USCHO Fan Forum
This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!
-
The USCHO Fan Forum has migrated to a new plaform, xenForo. Most of the function of the forum should work in familiar ways. Please note that you can switch between light and dark modes by clicking on the gear icon in the upper right of the main menu bar. We are hoping that this new platform will prove to be faster and more reliable. Please feel free to explore its features.
UNH Wildcats 2014/2015 - Wait 'Til Next Year!!!
- Thread starter Chuck Murray
- Start date
- Status
HockeyRef
Well-known member
Re: UNH Wildcats 2014/2015 - Wait 'Til Next Year!!!
Nope, he decided to go to the hockey game with me Friday, and if the 'Cats progress to the next round, he'll go then. We have his company Christmas gig Saturday, so...no Portland for me wahhhh!! Would've gone to both hockey games as I love Portland. Oh well can't have everything. I'll be watching my twitter feed..
So he is going to the football game and not the xmass party? And you are going where? Go to the football game and then go to Portland Saturday
Nope, he decided to go to the hockey game with me Friday, and if the 'Cats progress to the next round, he'll go then. We have his company Christmas gig Saturday, so...no Portland for me wahhhh!! Would've gone to both hockey games as I love Portland. Oh well can't have everything. I'll be watching my twitter feed..
e.cat
Seasoned Veteran
Re: UNH Wildcats 2014/2015 - Wait 'Til Next Year!!!
K. Sounds like he figured out whats good for him
K. Sounds like he figured out whats good for him
HockeyRef
Well-known member
K. Sounds like he figured out whats good for him
Trust me gave him the option being the football fan he is! Of course there's little question about my priorities
Checked our Verizon tix and they are almost center ice so we are happy. Is anyone from this board going Friday to the game? (Hockey that is)
Darius
Go 'cats!
Re: UNH Wildcats 2014/2015 - Wait 'Til Next Year!!!
Friday's line up sheet listed Foegele-Poturalski-Willows as the top line, but Thrush-Smith-Camper were on ice for the opening face off. Perhaps they had a great week of practice and Coach decided last minute to reward them for their hard work or maybe he decided Thrush-Smith-Camper was a better defensive match up against BCs top line? With BC's top line not comparing their prior years' top lines, I'm not sure. It might be that we are searching for something, anything to get us going.
Re: UNH Wildcats 2014/2015 - Wait 'Til Next Year!!!
Jack Eichel and Matt Willows in the same sentence....egad
Jack Eichel and Matt Willows in the same sentence....egad
HockeyRef
Well-known member
Re: UNH Wildcats 2014/2015 - Wait 'Til Next Year!!!
haha knew that would raise an eyebrow or two.
And as it should be.
haha knew that would raise an eyebrow or two.
And as it should be.
HockeyRef
Well-known member
Re: UNH Wildcats 2014/2015 - Wait 'Til Next Year!!!
Thanks, didn't see the line up sheet prior to the game. Good point about the BC line up. I do like Smith's work ethic he gets into the middle of it. Just noticed that even prior to this series it's been different. We'll see how it shakes out if it ever does! I guess in the end it doesn't really matter; put the puck in the net!!! please.
Thanks, didn't see the line up sheet prior to the game. Good point about the BC line up. I do like Smith's work ethic he gets into the middle of it. Just noticed that even prior to this series it's been different. We'll see how it shakes out if it ever does! I guess in the end it doesn't really matter; put the puck in the net!!! please.
Last edited:
NCAA watcher
Registered User
Re: UNH Wildcats 2014/2015 - Wait 'Til Next Year!!!
You have a problem with a first line featuring a junior with 13 career points between a senior with 9 career points and one with 28 career points?
You have a problem with a first line featuring a junior with 13 career points between a senior with 9 career points and one with 28 career points?
HockeyRef
Well-known member
Re: UNH Wildcats 2014/2015 - Wait 'Til Next Year!!!
No I don't. I'm sure there is a rhyme and reason (if you will) about who plays with who and against who. Produce. Speed is a factor too I would think and Willows does best in that environment. I do believe his best line mates are who he has been paired with. Who "starts" is immaterial to this fan as long as the job gets done and the pairings make sense.
