UNH At The Starting Gate....

[Malts18]

Re: UNH At The Starting Gate....

We also had no puck luck. Hit 2 posts! Crazy stuff.

Yes... but still were outshot 38-29, I believe, and MC works REALLY hard at blocking shots and getting in the passing lanes. Cannata is an excellent/underrated goaltender, too. UNH will need to work harder tomorrow.

 

[jackieg]

Re: UNH At The Starting Gate....

What's up with the UNH fans booing an injured player? I thought that was in poor taste.

 

[UNHhockey29]

Re: UNH At The Starting Gate....

Yes... but still were outshot 38-29, I believe, and MC works REALLY hard at blocking shots and getting in the passing lanes. Cannata is an excellent/underrated goaltender, too. UNH will need to work harder tomorrow.

Oh not trying to take anything away from Merrimack. They played a good game and are clearly a tough team. It was just nuts the 2 shots we missed. Puck went behind Cannata and then hit the post on the inside but never crossed the line fully.

 

[Malts18]

Re: UNH At The Starting Gate....

Oh not trying to take anything away from Merrimack. They played a good game and are clearly a tough team. It was just nuts the 2 shots we missed. Puck went behind Cannata and then hit the post on the inside but never crossed the line fully.

That is just bad puck luck. I am sure Nyquist is still wondering how in the hell he could have missed a wide open net last weekend... and he hit the post, too.

 

[thecomicbookguy]

Re: UNH At The Starting Gate....

Merrimack is faster than UNH (at least they were tonight). The smaller ice might actually help UNH tomorrow night.

Anyone get a good look at the scrum at the end of the 2nd? From the far end of the ice, I couldn't see much, just a Merrimack player riding a UNH player as they pulled it all apart. Somehow, the teams ended up even strength, with just two penalties. Seemed like something more should have come out of it. Also, since when is hitting from behind (cross-check, after the whistle) not a penalty?

What's up with the UNH fans booing an injured player? I thought that was in poor taste.

Are you referring to Cannata rolling around on the ice like he'd been shot? If so, the booing was because he flopped. If it was for the DaCosta injury, I think that many fans didn't take it seriously, as there had already been one acting job (see the first half of this paragraph).

 

[gdawg]

Re: UNH At The Starting Gate....

What's up with the UNH fans booing an injured player? I thought that was in poor taste.

I agree that was not cool. But I think it may have come from the earlier Oscar winning performance by Cannata. After making a save there was light (if any) contact to him and he went sprawling across the ice like he'd been shot. Acted like he was badly injured. It was such a blatant case of emellishment he should have got 2 minutes for it. The fans let him hear about it. I suspect they thought the same thing was happening at center ice since the injury seemed to come from nowhere. I didn't see it happen, but it wasn't a big hit or anything like that. Happened in center ice during a transistion. Seemed to be incidental contact. I think people thought he was putting on a good show.

 

[gdawg]

Re: UNH At The Starting Gate....

Hopefully the first line will start playing stronger defense, it seems since the break the effort on that end is still missing from this line. Even Thompson seems to be playing a bit more 1 way hockey. It is difficult to evaluate the lower lines as the combinations keep changing but of the last 13 even strenght goals (back to the Dartmouth game) 6 have been with the first line on the ice. With their experience they should one of the best defensive lines on the team not the worst. Too little hustle too much floating. I hope giving up the 3rd and 4th goals against Maine from lazy play and Umile's yelling at them on the bench will have some affect.

Otherwise I hope the lines look like last weekend and UNH rolls 4 line out there.

I agree wholeheartedly. The team seems to feel they can come up with miracle finishes every game and don't turn it on until the end. Tonight's game against Merrimack was another case of that. Lack of physical defense, too much coasting, not enough hustle, and it cost them.

 

[gdawg]

Re: UNH At The Starting Gate....

I get the feeling this weekend is a "statement series" for Merrimack, whereas it's "just another series" for UNH.

UNH is already respected as one of the "Big Four" in the conference. We're established, we've arrived, etc. Having been to the NCAA's for nearly a decade in a row, we've paid our dues. Merrimack is hungry and demands respect. Think of it like the beginning of Rocky III: Rocky (or in this case, UNH) has held the title for a while, and just kinda goes through the motions, fights some contenders, and enjoys the winnings. Clubber (Merrimack) viciously slugs away, waiting for his chance at the Big Time, waiting to make a statement. These past few weeks, Merrimack has laid waste to the league, and now they're up against the team at the top of the standings. If we're gonna get out of this one maintaining the lead, we've got to match Merrimack's hunger for success.

