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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

Ugh he's gonna want that one back... NU 1-0. NU leads. SOG 10-5 'Cats sluggish...DT getting shelled it seems. Mounting very little offense but on the other end of the ice...Gotta bring it this period...
 
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Dan said:
There's no reason to be overly concerned now, because Tirone's and Clark have essentially just swapped classes....
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.........unless something happens to Tirone the second half of this season. But, if we can no longer score goals, that does not matter either. :-(
 
Re: UNH Wildcats 2015-2016 (Part Two) - Managing Decreasing Expectations

3-1 NU...
Ugly that's all I got...NU doing the same thing to us like last year hungry for a win and this is a carbon copy here tonight. Sighhh

PS 4-1 NU nooo D coverage...
 
Re: UNH Wildcats 2015-2016 (Part Two) - Managing Decreasing Expectations

Whoa DT collides with ref not good he looks knocked out.....the ref that is...
 
Snively65 said:
Sounds like a fitting end to this one.

TK drops to third in scoring, Cats drop below NU in PWR.
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Amazingly the official finished the game... But wow just once ONCE I'd like to see this this team come out and just do what they have to do!!! Sorry that's not very fan like just irks me. I am happy for Marcus Vela with his two goals tonight. 4 NU players on Pots most of the night it seemed. really it wasn't like DT had a terrible game NU played a highly physical game we didn't match which pretty much allowed them to have the majority of puck possession. Oh whatever.
 
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Re: UNH Wildcats 2015-2016 (Part Two) - Managing Decreasing Expectations

They are excited about the win over on the Northeastern thread

TheRevengeance said:
First win against a conference opponent in the last 18 tries. Over 11 months between wins. Gonna have to string together at least 7 wins in the remaining 10 and have some luck go our way to have a chance at a first round game at Matthews, but it's a start.
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NCAA watcher said:
They are excited about the win over on the Northeastern thread
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One guy thinks they're back amongst the "top teams in hockey east" after last nights win. It's great to see the UNH reputation still carrying a lot of weight in some circles!

Always nice after a UNH loss to head to the DU game and sit in a sea of LaLeggia jerseys! Icing on the cake last night was a pair of nifty goals for Western Michigan captain Sheldon Dries...
 
Re: UNH Wildcats 2015-2016 (Part Two) - Managing Decreasing Expectations

Dan said:
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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I think we're swimming around the same point, Dan. I agree - this is indeed the way the UNH braintrust projected things to look like for the goalie position for what now shapes up as the last few years of the Coach Umile era.

But this bears little if any resemblance to the majority of the Umile era - especially in recent seasons - where the projected successor has usually been two years' removed from the current starter. When you use the term "stagger", that's what I'm assuming you mean. Not having three separate guys in the mix a year apart, sitting on top of one another. And there has never - and I mean NEVER - been a situation with three scholarship level goalies battling for time.

The original plan - starting with last season - was clearly for CDS to finish up as senior starter, with Clark (and Regan) in reserve, and then this year you have to think (with the benefit of hindsight) Umile expected Tirone to jump into the starter's role as a frosh, again with Clark (and Regan) in reserve. Regan - who I think we can all safely classify as the "emergency" (likely non-scholarship) 3rd goalie, basically gets replaced by Robinson, who is anything but emergency/non-scholarship level.

The glass half full viewpoint is that it's great UNH can have such depth in a key position.

The glass half empty view is that's probably at least an extra half-scholarship (Clark?) committed to a single position where it arguably may be a luxury, especially when there are glaringly obvious shortages in other areas of the team (see "puck moving defenseman" and "talented depth at forward").

With bomber's recent revelations about the communications (or lack thereof?) between Borek and Umile on the recruiting front, it's hard for me not to think that played a role in the current imbalance.

P.S. - pathetic performance last night at NU, and that 6-game unbeaten run (as you've suggested) is starting to look more and more like a mirage in the middle of the NC holiday season schedule. Tonight is a must win (as is next weekend), or else this could all get very ugly pretty quickly ... :eek:
 
Re: UNH Wildcats 2015-2016 (Part Two) - Managing Decreasing Expectations

I'm not going to kill them over a goalie situation that was complicated because it actually supported Borek's theory of "recruit hundreds of average kids." Robinson sort of fell in their laps in the sense he was not procted as an NHL pick when UNH got him, and I bet they even thought he was more of an "in state" low money, push off to 2017 kid who could back up for one year, and then be a good second goalie, perhaps even challenge the starter in 2018-19.