No I don't. I'm sure there is a rhyme and reason (if you will) about who plays with who and against who. Produce. Speed is a factor too I would think and Willows does best in that environment. I do believe his best line mates are who he has been paired with. Who "starts" is immaterial to this fan as long as the job gets done and the pairings make sense.
Re: UNH Wildcats 2014/2015 - Wait 'Til Next Year!!!
Darius has identified the simple answer:
Thrush-Smith-Camper was a better defensive match up against BCs top line
In fact on Saturday night, Thrush-Smith-Camper was listed on the lineup sheet as the third line and they were the first line on the ice at the opening faceoff. Of the top three lines on the lineup sheet - Foegele-Poturalski-Willows, McNicholas-Downing-Kelleher, and Thrush-Smith-Camper - the line of 2 seniors and a junior has the most defensive experience and would traditionally be described as a "checking line". Putting the "checking line" up against the opponent's high-scoring line is not uncommon at any level of hockey.
I would add that Freshmen Foegele, Poturalski, and McNicholas will someday be very good defensively at the college level, but at this point in the season, they are still learning that aspect of the game. As Coach Umile has said, Tyler Kelleher has made big strides in learning the defensive role of a Division I forward.
Also, the easiest way to identify a team's "top" forward line is to see who the coaches put out with the first power play unit. No surprise it was Foegele-Poturalski-Willows on Friday and Saturday night.
Darius has identified the simple answer:
Thrush-Smith-Camper was a better defensive match up against BCs top line
In fact on Saturday night, Thrush-Smith-Camper was listed on the lineup sheet as the third line and they were the first line on the ice at the opening faceoff. Of the top three lines on the lineup sheet - Foegele-Poturalski-Willows, McNicholas-Downing-Kelleher, and Thrush-Smith-Camper - the line of 2 seniors and a junior has the most defensive experience and would traditionally be described as a "checking line". Putting the "checking line" up against the opponent's high-scoring line is not uncommon at any level of hockey.
I would add that Freshmen Foegele, Poturalski, and McNicholas will someday be very good defensively at the college level, but at this point in the season, they are still learning that aspect of the game. As Coach Umile has said, Tyler Kelleher has made big strides in learning the defensive role of a Division I forward.
Also, the easiest way to identify a team's "top" forward line is to see who the coaches put out with the first power play unit. No surprise it was Foegele-Poturalski-Willows on Friday and Saturday night.
Last edited:
Trust me gave him the option being the football fan he is! Of course there's little question about my priorities
Hockey times two for me this weekend. Not that the football game isn't tempting, but I already had the tickets, plus extras, for Verizon.
Re: UNH Wildcats 2014/2015 - Wait 'Til Next Year!!!
Thanks, skyraider. Oh, yeah, I have a whole library of those polar books; hoping to donate them to the Dimond Library as a special collection at some point. I only wish we were taking the "short route" via Auckland, but it is a government grant, so we are taking the "long, slow route," which will add about 12 hours to our total travel time with a nine-hour layover at the airport in Sydney (see post 991 above).
Yikes, the season is not even half over, and this thread is over 1000 posts!
And, why has not Chuck yet responded about Yzerman being a "healthy scratch"?
Thanks, skyraider. Oh, yeah, I have a whole library of those polar books; hoping to donate them to the Dimond Library as a special collection at some point. I only wish we were taking the "short route" via Auckland, but it is a government grant, so we are taking the "long, slow route," which will add about 12 hours to our total travel time with a nine-hour layover at the airport in Sydney (see post 991 above).
Yikes, the season is not even half over, and this thread is over 1000 posts!
And, why has not Chuck yet responded about Yzerman being a "healthy scratch"?
Chuck Murray
WIS & Effingwoods Hockey Almanac
Re: UNH Wildcats 2014/2015 - Wait 'Til Next Year!!!
Sacrilege!!!
Yzerman would never be a healthy scratch. As for this Eiserman kid, well ... he may just need a wake-up call to the harsh realities of D-1 hockey. Simple, really. 
Sacrilege!!!
Yzerman would never be a healthy scratch. As for this Eiserman kid, well ... he may just need a wake-up call to the harsh realities of D-1 hockey. Simple, really.
