Re: Lowell @ Vermont, 2/28 and 3/1: Let the games commence!
Anyone want to actually talk about hockey? Here are Lowell's keys to success this weekend according to me.
Crank up the Power Play. UML is only 3/19 on the power play over their last 6 games. UML has seemed to lose a little urgency, hustle less and get tentative when they get the advantage. Vermont’s Penalty Kill is second only to BC in HEA so UML will have to up the intensity.
Skate the puck out of the defensive zone. Too many times UML defenders try to pass it into the neutral zone from the middle of our own end when we aren't being challenged resulting in our "receiver' getting wacked just as he gets the puck. Folin is flat out frightening when he gets his legs pumping and carries the puck into the neutral zone, I wish he did it more often.
Scott Wilson and Josh Holmstrom. These guys need to get in front of the net and put away some rebounds. Holmstrom is only 1-1-2 in his last 10 games compared to 5-2-7 including 2 game winners in the last 10 games of the regular season last year. This year, Lowell is 10-0-2 in games where Holmstrom gets a point. Wilson who missed 8 games leading up to last weekend's series in VT hasn't scored a point since 1/18. Last year at this time Wilson was lighting up opponents, going 4-5-9 including 2 game winning goals and 2 game winning assists in 7 playoff games. Lowell is 8-2 in games this season when Wilson got a point. If these guys start making plays Lowell will be poised again to contend for the HEA title and make a deep run into the NCAAs.
Play hard for 60 minutes. The obvious for playoff hockey. Keep the feet moving, contest every loose puck and be tenacious along the boards. There are only a few teams who can beat us if we give a full 60 minutes of top effort at our grinding style of hockey. We'll have had almost 2 weeks to rest and recoup so we should be fresh.
Which sophomore goalie blinks? While Brody Hoffman trails Connor Hellebuyck in every major goalie metric for the season, Hoffman has actually been the hotter goalie over the last 6 games, matching Hellebuycks stellar season stats of 1.86 GAA and a .939 save %. Hopefully for Lowell, big game experience will make the difference as Hellebuyck posted ridiculous playoff numbers last year going 6-1 with 2 shut outs, a 1.09 GAA and a .963 save %.
Be tough but stay smart. In the final 2 games of the regular season against UVM, Lowell seemed to get out hit. Lowell’s frustration showed as we uncharacteristically instigated a little postgame mayhem at the final whistle in Burlington. Vermont has proven themselves to be a tough scrappy team this year and they’ve taken their share of penalties with 19 more than Lowell in 20 hockey east tilts. If Lowell steps up the toughness but keeps it clean, odds are that Vermont will give us an extra power play.
Response from the City of Lowell. Lowell averaged 5316 attendees at the Tsongas center, second only to BC. UML was 3-1-1 in games where over 6000 fans packed the Tsongas and all of those were against HEA teams currently ranked in the Top 14 nationally (NU, ND, PC and BC). Spring break starts for UML students on Friday so the student turnout could be a little light. Hopefully some of the casual fans who helped fill the seats for those big games earlier in the season will come out for the final weekend at Tsongas to give Lowell that “7th man” advantage.
