UNH Wildcats 2014/2015 - Wait 'Til Next Year!!!

[HockeyRef]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2014/2015 - Wait 'Til Next Year!!!

I would say that the lack of UMass shots wasn't due to the fact that the 'd' held its own but that UMass just isn't very good. UNH had a ton of offensive zone time and when UMass got the puck they never got set up in the UNH zone. All of their offense came off the transition. It seemed like every goal was a 3 on 2, where the first 2 UMass players crash the net then drop it off to the high man who was wide open. I'm not sure if that third man being open all night is something to blame on forward laziness on the backcheck or on the failure of the coaches to make a change after the 2nd, 3rd, 4th.. time it happened.

Agree...agree...and, agree. We could see it develop and by the 3rd time it was frustrating to see the lack of adjustment. Tonight...hopefully that adjustment is made. Hate to also agree with your comment about "forward laziness" yes, that occurred too. Unlike PC and the UNO games we were tenacious there but last night, a lack it cost us. Were we looking past them? Just "one of those games"? Who knows! Hear you Chuck that this is a transition year (that term again) but when you can win those games, ya gotta do it. Oh well...its a New day, new fight!

ps. mental note to self: tonight's game is at 6:30 and will be telecast by NBCSN sports...

 

[C-H-C]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2014/2015 - Wait 'Til Next Year!!!

"UNH Opens Gate for UMass Win: Goal-by-Goal"
Includes video highlights.

 

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2014/2015 - Wait 'Til Next Year!!!

I would say that the lack of UMass shots wasn't due to the fact that the 'd' held its own but that UMass just isn't very good. UNH had a ton of offensive zone time and when UMass got the puck they never got set up in the UNH zone. All of their offense came off the transition. It seemed like every goal was a 3 on 2, where the first 2 UMass players crash the net then drop it off to the high man who was wide open. I'm not sure if that third man being open all night is something to blame on forward laziness on the backcheck or on the failure of the coaches to make a change after the 2nd, 3rd, 4th.. time it happened.

Going off your descriptions - if that was indeed the case - then both groups share in the blame.

Forwards to begin with ... and then the coaches for not addressing it. It'll be interesting if there are some non-injury lineup changes up front tonight, as it might offer some insight into whom the staff felt didn't pull their weight last night.

Having said that - based on how UNH has played this season, I'm expecting a 3+ goal win for the 'Cats tonight.

 

[Snively65]

Must be a typo there, Snively65. Conte Forum was opened in 1988, Mullins broke ground in 1991 and opened in 1993.

In researching that, I did discover Mullins is indeed located on Commonwealth Ave. Sneaky one there!!

And sonar has already posted the correct answer to the question about would-be NC's had Coach moved to Amherst.

Now, what's all this about "Chuck might be onto something" about the irrelevance of SOG's ...

No typo (you are too generous), just misread from their website. My first visit to Conte was in the early 90s and it did not look that new to me then. Good point by Scarlet that Conte and Mullins were built for basketball, which makes me all the more amazed that somehow UNH managed to finance the Whitt.

I really am beginning to believe that SOG do not mean much, at least in UNH games. But, in reply to your other posts, I think that you could be right that UNH will win by three tonight. However, if we win 3-0, I think that Tirone should stay in net, until he falters, then bring back Clark. The last season that recall UNH playing two goalies about equally was 1991-1992 with Matt Carney and Mike Ayers, but both our D and O in front of those two were impressive that season. To this day, I think that Carney should have been given the start against Maine in St Paul, in which case we would have squeaked out a win, and then Ayers could have faced the Gophers.

 

[Felger]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2014/2015 - Wait 'Til Next Year!!!

I'm expecting a 3+ goal win for the 'Cats tonight.

Chuck is right about the goaltenders and he is right about this as well. Tonight's game has 'Cats romp written all over it.

However assuming that is the case, Ti Rone will morph into the second coming of Ty Conklin, at least on this board.

 

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2014/2015 - Wait 'Til Next Year!!!