HockeyRef
Well-known member
Re: UNH Wildcats 2014/2015 - Wait 'Til Next Year!!!
Speaking of those harsh realities...in addition to just about everything what would you all say is/are these realities? Can only imagine what it must be like for our 10 newbies; thrilled on the one hand to get playing time, and on the other..?
Oh just in case you were curious/wondering how we match up with Maine:
http://www.collegehockeynews.com/schedules/taleoftape.php?gid=504
Sacrilege!!!
Speaking of those harsh realities...in addition to just about everything
what would you all say is/are these realities? Can only imagine what it must be like for our 10 newbies; thrilled on the one hand to get playing time, and on the other..?Oh just in case you were curious/wondering how we match up with Maine:
http://www.collegehockeynews.com/schedules/taleoftape.php?gid=504
Last edited:
Re: UNH Wildcats 2014/2015 - Wait 'Til Next Year!!!
How about this for a "harsh reality" .... I ran into an acquaintance of mine today -- an individual who has been a long time fan and supporter of UNH and Umile. I was taken back by his comment that .... a coaching change is needed along with new energy, and that is was appalling that we can't compete with at least some of the teams in HE. I never thought i would hear this from him ..... if nothing else it was interesting.
As HockeyRef has said upon occasion ...... "sigh"
Speaking of those harsh realities...in addition to just about everything
How about this for a "harsh reality" .... I ran into an acquaintance of mine today -- an individual who has been a long time fan and supporter of UNH and Umile. I was taken back by his comment that .... a coaching change is needed along with new energy, and that is was appalling that we can't compete with at least some of the teams in HE. I never thought i would hear this from him ..... if nothing else it was interesting.
As HockeyRef has said upon occasion ...... "sigh"
Re: UNH Wildcats 2014/2015 - Wait 'Til Next Year!!!
I think that the "harsh reality" for this year is that three veteran D-men who could have come back to anchor what would have been one of the best top two D pairings in Hockey East decided not to come back. Add to that loss, our senior goalie screwed up and got tossed from the team, and our remaining veteran D-man got seriously injured. So, what could have been one of the best, if not the best, defensive teams in Hockey East is now mediocre. And, of course, we knew that scoring goals was going to be difficult, at least early in the season, with the poor recruiting at those positions the previous three years. I think that we will do better on that front as the freshman forwards gain experience.
But, there are a bunch of other mediocre teams in Hockey East that have even "harsher realities" than ours, so I think that the Cats will do better in the second half than they have done in the first, and not just in SOG.
However, the final harsh reality is that this improvement will be too little too late for this season, as the thread title predicted.
I think that the "harsh reality" for this year is that three veteran D-men who could have come back to anchor what would have been one of the best top two D pairings in Hockey East decided not to come back. Add to that loss, our senior goalie screwed up and got tossed from the team, and our remaining veteran D-man got seriously injured. So, what could have been one of the best, if not the best, defensive teams in Hockey East is now mediocre. And, of course, we knew that scoring goals was going to be difficult, at least early in the season, with the poor recruiting at those positions the previous three years. I think that we will do better on that front as the freshman forwards gain experience.
But, there are a bunch of other mediocre teams in Hockey East that have even "harsher realities" than ours, so I think that the Cats will do better in the second half than they have done in the first, and not just in SOG.
However, the final harsh reality is that this improvement will be too little too late for this season, as the thread title predicted.
HockeyRef
Well-known member
Re: UNH Wildcats 2014/2015 - Wait 'Til Next Year!!!
You have hit on the major points of engagement for our season sir. I think the team has responded admirably under said circumstances, when they battle on the ice, they are formidable even in their youth. Also from what I gather in reading other boards is yes, we are doing ok. What I am also interested in is what they (our Freshman 10) have had to adjust to the most from their previous game to the D1 game.
You have hit on the major points of engagement for our season sir. I think the team has responded admirably under said circumstances, when they battle on the ice, they are formidable even in their youth. Also from what I gather in reading other boards is yes, we are doing ok. What I am also interested in is what they (our Freshman 10) have had to adjust to the most from their previous game to the D1 game.
- Status