The game in which three of our fans in the balcony inadvertently hung the UHN moniker on us?
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UNH Hockey 2023-2024 Season Thread - End Of The Cellar-Dweller Era??
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The game in which three of our fans in the balcony inadvertently hung the UHN moniker on us?
The Maine fans in my section were chanting “overrated, overrated” after every Maine goal.
In my section, it seemed like everyone except UNH fans was yelling “U-H-N! U-H-N!! U-H-N!!!” How Umileating for us, along with the scoreboard, of course.
Chuck Murray
WIS & Effingwoods Hockey Almanac
Ironically ... to whatever extent UNH happened to be "rated" at the time of that game, much of it had to do with beating UMaine a few weeks earlier in the HEA Finals (God bless Steve Saviano!) in Umile's first of two consecutive post-season championships. We were sitting underneath UMaine's band section, and I recall some fellow UNH fans giving it to the UMaine fans with the "overrated" thing. Classic premature celebration.
Chuck Murray
WIS & Effingwoods Hockey Almanac
Coach Hubbard makes 'hardest decision' to leave UNH for North Carolina State | College Sports | unionleader.com
Would love to know the financials involved ... this is a guy who is walking away from a Umile-like "lifetime deal" in his hometown, and NC State is hardly the same "storied program" he would have you believe. Gotta think he had some discussions with former youth coach Mike Noonan, whose Clemson team knocked UNH out of this year's NCAA tourney two weeks ago.
UNH men's soccer coach Marc Hubbard's ties to Clemson coach Mike Noonan go back to youth (aol.com)
Still no clue who replaces Hubbard, but I'm rooting for Bryant HC Ruben Resendes, from the Hubbard coaching tree, who brought Bryant into their first-ever NCAA D-1 tourney berth after beating UNH and Hubbard in the AE Finals three weekends ago. But with only one year into his deal at Bryant, he may feel it's premature to up and leave. I also have no insight into whether Hubbard's staff stays at UNH or follows him to Raleigh ...
Would love to know the financials involved ... this is a guy who is walking away from a Umile-like "lifetime deal" in his hometown, and NC State is hardly the same "storied program" he would have you believe. Gotta think he had some discussions with former youth coach Mike Noonan, whose Clemson team knocked UNH out of this year's NCAA tourney two weeks ago.
UNH men's soccer coach Marc Hubbard's ties to Clemson coach Mike Noonan go back to youth (aol.com)
Still no clue who replaces Hubbard, but I'm rooting for Bryant HC Ruben Resendes, from the Hubbard coaching tree, who brought Bryant into their first-ever NCAA D-1 tourney berth after beating UNH and Hubbard in the AE Finals three weekends ago. But with only one year into his deal at Bryant, he may feel it's premature to up and leave. I also have no insight into whether Hubbard's staff stays at UNH or follows him to Raleigh ...
theprofromdover
The Original Dope Detector
That was in a Worcester Regional against Cornell and they were in the lower level.
"You miss a 100% of the shots you don't take." - Wayne Gretzky (it is questionable if Wayne ever said it and you can interpret it poorly and take lots of really bad shots)
Against RPI my thought was you also miss 100% of the shots 3 feet off/over the net (see bad shots above). I don't know if the scouting was the RPI goalie was bad up high, but wow they shot really high all game.
I didn't feel like it was classic UNH playing down to the opponent, it did however feel like a game UNH was going to loose. So there is some optimism that maybe, just maybe unlike UNH teams past that would find away to get the L in that game, this team playing meh (not bad but not good) and shooting very poorly actually tripped over another W. The last 4 games have not been good, the question is do they see it and right the ship, that may not be sinking but is certainly thinking about listing.
Seems like lots of little things, sloppy things. A careless pass here and there, trying to make a pretty play vs a solid play. Early this year all 4 lines we getting "dirty" goals. The one goal in this game was "dirty" and I am not sure I am seeing them all going to those hard areas of the ice as much.