... if we win 3-0, I think that Tirone should stay in net, until he falters, then bring back Clark. The last season that recall UNH playing two goalies about equally was 1991-1992 with Matt Carney and Mike Ayers, but both our D and O in front of those two were impressive that season. To this day, I think that Carney should have been given the start against Maine in St Paul, in which case we would have squeaked out a win, and then Ayers could have faced the Gophers.

So you're a "hot hand" guy, eh? To each their own, I suppose. To me, I guess it depends on the stakes. This year, the "stakes" look to be nothing more pressing than to get a home seeding for the first round (5th-8th) ... and after last night, that's something UNH can't be assuming will just *happen*. Now sitting back and pondering for a moment ... is that REALLY worth going with the perceived "hot hand" so you can get a pair of first round home games, at the risk of shattering either the competitive balance between the two goalies? And if you run the risk of denting one kid's confidence by dropping him out of the rotation, what happens when the other kid has a bad game and you have to revisit things? Do you go back to a rotation, or do you drop the second kid this time and dent HIS confidence?

And for what ... an 8th seed and two home games, instead of a 9th seed and two road games, likely with the same opponent?

Big picture - this is the year to let the two kids learn and find their footing. Overall, Clark has done well, with a couple of exceptions, which is nothing to really get too worked up over. Tirone has gotten off to a good start. Show confidence in both of them, give them an opportunity to make their case through the end of THIS season (I'd continue the rotation right through however long the playoffs last for UNH - and let's face it, there will be no NCAA's this season), let the competition continue through the offseason and next preseason, pick up where you left off in the Spring, and THEN let the competition truly begin.

When you think about past goalie competitions (i.e. Matile v. Conklin, Carney v. Ayers, etc.) those took place with teams that were at or near the top of Hockey East, playing for hardware, and potential National Championships. Coach Umile gave both Matile and Carney lots of opportunities to play, right through until towards the end, when he chose the best kid and rode that horse 'til the end. Personally, I think he made the right choices back then, and I trust he'll handle it similarly and make the right choice this time, too.

FWIW, having been in St. Paul for the 2002 semifinal debacle against UMaine ... UNH could have had Patrick Roy in goal for that one, and they still would've gotten croaked. Not that Ayers was outstanding - he wasn't - but there was an awful lot of blame to go around for that one, and a lot of it started with the guys who were behind the bench for the respective teams. One team played like they were in an elimination game to get to the NC game, and had been in similar high-intensity games many times before ... and the other played like it was the Hockey East QF's Game One @ Lake Whitt against an 8 seed. On his best day, Matt Carney (a solid but hardly great D-1 goalie) wasn't going to change that outcome, sadly.

But just for the sake of discussion ... if you favor a "hot hand" approach in the here and now, why would you have advocated for Carney in a much bigger game like that one??

 

[HockeyRef]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2014/2015 - Wait 'Til Next Year!!!

Ok so far... We have better jump then last night . Scored right off the bat as you know if you're watching! UMASS ties it up on a nice outside shot. Kelleher out with the flu that has hit the team. Here comes the 3rd...Hopefully it turns into the 'romp' that has been predicted

 

[Felger]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2014/2015 - Wait 'Til Next Year!!!

UMA and UNH setting the cause of college hockey back years with this cringeworthy display.

Teammates running into each other, all kinds of guys falling down, icing the puck while ON the power play. A brilliant decision by one player to try a drop pass on a breakaway. Embarassing for the sport that this is on national tv.

Memo to NBCSN: Next time, stop at Jackson's Landing or the Rinks at Exeter. There has to be a bantam game or men's league contest with better play than this.

 

[e.cat]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2014/2015 - Wait 'Til Next Year!!!

Oh great! Parkhurst just jinxed UNH and of course UMASS scored quickly thereafter!

 

[Snively65]

Ok so far... We have better jump then last night . Scored right off the bat as you know if you're watching! UMASS ties it up on a nice outside shot. Kelleher out with the flu that has hit the team. Here comes the 3rd...Hopefully it turns into the 'romp' that has been predicted

No TV and not on radio tonight in the North Country, so wondered from live box score why Willows was skating on first line at beginning of game. This team cannot afford to be missing both Pesce and Kelleher, along with others playing under the weather with the flu?

