2009-2010 UNH Wildcats Season

[UNH09]

Re: 2009-2010 UNH Wildcats Season

If one was planning to come up to the BU/UNH game at Durham on Friday, is it worth getting a ticket ahead of time or can I pick one up at 6:30 when I get there?

How bad is it at the Whitte-morgue these days??? UNH v. BU isn't completely sold out on a Wednesday night???

Marty please build a stadium for your flagship program, so I don't have to drive to Southern Illinois in the future...

 

[C-H-C]

Re: 2009-2010 UNH Wildcats Season

Watching the game on NESN, it looked to me like Foster made a number of outstanding saves throughout the game. As for the second goal, the slow motion replays showed that the BU kid pirouetted around the backchecking UNH forward and was then 1-on-1 with Foster. The UNH defender did not pick him up as he moved across the crease. It looked like the BU kid made a terrific shot over Foster's right shoulder.

Is there any coach more effective than Parker at getting inside the refs' heads? He p*sses and moans about the lack of penalties called on the opposing team and often gets a call in his favor before the game ends. The replay of the Hardowa "penalty" in the third period showed that there was no infraction. He and the BU player simply got their skates caught together and they both fell. On the positive side, UNH did a good job at minimizing penalties.

Over the last two weekends, UNH has played solid and consistent hockey. The defensive core is gaining in confidence and the team defense looks real good. Butler's star is rising as he looks like the best undrafted player in the league. He clearly would like to take his game to the next level next season.

 

[Carmine Scarpaglia]

Re: 2009-2010 UNH Wildcats Season

Watching the game on NESN, it looked to me like Foster made a number of outstanding saves throughout the game. As for the second goal, the slow motion replays showed that the BU kid pirouetted around the backchecking UNH forward and was then 1-on-1 with Foster. The UNH defender did not pick him up as he moved across the crease. It looked like the BU kid made a terrific shot over Foster's right shoulder.

I was partially paying attention to that while checking on BC's game but it seemed like an awful goal by Foster. I feel like BU guy just shot it from the wide angle and it was going to go straight past the net and it hit Foster's glove (or something else in front) and got behind him into the net. Nice effort to spin around and make some room for himself, though.

 

[Terrierbyassociation]

Re: 2009-2010 UNH Wildcats Season

BU's second goal hit Kipp and deflected in. Nothing Foster could have done.

 

[C-H-C]

Re: 2009-2010 UNH Wildcats Season

I was partially paying attention to that while checking on BC's game but it seemed like an awful goal by Foster. I feel like BU guy just shot it from the wide angle and it was going to go straight past the net and it hit Foster's glove (or something else in front) and got behind him into the net. Nice effort to spin around and make some room for himself, though.

That was an impressive spin move by the BU guy. I should have taken the time to find out who it was. Credit where credit is due - it was Vinnie Saponari.

 

[billb]

Re: 2009-2010 UNH Wildcats Season

That was an outstanding effort by UNH this weekend.
Looking at the HE standings, I see UNH tied with BC for the top spot. But, aside from the impotent power play, the most glaring stat for UNH is GA. Absolutely 100% atrocious.
And I liked Dick's appearance last night; maybe he could get some French cuffs?

 

[Gibber]

Re: 2009-2010 UNH Wildcats Season

BU's second goal hit Kipp and deflected in. Nothing Foster could have done.

it looked to me like there wasn't a defender b/w the shooter and Foster, and that he just didn't have the post secure, and it went behind him, didn't see it deflect off of anyone else (?) I just saw it (and the replay a few times) on a tiny TV in the newsroom, so I could have easily missed that..

Either way, I thought it was another great hard working effort by this team, and like what I've seen/heard the last 4 games, and if not for a fluky goal w/ 11 seconds left against UMass last Fri, it they could be 5-1-2 in the league. They're going to have to work hard every night and earn every point, and I see them improving a little each week. I'm enjoying watching this team a lot so far (despite a few hiccups!)

 

[i'zonprize]

Re: 2009-2010 UNH Wildcats Season

Stating the obvious.. Thompson had a great weekend. 3-2-5.. Feel bad for Leblanc, Sislo and Moses as I thought they played well enough to earn a few points for themselves, they had their chance and on a different weekend probably would have burried a few pucks... Most all the guys are contributing, although I'm not sure I'd call it backchecking when Block waives his stick at a guy. It did not appear as though he made a move with his feet to try to defend the guy who scored on the nice pivot move. They was no D man in the area and he could have played that one better.

