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UNH Wildcats 2015-2016 (Part Two) - Managing Decreasing Expectations

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Re: UNH Wildcats 2015-2016 (Part Two) - Managing Decreasing Expectations

Darius said:
Umile said goaltender Adam Clark will be granted a medical redshirt season after having shoulder surgery earlier this year.
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I guess this confirms what was recently discussed, and leaves UNH with some unique situations:

(1) Clark - who started his UNH career 3-4 months earlier than Tirone - will now leave UNH a year after him;
(2) With Robinson's arrival next year, Clark (who started at UNH as the #1 goalie) is the #3 goalie for awhile

I still don't see UNH carrying all three of these guys for the next two seasons.

Something doesn't add up. Did Borek lose count and/or forget to tell Umile something?? :confused:

Just sayin' ... ;)
 
Re: UNH Wildcats 2015-2016 (Part Two) - Managing Decreasing Expectations

Chuck Murray said:
Something doesn't add up. Did Borek lose count and/or forget to tell Umile something?? :confused:
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Any time there is a new coach, there is roster adjustment, as players and recruits are told not to report, or choose not to report on their own, based on where they stand with the new coach.

So, Chuck, hold off. All will be revealed once players know where they stand with the new coach... in 2018.
 
Re: UNH Wildcats 2015-2016 (Part Two) - Managing Decreasing Expectations

Chuck Murray said:
I guess this confirms what was recently discussed, and leaves UNH with some unique situations:

(1) Clark - who started his UNH career 3-4 months earlier than Tirone - will now leave UNH a year after him;
(2) With Robinson's arrival next year, Clark (who started at UNH as the #1 goalie) is the #3 goalie for awhile

I still don't see UNH carrying all three of these guys for the next two seasons.

Something doesn't add up. Did Borek lose count and/or forget to tell Umile something?? :confused:

Just sayin' ... ;)
Click to expand...

Well it all got messed up due to the CDS situation, right? Is it that unusual for a team to carry 3 keepers? Just askin'...and with Robinson drafted..he could be out sooner than later. I agree tho...should be an interesting scenario..
 
HockeyRef said:
Well it all got messed up due to the CDS situation, right? Is it that unusual for a team to carry 3 keepers? Just askin'...and with Robinson drafted..he could be out sooner than later. I agree tho...should be an interesting scenario..
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No, CDS only caused Tirone to arrive a semester (year) early; there were always going to be three goalies beginning next season, so now Tirone may be here through 2017-18, Clark through 2018-19, and Robinson 2019-20, assuming that they all stay. The next two years will be interesting with three at times #1 goalies, but as we have seen, staying injury-free is never a given (thinking 2002-2003, when both our #1s had serious injuries at the same time; fortunately one of them proved that having completely intact wrist tendons was overrated). In that regard, the remainder of this season is ironically highly vulnerable at the goalie position, I think.
 
Chuck Murray said:
It's not like UNH is facing Providence and BC these next two weekends. Frankly, I'll be disappointed with anything less than 3 wins. I'll predict a win and a tie against NU, and a sweep of NICC.

The program - and this team - has to aim higher. Pretty good can't be good enough any more.
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Says the guy who named the thread "managing decreasing expectations"!!

Keep up with my sarcasm, Chuck. Clearly, nobody is striving for 4-5 points or a 5-8 slot in HEA, but I'm pretty sure that's what we're looking at.

I see a win and a tie (in Matthews) as well, but I absolutely don't see us sweeping the Golden Domers next weekend. They are currently 11 in PWR, with a 10-4-7 record, 6-1-2 in HEA. Not feeling a sweep coming, though I'd love to be wrong.

I think the tie in Matthews wouldn't be a gimme either - they can give us fits there.

Thus, my 5-point max prediction, NOT desire.
 
Re: UNH Wildcats 2015-2016 (Part Two) - Managing Decreasing Expectations

Snively65 said:
No, CDS only caused Tirone to arrive a semester (year) early; there were always going to be three goalies beginning next season, so now Tirone may be here through 2017-18, Clark through 2018-19, and Robinson 2019-20, assuming that they all stay. The next two years will be interesting with three at times #1 goalies ... .
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Precisely.

Snively65 said:
... but as we have seen, staying injury-free is never a given (thinking 2002-2003, when both our #1s had serious injuries at the same time; fortunately one of them proved that having completely intact wrist tendons was overrated). In that regard, the remainder of this season is ironically highly vulnerable at the goalie position, I think.
Click to expand...

Couldn't agree with you more, Snively65. I would even use the word "precarious".
 
Re: UNH Wildcats 2015-2016 (Part Two) - Managing Decreasing Expectations

wildcatdc said:
Says the guy who named the thread "managing decreasing expectations"!!
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Gotta admit, you make a good point there, 'dc. :o Although that was done before UNH hit their unbeaten stretch straddling both sides of the holiday break. So I guess subconsciously the decreasing expectations increased?? Ironically, even if the team was inconsistent and mediocre for the first half of the season, they *were* undefeated (4-0-1) in the month of December. So "Champions of December" on a technicality? That's all I've got ...

wildcatdc said:
Keep up with my sarcasm, Chuck. Clearly, nobody is striving for 4-5 points or a 5-8 slot in HEA, but I'm pretty sure that's what we're looking at.

