UNH Hockey 2023-2024 Season Thread - End Of The Cellar-Dweller Era??

[HockeyRef]

Still hanging in the top 20 with recent uscho coaches poll...17th.

 

[JB]

Ok gotta shake this off and steel myself for this coming weekends trek to Burlington...(only Sat) Some of us never learn. Sigh...

You always make me chuckle and then check myself.

UNH's all time record against Vermont 83-31-11. Historically Durham, Burlington, well anywhere UNH has not had a problem with those other cats. Now it took me some digging to find that number, on unhwildcats.com (see next note).

unhwildcats.com publishes the record, and some other stats from 2009-2023 of 17-15-8. Recent history is we are just over .500 making your quote make sense. Side question: who picked 14 years? I can pick spots in time too, like the last 10 or 20 or etc. years, how about since UVM joined Hockey East for the 2005-2006 season, how about all time? Just why since 2009?

CHN has it back to 1986-1987 (with a note they are still a work in progress) 45-24-11 [TABLE="border: 1, cellpadding: 1, width: 500"]
[TR]
[TD]Before 1986[/TD]
[TD].844[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]1986-2009[/TD]
[TD].737[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2009-Present[/TD]
[TD].525[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
ugh, just another reminder of how ugly the end of Umile and all the Souza years have been

 

[StillKIA2]

You always make me chuckle and then check myself.

UNH's all time record against Vermont 83-31-11. Historically Durham, Burlington, well anywhere UNH has not had a problem with those other cats. Now it took me some digging to find that number, on unhwildcats.com (see next note).

unhwildcats.com publishes the record, and some other stats from 2009-2023 of 17-15-8. Recent history is we are just over .500 making your quote make sense. Side question: who picked 14 years? I can pick spots in time too, like the last 10 or 20 or etc. years, how about since UVM joined Hockey East for the 2005-2006 season, how about all time? Just why since 2009?

CHN has it back to 1986-1987 (with a note they are still a work in progress) 45-24-11 [TABLE="border: 1, cellpadding: 1, width: 500"]
[TR]
[TD]Before 1986[/TD]
[TD].844[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]1986-2009[/TD]
[TD].737[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2009-Present[/TD]
[TD].525[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
ugh, just another reminder of how ugly the end of Umile and all the Souza years have been

How about a time when any current players played against each other?

 

[JB]

Hopefully...Ryan Conmy is ok; Mr. HR felt he wasn't the same player when he
came back into the game.

Agree on both accounts, he wasn't as dynamic after with kneeing. Hopefully him coming back is a sign of a nasty bruise and they don't find more as the week goes on.

Also where was Stiven Sardarian all weekend? Hopefully he isn't out too long, he has been a nice presence this year

As to the UCONN game yesterday some general thoughts:

1) What the heck is up with that Power Play. UGH just ugly. I noted on one PP in the 3rd there were 5 UNH players around the parameter and 4 UCONN players in a box, and somebody took a (completely stupid) shot from the blue line. Nobody was even headed to the net. Hit the goalie in the chest, he controlled the rebound and UCONN cleared. It is getting to the point where UNH needs to see if they can decline a penalty because the PP is that bad right now. And when I watch the current plan looks bad too, 3 guys high, somebody in the "bumper" every so often and basically never used, somebody small down front but not really screening or really in a good place for a rebound.
2) 44 shots, yeah for winning SOG (I hate this nonsense, SOG is a mostly useless stat, see this game), would love to see an NBA style shot chart. I would bet 35+ of those were from long range. UCONN goalie played well, stayed square etc. BUT he wasn't really tested either. Might be the easiest 43 save game he will ever play. One goalie he game up... wait for it, nice shot top corner from down low
3) see #2 & #3, early this year I was impressed that this team was scoring regularly down low, near the crease. I wondered if it would last. Well they certainly didn't have that on Sunday.
4) UCONN was very chippy from the start. I don't like to watch this style hockey, BUT many refs think that is "playoff hockey" (vomit). What UNH just showed is they don't play big enough for playoff hockey and they need to learn in a hurry
5) That quick whistle no goal, meh. The only replays I saw the goalies glove came down on the puck, and the UNH player jammed the glove. There were no replays the showed the puck loose between his legs etc. IF it was under his glove, it is a good whistle and no goal.