These guys are on a mission to end the "doormat" jokes. They've got their shot at it this weekend, and our guys should be ready to face a team with a five-alarm blaze under their ***. Merrimack has taken some of Hockey East's finest to the woodshed already this year...let's not become an addition to the list.

You are so right about this. And that's what tonight's game looked like. MC had something to prove and proved it. The Cats seem to be cruising along waiting for the season to end. Hopefully tonight's loss with get a fire under the UNH butts to finish the season strong. But I'm worried.

A win tomorrow for UNH would be big to show they mean business. But I'm not expecting one. Merrimack is tough and will be even tougher at home in that tiny rink.

 

[i'zonprize]

Re: UNH At The Starting Gate....

Merrimack is faster than UNH (at least they were tonight).

Funny, I was fortunate to get to the previous game and thought Merrimack was bigger and more physical, but UNH pulled out the W!

Merrimack, I thought, brought their A game tonight. No question, they were on everything. They gave UNH very little room, maybe 1 grade A the entire night, that being DeSimone's drag/empty net/hit post in the 3rd. They were not able to extend the Merrimack D at all. And to their credit, they stayed out of the box as well and were disciplined with the exception of that scrum at the end of the second.

Thompson is simply going to need more than set up help the rest of the way. 5 goals from DeSimone.. 2 D men have as many. I know he's been a creative playmaker, but you have to believe he's got more in him. Sislo is a finisher, yet Thompson has more than 2x as many goals.. Thompson can't be the guy that has to score for the 1st line every night, if they want to go deep against tougher teams. He's done a fantastic job, but the other 2 need to finish a bit more fequently, otherwise, the post season may be short lived.

Tomorrow will be just as tough with small ice to play on. UNH could be in jeapardy of a sweep- even if they play well. Merrimack potentially makes a HUGE statement with a sweep.

 

[SteveF]

Re: UNH At The Starting Gate....

the game was over before it even started

The Wildcats were able to savor the sweep over their archrival for a couple days but face another huge task ahead of them again this week in the form of a home-and-home series with 11th-ranked Merrimack. In case you missed it, the Warriors are coming off an 11–2 thrashing of Massachusetts.

“You look at that score and you get the shakes,” UNH coach Dick Umile said.

like coach, like team



Read more: http://www.uscho.com/2011/02/10/dep...new-hampshire-in-first-to-stay/#ixzz1DidpXVht

 

[C-H-C]

Re: UNH At The Starting Gate....

Many fans have been wondering why Blake Kessel has been having a subpar season, especially in the defensive end. I watched him fairly closely last night and I do think he's playing with an injured right leg (as some fans have suspected). Whenever there's a stoppage in play, Blake seems to skate slowly to whatever position he chooses for the next face off. On these occasions, he often has his right skate suspended off the ice while coasting only on his left leg. A few times, he had a difficult time keeping up with a Merrimack forward skating through the neutral zone and across the blue line into the UNH end. I can't remember the last time I saw him racing down the ice with his unique skating style of leading with his head, leaning forward, with his feet churning.

 

[unhpuckfan2001]

Re: UNH At The Starting Gate....

Many fans have been wondering why Blake Kessel has been having a subpar season, especially in the defensive end. I watched him fairly closely last night and I do think he's playing with an injured right leg (as some fans have suspected). Whenever there's a stoppage in play, Blake seems to skate slowly to whatever position he chooses for the next face off. On these occasions, he often has his right skate suspended off the ice while coasting only on his left leg. A few times, he had a difficult time keeping up with a Merrimack forward skating through the neutral zone and across the blue line into the UNH end. I can't remember the last time I saw him racing down the ice with his unique skating style of leading with his head, leaning forward, with his feet churning.

CHC - yup. I've been saying this for weeks.

On another note; before injury, I found it interesting that a pure goal scorer like Da Costa was the point man on a Merrimack play. I expected to see him down low, burying pucks . . .

 

[thecomicbookguy]

Re: UNH At The Starting Gate....

