UNH Wildcats - 2011 Playoff Quest

[Rover]

Re: UNH Wildcats - 2011 Playoff Quest

As a BU fan rooting for UNH, this loss was inexcusable. I could understand losing to North Dakota in the FF if that's what ended their season, but they were playing practically a home game vs a good but not great Notre Dame team. I don't have a dog in this fight but I think its time to implement a post Umile transition as quickly as possible. Hell even BU comes through once a decade on average.

 

[PSW]

Re: UNH Wildcats - 2011 Playoff Quest

This is what UNH Hockey means to Coach Umile and the young men who work their butts off entertaining us:


Thank you Captain Mike Sislo, Assistant Captain Matt Campanale, Paul Thompson, Phil DeSimone, Mike Beck, and Greg Manz.

If you know Mike Sislo personally, you know there is not a better young man to represent UNH .....thanks Mike

 

[chickod]

Re: UNH Wildcats - 2011 Playoff Quest

Umile was thoroughly out coached, as was Dennehy.

I'm sorry, but that's a ludicrous statement. Tell me how a goal that ticks off the catching mitt and goes in and a defenseman trying to turn the net instead of making a safe back pass constitutes being "outcoached?" How does an overtime that was played almost entirely in the ND end "tiring out the competition?" Regarding UNH, they like to skate the puck in the zone and make plays. They're not a dump and chase team. Once they got behind and ND starting lining up at the blue line, it was going to be tough. That's the way they play. You can't change the stripes on a tiger. You can't change the way the team has played all year in one period. I thought UNH played hard last night...they didn't get a break. And they got a horrible break when ND scored at the end of the 2nd period. That's not an excuse - that's just the way it is. I know it's frustrating and it's no consolation, but at least they got there. If you want to suggest that perhaps they need to recruit a wider "range" of player that can perhaps adapt their style (or play different styles), that's one thing, but don't say they were "outcoached." And I bet you'll be the first one to say that they're BORING if they play a different style. If you watched Jeff Jackson when he was at Lake Superior State, all they did was push people up against the wall and try to win every game 1-0. If that's what you want, fine. Recruit a bunch of goons - personally, I love the way UNH plays. And remember, you've got an Olympic size surface. You want to play a defensive style on that pond? Go ahead...

I saw it.

What does this mean? We all "saw it" too.

 

[unh_hockey]

Re: UNH Wildcats - 2011 Playoff Quest

Its easy from the comforts of our chairs to sometimes criticize and make fun of UNHs "lazy efforts" so when you see these kind of post game conferences, it should act as a reminder that these guys are there and put it all on the ice. None of us know of the time, dedication and sacrifices that it must have taken to get there. Sure,myself and others might crack a few jokes from time to time, but have nothing but respect for anyone who laces them up in a D1 league, and especially is that close to another FF.

any of the players/staff reading this - props for this years effort.

 

[jml42691]

Re: UNH Wildcats - 2011 Playoff Quest

I'm sorry, but that's a ludicrous statement. Tell me how a goal that ticks off the catching mitt and goes in and a defenseman trying to turn the net instead of making a safe back pass constitutes being "outcoached?" How does an overtime that was played almost entirely in the ND end "tiring out the competition?" Regarding UNH, they like to skate the puck in the zone and make plays. They're not a dump and chase team. Once they got behind and ND starting lining up at the blue line, it was going to be tough. That's the way they play. You can't change the stripes on a tiger. You can't change the way the team has played all year in one period. I thought UNH played hard last night...they didn't get a break. And they got a horrible break when ND scored at the end of the 2nd period. That's not an excuse - that's just the way it is. I know it's frustrating and it's no consolation, but at least they got there. If you want to suggest that perhaps they need to recruit a wider "range" of player that can perhaps adapt their style (or play different styles), that's one thing, but don't say they were "outcoached." And I bet you'll be the first one to say that they're BORING if they play a different style. If you watched Jeff Jackson when he was at Lake Superior State, all they did was push people up against the wall and try to win every game 1-0. If that's what you want, fine. Recruit a bunch of goons - personally, I love the way UNH plays. And remember, you've got an Olympic size surface. You want to play a defensive style on that pond? Go ahead...



