What's new
By:
USCHO Fan Forum

This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

  • The USCHO Fan Forum has migrated to a new plaform, xenForo. Most of the function of the forum should work in familiar ways. Please note that you can switch between light and dark modes by clicking on the gear icon in the upper right of the main menu bar. We are hoping that this new platform will prove to be faster and more reliable. Please feel free to explore its features.

UNH 2018-19: Souza The Opportunity

Status
Not open for further replies.
Re: UNH 2018-19: Souza The Opportunity

Well not the outcome most of us expected; but you don't know til you get out there and play so am hoping for a better tomorrow. Faceoffs...hmmm. Glad Mike had a solid outing; 30 saves is awesome. Happy for Freshman Jackson Pierson getting his first NCAA goal. Echoing Dan we have to better tomorrow. Go 'Cats!
 
Last edited:
Re: UNH 2018-19: Souza The Opportunity

Call that game a big pile of meh. Nothing glaringly wrong but nothing really went right either. For a team that was talking about their team speed they got out skated the majority of that game. The offense never really got anything going in the offensive zone, no great setups, no cycling, it was usually a harmless shot that rebounded to a Colgate player and quickly made its way back out. Once again a lot of dump and chase, as in, dump it in and chase Colgate back out of the zone. When will we get a system that can transition the neutral zone with pace and possession? I'm really hoping that over the course of this season we can see a true departure from the failures in philosophy of the last few years of Umile's tenure. One game does not make or break the season but I was certainly looking for more of a statement than what we got tonight.

Robinson had a good game, he was challenged a few times and held his own. Goals against were on a two on one following a blatant uncalled cross check in the neutral zone and the other on a pig pile at the front of the net. I still think we will see Taylor in net tomorrow night, goaltending was far from the problem out there tonight so I would not be worried either way on who starts.

Aside from that I could not really point out anything good or awful in particular. In short, the execution was lacking in all zones. We continue to be completely lacking in the faceoff department which stymies a lot of our offensive chances before they even get started. I'm not going to lose my head over a single game, this group is young so they can grow and develop as the year goes on as long as the systems they are being taught are ones that will make them successful.

On the positive side I did not see the defense getting clogged up in their own end nearly as much as I have seen in the recent past, we will see if that is a change in their defensive schemes or a reflection of the opposing talent.

I will trade a win now for long term success, so get to work on the long term.
 
Re: UNH 2018-19: Souza The Opportunity

Suspect we're all going to have to get used to this, at least for a little while. Let's face it, the program has been in the dumps for at least the last three seasons (and that's probably being charitable). The hardest thing to do is to turn a losing program into a winning program overnight. Right now, this is a program that's used to losing. The returning players have known nothing but losing during their time at UNH. That's a hard habit to break. Sad and simple, but unfortunately all too true.

It's almost like Newton's First Law of Competition - a losing program will remain a losing program, unless/until impacted by an external force. Souza has to be that external force. And that's complicated by the fact he's been part of the program during these last three (worst) seasons. Something has to change in Umile's absence. The same coaches have been the ones who have been doing the recruiting, then and now. Maybe that's Guiliano … but if it is, that's not going to happen overnight either. Or maybe the dynamics shifting with the current staff in the absence of Umile is what gets that done? I can't believe it will be the same staff (aside from Guiliano) "coaching the guys up", we didn't see that when Umile was in charge in his final years, and I refuse to believe they would have been holding back on that front when their mentor was pulling out all the stops for his NRN.

It will be interesting to see how some of this other stuff plays out. Nazarian being out is puzzling, as was his absence from any leadership designation … maybe he was injured, or maybe ticked off at not getting a letter, and saying so? Based on limited sourcing, that last scenario would surprise me. Robinson getting the start definitely feels like the residue of the "old ways", but I can't say that bothers me in this instance.

It's only one game, and I guess no one should be too surprised that a losing program with a new HC and a lot of new faces lost a close game to what projects to be a mediocre-to-average opponent on the road. We'll see what tomorrow brings, and then the next weekend, next month, next year, next season, etc. Long term.

As an aside … I watched Once Upon a Time in the West tonight. Great movie, almost 50 years old now, might be the greatest movie of its kind ever made that no one's ever heard of (and the kind no one makes anymore). Highly recommended, WIS gives it a :) :) :) :) :) star rating, especially on an evening when the bright future of the UNH Men's Hockey program still feels so far, far, far away ...
 
deltabravo62 said:
Call that game a big pile of meh. Nothing glaringly wrong but nothing really went right either. For a team that was talking about their team speed they got out skated the majority of that game. The offense never really got anything going in the offensive zone, no great setups, no cycling, it was usually a harmless shot that rebounded to a Colgate player and quickly made its way back out. Once again a lot of dump and chase, as in, dump it in and chase Colgate back out of the zone. When will we get a system that can transition the neutral zone with pace and possession? I'm really hoping that over the course of this season we can see a true departure from the failures in philosophy of the last few years of Umile's tenure. One game does not make or break the season but I was certainly looking for more of a statement than what we got tonight.

Robinson had a good game, he was challenged a few times and held his own. Goals against were on a two on one following a blatant uncalled cross check in the neutral zone and the other on a pig pile at the front of the net. I still think we will see Taylor in net tomorrow night, goaltending was far from the problem out there tonight so I would not be worried either way on who starts.

