Re: Hockey East - The Off Season
Yes but that was in the second round.
1st as of late UNH actually shows up the first game, hence not as bad (didn't say good).
2nd UNH has gone 3-3 in the last 3 appearences and only one of the 3 losses was a stinker, also qualifying as not as bad (again didn't say good).
Sure, but "post season flops" has to include some rather pedestrian efforts in the HE tourney too. I still have to think that a bad/mediocre effort in the HE tourney followed by a Rd 1 win followed by a Rd 2 collapse is still going to net out to be a bad postseason performance IMO (2010).
2008:
HE tourney: UNH blows huge lead in semifinals, loses twice to BC in overtime
NCAA tourney: Putrid performance against Notre Dame in 1st Round.
2009:
HE tourney: UNH gets swept at home in the QFs by BC
NCAA tourney: UNH shocks North Dagoata and gets moral victory "we didn't get blown out" vs. BU. UNH really should have won this game but probably shouldn't have won the day prior so I guess it all worked out.
2010:
HE tourney: Another QF stinker to UVM of all people. Yikes.
NCAA tourney: Nice win over Cornell and then an epic collapse against barely D1 RIT (after Denver choked and paved a nice road to Detroit).
2011:
HE tourney: 4-1 loss to Merrimack in the semis. Meh.
NCAA tourney: Impressive 3-1 win over Miami, tough 2-1 loss to Notre Dame.
So really, 2011 was clearly not a flop. 2009 was certainly not a flop either but not great. But 2010 and 2008... not pretty. And no FFs or even a trip to the HE finals in any of those years. 2 years out of the last 4 UNH didn't even make it to the Garden (with home ice). But maybe 2 of the last 3 being not that bad of a flop is an upward trend? One can hope!