Ya, Parker I think is losing it.. and what's up with him going after Butler at center ice after the game?

 

[goblue]

Re: 2009-2010 UNH Wildcats Season

...
Ya, Parker I think is losing it.. and what's up with him going after Butler at center ice after the game?

And what was said between Umile and Parker after the confrontation? I suppose we'll never know, but the fact that they didn't do the typical handshake/hug/backpat last night is revealing.

 

[DaveDan]

Re: 2009-2010 UNH Wildcats Season

Ya, Parker I think is losing it.. and what's up with him going after Butler at center ice after the game?

Coach Parker certainly ought to be frustrated at this point, not unlike two years ago with a talented but underachieving team. He will right the ship.
Will try to find the particulars of this brouhaha.

BTW - Coach Parker ought to feel fortunate a rather obvious OT hand covering the puck in the crease was not called.

 

[Carmine Scarpaglia]

Re: 2009-2010 UNH Wildcats Season

BTW - Coach Parker ought to feel fortunate a rather obvious OT hand covering the puck in the crease was not called.

It was a good no-call. He (bonino) didn't freeze the puck. Just put his hand on top of it and swept it out of the crease.

 

[Greg Ambrose]

Re: 2009-2010 UNH Wildcats Season

It was a good no-call. He (bonino) didn't freeze the puck. Just put his hand on top of it and swept it out of the crease.

Wrong, he had his hand over the puck, a complete no-no. But overall I thought the game was well officiated. Gravel missed a call in the third period when UNH was on a PP. A BU defender, didn't catch who, cross checked Thompson right into the crease. Nothing called as the play went the other way.

You can't complain about these two games. UNH played pretty well, pretty consistently at both ends of the ice. Umile is looking for improvement week to week and I think the fans should be too. The Wildcats are a work in progress. I don't know what the ceiling is but I will tell you that each week I see better play out of not only Butler, but Thompson and even DeSimone (his first goal of the season, in the 12th game. You have to expect more out of him, don't you?). More importantly, the defense is getting better. Kostolansky has his deficiencies, not much speed, but he made a couple of excellent plays positionally in his own end. Kipp, Campanale and Hadowa were okay last night. As for Kessel, I thought a couple of times he took the wrong path to the puck in his own end, but he is still the most consistent d-man we have. Just have to see how it goes with four games left before the break, three of them on the road.

 

[e.cat]

Re: 2009-2010 UNH Wildcats Season

Nice to take three out of four points from BU. Way to go WILDCATS

What the heck was Pahkah chirping about after the game? He didn't even give Richard a hug at center ice.

 

[thecomicbookguy]

Re: 2009-2010 UNH Wildcats Season

it looked to me like there wasn't a defender b/w the shooter and Foster, and that he just didn't have the post secure, and it went behind him, didn't see it deflect off of anyone else (?) I just saw it (and the replay a few times) on a tiny TV in the newsroom, so I could have easily missed that.

Definitely deflected off of Kipp. Shot would have gone across the front of Foster, otherwise.

And Bonino covered the puck with his glove - should be a penalty shot (not that it's a given UNH would have scored).

Reffing was pretty terrible both ways. Austin Block can't find the puck, and turns into the BU attacker, and draws a hit from behind. Hardowa doens't even hit the BU player, and gets called for the same penalty. And Saponari's slash was a stick check. Had his own stick not broken (first time I've seen that, btw), there'd have been no call. Good call on Shattenkirk at the start of OT, but then no call on UNH for the obvious slash (I could see it 200+ feet away)? At least none of the calls were as bad as T. Lowe calling a penalty with his back to it from Friday night.

Speaking of Block, I find it hard to believe that there's no one on the bench better than this kid. He seems to have no puck/hockey sense, bad hands, and no physical presence. Borisenok, 3 inches shorter and 15 pounds lighter, was way more physical than Block.

On a more positive note, I though Kipp actually played a pretty good game last night (other than the Saponari play).

 

[RockTheWhit]

Re: 2009-2010 UNH Wildcats Season

Speaking of Block, I find it hard to believe that there's no one on the bench better than this kid.
.

At this point, there's barely anybody on the bench.