Aside from that I could not really point out anything good or awful in particular. In short, the execution was lacking in all zones. We continue to be completely lacking in the faceoff department which stymies a lot of our offensive chances before they even get started. I'm not going to lose my head over a single game, this group is young so they can grow and develop as the year goes on as long as the systems they are being taught are ones that will make them successful.

On the positive side I did not see the defense getting clogged up in their own end nearly as much as I have seen in the recent past, we will see if that is a change in their defensive schemes or a reflection of the opposing talent.

I will trade a win now for long term success, so get to work on the long term.
Click to expand...

Thanks for detailed game report, DB. Sorry to hear that our Souzacats are still playing dump and chase hockey, an offense for loser teams, imho. But, I am pleased that we scored a PPG so early in the season, and good on one of our freshmen and our captain.
 
Last edited:
Re: UNH 2018-19: Souza The Opportunity

Fewer penalties then the opposition. Even strength scoring.
 
Last edited:
Re: UNH 2018-19: Souza The Opportunity

Darius said:
Fewer penalties then the opposition. Even strength scoring.
Click to expand...

Was just looking at the stats from last night; didn't realize we had 4 penalties to their 2 as I didn't get to see the whole game. At least we killed them off. Agree; small strides. :)
 
Re: UNH 2018-19: Souza The Opportunity

Snively65 said:
Thanks for detailed game report, DB. Sorry to hear that our Souzacats are still playing dump and chase hockey, an offense for loser teams, imho. But, I am pleased that we scored a PPG so early in the season, and good on one of our freshmen and our captain.
Click to expand...

Were you at the 'Mack v Bentley game last night?? Close one there. Scott B gets his first win. (with an * as he's been a D1 coach before?)
 
HockeyRef said:
Was just looking at the stats from last night; didn't realize we had 4 penalties to their 2 as I didn't get to see the whole game. At least we killed them off. Agree; small strides. :)
Click to expand...

Special teams were good - 1/2 on the PP and 4/4 on the PK. They were outplayed even strength - which has been a trend in recent seasons. I hope they are willing to admit that and make a concerted, focused and targeted effort to change that starting tonight...
 
Re: UNH 2018-19: Souza The Opportunity

Dan said:
Special teams were good - 1/2 on the PP and 4/4 on the PK. They were outplayed even strength - which has been a trend in recent seasons. I hope they are willing to admit that and make a concerted, focused and targeted effort to change that starting tonight...
Click to expand...

I do not know if there is much that you can install in 16ish hours. Hopefully they could review and find something to exploit within that time to go after in tonight's game. It will be interesting to see what, if any, adjustments will be made for round 2.
 
deltabravo62 said:
I do not know if there is much that you can install in 16ish hours. Hopefully they could review and find something to exploit within that time to go after in tonight's game. It will be interesting to see what, if any, adjustments will be made for round 2.
Click to expand...

I am hoping for something more along the lines of an attitude and effort regarding possessing pucks, playing physical and dictating pace. I doubt they'd scrap their system after one night - but I think they should be angry about getting outplayed 5x5 by a team they probably expected to beat and want to do something about it. Systems aside, how they bounce back should tell us a lot...

I think they will show some fight - and they'll win.
 
Re: UNH 2018-19: Souza The Opportunity

Agreed on the hope that they come out looking at better execution with both puck possession and general offensive awareness. Hopefully it comes through for them. Board battles, puck possession, faceoffs, all fundamentals that can be improved on to yield better results. So here's hoping that they can get it done tonight.
 
deltabravo62 said:
Agreed on the hope that they come out looking at better execution with both puck possession and general offensive awareness. Hopefully it comes through for them. Board battles, puck possession, faceoffs, all fundamentals that can be improved on to yield better results. So here's hoping that they can get it done tonight.
Click to expand...

Exactly. As has been stated it's about the long road ahead. Last year they raced out to a hot start and limped along the rest of the year. Getting beaten outright yesterday (or early in the season) may be the best thing to happen to them if they react in the right way. We'll see...

But I'd still prefer a win tonight and coming to CO with some confidence and attitude...
 
Last edited:
Re: UNH 2018-19: Souza The Opportunity

Anyone know if game is on any radio station? Not on the usual feed out of Dover and not on Colgate's station. Couldn't find a commercial station in the Hamilton area that carries the game. I do have the "live stats" from Colgate. Thanks.
 
1-0 Colgate as UNH fails to clear the zone on TWO very high percentage chances leading to an in alone chance for the Raiders. Taylor with a big stop on the first chance but the rebound is converted by McMann with a UNH penalty, to boot...

---

Penalty killed. UNH first PP chance coming up...

Strong PP but no goals - first unit of Gildon, Pierson, Grasso, Kelleher and Crookshank pressed Colgate on the zone for 1:40 but couldn't connect.

End of one, 1-0 Colgate. Shots 10-8 Raiders.
 
Last edited:
Re: UNH 2018-19: Souza The Opportunity

Another PP to start the second period - Crookshank with three grade A chances and Grasso with another but nothing finds the back of the net. UNH outshooting Colgate 5-0 to start the period.

It looks like the strategy is to stick the first PP and let them play nearly the entire two minutes. It's a solid group that moves the puck well, just has yet to finish today.

---

Colgate scores on a PP rebound midway through the game. 2-0. UNH had held a 10-1 second period shot margin until that chance.
 
Last edited:
Re: UNH 2018-19: Souza The Opportunity

Whole lot of nothing going on today. Mostly perimeter play with some shots but nothing of great quality. Getting outplayed 15/20 minutes each of the first two periods. If this continues they will be lucky to get a single goal today.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top