Well, Robinson suddenly became intriguing to the NHL because of his size, meaning he had to be pushed up a year to 2016. I don't know if the money remains the same, but I bet he probably was not promised a lot (particularly if bomber's mantra is that Borek managed to get volume, cheap). (Umile sure seems spooked by Ayers' injury, so he's consistently allocated a lot to goalies. Think 2012 where they had DiGirolamo, DeSmith, Wyer and a decent walk on in Tyler Scott.)

I'm more worried about the "volume" kids that haven't panned out, and who will have to come aboard even though they project as bottom line guys. That's the flip side of Borek's strategy. Once again, one wonders how much Souza is able to communicate with the kids by letting them know how they would fit in in 2018. Although I hate the practice of "we will honor our commitments, but know you will never see the light to day, so we will allow you to look elsewhere" practice, every school uses this (many over use this -- BU, Wisconsin, North Dakota, Providence, looking at you), and it is particularly appropriate where there is a new HC. Normally that would take place upon the change, but given that UNH "wisely" chose to put that off to 2018, who knows.

I hope the non-news means they no longer are trying to get 30 kids for minimum money, and are going after premium kids. Those kids can take time to decide, so UNH has to await their decision. For example, O'Leary is bubbling up as an above average prospect (a Souza type left wing), and he decommitted from Cornell. If that is the reason for Souza's Halifax trip, he would be a nice Foegele replacement.
 
Re: UNH Wildcats 2015-2016 (Part Two) - Managing Decreasing Expectations

Chuck Murray said:
I think we're swimming around the same point, Dan. I agree - this is indeed the way the UNH braintrust projected things to look like for the goalie position for what now shapes up as the last few years of the Coach Umile era.

But this bears little if any resemblance to the majority of the Umile era - especially in recent seasons - where the projected successor has usually been two years' removed from the current starter. When you use the term "stagger", that's what I'm assuming you mean. Not having three separate guys in the mix a year apart, sitting on top of one another. And there has never - and I mean NEVER - been a situation with three scholarship level goalies battling for time.

The original plan - starting with last season - was clearly for CDS to finish up as senior starter, with Clark (and Regan) in reserve, and then this year you have to think (with the benefit of hindsight) Umile expected Tirone to jump into the starter's role as a frosh, again with Clark (and Regan) in reserve. Regan - who I think we can all safely classify as the "emergency" (likely non-scholarship) 3rd goalie, basically gets replaced by Robinson, who is anything but emergency/non-scholarship level.

The glass half full viewpoint is that it's great UNH can have such depth in a key position.

The glass half empty view is that's probably at least an extra half-scholarship (Clark?) committed to a single position where it arguably may be a luxury, especially when there are glaringly obvious shortages in other areas of the team (see "puck moving defenseman" and "talented depth at forward").

With bomber's recent revelations about the communications (or lack thereof?) between Borek and Umile on the recruiting front, it's hard for me not to think that played a role in the current imbalance.

P.S. - pathetic performance last night at NU, and that 6-game unbeaten run (as you've suggested) is starting to look more and more like a mirage in the middle of the NC holiday season schedule. Tonight is a must win (as is next weekend), or else this could all get very ugly pretty quickly ... :eek:
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As tonight goes, so goes the rest of the season at least, morale wise. Which is why I said last night was a 'statement game' of sorts. I'll give credit to NU (although I highly doubt they will win HE...) they stepped up to the plate, doing to us exactly what they did last year; they were winless in I believe 10-12 games, came to play, yada yada yada. That's what I think I was looking for last night from the 'Cats; stymie this and it proves a lot about what's in there down deep. That's not to say we can't have a bad game, every team does. But tonight is pretty huge in those regards. So Snively65 hanging out for the morning at our usual Boston game haunt, the Westin Waltham. Heading up to the Seacoast soon and looking forward to the game tonight. Go 'Cats!!
 
Re: UNH Wildcats 2015-2016 (Part Two) - Managing Decreasing Expectations

Agree with Watcher on the goalie situation. But, who is the third goalie at the moment in practice? Or, is there one, other than a goalie from the club team? And, how is the club team doing this year? Grasping for any UNH success to discuss here, although I realize that this is a Div 1 thread.
 
Re: UNH Wildcats 2015-2016 (Part Two) - Managing Decreasing Expectations

Watched beat me to the punch on Robinson, who was always supposed to be 2017, but jumped up to prospect status after last season. It's a much better problem to have than seeing him play at Lowell or PC, etc...