They are essentially .500 since Devlin went out. Loosing a top 6 forward is never easy. The question I have is this team regressing toward the mean, aka they were playing way over their heads, had a horse shoe logged up their collective butts, etc.. Alternatively this time could be seen as a good things, a learning experience that makes them deeper. Time will tell.
Still my biggest concern is, does this team doesn't have another gear? BU clearly found another gear (or just stopped grinding them) and I wonder if they have even more in reserve. Still, pleasantly surprised at 8-4-1 is a bit of an understatement. In September I probably would have said pleasantly surprised is 4-8-1 as at the time 1-8-4 would have seemed far more likely.
Against RPI my thought was you also miss 100% of the shots 3 feet off/over the net (see bad shots above). I don't know if the scouting was the RPI goalie was bad up high, but wow they shot really high all game.
I didn't feel like it was classic UNH playing down to the opponent, it did however feel like a game UNH was going to loose. So there is some optimism that maybe, just maybe unlike UNH teams past that would find away to get the L in that game, this team playing meh (not bad but not good) and shooting very poorly actually tripped over another W. The last 4 games have not been good, the question is do they see it and right the ship, that may not be sinking but is certainly thinking about listing.
Seems like lots of little things, sloppy things. A careless pass here and there, trying to make a pretty play vs a solid play. Early this year all 4 lines we getting "dirty" goals. The one goal in this game was "dirty" and I am not sure I am seeing them all going to those hard areas of the ice as much.
They are essentially .500 since Devlin went out. Loosing a top 6 forward is never easy. The question I have is this team regressing toward the mean, aka they were playing way over their heads, had a horse shoe logged up their collective butts, etc.. Alternatively this time could be seen as a good things, a learning experience that makes them deeper. Time will tell.
Still my biggest concern is, does this team doesn't have another gear? BU clearly found another gear (or just stopped grinding them) and I wonder if they have even more in reserve. Still, pleasantly surprised at 8-4-1 is a bit of an understatement. In September I probably would have said pleasantly surprised is 4-8-1 as at the time 1-8-4 would have seemed far more likely.
d.gerry
Five for Fighting
I admittedly know virtually nothing about collegiate soccer, other than following UNH a bit the last few seasons. However, Franklin Pierce won their second consecutive national title, so would Travis Brent be a possible candidate? I believe he replaced Resendes you mentioned above? Can't believe FPU would be too happy about their HC getting pouched (again) though.
Chuck Murray
WIS & Effingwoods Hockey Almanac
Yeah, I think he replaced Resendes, but I just checked his CV on the FPU website, and he looks like another habitual winner. Unlike Hubbard and Resendes, he doesn't appear to have any local connections, and with this being his first year in charge at FPU, it's probably hard to tell if their success this season is more of a carry-over effect from four years of Resendes or not? So I'm guessing Brent will probably need a couple more seasons in charge before a top D-1 NCAA program would come calling, whereas Resendes has a few more years' HC experience, built a juggernaut at D-2 FPU in four seasons, and has already gotten a nowhere Bryant program into the D-1 tourney in Year One.
Resendes too may feel it's a little early to walk away from his early success at Bryant, but he's gotta know that UNH gives him a better chance on the national scene, and it may be too tough an offer to walk away from, since it's likely whomever steps in for Hubbard will get at least five years to put their stamp on the program. But he's a young guy - both of those guys are - and you gotta think both will encounter many opportunities if they continue to win with their respective programs, even if UNH doesn't come knocking.
It also could give us Hockey folks further insight into AD Rich making an important staffing decision before the Hockey one comes due in a few months' time. UNH Men's Hoops (I believe 6-4 to date) is off to a very decent start, although losing to Dartmouth last week probably wasn't in the plans, so AD Rich seems to have at least brought in someone with some upside to surpass Herrion. Getting someone in who can continue Men's Soccer's recent success will be eminently more challenging though. And of course, Hockey appears to be up next, which may be the most challenging of all, in a sport that's traditionally been the revenue-driving bell cow of the department.