What does this mean? We all "saw it" too.

Well said. There was zero outcoaching going on in the Merrimack game for ND, no disrespect towards ND but they won that game purely off of a couple of fluke goals, Merrimack should have won that game. If I recall correctly right before the winning OT goal they showed the OT shot stats and it was something like 8-0 in favor or 'Mack. And although ND played the better game on Sunday, I wouldn't go as far as to labeling it outcoached. If a team is outcoached I think of it in every sense of the game, and really ND was only able to "shut down" UNH's offense by forcing them into the dump-and-chase.

 

[chickod]

Re: UNH Wildcats - 2011 Playoff Quest

As a BU fan rooting for UNH, this loss was inexcusable.

Define "inexcusable." (I am a BU fan also, by the way). Was it "inexcusable" when we lost 3 out of 5 to Northeastern? And we shouldn't be talking about "home games" or anything regarding crowds, because, frankly, our crowd was even worse. I will admit that it seemed as though the UNH fans were just waiting for something bad to happen and didn't really get behind their team. But, again, look at the BU fans. They sit on their hands the entire game, because they "expect" us to win. It's so elitist. It's a SPORTING EVENT. If you're going to go there, yell and scream and make noise and enjoy it. Otherwise, what's the point? And one other thing. I don't know how old you are, but you DO understand that outside of a few aberrations, the best hockey is played out West, right? The WCHA alone (I don't know the exact number - I looked this up last week and don't have the time to go back) won something like 23 of the first 25 National Championships and overall has won something like 70% of them since then. Their players are typcially bigger, they play a more physical game (which the referees don't allow in Hockey East, so you can't adapt overnight) and they don't have the academic standards that the Eastern schools do. Just because BC had an unbelievably talented class and happened to win 2 out of 3, and we had a bunch of NHL players that were able to win "on talent alone" (to quote Herb Brooks) in spite of their coach, doesn't even remotely mean in any way, shape or form that there is parity. If the East gets to the Frozen Four, it is a tremendous accomplishment. Did you watch Yale, Union and RPI? It was almost embarrassing (and Yale was supposedly the #1 team in the country - right) to see them all fall. So it's not surprising that all of the Eastern teams were wiped out. That happens more often than not. BU has won five national championships - what's inexcusable is their fans whining and not even cheering because they're "used to" winning. If you're a UNH fan, it's tough to go out there every year and have your hopes dashed. At least they showed up...that arena looked pretty full to me. A little different that the 1000 that showed up at Agganis (they can put "3806" on the board all they want - we KNOW how many people were actually there).

 

[WildShawn]

Re: UNH Wildcats - 2011 Playoff Quest

Well said. There was zero outcoaching going on in the Merrimack game for ND, no disrespect towards ND but they won that game purely off of a couple of fluke goals, Merrimack should have won that game. If I recall correctly right before the winning OT goal they showed the OT shot stats and it was something like 8-0 in favor or 'Mack. And although ND played the better game on Sunday, I wouldn't go as far as to labeling it outcoached. If a team is outcoached I think of it in every sense of the game, and really ND was only able to "shut down" UNH's offense by forcing them into the dump-and-chase.

ND completely outworked Merrimack from the last 5 minutes of the 2nd period through the 3rd period where they outshot the Warriors 17-4. MC was winded after the second period, coming off the ice they looked like they didn't have much left and it showed in the third period. They regrouped for OT and I thought were going to win it early and if not for Johnson, probably would have. Tough break on the lapse by Cannata at the end, but it happens.

 

[walrus]

Re: UNH Wildcats - 2011 Playoff Quest

If a team is outcoached I think of it in every sense of the game, and really ND was only able to "shut down" UNH's offense by forcing them into the dump-and-chase.

ND forced UNH to do what they wanted, thats game plan and coaches come up with the game plan.

 

[chickod]

Re: UNH Wildcats - 2011 Playoff Quest

ND was only able to "shut down" UNH's offense by forcing them into the dump-and-chase.