 

[e.cat]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2014/2015 - Wait 'Til Next Year!!!

Oh great! Parkhurst just jinxed UNH and of course UMASS scored quickly thereafter!

Umm okay Parkhurst you are off the hook for the moment!

 

[Felger]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2014/2015 - Wait 'Til Next Year!!!

Congrats Chuck on precisely nailing the spread.

You did such a good job heard they are going to make you an honorary member of Eagle nation

 

[Snively65]

So you're a "hot hand" guy, eh? To each their own, I suppose. To me, I guess it depends on the stakes. This year, the "stakes" look to be nothing more pressing than to get a home seeding for the first round (5th-8th) ... and after last night, that's something UNH can't be assuming will just *happen*. Now sitting back and pondering for a moment ... is that REALLY worth going with the perceived "hot hand" so you can get a pair of first round home games, at the risk of shattering either the competitive balance between the two goalies? And if you run the risk of denting one kid's confidence by dropping him out of the rotation, what happens when the other kid has a bad game and you have to revisit things? Do you go back to a rotation, or do you drop the second kid this time and dent HIS confidence?

And for what ... an 8th seed and two home games, instead of a 9th seed and two road games, likely with the same opponent?

Big picture - this is the year to let the two kids learn and find their footing. Overall, Clark has done well, with a couple of exceptions, which is nothing to really get too worked up over. Tirone has gotten off to a good start. Show confidence in both of them, give them an opportunity to make their case through the end of THIS season (I'd continue the rotation right through however long the playoffs last for UNH - and let's face it, there will be no NCAA's this season), let the competition continue through the offseason and next preseason, pick up where you left off in the Spring, and THEN let the competition truly begin.

When you think about past goalie competitions (i.e. Matile v. Conklin, Carney v. Ayers, etc.) those took place with teams that were at or near the top of Hockey East, playing for hardware, and potential National Championships. Coach Umile gave both Matile and Carney lots of opportunities to play, right through until towards the end, when he chose the best kid and rode that horse 'til the end. Personally, I think he made the right choices back then, and I trust he'll handle it similarly and make the right choice this time, too.

FWIW, having been in St. Paul for the 2002 semifinal debacle against UMaine ... UNH could have had Patrick Roy in goal for that one, and they still would've gotten croaked. Not that Ayers was outstanding - he wasn't - but there was an awful lot of blame to go around for that one, and a lot of it started with the guys who were behind the bench for the respective teams. One team played like they were in an elimination game to get to the NC game, and had been in similar high-intensity games many times before ... and the other played like it was the Hockey East QF's Game One @ Lake Whitt against an 8 seed. On his best day, Matt Carney (a solid but hardly great D-1 goalie) wasn't going to change that outcome, sadly.

But just for the sake of discussion ... if you favor a "hot hand" approach in the here and now, why would you have advocated for Carney in a much bigger game like that one??

Not so much a "hot hand" guy here, but I think that this young team needs every advantage that it can get to build its confidence, so I would go with Tirone until he falters. I think that these two goalies can deal with that; they both have been a most welcome addition to the team, especially after where we were in September.

But, I realize that Umile sticks with his plans, for better or for worse, so I expect that he will stick with a goalie rotation, as you advise and as he did right through the NCAAs in spring 2002. It was Ayers turn in net against Maine in St. Paul, and he had beaten Maine 3-1 for the HEA championship. But, I wanted to see Carney in net because he was a senior and Maine had already seen Ayers three times that season, including Ayers with a slashed wrist for a game and a half in Orono. Those two goalies had nearly identical records that season, in wins, save%, and GAA. We will be lucky indeed if we have Clark and Tirone for the next 3.5 years.

Oh, and nice comeback win for the Cats in the last frame tonight; I kept looking in the live box score to see if Umile called a time out after the second UMass goal about 7 minutes into the third, but apparently not?

 

[HockeyRef]

No TV and not on radio tonight in the North Country, so wondered from live box score why Willows was skating on first line at beginning of game. This team cannot afford to be missing both Pesce and Kelleher, along with others playing under the weather with the flu?