It was already interesting times at UNH, and (surprisingly) they just got WAY more interesting after this weekend ...
Darius
Go 'cats!
Large amounts of financials because... ACC, right? Interestingly a web search revealed that Kiefer was making $138,114 at NC ST and Hubbard $150,000 at UNH. Huh? I'd be surprised if Coach Hubbard left for lateral $$ although he has long considered returning to NC. The true comp is Noonan at Clemson making $400,000. Looking at the NC ST football assistant coach salaries, the school has plenty of dough because... ACC.
https://www.newsobserver.com/news/databases/public-salaries/article11863496.html
https://www.usnh.edu/sites/default/files/hr/resources/compensation/pdf/usnh-salary-book-2023.pdf
https://theclemsoninsider.com/2022/02/02/noonan-rewarded-with-contract-extension/
Also, what is the point of D-I coaches having contracts? The gigs are basically employment at will.
After the Whistle
Member
Liked your thoughts on the game JB. I guess I thought it was a terrible defensive game. We couldn’t seem to get to the puck first, something that I saw as very different about this team. Our passing was also terribly off and we didn’t appear to be able find each other as we had earlier in the year. Yes our shots where high or wide but anything on net was just a mid section gut shot which is pretty easy to stop.
This just wasn’t the team that we have been seeing most of the year. Your comment about having another gear was also one worth worrying about. I have reframed from commenting on the Maine game as we clearly lost that. However, my view was that while outplayed we really didn’t have a terrible game other than an obvious terrible score. We had decent periods of offensive puck possession and yes we had a couple terrible defensive lapses we really didn’t make me crazy with our play. Crazy about the lose for sure but I saw it as fixable. This past game left me wanting on many fronts.
This just wasn’t the team that we have been seeing most of the year. Your comment about having another gear was also one worth worrying about. I have reframed from commenting on the Maine game as we clearly lost that. However, my view was that while outplayed we really didn’t have a terrible game other than an obvious terrible score. We had decent periods of offensive puck possession and yes we had a couple terrible defensive lapses we really didn’t make me crazy with our play. Crazy about the lose for sure but I saw it as fixable. This past game left me wanting on many fronts.
Chuck Murray
WIS & Effingwoods Hockey Almanac
For sure, Noonan is the outlier among those guys. Granted, he's recently won a D-1 title (and could add another one tonight!), but it's hard to see how they can justify that figure other than ... ACC, right?? I seriously doubt they're pulling in attendance numbers to justify that salary, but I stand to be corrected if anyone can find that data (I couldn't - but it wasn't an exhaustive search). Double Ditto for Kiefer at NC State. Maybe some visionary AD's are watching how MLS has exploded over a generation, and foresee revenues eventually trailing that? I have my doubts, but then again, if you told me even 10 years ago that UNH Soccer would arguably be revenue neutral, I wouldn't have believed that, either.
I'm totally in agreement with you on your last point there, Darius. Knowing the relationship between Noonan and Hubbard, the former had to have given the latter a good idea what his potential upside earnings might be at a fellow ACC school, and you've gotta think Hubbard got 5 years minimum at $200,000+ annually (at least; possibly $250K-$300K?) to leave his alma mater. Maybe the NC State president likes footy??
HockeyRef
Well-known member
Have enjoyed reading the perspectives of our last few games...interesting that JB points out we are .500 since Liam Devlin has been out. So I think given that and the relative youth of this team..players coming unto themselves etc we are doing ok. Actually better than that considering the initial expectations!
Agree that this game could have been lost and I dont think TyMuz or "Moose" gets enough credit perhaps. Not saying that he stole the game per se but he did the job. (Tbh I have not seen the game in its entirety)
Moving ahead its a great time for a break...by the time they play again Mr. Hr and I will have become first time grandparents so it will indeed be great second half!! (Even better if the 'Cats do well...)