 

[JB]

How about a time when any current players played against each other?

???

UNH is a young team with lots of Freshman / new players contributing so there isn't any relevant stats until after this weekend. UNH won 11 of 35 games last year and 12 of 20 so far this year.

So what time frame are you going to pick last 3 years and how many players would that apply to?

P.S. digging this stuff out is a pain in the rear end, so feel free to look it up on USCHO

 

[HockeyRef]

You always make me chuckle and then check myself.

UNH's all time record against Vermont 83-31-11. Historically Durham, Burlington, well anywhere UNH has not had a problem with those other cats. Now it took me some digging to find that number, on unhwildcats.com (see next note).

unhwildcats.com publishes the record, and some other stats from 2009-2023 of 17-15-8. Recent history is we are just over .500 making your quote make sense. Side question: who picked 14 years? I can pick spots in time too, like the last 10 or 20 or etc. years, how about since UVM joined Hockey East for the 2005-2006 season, how about all time? Just why since 2009?

CHN has it back to 1986-1987 (with a note they are still a work in progress) 45-24-11 [TABLE="border: 1, cellpadding: 1, width: 500"]
[TR]
[TD]Before 1986[/TD]
[TD].844[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]1986-2009[/TD]
[TD].737[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2009-Present[/TD]
[TD].525[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
ugh, just another reminder of how ugly the end of Umile and all the Souza years have been

As you found out...I was speaking from MY time of being a fan...and the many times since I started following (roughly 2013/14 season). Checking my notes, I believe I've
been 'up to Burlington' just about every one of those seasons since, at least one game, and I've only seen them win twice. Twice. Oh, and one tie. And every time I go up there,
I say "no more" but I usually cave and go to at least one coz I pick up my twin sister (she works in Bradford) and we make a trip out of it, fwiw dept.

Yeah I usually don't have too much to laugh about where UVM is concerned, including at the 'Whitt...

As to your other post regarding stats of yesterdays game, I'm glad someone agrees that while the UConn tender deserved credit, and thank God it wasn't a shut out...
that the vast majority of shots came from waaaay out. Pretty much all day. Many a small handful of shots up close and yep, you nailed it...with Skrastins goal. No idea where
Sardo was this weekend...

Hate to say it, every time we are rewarded? with a PP I usually get on my phone...I figure, if we score, there's always the replay?

Ps...this was pointed out to me that last season, we got swept by UVM and gave them half (9 of their 18) HE points for the season...I mean..

 

[JB]

Ps...this was pointed out to me that last season, we got swept by UVM and gave them half (9 of their 18) HE points for the season...I mean..

Think about that - 10% of all of UVMs wins, ever, against UNH came in just one season and these two teams have played 125 times. It also says just how far UNH has fallen.

 

[StillKIA2]

???

UNH is a young team with lots of Freshman / new players contributing so there isn't any relevant stats until after this weekend. UNH won 11 of 35 games last year and 12 of 20 so far this year.

So what time frame are you going to pick last 3 years and how many players would that apply to?

P.S. digging this stuff out is a pain in the rear end, so feel free to look it up on USCHO

I was kinda saying that predicting likelihood of vermont or unh winning this weekend based on all results from the last 20 years is kinda silly…(but basing a guess on much more recent history might be more worthwhile)
if you look at college hockey news, you can very easily find the history of these two teams and just as easily pull up all the box scores for about the last 20 years

 

[After the Whistle]

For what it’s worth, on Friday’s pregame radio broadcast they announced that Sardo was sick. Must have carried over til Saturday. And yes the pp has fallen n hard times. 5 perimeter skaters with no body infront. They have taken the “coach wants me to shoot” to an extreme.
I felt we stopped rolling 4 lines to our detriment, especially against a team like UConn. By the end of the third Conmy and LeClerc had ripped so many from the blue line I thought their arms might fall off.

