UNH 2024/2025 Goldberg Edition

[HockeyRef]

I agree, as the win dug us out of the HEA cellar. Watched on NESN and was surprised that the two announcers seemed to think that the Whitt still has a “big sheet” (their words).

Meanwhile, waiting for Chuck’s take on BC losing to Luce’s Huskies in Storrs tonight.

I re watched the 1st period later and had to laugh at that 'big sheet' comment....

 

[TheGrouchyCat]

Huge difference last night in terms of intensity, hustle and effort. There was genuine up and down as well as lateral movement of the puck and a focus on fundamentals rather than trying to make highlight reel goals.

Only concern appeared to be how heavy the legs were mid third period. The Cats were gassed and the pace of the game alowed tremendously. It was nice to see the goonery which has been happening far too often behind the play was kept to a minimum.

Jensen's return has stabilized the D. Calming presence for the rest if the team.

Lavins is the Lenny Dykstra or Pedroia of this team. He works his ass off, takes no crap and is the heartbeat of this team. Not Cy. Not Comny, but Marty.

 

[Snively65]

Is Skrastins injured? Or DNP CD?

 

[Drew S.]

OK, so let me approach it this way ... I don't think anyone on here disputes that overall, the best NCAA players are competing in D-1, and there are at least two (if not three, if I'm reading your take correctly?) general league categories across D-1. I suspect you and I disagree on the size of the gap between Hockey East and the ECAC, as I'm not in agreement with your take on Quinnipiac, which won a D-1 title just over a year ago whereas PC (almost 10 years), BC (over 12 years) and BU (over 15 years) haven't exactly been nationally dominant recently. And two of those three school's legendary leaders of their last title winning teams have been retired since.

So maybe this is down to my UNH perspective ... but do you really think just because they get many of the top players every season, that HEA also has the best D-1 coaches?? I know I don't. My take is the best coaches make their players (and teams) better, regardless of the level they are situated in. The only coach currently in HEA that I'd consider top echelon/elite is Ben Barr at UMaine, and only because he has a long line of teams/players/programs he's made better, virtually at every stop he's made. Pandolfo and Brown are coaching where they are largely due to their schools putting value on having an alum in charge. You can say the same about Lowell (Bazin) and UNH (Souza). I don't necessarily think all of those four guys are better coaches than counterparts/colleagues coaching in AHA, or even at some elite D-3 programs. Souza for sure, I'd think is in way over his head. Luce at UConn has also failed to prove himself to be the guy behind York's dynasty at BC earlier this century, but he sure is getting paid like it. Carvel at UMass has a ring ... but does he have that ring without the efforts of Barr?? I suspect no, but we'll never know that for sure.

When you come into a D-3, D-2 or low level D-1 program like Lang, and take it from the well-established doormat of the league to consistently at or near the top of that same league in a relatively short span, that is attention-grabbing stuff. I don't know the AIC situation as well as Snives does, but following what I take to be your logic ... let's say someone in Storrs wakes up and decides it's time to move on from Luce at long last. You are the AD, and you're putting together a list of potential hires. Are you saying that you would not consider guys like Lang (low D-1) or Joe Dumais (mid-D1 at the Q) as underqualified, BUT would put MS7 (Souza) on your list because he just happens to coach at elite D-1 (HEA) level?

FWIW I think you too easily credit the abilities of HEA HC's, where at least half of those guys could probably be easily replaced by other coaches from lower levels of D-1 (if not juniors or elsewhere) who have shown an ability to establish consistently winning programs. JMHO.

One thing I find interesting is that there hasn’t been a new coach in HEA this century have much success after their first six or seven years. My takeaway is that in the longer term the coach doesn’t make much difference. A new coach can certainly give a program a boost but over the longer term water finds its level.

The only caveat I would add is that the game has obviously changed with transfers, NIL, and now MJ players being allowed so perhaps now the coach makes more difference.

 

[HockeyRef]

Huge difference last night in terms of intensity, hustle and effort. There was genuine up and down as well as lateral movement of the puck and a focus on fundamentals rather than trying to make highlight reel goals.

Only concern appeared to be how heavy the legs were mid third period. The Cats were gassed and the pace of the game alowed tremendously. It was nice to see the goonery which has been happening far too often behind the play was kept to a minimum.

Jensen's return has stabilized the D. Calming presence for the rest if the team.

Lavins is the Lenny Dykstra or Pedroia of this team. He works his *** off, takes no crap and is the heartbeat of this team. Not Cy. Not Comny, but Marty.

Agree on all.of this esp. points about Marty!!! They will need to be sharp early on tonight. Was glad to see a much better level of preparation..hopefully tonight..

Lol sent back the survey from last nights game and mentioned how freezing cold it was (I know it's a hockey arena) but felt like cold wind was blowing on our backs in 119 all night. Maybe it was the teams hustle ha!

 

[HockeyRef]

Is Skrastins injured? Or DNP CD?

