New Hampshire vs. Boston College - March 5/6

[UML]

Re: New Hampshire vs. Boston College - March 5/6

I'll be watching these games very closely.

 

[TonyTheTiger20]

Re: New Hampshire vs. Boston College - March 5/6

First of all, they didn't take a single penalty.

Minor correction: UMA definitely took some penalties, but none were called.

Kreider getting hauled down from behind in the 3rd period while coming up the boards comes to mind.

 

[unhpuckfan2001]

Re: New Hampshire vs. Boston College - March 5/6

Not sure if you're remembering all that correctly. If you're talking about the 2008 HE semifinal, BC ended up outshooting UNH by a good margin. And BC still had a lot of talented forwards on that team. Not sure they would have started trapping when trailing 4-1. You might have a case for BC trying to trap BU in last year's semifinal when up 1-0, but I don't buy it in a game they were down 4-1. To ask if they trap "this year" is misguided. I'm sure all teams trap at some point. BC is an attacking team that's coming at you with four lines.

Not sure if they went to a true "trap" but after UNH blew them out of the water in the first period, BC made a major change in strategy, to which UNH had no answer.I remember it being mentioned after that game, but can't remember where (just read the game thread, no mention, and I can't find the UNH thread for that year). Reading the game thread was quite a hoot, though; what a game.

I distinctly remember this game, because it was Good Friday. Very rare to watch the 1st period, then leave for church; listen to the 2nd period; leave church, listen to first OT, then watch the last to OTs back at home.

As to the last sentence in your post; they usually are, and it makes a highly entertaining, up and down hockey game, especially at the Whit. Probably why NESN picked it up.

 

[sterlippo1]

Re: New Hampshire vs. Boston College - March 5/6

Not sure if they went to a true "trap" but after UNH blew them out of the water in the first period, BC made a major change in strategy, to which UNH had no answer.I remember it being mentioned after that game, but can't remember where (just read the game thread, no mention, and I can't find the UNH thread for that year). Reading the game thread was quite a hoot, though; what a game.

I distinctly remember this game, because it was Good Friday. Very rare to watch the 1st period, then leave for church; listen to the 2nd period; leave church, listen to first OT, then watch the last to OTs back at home.

As to the last sentence in your post; they usually are, and it makes a highly entertaining, up and down hockey game, especially at the Whit. Probably why NESN picked it up.

that was the game BC actually won twice on overtime right??

 

[unhpuckfan2001]

Re: New Hampshire vs. Boston College - March 5/6

that was the game BC actually won twice on overtime right??

*sighs*

The refs got the call right. You won anyway. Can we move on?

 

[Nick Papagiorgio]

Re: New Hampshire vs. Boston College - March 5/6

I almost coughed up my bagel this morning reading that BC trapped in 2008 from the UNH game all the way through to the national title. BC rarely traps. Only time I've seen it was in 1997/1998 Christmas break vs. #1 BU (it worked, FWIW).

BC was still bringing 1 forechecker during that whole run. Not as aggressive of a forecheck as you'd sometimes see from BC, but certainly not a trap.

We leave the trapping to UMass.

 

[e.cat]

Re: New Hampshire vs. Boston College - March 5/6

If BC were to make the Garden, their two wins in the QFs would be more than enough to secure an NCAA bid (even in a worst case scenario of getting swept by UNH and losing a semifinal). Historically BC has the most Lamoriello Trophies as well. So there really would be no pressure on them at all. Would there be pressure for the #1 seed in the league (assuming UNH gets it) to bring back some hardware that they rarely win? Probably. More than BC would be facing.

so because bc has won the most lamoriello's there would be no pressure on them to win this time around? also bc has been ahead of unh in the national polls all year further adding to expectations?

 

[Nick Papagiorgio]

Re: New Hampshire vs. Boston College - March 5/6

so because bc has won the most lamoriello's there would be no pressure on them to win this time around? also bc has been ahead of unh in the national polls all year further adding to expectations?

Seems like some hillbilly logic is being put down here. And not even good logic at that.

I guess this is just a matter of opinion. But ya, when you win something, there's not as much pressure to win it again for a while. Like BU this year. BC last year, etc. 2001 lots of pressure on BC. 2008 lots of pressure on BC. Last year? This year? Not so much. UNH, pressure all the time as the trophy case is still empty. I know, you're going to reference Gordon Bombay here and talk about how much pressure there was on him and how this relates to BC. Sure sure.

Wouldn't the national polls be more relevant for the national tournament?

Would Umile, a career choke artist in the postseason, feel more pressure to bring home some hardware in the HE tourney than York? I would hope so because a) BC has more of a chance than UNH to win hardware beyond that tournament and b) York has won a boatload and Umile not so much.