And I guess this is opening up another whole can of worms...but here goes. I have often wondered about the rationale of having an Olympic size rink when every other team you play against has a 200 x 85. The analogy I use (and I don't think it's unreasonable) is how the Red Sox couldn't win all those years in Fenway because when they went on the road their run production dropped so drastically because they didn't have "The Wall" to rely on. Their park was such an aberration that when they went on the road, they couldn't adjust. UNH's style is fantastic for their home rink, and they SHOULD play a wide-open game. The problem is, in the post-season teams have more of a shut-down mentality and the game is usually more defensive-minded. UNH isn't going to play that way on the big pond, so how do you reconcile this with the goal of post-season success? Combine this with what I mentioned before about the Western teams being bigger and more physical, and you have the current situation. I wanted UNH to win just as much as anyone else (I have family members who went there and live and die with them), even though I went to BU. Frankly, you deserved to win in 2009 but that BU team was just "destined." I think people have forgotten (especially having watched BC just "outscore" teams the last three years) that you need goal PREVENTION to win these games. ND was able to smother UNH because they (like all of the Western teams) were bigger and more physical. Merrimack actually matched up better against them. It's funny, because Merrimack has been criticized in the past few years for being sort of a "goon" team - but that's the only way you can really beat the West unless you're ridiculously talented (like BU and BC have been fortunate enough to be the last three years). But again, this is NOT the norm, and some people tend to forget that, especially the ones who have only been watching in this decade.

 

[chickod]

Re: UNH Wildcats - 2011 Playoff Quest

ND forced UNH to do what they wanted, thats game plan and coaches come up with the game plan.

But you can't play a style that your talent is not suited for. If you want to change styles, you have to change your personnel. You can't do that 40 games into the season...

 

[Biddco]

Re: UNH Wildcats - 2011 Playoff Quest

My understanding is that they weren't too happy about the fish on Saturday and security was definitely upped tonight. Everybody in my group got patted down on the way in (all UNH students in Jerseys), and I had a bag that was long and skinny (which could have easily fit the usual fish) and they made me completely empty it and interrogated me for a good minute or so about the signs I had in it. I guess the lobster was the biggest thing they could have snuck in, although I would have rather seen a small fish instead.



I wasn't aware trailer homes had basements.

Very understandable. Nice job to the person who did that.

 

[Rover]

Re: UNH Wildcats - 2011 Playoff Quest

Define "inexcusable." (I am a BU fan also, by the way). Was it "inexcusable" when we lost 3 out of 5 to Northeastern? And we shouldn't be talking about "home games" or anything regarding crowds, because, frankly, our crowd was even worse. I will admit that it seemed as though the UNH fans were just waiting for something bad to happen and didn't really get behind their team. But, again, look at the BU fans. They sit on their hands the entire game, because they "expect" us to win. It's so elitist. It's a SPORTING EVENT. If you're going to go there, yell and scream and make noise and enjoy it. Otherwise, what's the point? And one other thing. I don't know how old you are, but you DO understand that outside of a few aberrations, the best hockey is played out West, right? The WCHA alone (I don't know the exact number - I looked this up last week and don't have the time to go back) won something like 23 of the first 25 National Championships and overall has won something like 70% of them since then. Their players are typcially bigger, they play a more physical game (which the referees don't allow in Hockey East, so you can't adapt overnight) and they don't have the academic standards that the Eastern schools do. Just because BC had an unbelievably talented class and happened to win 2 out of 3, and we had a bunch of NHL players that were able to win "on talent alone" (to quote Herb Brooks) in spite of their coach, doesn't even remotely mean in any way, shape or form that there is parity. If the East gets to the Frozen Four, it is a tremendous accomplishment. Did you watch Yale, Union and RPI? It was almost embarrassing (and Yale was supposedly the #1 team in the country - right) to see them all fall. So it's not surprising that all of the Eastern teams were wiped out. That happens more often than not. BU has won five national championships - what's inexcusable is their fans whining and not even cheering because they're "used to" winning. If you're a UNH fan, it's tough to go out there every year and have your hopes dashed. At least they showed up...that arena looked pretty full to me. A little different that the 1000 that showed up at Agganis (they can put "3806" on the board all they want - we KNOW how many people were actually there).