He also touched on Robinsons size. That's a big reason he was drafted so early. The NHL loves goalies with size, but those are also the goalies that usually need a lot of development. Meaning that next year UNH could easily have three capable number one goalies, but also three kids capable of turning in some shaky performances.

It's crucial Umile goes into next seasons goalie rotations with an open mind. Unless Tirone returns to form and is absolutely lights out, they have to get time for the other goalies early and find the best PT mix for the team...
 
HockeyRef said:
[/B]

As tonight goes, so goes the rest of the season at least, morale wise. Which is why I said last night was a 'statement game' of sorts. I'll give credit to NU (although I highly doubt they will win HE...) they stepped up to the plate, doing to us exactly what they did last year; they were winless in I believe 10-12 games, came to play, yada yada yada. That's what I think I was looking for last night from the 'Cats; stymie this and it proves a lot about what's in there down deep. That's not to say we can't have a bad game, every team does. But tonight is pretty huge in those regards. So Snively65 hanging out for the morning at our usual Boston game haunt, the Westin Waltham. Heading up to the Seacoast soon and looking forward to the game tonight. Go 'Cats!!
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Whoaa, the Waltham Westin? See any RIT fans or their team at breakfast this morning? And, if so, I hope that they thanked you for our Frozen Four gift-wrapped to them in 2010.

I was thinking about driving to Durham for game tonight, but the road conditions are really lousy here in the Notth Country today.
 
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Re: UNH Wildcats 2015-2016 (Part Two) - Managing Decreasing Expectations

Well, without a Scores thread, I'll just drop this this recurring observation here... Look at the goal replays last night. It's the same old loosy-goosy defensive zone coverage. Three of those goals with practically uncontested shots... This D-group is pathetic. Quit the puck-watching and COVER SOMEBODY, for crying out load! Make it painful to cruise the slot!! Win a game 2-1 or 1-0! It's so, so bad.
 
Re: UNH Wildcats 2015-2016 (Part Two) - Managing Decreasing Expectations

FYI - The Wildcats will play at Colorado College next season.

Colorado College again opens the schedule against Hockey East powers with No. 11 UMass-Lowell playing a two-game series Oct. 14-15 for homecoming followed by a split weekend with No. 4 Boston College and New Hampshire on Oct. 21-22 at The Broadmoor World Arena. The two Hockey East teams will likely play No. 14 Denver on alternate nights that same weekend.
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http://gazette.com/next-seasons-colorado-college-hockey-schedule-coming-together/article/1567934
 
Re: UNH Wildcats 2015-2016 (Part Two) - Managing Decreasing Expectations

Snively65 said:
Agree with Watcher on the goalie situation. But, who is the third goalie at the moment in practice? Or, is there one, other than a goalie from the club team? And, how is the club team doing this year? Grasping for any UNH success to discuss here, although I realize that this is a Div 1 thread.
Click to expand...

Club team is ranked 1st in the Northeast with a record of 13-2-1. And they have 4 goalies on their roster so I assume that there's a club goalie who has gotten the call up to practice with the big club.
 
Re: UNH Wildcats 2015-2016 (Part Two) - Managing Decreasing Expectations

Dan said:
It's crucial Umile goes into next seasons goalie rotations with an open mind. Unless Tirone returns to form and is absolutely lights out, they have to get time for the other goalies early and find the best PT mix for the team...
Click to expand...

Agreed 100%. Clearly Coach Umile rates Tirone over Clark, that much is obvious. He earned it last season ... this season, not so much (although the play in front of him isn't helping things). One would think that barring a fantastic turnaround down the stretch, the door is wide open for Clark and Robinson to challenge next Fall. Umile has shown a willingness to move off of his "incumbent" in the past when warranted (Conklin over Matile, CDS over Digiralomo to name two), so there's no reason to think he'll be overly loyal to Tirone in current form.

I'd say this was shaping up as fascinating ... but expected the program (replete with easier schedule) to move up to at least challenge for the NCAA's. Instead it is stagnating at the .500 level for yet another mediocre season.

Nothing fascinating about that. In a word, frustrating ... and two seasons more like this to follow? Ugh ...
 
Re: UNH Wildcats 2015-2016 (Part Two) - Managing Decreasing Expectations

Thanks, Journey34; to me that is lots more reassuring than our D-men in front of the net.

Interesting on the return to Colorado next fall; good for Dan, right? I will plan to fly out for that weekend, as I not have been to either CC or DU for games.
 
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