Oh! Geeze didn't notice! No idea! Will pay better attention tonight. Wonder if either of the MacP boys will play?

 

[Chuck Murray]

One thing I find interesting is that there hasn't been a new coach in HEA this century have much success after their first six or seven years. My takeaway is that in the longer term the coach doesn't make much difference. A new coach can certainly give a program a boost but over the longer term water finds its level.

I think overall, this is a pretty fair take. Assuming you're considering guys like Bazin, Souza, Carvel, Luce and Leaman in that group ... Bazin had almost immediate success, but has seen his program fall off to a generally middle-of-the-pack type. Leaman and Carvel both got to the top after a few years, and both have since fallen off. What is the connective tissue for both of them? Ironically, it's assistant coach Ben Barr, and if part of your job as a head coach is to hire the best possible assistants, then credit must be given to both Leaman and Carvel for doing that, but once he was stripped away from their programs, the high-level success left as well. It seems to have followed Barr to UMaine (lucky you). In looking at both Luce and MS7 ... I'm not sure they can even claim a sliver of that "first six or seven years" bump, as both have enjoyed a single good (not great) season apiece, and in a combined 15+ seasons, only one (1) trip to Boston for the HEA Semis.

All in all, with the former group (Bazin, Leaman and Carvel) someone like Leaman probably stands above the other two, if only because he also had a high level of success building something at Union (again thanks Ben Barr) before moving to PC, plus his work at USA Hockey. Carvel's pre-UMass career looks not at all unlike Leaman's pre-Barr time at Union. Bazin came close to taking it all when Hellebuyck was on board, but has receded gradually since then. All three are historically the best HC's at their programs at the D-1/HEA level. They've earned their keep.

Which brings us back to Luce and Souza. Cynically, both had their best years with their programs in a season where it was pretty much make or break, and cashed in (especially Luce). UConn has fallen off from that one very good (not great) season, and it remains to be seen how this season and next will reflect after MS7's lone good season. Arguably, the "water has reached its level" for all five of these guys, and if Leaman, Carvel and Bazin are the "success stories", even if they've plateaued to some degree, their past accomplishments keep them employed. What keeps the other two guys in their current stations, beyond contractual commitments, who knows ...

The only caveat I would add is that the game has obviously changed with transfers, NIL, and now MJ players being allowed so perhaps now the coach makes more difference.

Again, agree here. Show me the guys who recruit the best, or have the best access to recruits. Barr wins the former category, Leaman takes the second category. You know, for several years now, I've been bullish on Barr emerging as the best at UMaine, and I've been spot on so far with that take. I'd say recent evidence has the two UMass HC's having topped off, and riding on past glories (or near glories - my decade old take on Bazin becoming a Umile-type "almost" figure has aged pretty well). I may not be a big fan of Luce (understatment of the decade) but he will never lack for motivation, as he desperately tries to maintain his self-narrative of being the "Barr" to BC's Jerry York (lol). They will all take different approaches to the new recruiting landscape, which continues to evolve. MS7's "strategy" doesn't seem to have extended much beyond a niche ability to spot overlooked/underused goalies on other D-1 rosters, and to convince 5th year defenders to stick around an extra season. I'm still sticking with my pick of UNH being a Top Four HEA team when all is said and done, perhaps slipping down to Top Six, but a team that should have a legitimate shot to make it to Boston, possibly with Round of Eight home ice to boot. If MS7 can't do it this year, he'll never get it done.

And Snives, just because you've asked ... Luce will always get his teams up for their games with BC, it's a personal thing, and the earlier in the season they play, the better for Luce. It's personal to him. If he could work up a lather over himself being effed over by the rest of the 9 HEA programs, he might rule the league. But he doesn't. So ... to the smallest of men, goes the smallest of victories. Sorry, sad but true. JMHO.

Last but not least ... the NESN broadcast showed Coach Umile up in the stands (near the press box?) last night. Penny for his thoughts under sodium pentothal right now, but he looks far from the aloof, disinterested guy casually observing from afar at Bow Lake, as his self-anointed successor struggles to re-establish a winning program. I'm not saying Umile wants UNH to move on from MS7, but I can't help but think this succession plan thing is wearing Umile out, and even he would welcome a new HC whose ability to succeed at a level comparable to Umile would make the former coach more relevant, as he continues to watch on, underappreciated. NESN was telling stories last night about how entertaining Umile was at post-retirement coaches' gaggles, which I'm sure is true ... but wouldn't it be nice if those stories were about his on-ice success? The further we all languish in the current state of permanent mediocrity, the chances of a relevant Umile fade.

We've all had our say over the years about the guy, but the further we move on, I find myself more appreciative of the extended stretch of Good Umile than of the relatively brief stretch of Mediocre Umile. Knowing what he knows now, I betcha Umile would have favored doing the nationwide search for a successor. Unfortunately, in life we rarely get a chance for a do-over, and so here we are, hoping for the best, but in the back of our minds (at best) kinda knowing that our "water" has indeed found its level, and that level feels like drought ...

