Re: UNH Wildcats - 2011 Playoff Quest
That was a supremely frustrating game last night. Just painful to watch. Some say we shouldn't question the effort, but I have to ask what game they were watching. That wasn't just a "hot goalie". UNH's power play looked terrible, and even-strength wasn't much better. Midway through the first period, the game fell into a very predictable pattern: Merrimack sustains pressure in the UNH zone, UNH manages to get the puck, clear it, bring it into the MC zone, and turn it over (broken up occasionally by DeSimone getting a partial break and showing off his stick skill by carrying the puck past the net before shooting). By the third, the team was standing around watching the puck more than going after it.
The fact that it was 2-1 after two is a testament to how well Digi played. Had UNH managed to come back at that point and win, I think you'd have to say MC "ran into a hot goalie". The way it turned out though, I think it's more than that. Merrimack thoroughly
beat UNH.
This team should make the NCAA's (I think other results last night pushed them up off the bubble), but if they play like this, they're not going anywhere. And, I don't think I'll be all that surprised, as this is simply not as good a UNH team as we've seen in the past. I think that 2009 team would crush this team, especially if they played in "tournament mode" (to steal a Providence expression).
The third goal just killed UNH. With DiGi making the initial save and then he and 2 defenseman protecting the net, it's amazing the puck went in.
It might have helped if those 2 (I thought it was 3, actually) weren't flopping around in the crease. Might have been better for one, or more, of them to stay on their feet and actually
defend the play. Sheer and utter panic on that play, and it was more embarrassing than the SHG, or the fact that our players apparently watched a rules video from women's hockey, as they avoid body contact like no team I've ever seen. We all say BC plays a similar style, reliant on speed and finesse, and not as much on physical play, but I'm pretty sure even their players finish their checks more often than UNH. Even more frustrating, is that UNH seems to pass up the opportunity to hit in order to go after the puck, but the other team still ends up with it.
The Moses-Borisenok-Goumas played terrific - again. I overheard an NU fan sitting behind me say at one point "They should take the first line off and put the Moses line out there."
I like this line a lot, and am looking forward to seeing them develop next year.
Near the end of the game, the Merrimack crowd was chanting "We Want BC!"
Kind of a silly chant, as BC had already won. It's not like they have and option.
In record, yes, but honestly, I think BC is head and shoulders above the pack, MC is clearly next, and BU and UNH are probably a few steps down, probably similar, really. UNH hasn't beaten anyone since November, and really only won 2 games this year against teams worth a **** (Miami, the 2nd game of the year and BC in early Nov). We got the 2 best teams in the league in the championship game, can't really feel too bad about that, though I was hoping for an upset last night...
You call Merrimack the 2nd best team in HEA, but they're not a team that "worth a ****"? Hard to believe after the last three games against them, but UNH beat MC right after Thanksgiving. Not disputing anything else in your post, just want to make sure you're being consistent.