 

[J.D.]

Re: New Hampshire vs. Boston College - March 5/6

I'll be watching these games very closely.

Any particular reason? These games have no effect on UML.

Not sure if they went to a true "trap" but after UNH blew them out of the water in the first period, BC made a major change in strategy, to which UNH had no answer.I remember it being mentioned after that game, but can't remember where (just read the game thread, no mention, and I can't find the UNH thread for that year). Reading the game thread was quite a hoot, though; what a game.

Even this is a little fuzzy because it was 2-0 after one period. BC even cut it to 2-1 early in the 2nd on a PP goal. UNH didn't extend the lead to 3-1 and then 4-1 until halfway thru the period. I'm sure York tried everything in that game, but there's no way they went to a pure trap when trailing 4-1 with seven minutes left in the 2nd period and then somehow managed to come back. Like I said though, I'm pretty confident that all teams trap at some point.

 

[e.cat]

Re: New Hampshire vs. Boston College - March 5/6

Seems like some hillbilly logic is being put down here. And not even good logic at that.

I guess this is just a matter of opinion. But ya, when you win something, there's not as much pressure to win it again for a while. Like BU this year. BC last year, etc. 2001 lots of pressure on BC. 2008 lots of pressure on BC. Last year? This year? Not so much. UNH, pressure all the time as the trophy case is still empty. I know, you're going to reference Gordon Bombay here and talk about how much pressure there was on him and how this relates to BC. Sure sure.

Wouldn't the national polls be more relevant for the national tournament?

Would Umile, a career choke artist in the postseason, feel more pressure to bring home some hardware in the HE tourney than York? I would hope so because a) BC has more of a chance than UNH to win hardware beyond that tournament and b) York has won a boatload and Umile not so much.

i'm glad we've found something to disagree about. i don't think there is any pressure on unh to win anything this year. obviously unh has been a perrenial contender for hardware with umile at the helm but i don't think the expectation going into this season was that unh would win it all. i think this year was expected to be a rebuilding year.

 

[jcarter7669]

Re: New Hampshire vs. Boston College - March 5/6

. BC rarely traps. Only time I've seen it was...... vs. #1 BC (it worked, FWIW).

Wait, so let me get this straight.....the only time BC has trapped was against #1 BC......and low and behold it worked as presumably BC beat #1 BC????

And you are complaining against Hillbilly logic.......

I'll be watching these games very closely.

That's just creepy.......

 

[J.D.]

Re: New Hampshire vs. Boston College - March 5/6

i'm glad we've found something to disagree about. i don't think there is any pressure on unh to win anything this year. obviously unh has been a perrenial contender for hardware with umile at the helm but i don't think the expectation going into this season was that unh would win it all. i think this year was expected to be a rebuilding year.

That's all well and good, but once you get into a tournament setting, there's pressure on every team even if you weren't expected to be there. Miami wasn't expected to be in the national title game last year, but they still managed to kick away a game they had in the bag. Maybe it's a good thing that there weren't high expectations for UNH this year? If they end up losing to a better team, so be it, but pressure falls on every team alive this time of year.

 

[e.cat]

Re: New Hampshire vs. Boston College - March 5/6

That's all well and good, but once you get into a tournament setting, there's pressure on every team even if you weren't expected to be there. Miami wasn't expected to be in the national title game last year, but they still managed to kick away a game they had in the bag. Maybe it's a good thing that there weren't high expectations for UNH this year? If they end up losing to a better team, so be it, but pressure falls on every team alive this time of year.

bu was expected to win it all though last year and because of that i think there was more pressure on them. he11, unh gave them all they could handle in the regional final after beating nodak(who also had more pressure on them to win!)

of course it's a good thing expectations are lower for unh this year. that's exactly my point.

 

[TonyTheTiger20]

Re: New Hampshire vs. Boston College - March 5/6

The refs got the call right. You won anyway. Can we move on?

To the letter of the rule, but not the spirit of the rule. But I agree, it's over and done with.

low and behold

Nope.

This guy be holdin' low:

This person be holdin' l'eau:

Lowe be holdin':

Lo and Behold:

 

[J.D.]

Re: New Hampshire vs. Boston College - March 5/6

bu was expected to win it all though last year and because of that i think there was more pressure on them. he11, unh gave them all they could handle in the regional final after beating nodak(who also had more pressure on them to win!)

of course it's a good thing expectations are lower for unh this year. that's exactly my point.

Saying a team has more pressure on them because they're the favorite is a loser's mentality in my opinion and provides a built in excuse when/if your team loses. What's the old saying? The other team's on scholarships too? In the end, everything is relative to expectations, but in the moment, if you're there...pressure is equal on each side.