Thompson is simply going to need more than set up help the rest of the way. 5 goals from DeSimone.. 2 D men have as many. I know he's been a creative playmaker, but you have to believe he's got more in him. Sislo is a finisher, yet Thompson has more than 2x as many goals.. Thompson can't be the guy that has to score for the 1st line every night, if they want to go deep against tougher teams. He's done a fantastic job, but the other 2 need to finish a bit more fequently, otherwise, the post season may be short lived.

I'm wondering if DeSimone is the right fit on that line. I don't know who else you'd put up there, but I think that line is mainly Sislo and Thompson, and DiSimone is just there by default.

Many fans have been wondering why Blake Kessel has been having a subpar season, especially in the defensive end. I watched him fairly closely last night and I do think he's playing with an injured right leg (as some fans have suspected). Whenever there's a stoppage in play, Blake seems to skate slowly to whatever position he chooses for the next face off. On these occasions, he often has his right skate suspended off the ice while coasting only on his left leg. A few times, he had a difficult time keeping up with a Merrimack forward skating through the neutral zone and across the blue line into the UNH end. I can't remember the last time I saw him racing down the ice with his unique skating style of leading with his head, leaning forward, with his feet churning.

He definitely got beat on the near breakaway and had to take a hooking penalty (could have been a PK, but again, with that reffing crew...).

 

[unhpuckfan2001]

Re: UNH At The Starting Gate....

"french kiss my A** you pig ******** "

Colorful rep . . . thanks for the early morning laugh! I especially love the modified, "french kiss" as opposed to just kiss. Added a real Valentine's Day flavor to it. Though, I don't understand why you attached it to the post you did . . . there was nothing inflammatory about my comment to CHC, nor about Da Costa playing the point on the Merrimack Power Play.

I love the arbitrary rep system!

 

[thecomicbookguy]

Re: UNH At The Starting Gate....

On another note; before injury, I found it interesting that a pure goal scorer like Da Costa was the point man on a Merrimack play. I expected to see him down low, burying pucks . . .

As I eluded to earlier, I don't think DaCosta was the best player on the ice last night. He was kind of invisible until the injury.

 

[i'zonprize]

Re: UNH At The Starting Gate....

I'm wondering if DeSimone is the right fit on that line. I don't know who else you'd put up there, but I think that line is mainly Sislo and Thompson, and DiSimone is just there by default.

That's a good point- Thought DeSimone as a very capable, even exciting at times with the puck - I mean he'll set a personal best for assists this yr- and points too perhaps. What's so bad about that right? But w/ 10g's last yr, I thought he'd be a shoe in for 10+ this yr too, but 5? Even if you are dishing the puck out(and he is), that puts a lot of pressure on the other 2 to score(and they do). Anyway, I guess I'm going out of my way to find fault with one of the very best lines in the country. I just think, seeing him and Sislo find the back of the net a bit more keeps the D a bit more honest. Thompson nearly has 20assists for the second yr in a row-- he knows how to dish the puck!

On a side note-- Merrimack jumps past UNH in PWR last night- I know DeCosta gets a lot of attention but Cannata is the real deal in net as well. Very solid.

You might not think it, but I am routing for UNH tonight- as always!!

 

[C-H-C]

Re: UNH At The Starting Gate....

On a side note-- Merrimack jumps past UNH in PWR last night- I know DeCosta gets a lot of attention but Cannata is the real deal in net as well. Very solid.

My brother and I were very surprised that Cannata didn't get the first star - or any star, for that matter. He was the difference.

 

[goblue]

Re: UNH At The Starting Gate....

the game was over before it even started

...

l]

Oh, and BC has had better luck against MC this year?

 

[Darius]

Re: UNH At The Starting Gate....

Hoping we get hot, making sure I enjoy the ride as long as it lasts. Tonight will reveal a lot about the 'cats and also about HE and the NCAAs. No easy games (are there ever?) remain except maybe UML as each team we play is fighting for something. If we slip up a bit and ME doesn't completely implode, we could see them in the HE quarters.

 

[jackieg]

Re: UNH At The Starting Gate....

Da Costa can score goals but he is more of a playmaker with great puck handling skills. He didn't stand out as much last night as he did the first game @ UNH. His parents are in from Paris to watch him play this weekend, it's a shame he'll be in the stands sitting next to them for tonight's game.

I thought it was lousy when UNH fans sent boos towards Da Costa when he was carried off the ice at the end of the game.

I saw the play, Da Costa was going through center ice and was trying to avoid contact by #39. Da Costa made a move and #39 extended to make contact.