I see a win and a tie (in Matthews) as well, but I absolutely don't see us sweeping the Golden Domers next weekend. They are currently 11 in PWR, with a 10-4-7 record, 6-1-2 in HEA. Not feeling a sweep coming, though I'd love to be wrong.

I think the tie in Matthews wouldn't be a gimme either - they can give us fits there.

Thus, my 5-point max prediction, NOT desire.
Click to expand...

You may be right. But I'm sorry, I'm not shaking in my shoes (and hopefully the players aren't shaking in their skates) at the prospect of having to face the habitually overrated, constantly underachieving NICC program twice next weekend at Lake Whitt. A team that's won all of three (3) of their 9 road games to date? I'm sorry, I'm just not buying. And if UNH doesn't find a way to get at least three wins over the next two weekends ... well, then they hit the iron of their schedule the following two weekends, with 4 road games with the three best teams in HE (IMO). They'll need the 3 wins these next two weekends to balance out the 3 losses they're likely going to take over the following two weekends. And guess what? That makes UNH a .500 team again.

Unless of course they get drilled this weekend and next ... and then, every one of my "decreasing expectations" predictions is going to come true in painful living color. And none of us want that to happen.

This is getting monotonous, but I guess this is UNH reality nowadays. And yet every time I start getting down in the dumps about the current state of UNH Hockey ... I go read the latest on the UMaine "Stillwater" thread, and suddenly I'm thinking I should be more like BS35+3, whistling happy "blue skies" tunes as he skips across campus. :)
 
Re: UNH Wildcats 2015-2016 (Part Two) - Managing Decreasing Expectations

NCAA watcher said:
Any time there is a new coach, there is roster adjustment, as players and recruits are told not to report, or choose not to report on their own, based on where they stand with the new coach.

So, Chuck, hold off. All will be revealed once players know where they stand with the new coach... in 2018.
Click to expand...

As always, 'watcher being the unassailable voice of reason :) ... I think? :confused: :eek: ;)
 
Chuck Murray said:
Gotta admit, you make a good point there, 'dc. :o Although that was done before UNH hit their unbeaten stretch straddling both sides of the holiday break. So I guess subconsciously the decreasing expectations increased.

You may be right. But I'm sorry, I'm not shaking in my shoes (and hopefully the players aren't shaking in their skates) at the prospect of having to face the habitually overrated, constantly underachieving NICC program twice next weekend at Lake Whitt. A team that's won all of three (3) of their 9 road games to date? I'm sorry, I'm just not buying.
Click to expand...

I've said it before and I'll say it again - that unbeaten stretch came against three of the weakest teams in DI hockey! The rabid optimism that stretch seems to have generated surprises me, considering Bentley is a mediocre AHA team, Dartmouth is inept defensively and Maine is hot garbage...

Lest we forget, UNH struggled with Bentley and beat Maine twice by just one goal and tied one of the other two contests. One blowout of the Black Bears (pretty small sample size) seems to have fooled some people into thinking the Cats are more than a two man team.

Since then they have lost to a bad Vermont team and shut out by Lowell.

Luckily, Northeastern is miserable. What a cute article this week about how they are not miserable! Their injuries to top players and their horrendous coach make them even worse! Unfortunately, UNH isn't a good team either - so while I think Poturalski and Kelleher should sweep, I think three points is more likely and I fear two or less...

As far as ND - I hate them too, Chuck! (But I imagine if any other team came in with the same resume you'd be picking UNH to get swept) - there is likely a ten percent chance UNH does better than a split. I saw them twice a couple weeks ago in Denver. They're meh for a good team. Exactly the type of team UNH would handle in the old days. I wish it was the old days.

Despite the talent on the roster, they didn't show anything close to an overwhelming offense. However, despite the fact that they surrendered nearly 100 shots in two games they gave up just three goals on the weekend. They kept DU out of the slot for the most part and the goalie is huge and position ally very strong.

The balanced offense that got everyone so excited against Maine will not be a factor against ND. Their depth and well rounded lineup is too good for Poturalski and Kelleher to take two wins on their own. A split would be a great result.
 
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Re: UNH Wildcats 2015-2016 (Part Two) - Managing Decreasing Expectations

The news of Clark red shirting brings the situation closer to normal - it doesn't make things worse. UNH always knew they might have to bring in Robinson early and play with three scholarship goalies for the next two seasons. It's a risk you take for a big, talented, draftable goalie from in state. It was always inevitable for at least one season...

The CDS situation brought Tirone in a year early. He was supposed to be a year behind Clark, giving UNH it's typical stagger. All that has changed is that Clark is now, ironically, a year behind Tirone which gives them the stagger they wanted and some flexibility going forward in recruiting the next goaltender.
 