P.s Interesting talk about prospective soccer coaches. AD Rich sure has her.hands full but I believe she's up for the task.
Agree that this game could have been lost and I dont think TyMuz or "Moose" gets enough credit perhaps. Not saying that he stole the game per se but he did the job. (Tbh I have not seen the game in its entirety)
Moving ahead its a great time for a break...by the time they play again Mr. Hr and I will have become first time grandparents so it will indeed be great second half!! (Even better if the 'Cats do well...)
P.s Interesting talk about prospective soccer coaches. AD Rich sure has her.hands full but I believe she's up for the task.
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Chuck Murray
WIS & Effingwoods Hockey Almanac
Congrats on the upcoming GP status, 'Ref!! We've been enjoying that fun for 3 years now (today is the little guy's BD)!!
Just to close the loop on the Men's D-1 Soccer tourney ... Clemson and Coach Noonan won 2-1 over NICC.
And to think UNH had those guys at home in the Round of 16, but fell just short at 0-1 ... lots of "what if's?" follow in the wake of the events of the last three weekends ... seeing that NC State made its move the day after the UNH loss to Clemson, do the Wolfpack continue to wait longer for Hubbard if he's still advancing another week or two (or three)? Does Hubbard stay if he gets UNH past the Round of 16, feeling that he's making further progress/getting closer? Certainly the price of poker increases for his future salary expectations, the further UNH advances, so does that price NC State out at some point?? And if UNH took it all the way ... does that again push him away, with a "mission accomplished" closure vibe??? Would UNH have been in position to counter in an attempt to keep him "home"???? How badly did Hubbard want/need a change of scenery?????
Some (but not all) of this was addressed in the UL article earlier this week. Shall be interesting to see who takes over ...
Just to close the loop on the Men's D-1 Soccer tourney ... Clemson and Coach Noonan won 2-1 over NICC.
And to think UNH had those guys at home in the Round of 16, but fell just short at 0-1 ... lots of "what if's?" follow in the wake of the events of the last three weekends ... seeing that NC State made its move the day after the UNH loss to Clemson, do the Wolfpack continue to wait longer for Hubbard if he's still advancing another week or two (or three)? Does Hubbard stay if he gets UNH past the Round of 16, feeling that he's making further progress/getting closer? Certainly the price of poker increases for his future salary expectations, the further UNH advances, so does that price NC State out at some point?? And if UNH took it all the way ... does that again push him away, with a "mission accomplished" closure vibe??? Would UNH have been in position to counter in an attempt to keep him "home"???? How badly did Hubbard want/need a change of scenery?????
Some (but not all) of this was addressed in the UL article earlier this week. Shall be interesting to see who takes over ...
HockeyRef
Well-known member
Happy birthday to your grandson Chuck! Curious what's your 'name' (Grandpa, Papa, etc)? Our baby is "due" Dec 22 so anyday now lol. Wow, well, as far as Clemson winning
it all and how close UNH came to...sigh. That's the agony of sports isn't it? Not that UNH hockey fans don't know that agony right??? NC state obviously has a rich record in
athletics particularly womens with many FH championships under their belt. And HR just LOVES that NC powder blue. Kinda like Maine's unis, which, I do like as well if we are
going there ha! Didn't UNH play NC State last season in the tournament? Kind of remember that...Will be interesting to see who takes his place.
We'll be heading to Sacred Heart to see the arena that Bobby V built hope to see some Wildcat fans there! Poked around going to Army but nah...been there once
and that was enough although I did enjoy seeing a little of the West Point campus...