Much better 'Cats and yes Kelleher and Pesce out with flu. Colin Shank spoke at the FOMH gathering post game that it's going through the team. BTW nice to meet you Aerman and wife tonight! Onward 'Cats! Oh and Chuck you da man with the spread prediction...Cool that Jamie Hill got his first college points as well. Bring on those Black Bears!

Edit: Off the UNHwildcats.com sports story regarding illness:

UNH played without junior defenseman Brett Pesce, who also missed Friday night’s game with a respiratory ailment. Sophomore forward Tyler Kelleher, who had a goal and two assists on Friday night, was sidelined as well. He had a stomach bug.

Freshman Warren Foegele got ill during the second period and left the game. Wondered where he went!!! Hill moved up to take his spot.

 

[HockeyRef]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2014/2015 - Wait 'Til Next Year!!!

Chuck is right about the goaltenders and he is right about this as well. Tonight's game has 'Cats romp written all over it.

However assuming that is the case, Ti Rone will morph into the second coming of Ty Conklin, at least on this board.

One can only hope, er, dream. (See youtube below) I mean, you say that like it's a bad thing...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbU3zdAgiX8

 

[GoUNH]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2014/2015 - Wait 'Til Next Year!!!

I predicted Jamie Hill to have a breakout seaaon. He's got a long way to go for that to happen but it was nice to see him get one.

 

[Felger]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2014/2015 - Wait 'Til Next Year!!!

One can only hope, er, dream. (See youtube below) I mean, you say that like it's a bad thing...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbU3zdAgiX8

Obviously its not a bad thing if it comes true. But we will know that in time. In the meantime let's just see what happens. I think it is unhealthy in a general sense, and unfair specifically to any individual player, to project expectations whether they are realistic or not.

I will leave it at that, lest I upset some of the "Phyllis types" on this board. (And believe it or not, I don't mean you.)

 

[HockeyRef]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2014/2015 - Wait 'Til Next Year!!!

Obviously its not a bad thing if it comes true. But we will know that in time. In the meantime let's just see what happens. I think it is unhealthy in a general sense, and unfair specifically to any individual player, to project expectations whether they are realistic or not.

I will leave it at that, lest I upset some of the "Phyllis types" on this board. (And believe it or not, I don't mean you.)

haha Glad to know I'm not "phyliss" but there are times when...just some fun on a late Sat. night after a whirlwind of driving and hockey games. 'Course I don't have first hand knowledge of the great Ty Conklin (believe me I've seen clips, read the stories) and it will be very cool to see how both of our goalies do. Coach U is pleased with DT's performance so far (I mean, 3 and 0 and all..). I think this weekend will be telling to see one of them does indeed, slide into "number one" position. Just pure speculation. IMHO I am not sure we will see an actual "tandem" here tho, I really don't. That being said I do agree with Chuck however that their development is of the utmost importance and Clark got us this far. Guess we'll find out. I'm glad we are in this position given everything we've had to deal with; 2 decent GK's to pick from. Go 'Cats!!

PS...best goal of the night? Andrew P's patient work in the 3rd. He showed some guts and great skating ability in that play....maybe the best play of the night. (I will give a tip of the hat to the UMass 2nd goal; what a zinger right past DT's glove.)

 

[Darius]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2014/2015 - Wait 'Til Next Year!!!

UMA and UNH setting the cause of college hockey back years with this cringeworthy display.

Teammates running into each other, all kinds of guys falling down, icing the puck while ON the power play. A brilliant decision by one player to try a drop pass on a breakaway. Embarassing for the sport that this is on national tv.

Memo to NBCSN: Next time, stop at Jackson's Landing or the Rinks at Exeter. There has to be a bantam game or men's league contest with better play than this.

Awful for most of the game. There was a 2nd period stretch of turnover pong between the blue lines that was laughable.

 

[Darius]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2014/2015 - Wait 'Til Next Year!!!

PS...best goal of the night? Andrew P's patient work in the 3rd. He showed some guts and great skating ability in that play....maybe the best play of the night.

Maybe best goal of the season if he was aiming upper far side. Regardless, a nice display of poise and puck handling as well.