Re: UNH Wildcats 2015-2016 (Part Two) - Managing Decreasing Expectations

Dan said:
The CDS situation brought Tirone in a year early. He was supposed to be a year behind Clark, giving UNH it's typical stagger. All that has changed is that Clark is now, ironically, a year behind Tirone which gives them the stagger they wanted and some flexibility going forward in recruiting the next goaltender.
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I don't see the CDS situation changing much, Dan - other than Tirone accelerating last season. Had Tirone waited like the original plan, then next season (2016/2017) would have been his soph year, Clark's junior year, and Robinson's frosh year. That means they'd have all still been together in 2017/2018 as well until Clark left, leaving Tirone (senior) and Robinson (junior) as a two-man rotation for 2018/2019.

As it is, the three of them will be together the next two seasons anyway - just as above - except Clark stays (courtesy of the medical redshirt) instead of Tirone when they finally return to a two-man rotation in 2018/2019.

So the whole CDS thing is irrelevant to the stagger, other than the weird Clark/Tirone switcheroo (technical hockey term, that one :D ).
 
Re: UNH Wildcats 2015-2016 (Part Two) - Managing Decreasing Expectations

Dan said:
I've said it before and I'll say it again - that unbeaten stretch came against three of the weakest teams in DI hockey! The rabid optimism that stretch seems to have generated surprises me, considering Bentley is a mediocre AHA team, Dartmouth is inept defensively and Maine is hot garbage...

Lest we forget, UNH struggled with Bentley and beat Maine twice by just one goal and tied one of the other two contests. One blowout of the Black Bears (pretty small sample size) seems to have fooled some people into thinking the Cats are more than a two man team.

Since then they have lost to a bad Vermont team and shut out by Lowell.

Luckily, Northeastern is miserable. What a cute article this week about how they are not miserable! Their injuries to top players and their horrendous coach make them even worse! Unfortunately, UNH isn't a good team either - so while I think Poturalski and Kelleher should sweep, I think three points is more likely and I fear two or less...

As far as ND - I hate them too, Chuck! (But I imagine if any other team came in with the same resume you'd be picking UNH to get swept) - there is likely a ten percent chance UNH does better than a split. I saw them twice a couple weeks ago in Denver. They're meh for a good team. Exactly the type of team UNH would handle in the old days. I wish it was the old days.

Despite the talent on the roster, they didn't show anything close to an overwhelming offense. However, despite the fact that they surrendered nearly 100 shots in two games they gave up just three goals on the weekend. They kept DU out of the slot for the most part and the goalie is huge and position ally very strong.

The balanced offense that got everyone so excited against Maine will not be a factor against ND. Their depth and well rounded lineup is too good for Poturalski and Kelleher to take two wins on their own. A split would be a great result.
Click to expand...

I dunno ... two years ago, a mediocre UNH team swept a ranked NICC at the Whitt 4-2 and 5-2. It sounds like the two teams are in similar positions again this season, same coaches, etc. I like our chances. :) :)
 
Chuck Murray said:
I don't see the CDS situation changing much, Dan - other than Tirone accelerating last season. Had Tirone waited like the original plan, then next season (2016/2017) would have been his soph year, Clark's junior year, and Robinson's frosh year. That means they'd have all still been together in 2017/2018 as well until Clark left, leaving Tirone (senior) and Robinson (junior) as a two-man rotation for 2018/2019.

As it is, the three of them will be together the next two seasons anyway - just as above - except Clark stays (courtesy of the medical redshirt) instead of Tirone when they finally return to a two-man rotation in 2018/2019.

So the whole CDS thing is irrelevant to the stagger, other than the weird Clark/Tirone switcheroo (technical hockey term, that one :D ).
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That's my point - nothing really changes from the original plan. But the CDS situation was absolutely a factor in how they arrived here...

Tirone was supposed to be a year behind Clark. Without the CDS situation they would now be in the same class with Clark redshirting. With both situations unfolding they are now staggered, just with Torone ahead of Clark.

So, the only reason nothing has changed is because the CDS/Tirone situation changed AND the Clark situation changed. a negative times a negative is a positive, so to speak...

The point I meant to make was that UNH likely always expected to have the three on the roster the next two years - it's just happened differently than anyone could have imagined. There's no reason to be overly concerned now, because Tirone's and Clark have essentially just swapped classes....
 
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Chuck Murray said:
I dunno ... two years ago, a mediocre UNH team swept a ranked NICC at the Whitt 4-2 and 5-2. It sounds like the two teams are in similar positions again this season, same coaches, etc. I like our chances. :) :)
Click to expand...

I hope you're right, but that team had Goumas, Sorkin, Willows, Knodel, TVR, Downing, Pesce and Kelleher. Plus Casey DeSmith and a 2.4 GAA and a .920 save percentage.

This team has Poturalski and Kelleher. Plus Danny Tirone's 3.3 GAA and .898 save percentage.

UNH also entered that series with a similar overall record to ND and four points up in the HE Standings.

I'm afraid you're comparing slightly above average UNH apples to below average UNH oranges...
 
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