Hmmm...lots of questions here. Lets see if I can get them in some sort of order...

1) Yes, BU's losing to NU was even more inexcusable. At some point coaches need to be held accountable. Umile has a long and documented history of his teams losing winnable games in the playoffs. I'll leave it to UNH fans to say whether its time for him to go or not, but its a question that needs to be asked.

2) Not sure what fan noise has to do with anything. UNH was playing in an arena they're used to and didn't have to travel. That ought to be an advantage, as should be the added motivation of winning a FF berth in front of your fans in your home state.

3) Strongly disagree about the West being better than the East. Back at the start of the tournament you could use semi-professional players so those comparisons to today's game are faulty. In recent memory the East has won 5 titles from 1999-2010. They've also made the Finals another 6 times by my count (BC 3 times, UNH once and Maine twice). Where is this Western dominance that you speak of? The only difference is that two Western conferences are producing contenders while only HE is in the East as the ECAC has much smaller programs and/or the highest academic standards with the Ivy's.

4) Lastly, fans should expect success. If UNH fans want to boo the team for crappy play, or call for somebody's head when they lose to teams with no dissernable advantage over them they should. They're the ones supporting the program with their $$$. An example of fans with no cause to complain would be Boston College fans after this year (and in fact they haven't been). They've won 2 out of 3, I can't think of the last team to win 3 out of 4, and they didn't lose because of lackluster play - they got a crappy draw and then faced a team they matched up with poorly and couldn't adjust. Hey, it happens. Were I UNH and looking at 0 for 25 or whatever its been since the coach got there, maybe I'd be asking for changes.

 

[unh1982]

ND forced UNH to do what they wanted, thats game plan and coaches come up with the game plan.

Was going to say the exact same thing, somebody will impose there will, with better coaching, unh was forced into there style

 

[jml42691]

Re: UNH Wildcats - 2011 Playoff Quest

4)...If UNH fans want to boo the team for crappy play, or call for somebody's head when they lose to teams with no dissernable advantage over them they should. They're the ones supporting the program with their $$$...

The booing of the team was the most embarrassing part of that game and really made me shake my head to all of those around me, just downright embarrassing. The crowd last night was not at all what I expected, for most of the second period it was dead silent and you could hear a pin drop, maybe it was being a late night game on a Sunday night but I was expecting a much better turnout from other UNH fans.

 

[chickod]

Re: UNH Wildcats - 2011 Playoff Quest

Not sure what fan noise has to do with anything.

Well, anyone who ever played sports in their lives knows that the fans can "pick you up." I'm not suggesting that they will intimidate the other team, but would you rather play in an empty arena or in front of supportive fans? I'm just saying that if you're going to go, make some noise and support your team. You REALLY aren't going to try to tell me that the BU crowd is loud, are you?

Strongly disagree about the West being better than the East.

Between 1973 and 1990, Eastern teams won THREE national championships (BU in '78, RPI in '85 and Harvard in '89). I don't think they were using "semi-professional" players. You do the math...let me help you - 3 / 18 = 16.67%

Lastly, fans should expect success. If UNH fans want to boo the team for crappy play, or call for somebody's head when they lose to teams with no dissernable advantage over them they should.

Who said anything about booing them? I said it is DIFFICULT to go there every year, because eventually you are just waiting for something bad to happen. The UNH fans have more of a reason to be dispirited than the BU fans do, YET they have MORE enthusiasm and a MUCH LARGER fan base...

And lastly, let's move this somewhere else. This is about UNH - there shouldn't be two BU fans arguing on this thread...

 

[MURS90]

Re: UNH Wildcats - 2011 Playoff Quest

Or that they upset Miami.

Is it really an upset that Miami had to travel to and play in NH? I don't want to whine here, but the NCAA really needs to look at the set up of this tourney so that the No. 1 seed does not play in the No. 4 seeds back yard.

 

[Jacques "Rabbit" Poriveau]

Re: UNH Wildcats - 2011 Playoff Quest

So apres d'Miami game I tink who are you et what ave you did wif d'UNHs? Playeurs actual inishiating contact along de boards to win zee puck, playeurs actuall moving they feets pour de whole game, mon Dieu it was amazing. I tot da reale team must ave been ijacked on 101 et sitting in a barn in Fremont or someting.