 

[Chuck Murray]

Huge difference last night in terms of intensity, hustle and effort. There was genuine up and down as well as lateral movement of the puck and a focus on fundamentals rather than trying to make highlight reel goals.

Only concern appeared to be how heavy the legs were mid third period. The Cats were gassed and the pace of the game slowed tremendously. It was nice to see the goonery which has been happening far too often behind the play was kept to a minimum.

Jensen's return has stabilized the D. Calming presence for the rest if the team.

Lavins is the Lenny Dykstra or Pedroia of this team. He works his *** off, takes no crap and is the heartbeat of this team. Not Cy. Not Comny, but Marty.

My guy is LeClerc, the Pride of South Effingwoods ... but agree 99% with you on Lavins (Dykstra was a total DB) ...

 

[TheGrouchyCat]

My guy is LeClerc, the Pride of South Effingwoods ... but agree 99% with you on Lavins (Dykstra was a total DB) ...

He lives right down the road, but I'd take Marty. I don't like Cy's superhero antics or his attitude on the ice...he takes himself out the game mentally when things aren't going his way

 

[Snively65]

Oh! Geeze didn't notice! No idea! Will pay better attention tonight. Wonder if either of the MacP boys will play?

CHN box scores now include ice time, which shows the UNH fourth liners are not getting a lot minutes, although Sweeney got about 10 minutes last night, presumably from his extra time on PK?

Maybe the MacPherson twins would have benefited more with another year in juniors rather than sitting on the pine (plastic)?

 

[Snively65]

Oh! Geeze didn't notice! No idea! Will pay better attention tonight. Wonder if either of the MacP boys will play?

UNH still has 2.5 minutes of PP remaining to begin second period? Who got kneed by Joe Connor for his 5-minute major and game misconduct?

 

[HockeyRef]

Rats...couldn't buy a face off and we hung our hat on a 1 zip lead. Will take the 4 points but six sounds better.
Looked good til the3rd.

Welp onto Maine.

 

[HockeyRef]

UNH still has 2.5 minutes of PP remaining to begin second period? Who got kneed by Joe Connor for his 5-minute major and game misconduct?

Edit...JP Turner

 

[Snively65]

Edit...JP Turner

Hope that JPT is ok.

UNH back in HEA basement, although we have a game in hand over NU.

Need to take all 3 points from Maine at the Whitt next weekend.

 

[HockeyRef]

Hope that JPT is ok.

UNH back in HEA basement, although we have a game in hand over NU.

Need to take all 3 points from Maine at the Whitt next weekend.

We better find some offense that was missing last night. And stamina..Thought Da Whake played well there were a few.close calls he shut.down and the tying goal for.NU was a beauty.

Gee I wonder just how motivated those Black Bears will be given the 2 thrashings they received last season at the 'Whitt? Hmmmm

 

[HockeyRef]

Hope that JPT is ok.

UNH back in HEA basement, although we have a game in hand over NU.

Need to take all 3 points from Maine at the Whitt next weekend.

We better find some offense that was missing last night. And stamina..Thought Da Whale played well there were a few close calls he shut down and the tying goal for NU was a beauty.

Gee I wonder just how motivated those Black Bears will be given the 2 thrashings they received last season at the 'Whitt? Hmmmm

 

[norbert]

He lives right down the road, but I'd take Marty. I don't like Cy's superhero antics or his attitude on the ice...he takes himself out the game mentally when things aren't going his way

What are these super hero antics? Not really sure what that means but I haven’t seen anything out of the norm.

Having been out for the start of the season and learning a new position and line mates takes adjustment time.

 

[Ryecheers]

UNH still has 2.5 minutes of PP remaining to begin second period? Who got kneed by Joe Connor for his 5-minute major and game misconduct?

While trying not to be biased, I thought it was more a collision than an attempt to injure on Connor’s part. Turner’s crawling around on the ice may have helped to “influence” the refs. Connor, a NH kid, is an important cog in our alleged offense. Turner didn’t miss a shift. It amazes me the way hockey players, and especially pro soccer players, make near instant and miraculous recoveries from blows that would put most of us into traction.
The bottom line is that, although the shots were roughly even, UNH’s offense and forechecking dominated. Keep up that style of play and your guys could finish with home ice in the playoffs.Good luck!

 

[TheGrouchyCat]

What are these super hero antics? Not really sure what that means but I haven’t seen anything out of the norm.

Having been out for the start of the season and learning a new position and line mates takes adjustment time.

It's not just this season. He has a tendency to want to win games by himself and holds the puck far too long. Not as egregious as Sardarian was over the two previous seasons, but noticeable. Comny falls into the trap as well

 

[Chuck Murray]

Can we start putting together a provisional list of replacement head coaches for the next offseason? I'll start:

* Eric Bogueniecki
* Joe Dumais
* Eric Lang