 

[Carmine Scarpaglia]

Re: 2009-2010 UNH Wildcats Season

Wrong, he had his hand over the puck, a complete no-no.

I disagree. The problem here is that the play was NEVER STOPPED. Therefore, he did not FREEZE the puck. This is the reason why it is legal in my opinion. You typically only see a PS awarded when play is stopped with a frozen puck (referee can't see it) under a pile up in the crease, and they move the guys out of the pile and find out it was frozen under a player's glove and not the goalie.

Here are some rules to tinker with. I guess it's open to interpretation but to me you need play stopped because of a frozen puck and there is not a chance in heck play is going to be stopped with Bonino putting that under his glove for a half second at most with no one that close to him.

Rule 4.6.d on penalty shots

...a penalty shot is awarded under Rules...6-16-b
(defending player falling on, holding or gathering the puck into the body
or hands when the puck in within the goal crease)...

Rule on Delay of the game 6.10.b:

A player or goalkeeper shall not deliberately hold (freeze) the puck
against the boards, cage or ice with the stick, skate, foot or any other part
of the body for the purpose of delaying the game (see 6-16-b).

Rule 6.16.b

A defending player, except the goalkeeper, shall not be permitted to fall on the puck or hold the puck or gather a puck into the body or hands
when the puck is within the goal crease.

Because they are helping define "hold with the stick, skate, foot, or any other part of the body" in 6.10.b as "freeze", it's a legal play. Feel free to agree to disagree.

 

[JB]

Re: 2009-2010 UNH Wildcats Season

I may be missing it but I think gathering the puck into the body or hands covers putting a glove over the puck. That is gathering the puck in.

Just me.

I have always been taught you can't cover the puck in the crease unless you are the goalie. You will actually see NHL players push it under the goalie with thier finger tips or knuckles to not cover it.

Should have been a P.S.

 

[UNHhockey29]

Re: 2009-2010 UNH Wildcats Season

I may be missing it but I think gathering the puck into the body or hands covers putting a glove over the puck. That is gathering the puck in.

Just me.

I have always been taught you can't cover the puck in the crease unless you are the goalie. You will actually see NHL players push it under the goalie with thier finger tips or knuckles to not cover it.

Should have been a P.S.

He didn't cover it though. He put his hand on it and then swept it away from the net. He wasn't gathering or covering anything he was pushing it away.

 

[Greg Ambrose]

Re: 2009-2010 UNH Wildcats Season

He didn't cover it though. He put his hand on it and then swept it away from the net. He wasn't gathering or covering anything he was pushing it away.

Bonino did have his glove over the puck, at least from my vantage point which was about 10 rows up from the face-off dot in what was the BU end. I had a clear view. If you put your hand OVER the puck, then even hesitate before swiping or throwing it out, it should be a penalty shot. The fact that the play never stopped (and that means the ref whistling for a stop) is irrelevant. If the player covers the puck in the crease, it's a violation. The problem was the failure of Gravallese (I think he was down low there) to blow the whistle. Of course, given the situation (I just love situational reffing), there was no way that the call would be made in OT, just no way.

No matter. The game was incredibly wide open, and both teams had a boat load of chances. It was a very entertaining game (actually both games on the weekend were) and the end result should make both teams and their fans happy. I know I am, given that all of UNH's wins have come in Hockey East.
Tied for first place with a game in hand!!!!

 

[UNHhockey29]

Re: 2009-2010 UNH Wildcats Season

Bonino did have his glove over the puck, at least from my vantage point which was about 10 rows up from the face-off dot in what was the BU end. I had a clear view. If you put your hand OVER the puck, then even hesitate before swiping or throwing it out, it should be a penalty shot. The fact that the play never stopped (and that means the ref whistling for a stop) is irrelevant. If the player covers the puck in the crease, it's a violation. The problem was the failure of Gravallese (I think he was down low there) to blow the whistle. Of course, given the situation (I just love situational reffing), there was no way that the call would be made in OT, just no way.

No matter. The game was incredibly wide open, and both teams had a boat load of chances. It was a very entertaining game (actually both games on the weekend were) and the end result should make both teams and their fans happy. I know I am, given that all of UNH's wins have come in Hockey East.
Tied for first place with a game in hand!!!!

I know he put his hand over it. I had a better view of it than the refs. But he never held it there, it was an instant sweep. During the game I was upset over this but after watching it again it was a good no call.