Et get in da shooting lanes instead of going wide to get ready to transistion when you don't even ave de pucke yet. Dey blocke more shot in one game dan in tree years. Et getting da pucke deep instead of coffing it ups at de offensive bleu line? What? Who is dis. Dicks actual coach dem base on d'opponenet et de situation instead of just saying do what I told you to do in Octobre? What? Get out?

Mais den laste night...HEY MES AMIES, I found dem, here d'UNHs, rite out on d'ice, I know it dem, I can tell by da gagging sound...same old UNHs.

 

[thecomicbookguy]

Re: UNH Wildcats - 2011 Playoff Quest

For Digi:

For the rest of the team:

Agreed on Digi, but I think you're being extremely harsh on the rest of the team. Was it their best game? Nope. Was it their worst? Hardly. There were a few players who were either dogging it (or were just exhausted), but we saw some great efforts, most notably from Kevin Goumas and Stevie Moses.

IMHO, the only really bad lapse they had all night was at the end of the second, and yes, that was the killer. They came out on fire at the beginning, but just couldn't solve Johnson. DeSimone had a couple of nice looks at the top corner, but put them just wide/high.

My understanding is that they weren't too happy about the fish on Saturday and security was definitely upped tonight. Everybody in my group got patted down on the way in (all UNH students in Jerseys), and I had a bag that was long and skinny (which could have easily fit the usual fish) and they made me completely empty it and interrogated me for a good minute or so about the signs I had in it. I guess the lobster was the biggest thing they could have snuck in, although I would have rather seen a small fish instead.

One of the security guys patted down my jacket and was very concerned about the Blistex container in one of the pockets. Maybe he thought it was a very small fish?

How about this, stop watching!! No one will miss you and you whinning!!! Or do you just need something to complaining about and make yourself noticed? There is a simple solution, just leave!!

I concur. Not just about billb, but all the people who watch the games and are so angry/upset that they have to post and post about it, blaming everyone from the coach to the guy who washes the uniforms. Take a breath, people, it's just a game, and you're not the ones playing it. Does getting angry about the loss change anything?

I went into the game last night confident UNH would win. It didn't happen. Not the end of the world, and I guarantee everyone in that locker room feels worse about that game than anyone in the stands.

Can't believe UNH smoked Miami and then not so much against at ND. Didn't this same thing happen last year? Gotta be frustrating. Still a decent year. Certainly still a top 4 HE team while mine is in the gutter. Apparently even one of our fans?????(can you say BC) is in the gutter

Sort of. I think this Notre Dame team is better than that RIT team was (and was the higher seed, obviously), while this UNH team wasn't as good as last year's team. In other words, UNH should have beat RIT last year. This year, they had a very good chance of beating Notre Dame.

This is what UNH Hockey means to Coach Umile and the young men who work their butts off entertaining us:


Thank you Captain Mike Sislo, Assistant Captain Matt Campanale, Paul Thompson, Phil DeSimone, Mike Beck, and Greg Manz.

Probably the #1 thing that bugs me about UNH fans is the way they empty out of the rink as soon as the final buzzer sounds (and often, earlier), while the team, even after brutal losses sticks around to salute those same people. Would it kill you to wait a few minutes and cheer the team, maybe applaud their effort?

(A close second is booing your own team. Fortunately, UNH fans don't do that. Oh, except for last night.

Sounded like Philly fans.)

 

[GoUNH]

Is it really an upset that Miami had to travel to and play in NH? I don't want to whine here, but the NCAA really needs to look at the set up of this tourney so that the No. 1 seed does not play in the No. 4 seeds back yard.

Are you suggesting that the host school have to travel and play somewhere else or are you just whining

 

[pgv]

Re: UNH Wildcats - 2011 Playoff Quest

Is it really an upset that Miami had to travel to and play in NH? I don't want to whine here, but the NCAA really needs to look at the set up of this tourney so that the No. 1 seed does not play in the No. 4 seeds back yard.

Hey newbie, fyi UNH has hosted four times and haven't advanced to the FF in any of them.