked opponent thing. Vemont just needs to win games from here out..no excuses. Plus hope that Denver and Boston College stay in the upper tier of college hockey so they can pull Vermont up in the pair wise rankings.

PWR question: Is the waiting of an opponents "ranking" taken at the time of when the game is played or where they end up?

Awful quiet?

 

[jcarter7669]

Re: 2009-2010 Official Vermont Season Thread

PWR question: Is the waiting of an opponents "ranking" taken at the time of when the game is played or where they end up?

Awful quiet?

The end of the year PWR is at that time, so where they end up. For example, had DU gone 0-33 they would not be a TUC and would not impact UVM's PWR as far as the NCAA is concerned.

 

[jcarter7669]

Re: 2009-2010 Official Vermont Season Thread

I was just watching the UNH game lowlights on the UVM website and I have to say that the goaltending killed UVM. I think if I was Sneddon I would put freaking Vazzano in there against SLU to start. Goal 2 was through a screen no doubt on that but UNH goal 4 ??? granted it was a two on one, but Spillane was down on the ice as the forwards were crossing the blue line for crying out loud and Madore did the same thing on UNH goal 5 giving Kipp a WIDE WIDE open net. That type of goaltending is going to cost many more games. Both UVM goals were pretty, got to give credit to the offense for those, but really the goaltending was horrible, even considering the defensive breakdowns there is really no excuse for some of those goals. Madore and Spillane both need a wake up call.

 

[UMLFan]

Re: 2009-2010 Official Vermont Season Thread

I was just watching the UNH game lowlights on the UVM website and I have to say that the goaltending killed UVM. I think if I was Sneddon I would put freaking Vazzano in there against SLU to start. Goal 2 was through a screen no doubt on that but UNH goal 4 ??? granted it was a two on one, but Spillane was down on the ice as the forwards were crossing the blue line for crying out loud and Madore did the same thing on UNH goal 5 giving Kipp a WIDE WIDE open net. That type of goaltending is going to cost many more games. Both UVM goals were pretty, got to give credit to the offense for those, but really the goaltending was horrible, even considering the defensive breakdowns there is really no excuse for some of those goals. Madore and Spillane both need a wake up call.

Not trolling, serious question. With the stats the two goalies have put up (3.34 GAA for Madore and 3.13 for Spillane) is there a reason Vazzano hasn't played? It looks like he hasn't stepped on the ice in his 1.5 years there now. Is he basically just the emergency keeper (walk-on type, like Lowell has with Heffrom) or is he a scholarship player?

 

[jcarter7669]

Re: 2009-2010 Official Vermont Season Thread

Not trolling, serious question. With the stats the two goalies have put up (3.34 GAA for Madore and 3.13 for Spillane) is there a reason Vazzano hasn't played? It looks like he hasn't stepped on the ice in his 1.5 years there now. Is he basically just the emergency keeper (walk-on type, like Lowell has with Heffrom) or is he a scholarship player?

I'm not sure what the scoop is with Vazzano, he played a period in an exhibition last year but I think that's it. He is the 3rd goalie, but really given the goals that were scored by UNH, he can't do much worse. I like Madore and he did manage at least a .900 save percentage, but the one he gave up....that has to be made. It was also a momentum killer. Spillane....with his 0.692 save percentage.....I'm not even going to bother.

The problem is this isn't a bad game, its back and forth with neither one of these two being able to string together more then two good games in row. Either they need a serious wake up call, or Sneddon needs to pick one to start and ride him until he wakes up and gets into a groove. I think when the goals are this sporadic a rotation is just not the way to go. JMO.

 

[grantfan]

Re: 2009-2010 Official Vermont Season Thread

Just a personal comment from watching the game on ESPNU and now seeing the replays on the UVM Hockey website, judging from Jack Downing's goal celebrations, he would have made a great goal scorer. Through his years at UVM, though it has happened far too infrequently for a player who was almost drafted into the NHL two years in a row, his goal celebrations are as self-centered and selfish as any I've ever seen.

On his goal against UNH, Jack had the puck on his stick only long enough to snap a shot. His solitary celebration was worthy of an end-to-end rush during a line change with no teammates on the ice.

By contrast, Jack was in the middle of the celebration of Colin Vock's goal as Vock pointed acknowledgment to the passer, Drew MacKenzie. Almost like a team celebration of a team goal.

Jack's track record over the past three years, including juniors and discounting a down year last season, indicates there may be 4 more such celebrations this season. Which is too bad because he sure loves to celebrate his goals.

 

[Nick Papagiorgio]

Re: 2009-2010 Official Vermont Season Thread

UVM still sitting around at .500 and goaltending is a concern...

As grantfan would say:

I recently toured the UVM Athletic facilities and the switch inside the UVM Hockey Office was in the OFF position.

The on/OFF switch in the goalie coach's office had an Out Of Service sign on it.

Sounds about right, don't you think, grantfan?

 

[grantfan]

Re: 2009-2010 Official Vermont Season Thread

I do not agree that the Catamounts' main problem has been or is goaltending. It was in the 7-1 loss to BC, but not, in my opinion, most other games. UML's second favorite coach, Coach Sneddon, didn't like the goaltending against UMass, and I didn't like the penalty killing, so he and I just agreed to disagree on that.

I will condemn Michael Spillane for the UNH game after I am done discussing matters with Drew M(inus 3)acKenzie (-7 on the season) and with Patrick
(-2) Cullity and with -2 Josh Burrows and their defensemates for leaving Spillane, and then Madore, out to dry on the goals. All of the 4 goals on 12 shots against Spillane were the result of glaring defensive lapses, not little ones.

So, while I do not believe the goaltending has been good enough to save this team, I do not agree that it has been as big a problem as some other UVM fans think it is or as big a problem as I think the D has been. They could be right and I could be wrong.

 

[UMLGoon]

Re: 2009-2010 Official Vermont Season Thread

my favorite thing about UVM this year is that they almost go out of their way to prove me right at every opportunity.

best defense in the league. ha. anyone want to apologize to me for that absurd statement?

 

[jcarter7669]

Re: 2009-2010 Official Vermont Season Thread

my favorite thing about UVM this year is that they almost go out of their way to prove me right at every opportunity.

best defense in the league. ha. anyone want to apologize to me for that absurd statement?

As soon as you reference the quote where that was stated and by whom.

 

[J.D.]

Re: 2009-2010 Official Vermont Season Thread

UVM still sitting around at .500 and goaltending is a concern...

As grantfan would say:



Sounds about right, don't you think, grantfan?

LOL

one of the dumbest posts all of last year.

 

[jcarter7669]

Re: 2009-2010 Official Vermont Season Thread

All of the 4 goals on 12 shots against Spillane were the result of glaring defensive lapses, not little ones.

.

Goal 4 ??? Yes it was a 2 on one, but Spillane was on the ice 15 feet in front of the net. He didn't make it very difficult for UNH to simply skate by him and score.

FYI Sneddon was not pleased with the goaltending and even Melrose (who I think is a moron BTW) noted that goaltending was poor despite the fact that yes, the D hung both Madore and Spillane out to dry.

 

[jcarter7669]

Re: 2009-2010 Official Vermont Season Thread

and again, i'm waiting for you to find one post in which i've been demonstrably wrong this season.

lowell 40-0-0, 27-0-0 in HE

Good call oh wise one.

I await your apology form being an dumbshlt