 

[After the Whistle]

And how about that Luis Linder save. What a great pickup! Love his game.

 

[Darius]

Good posts today. Bottom line is that yesterday’s loss was a bad one on multiple levels. We know it. The team knows it. Coach Souza knows it. You could see it on his face during one of the NESN close up shots. The ’cats must win games like this because they will not be stealing many from BU, BC, UMO.

 

[Snively65]

I was kinda saying that predicting likelihood of vermont or unh winning this weekend based on all results from the last 20 years is kinda silly…(but basing a guess on much more recent history might be more worthwhile)
if you look at college hockey news, you can very easily find the history of these two teams and just as easily pull up all the box scores for about the last 20 years

Well, if it is so easy, how about you doing the research and posting something of substance here?

 

[norbert]

Agree on both accounts, he wasn't as dynamic after with kneeing. Hopefully him coming back is a sign of a nasty bruise and they don't find more as the week goes on.

Also where was Stiven Sardarian all weekend? Hopefully he isn't out too long, he has been a nice presence this year

As to the UCONN game yesterday some general thoughts:

1) What the heck is up with that Power Play. UGH just ugly. I noted on one PP in the 3rd there were 5 UNH players around the parameter and 4 UCONN players in a box, and somebody took a (completely stupid) shot from the blue line. Nobody was even headed to the net. Hit the goalie in the chest, he controlled the rebound and UCONN cleared. It is getting to the point where UNH needs to see if they can decline a penalty because the PP is that bad right now. And when I watch the current plan looks bad too, 3 guys high, somebody in the "bumper" every so often and basically never used, somebody small down front but not really screening or really in a good place for a rebound.
2) 44 shots, yeah for winning SOG (I hate this nonsense, SOG is a mostly useless stat, see this game), would love to see an NBA style shot chart. I would bet 35+ of those were from long range. UCONN goalie played well, stayed square etc. BUT he wasn't really tested either. Might be the easiest 43 save game he will ever play. One goalie he game up... wait for it, nice shot top corner from down low
3) see #2 & #3, early this year I was impressed that this team was scoring regularly down low, near the crease. I wondered if it would last. Well they certainly didn't have that on Sunday.
4) UCONN was very chippy from the start. I don't like to watch this style hockey, BUT many refs think that is "playoff hockey" (vomit). What UNH just showed is they don't play big enough for playoff hockey and they need to learn in a hurry
5) That quick whistle no goal, meh. The only replays I saw the goalies glove came down on the puck, and the UNH player jammed the glove. There were no replays the showed the puck loose between his legs etc. IF it was under his glove, it is a good whistle and no goal.

Someone mentioned it but Stiven Sardarian I believe has bronchitis hence being a scratch for both games.

 

[StillKIA2]

Well, if it is so easy, how about you doing the research and posting something of substance here?

Sure thing.

the last 4 meetings were won by Vermont. Before those games, there was a tie.
before the Tie, UNH won when Gagne and Devlin were freshman.

and those are the only games played between the two teams where and current wildcats played.

based on that, Blaisdell and Gagne might be extra hungry to beat uvm

 

[Chuck Murray]

Sure thing.

the last 4 meetings were won by Vermont. Before those games, there was a tie.
before the Tie, UNH won when Gagne and Devlin were freshman.

and those are the only games played between the two teams where and current wildcats played.

based on that, Blaisdell and Gagne might be extra hungry to beat uvm

... OR perhaps UVM might come into this weekend being a wee bit overconfident even??

 

[Snively65]

Sure thing.

the last 4 meetings were won by Vermont. Before those games, there was a tie.
before the Tie, UNH won when Gagne and Devlin were freshman.

and those are the only games played between the two teams where and current wildcats played.

based on that, Blaisdell and Gagne might be extra hungry to beat uvm

Thank you, KIA2. Worse recent record than I realized against the other Cats. Reading their thread here it seems that their fanbase has been revitalized by their team’s improved play, especially considering the sudden forced coaching change at UVM.