 

[JB]

Re: New Hampshire vs. Boston College - March 5/6

I almost coughed up my bagel this morning reading that BC trapped in 2008 from the UNH game all the way through to the national title. BC rarely traps. Only time I've seen it was in 1997/1998 Christmas break vs. #1 BC (it worked, FWIW).

BC was still bringing 1 forechecker during that whole run. Not as aggressive of a forecheck as you'd sometimes see from BC, but certainly not a trap.

We leave the trapping to UMass.

I suppose it depends on how you define a trap. BC did not go to 5 between the blue lines classic style trap. Note: Canada went to a trap in the gold medal game but it wasn't the 5 between the blue line style it was a 1-2-2. UNH runs a trap fairly often this year not a 5 between the blue line style but a 1-2-2.

I however define a trap by the action of the players rather than the location. Action one is a more passive forecheck (can be in zone or in center ice). Action two is to angle the play to one side of the ice and "trap" the puck carrier by blocking the passing lanes through center ice plus leave the puck carrier limited room to move. Finally action three is to tighten the space between the Blue lines to prevent a clean move in to the offensive zone and also in the college game to protect the red line forcing icings. A good 1-2-2 trap actually works out to a zone defense as the defenders try to sit in the zones where the passing lanes run. Both NU and UVM ran a version of the 1-2-2 against UNH, with a little twist the last 2 weeks.

In the 2008 game and for the rest of the NCAAs BC went to a 1-2-2 trap after being down 4-1. The 1 didn't chase behind the net and ran a passive forecheck (particularly if the opposing team had the puck cleanly). The 1 would then angle the puck carrier to the boards on one side of the ice. The first layer of the 2 (2-2) was at the blue line. This was particularly effective against UNH because UNH likes/liked to come up the boards so the puck carrier was more than willing to be angled out of center ice right in to the "trap". This led to numerous UNH turnovers in the UNH D zone and lots of grade A shots by BC quick forwards.

It was actually an amazing move by York. Really smart coaching particularly to pull of the change mid period, he had tried just about everything else and it was clear that years BC team just could not skate with UNH (particularly the UNH forwards). The other reason it worked so well was the quickness of the BC forwards. As a team BC wasn't as fast as UNH as a team, but the BC forwards were small and quick enough to really take advantage of the UNH D who wasn't great at handling the puck, but good at the long passes that BC was clogging the lanes on. It worked so well BC stayed in that system for the next 4 games; I watched all of them in person and looked for the 1-2-2 after I spotted it in the 1st NCAA game. Also I normally enjoy the up a down BC brings to the table and it was a clear change in style that year.

This year UNH is better at beating the trap as they are willing to reverse to the D and will pass the puck D to D in front of the net. Past teams rarely would go back to the D or D to D across the D-zone. If you retreat back behind your net the other team just resets the 1-2-2 trap on the other side of the net. If you don’t have a very good puck (stick) handling D-man you are in big trouble unless you make quick passes D to D. The other thing UNH is doing better this year is cycling a forward back to help bring up the puck. In past years the in zone forward would be too close to the blue line on the boards making him covered by the first layer of 2. If the pass isn’t perfect D to F the F coughs up the puck as he has no time/space to make a play. In the gold medal game the US pulled the in zone forward down the wall to below the dot, this opened more space/time for that player to receive a pass then make a play to beat the 1-2-2 trap.

BC and UNH games typically are devoid of trapping. Both typically aggressively fore-check which allows for end to end play and lots of transition. This style is why I enjoy the two teams meeting. BU-UNH games are also famous for this up and down style.

 

[e.cat]

Re: New Hampshire vs. Boston College - March 5/6

Saying a team has more pressure on them because they're the favorite is a loser's mentality in my opinion and provides a built in excuse when/if your team loses. What's the old saying? The other team's on scholarships too? In the end, everything is relative to expectations, but in the moment, if you're there...pressure is equal on each side.

all i know is that the best team on paper doesn't always win. bc on paper is the better team, no?

 

[J.D.]

Re: New Hampshire vs. Boston College - March 5/6

all i know is that the best team on paper doesn't always win. bc on paper is the better team, no?

Do I think BC is better than UNH? Yes.

 

[e.cat]

Re: New Hampshire vs. Boston College - March 5/6

Do I think BC is better than UNH? Yes.

i don't know if that's the case but we're going to find out real soon.

 

[Nick Papagiorgio]

Re: New Hampshire vs. Boston College - March 5/6

Wait, so let me get this straight.....the only time BC has trapped was against #1 BC......and low and behold it worked as presumably BC beat #1 BC????

It was typo you turd. BC was never #1 in 1997-1998.