I think the reported attendance in the box score is pretty accurate, Snives ... it looked like it peaked in the 3rd period of the first game, and then fell off a cliff for the nightcap, as the two most closely located contestants cleared the field afterwards. It sounded like there were closer to 9,000 at the end of Game 1, most of them were pulling for the upset (not surprisingly), but after the first game, the concourses got infinitely more passable. Why does Providence travel so poorly?? I mean, this game is less than 2 hours from Rhode Island along Route 495 to 93 North, and you'd be leaving the Ocean State before rush hour. What gives???
Anyway, now that I'm back at the homestead, and having had some time to sift through the emotions of a really fun afternoon/evening of postseason college hockey, two emotions stand out for me. First,
gratitude. Kudos to Snively65 a/k/a Snives for reaching out to include me in his Bentley junket, which included suite accommodations of free food and drink, and a pretty darned decent view of the action. It was also serendipitous to be able to reconnect with the alma mater on such a momentous occasion for the program, meet a lot of very nice folks in the process, and live vicariously for a couple of hours through the ups and downs of the reality of upstarts Bentley facing UNH's old enemy, with something very real at stake. That the game turned out the way it did in the end was almost beside the point, as the plucky underdogs grew into the game as it played out, but were still plucky underdogs for some very obvious reasons. Looking at the crestfallen appearances around me after the game winner finally materialized, I realized that I did not quite share their pain on the occasion, but could fully empathize from a long history of similar UNH postseason outcomes. Which will eventually lead me to my second emotion ...
... yup, although it might have been contained and restrained for most of the event,
anger was (and continues to be) at the forefront of my UNH experience, and specifically that of the Men's Hockey program. For many years, UNH was a regular participant in the NCAA tourney, and at least up to the present day, it has hosted Regionals fairly consistently within a set rotation of every 2-3 years. That UNH no longer ices teams that reach these games is an affront to one of the most dedicated fan bases in college hockey ... and that UNH may even be walking away from Manchester as a Regional site host after this year speaks to loud volumes of institutional indifference in Durham to a sport that more than any other one in its history has put the Wildcats on the map. There was a table in one of the concourses where UNH was soliciting season ticket holders for next season, and (suitably) that seemed to be one part of the arena that was getting a pretty serious "leaving alone". So many familiar old faces along the concourses as well ... there's the guy in the vintage Whalers' jersey, isn't he the son of the former head of Friends of UNH Hockey? Another guy, with all the UNH pins on his well-traveled ball cap?? And more, many more, all there ... for the sport they still follow, in hopes that the folks in charge in Durham can be bothered to do something to change the program's death-spiral trajectory.
Impressions of the venue are mixed ... with a solid crowd, the place does have the energy to be a fun venue to watch a game. Far from perfect, but far from unsuitable, and something UNH continues to overlook as part of an overall plan to return to their past glories, when they were the "Kings of New Hampshire Hockey" before the Kings even arrived in town. Putting aside the virtues of my imaginary "NH Beanpot" concept ... there is no reason why UNH should not be hosting at least four (4) games at the arena in Manchester every season, and follow me on this please ... in a 24 game HEA regular season schedule, you are playing 2 games apiece against 6 teams, and 3 games apiece against the other 4 teams. Out of the latter category, two of those "extra" games would be your home games ... so why not play those in Manchester? And then two more as part of your out of conference schedule, with one being a neutral site game vs. instate rivals Dartmouth, and another home game against a different school (FWIW Bentley seemed to travel pretty nicely, FAR better than Providence), with one game apiece in the months of November (HEA), early December (Dartmouth, so as not to mess up their Ledyard event closer to New Year's?), January (Bentley/other?), and February (HEA), which would give UNH as well as the facility a chance to package a pretty decent package of games to try to rekindle the rest of NH's interest, which existed back in the glory days? All while not depriving Durham of a steady schedule of most of the program's home dates, and not missing out on seeing every HEA opponent at The Whitt on a yearly basis??
That the arena is named "SNHU Arena" is kind of a sad commentary on UNH's lack of overall commitment to the area, and an absolute game-changer for the folks with most of their campus in nearby Hooksett. Imagine if it was "St. Anselm's Arena" for a moment, with St. A's primarily located in Goffstown, all while UNH Manchester has its "campus" all of a two block walk through the Gaslight District from the arena. But with naming rights settled for a few more years, I think UNH's involvement and commitment to an underutilized facility in the State's biggest city would also play well to the folks in Concord. Plus, a lot of the kinks we were subjected to at the arena yesterday (with the dodgy ice surface, recurrent goal nets/pegs, audio, goal lights coming on for no apparent reason, etc.) that are no doubt attributable to the absence of a full-time hockey tenant, could be addressed and eliminated. And when it would come time to go back to the NCAA to pitch UNH as a Regionals host, these potential embarrassments and drawbacks would all be mitigated. Food for thought, all of it.
Lastly, I would be remiss not to again thank
Snives for allowing me to freeload at the alma mater's suite, while meeting some very nice folks who are excited about the prospects of their hockey program (boy am I jealous, but wish them (us?) well in the future!). I must point out that despite his humble presentation on these boards (and in person as well), Snives is an absolute celebrity in the Bentley Hockey community (and I suspect far beyond), and it was fun to meet a person who has probably won and lost more of my "buy you a beer" contests than anyone else in the history of USCHO. FWIW, both of us were relatively dry for this occasion ... who woulda thought?!? Also, I was able to visit once again with the Queen of UNH Hockey, the ubiquitous
Hockey Ref, who was her usual cheerful self, bolstered by a gifted pom-pom from the Bentley contingent (Snives) - oh, and FWIW I'm still wearing a brand-new Bentley tee today, courtesy of the great man from the North bearing gifts (again, Snives). And none other than
The Grouch was part of the overall UNH experience yesterday, as we got to compare notes on the insurance industry (from which he has thankfully escaped, and I haven't!), as well as what the Greater Effingwoods area was like before yours truly graced the area with my dubious presence. I haven't had a chance to do one of these opinion-laden travelogues on here for WAY too long, so my thanks and appreciation to all of you. Life is short, and you never know if/when you get to do these things again. And for all that, I'm back to
gratitude.