 

[Chuck Murray]

Thank you, KIA2. Worse recent record than I realized against the other Cats. Reading their thread here it seems that their fanbase has been revitalized by their team's improved play, especially considering the sudden forced coaching change at UVM.

Good for them, happy they are feeling revitalized. Still, I'm afraid MS7's boys have no alternative but to sweep the Catamounts this weekend. They gacked up their one allowable hairball Sunday vs. UConn. The schedule is not going to be getting any easier from here on out. After last year's largesse, it's time for UNH to get payback this weekend at UVM.

 

[JB]

I was kinda saying that predicting likelihood of vermont or unh winning this weekend based on all results from the last 20 years is kinda silly…(but basing a guess on much more recent history might be more worthwhile)

Reading is fun. I don't recall making a prediction or indicating that history was a guide for making a prediction. I actually commented on the interesting difference in perspective - longtime fan vs new(er) fan as it relates to UNH vs Vermont. As a longtime fan I expect UNH to beat Vermont 4 times out 5. This is also NOT a prediction.

As to making predictions about this weekend’s games. At this point in the season, it is more about what have you done this season. Early in the season maybe you can look at recent history or previous year records. Particularly when 2 teams have been close in the standings (like these two teams sucking for the last number of years) I don't think this year has anything to do with previous years results. The joy of college sports has always been the constant turn over of around 25% of the teams. (Free agency has introduced this some to pro sports.)

 

[JB]

I also think predictions are a little silly. There are so many factors you can't see on a stats page, style of play, who is dinged, etc. etc. Also the transitive property, happily, doesn't apply to sports.

BUT here is goes [TABLE="border: 1, cellpadding: 1, width: 500"]
[TR]
[TD] [/TD]
[TD]UNH[/TD]
[TD]UVM[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Record (overall)[/TD]
[TD]12-7-1 (.625)[/TD]
[TD]10-11-1 (.477)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Record (Jan)[/TD]
[TD]3-2[/TD]
[TD]1-4[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Record (Road-UNH / Home-UVM)[/TD]
[TD]4-5[/TD]
[TD]5-5[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]GF-GA[/TD]
[TD]63-49 (3.15-2.45)[/TD]
[TD]62-59 (2.81-2.68)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]SOS[/TD]
[TD].5321 (13th)[/TD]
[TD].5118 (25th)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Forwards (Size/Experience)[/TD]
[TD]5'11/185/2.2[/TD]
[TD]6'/188/3[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]D (Size/Experience)[/TD]
[TD]6'1/188/3[/TD]
[TD]6'1/192/2.3[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

So UNH wants to play a more open free flowing game with smaller forwards and the low GA are from some OK D and really good Goalie play.

Looking at the roster, I haven't seen UVM play, I guess UVM is going to want a slower, on the boards more physical game. They are generally a bigger and more experienced team.

UNH has a better record against better competition, scores more goals and gives up fewer. UVM isn't "dominate" at home.

I would guess the biggest impact is what style of play happens in the actual games.

The numbers look like UNH should sweep the weekend, I would think anything less is a disappointment.

 

[Snively65]

Stating the obvious here, but the ONLY reason that our Cats have a winning record this season is Jakob Hellsten in net for 13 games, in which he is 8-4-1, with the second best GAA in Div 1 at 1.69 (no. 1 is 1.67) and sixth best SV% at 0.925. Hellsten has given up more than 2 goals only twice, 5 to Maine in loss and 3 to RIT in OT win. Were it not for Hellsten transferring to UNH this season, our record would be well below 0.500 like the previous several seasons. Yes, Conmy is a nice addition to the first line, but otherwise without Conmy and Hellsten this team is no better than last season. From what I have observed in the four NESN games that I have watched, the coaching remains poor, with hardly any presence in front of the opposing net, lousy shot selection, and a horrendous PP. All the above could be improved with better coaching, even with mediocre recruiting. Nevertheless, Go Cats, Beat UVM!!