Chuck Murray
WIS & Effingwoods Hockey Almanac
Sounds like it will be an excellent Christmas for you and Mr. Ref! I'll try to answer your question in a brief but funny-cuz-it's-true way ... so I'm half Polish (and half Irish), and so our kids are one quarter Polish, and 3/4's Irish. Our daughter has always been transfixed by the Polish part, so she decides that while the in-laws get the traditional Anglo tags, Mrs. WIS and myself will get the Polish tags. And of course, none of that is easy to spell, loaded with silent letters, etc. So I was supposed to be JUDG-ee, and my better half was supposed to be BUDG-ee. She is not a happy camper, since a "budgie" is another word for bird or parakeet, and Mrs. WIS just HATES birds. So she has since become "Bobo", which (as long timers on here will recall) is the poster ID for the once (and future?) King of UNH's USCHO Boards. And yours truly is now relegated to ... "Dodo".
All because our one-quarter Polish kid decided her own (one-eighth) Polish kid had to have some ancestral link to Warsaw ... now, aren't you glad you asked, 'Ref? Anyway, onwards we go into the break ...
I think you know this, but just to be clear ... NC State is a red-and-white uniform program, and it's UNC that has the famous powder blues, made famous by Dean Smith's Men's Hoops powerhouse teams over the years, and less so by the even more successful Anson Dorrance of Women's Soccer fame. I struggle to think of any real powerhouse high profile NC State teams since the days of David "Skywalker" Thompson in the '70's.
edit - or Jimmy V in the '80's. That "dodo" tag is making more and more sense every day ...
Hopefully your trip to Bobby V U's new arena will purge your memory of the stains of last winter's trip to Schenectadon't. We'll be expecting your detailed report on the game, as well as the exciting Greater Bridgeport nightlife ... ;-)
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HockeyRef
Well-known member
Oops on the uni color just like my game predicts! For the record tho I still love the powder blue...
Love the Dodo/Bobo! We are going with Grandpa for Mr.HR and yours truly will follow my Italian heritage and will go with Nonni (a take off on Nonna) But I guess I don't care what they call.me lol..
yeah I think that will be my last trip to Union...twice was enough. Anyway this is not hockey talk but when the baby arrives I will surely post the news!!
Back in the day, when a cousin and husband were still alive in Bethany, I attended a lot of Bentley games at the Milford Ice Pavilion (Sacred Heart) and the Northford Ice Pavilion (Quinnipiac), both with supposedly 1000 seats (but I doubt it, as they did not appear to have much more seating than did the John A Ryan Skating Rink in Watertown). Then, I attended some games at Quinnipiac’s new rink built on the west side of their campus and one Sacred Heart game after they began playing their home games at Harbor Yard (aka, Webster Bank Arena and Total Mortgage Arena, ~10,000 seats). I am tempted to visit Martire Family Arena, which gets me wondering whether Sacred Heart might get consideration in filling that twelfth empty slot in Hockey East, given its 3600 seating capacity now (compare with 1200 seats at Holy Cross and 1917 seats at Bentley).
Warning, non-hockey thread drift, as we only had a club hockey team at U Colorado in Boulder. Got to watch NC State’s David “Skaywalker” Thompson several times in Denver when he arrived to play for the ABA Nuggets in the 1975/76 season and another six seasons with the NBA Nuggets. Got to see DT drop a bundle of three-pointers during that 1975/76 season, but then he only got credit for two-pointers over the next three seasons after the ABA/NBA merger until the NBA adopted the three beginning in the 1979/80 season, when LB and EJ were rookies.
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Chuck Murray
WIS & Effingwoods Hockey Almanac
"Skywalker" is a forgotten guy, largely due to timing of his career (ABA/NBA "Dark Ages") and because he was largely overshadowed by Dr. J coming out of the ABA, and spending most of his pro career in Denver. Then he was surpassed by Bird/Magic, and finally Michael Jordan, while Thompson fell off first due to injuries, and then due to substance abuse issues. But a GREAT college player, and a very good ABA/NBA player ...
Chuck Murray
WIS & Effingwoods Hockey Almanac
As we're officially on break for a few weeks ... figured I'd share this Topps' "What If?" commercial, featuring a guy that might look familiar to many of you, in a different setting that looks very familiar to moi ... funny yet poignant ...
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