What's new
By:
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 2016-17 Vol II -- We Do Have a Hockey Season Here!?!

Status
Not open for further replies.
Re: UNH Wildcats 2016-17 Vol II -- We Do Have a Hockey Season Here!?!

HockeyRef said:
Greg I certainly do not wish to get into a debate with you or anyone else as my hockey knowledge is still coming along but I will pose this question...take Kelleher out of the line up and you tell me we would be better off? Wait til next year...hope we have a good play maker to take his place. Nazarian? Grasso? I suppose every player is replaceable but I think it will be interesting. Doubt many teams are going to triple team us like they do now but I hope to be pleasantly surprised!

Meanwhile he's doing very well in the Hobey fan voting so far and I wish him the best.
Click to expand...
I'll speak for Greg. He didn't say that. He said that TK needs to change his play. In my biased defense for most things UNH, the coaches asked TK to pass less, shoot more. TK is over doing it.
 
Re: UNH Wildcats 2016-17 Vol II -- We Do Have a Hockey Season Here!?!

Darius said:
I'll speak for Greg. He didn't say that. He said that TK needs to change his play. In my biased defense for most things UNH, the coaches asked TK to pass less, shoot more. TK is over doing it.
Click to expand...

When every outlet pass by the defense is a chip into traffic, it leaves you with 3 or 4 guys back all the time. it's like blaming a receiver for having few YAC when every defender can drop back and the QB still throw the ball into no-mans' land.
 
Re: UNH Wildcats 2016-17 Vol II -- We Do Have a Hockey Season Here!?!

Darius said:
I'll speak for Greg. He didn't say that. He said that TK needs to change his play. In my biased defense for most things UNH, the coaches asked TK to pass less, shoot more. TK is over doing it.
Click to expand...

I know he didn't say that...and as I said a few posts back, I can see this issue as well. That wasn't my intent to discredit / debate his comments...it's more of a question. So let's take him out of the line up. How are we doing? That's all I'm asking.
 
Re: UNH Wildcats 2016-17 Vol II -- We Do Have a Hockey Season Here!?!

NCAA watcher said:
When every outlet pass by the defense is a chip into traffic, it leaves you with 3 or 4 guys back all the time. it's like blaming a receiver for having few YAC when every defender can drop back and the QB still throw the ball into no-mans' land.
Click to expand...

So you'd think with the talent on that top line they'd have figured out how to deal...hmm! Well then I guess it's a dead issue; TyK doesn't/won't pass off. Coaching staff doesn't / won't push the issue for whatever reason. God help us this weekend.
 
Re: UNH Wildcats 2016-17 Vol II -- We Do Have a Hockey Season Here!?!

HockeyRef said:
I know he didn't say that...and as I said a few posts back, I can see this issue as well. That wasn't my intent to discredit / debate his comments...it's more of a question. So let's take him out of the line up. How are we doing? That's all I'm asking.
Click to expand...
We are (would be) doing worse. Other teams pay a lot of attention to TK.
 
Re: UNH Wildcats 2016-17 Vol II -- We Do Have a Hockey Season Here!?!

HockeyRef said:
So you'd think with the talent on that top line they'd have figured out how to deal...hmm! Well then I guess it's a dead issue; TyK doesn't/won't pass off. Coaching staff doesn't / won't push the issue for whatever reason. God help us this weekend.
Click to expand...
For some reason I have a good feeling about this weekend. Logic says we get no points. My unexplained feeling says we get 1 or 2. Not bad, I suppose.
 
Re: UNH Wildcats 2016-17 Vol II -- We Do Have a Hockey Season Here!?!

Greg Ambrose said:
UNH got a scheduling break where they faced mostly also rans at the beginning of the HE schedule. Now they have started playing teams that are better than them and their talent gap is showing. There are eight games left against the likes of BC, BU, Lowell and UVM, then UConn to finish out. How many points will they get? I'm guessing three.
Click to expand...

I'm guessing more...but don't ask me where and when. Wouldn't be shocked to get a point or two Friday. I see an up tempo game that likely features odd man rushes, which plays to UNH's strengths.

As much as last year's team struggled it still managed to get points from Providence, Lowell and BU down the stretch. I'm sure that most fans have this season's closing night game against UConn written in ink as a win, but I'm sure they probably did the same last year. And despite the wins over PC and Lowell, that UConn game netted no points. I hate the cliche but it really is true that there are no nights off in Hockey East.

Most, if not all, UNH fans reading this read also read the other ones. But for those that haven't I'd thought I would enlighten them to the fact that it seems nobody is feeling really great about their respective teams right now. On the BC thread I have seen them referred to as a "high school team." A BU fan wrote that if the Terriers don't play better against UNH than they did against MC they will get "smoked." Following Lowell's UNH like collapse (the River Hawks really seem to be following the Wildcat playbook to a "T") I saw one fan write "seasons over." Vermont is looking to either trade for or sign a free agent goalie. I suppose Providence fans are probably feeling good right now, but they are the exception.

I guess Hockey East really has reached parity. Or is it parody?
 
NCAA watcher said:
When every outlet pass by the defense is a chip into traffic, it leaves you with 3 or 4 guys back all the time. it's like blaming a receiver for having few YAC when every defender can drop back and the QB still throw the ball into no-mans' land.
Click to expand...

As always, best insight on the thread.
 
NCAA watcher said:
When every outlet pass by the defense is a chip into traffic, it leaves you with 3 or 4 guys back all the time. it's like blaming a receiver for having few YAC when every defender can drop back and the QB still throw the ball into no-mans' land.
Click to expand...

I hope that my comments before didn't lead anyone to think that I'm blaming the neutral zone problems on him. The zone entry issues are a team wide problem. My comments on his game come mostly from what happens in the offensive zone. Kelleher is actually one of the better neutral zone players on the team. I think that is equally his doing along with defenses giving him the neutral zone so they don't get beaten by his speed.
 
Darius said:
For some reason I have a good feeling about this weekend. Logic says we get no points. My unexplained feeling says we get 1 or 2. Not bad, I suppose.
Click to expand...

Love your optimism...being hopeful is a good thing!! Remembering we beat UML there last year (first time in awhile) and kept things close with BC last time around.
 
Re: UNH Wildcats 2016-17 Vol II -- We Do Have a Hockey Season Here!?!

NCAA watcher said:
When every outlet pass by the defense is a chip into traffic, it leaves you with 3 or 4 guys back all the time. it's like blaming a receiver for having few YAC when every defender can drop back and the QB still throw the ball into no-mans' land.
Click to expand...

Good analogy as to what happens. And lest we forget, we don't have Brett P to skate it out of the zone. But I'm feeling more optimistic by this convo and like Felger said, most teams feel abit shaky. Maybe we steal a game here and there. The 'Cats can rise to the occasion when we play the tough competition. Is it Friday yet?
 
Last edited:
Re: UNH Wildcats 2016-17 Vol II -- We Do Have a Hockey Season Here!?!

Well, it is a shame that a while back I deleted a snarky reply about Kelleher. I was so close! In my post I wondered if the much more difficult second half schedule would result in cries of Kelleher quitting. Selfish was on the tip of my tongue. I should have gone with selfish.

Kelleher is the same player he's always been - except in previous years he's had more (not a lot) help and in the first half they played an incredibly weak schedule. Now, they're playing better overall teams, better defensive teams, they've proven to all game planning coaches they lack depth and teams are zeroing in on Kelleher. The result, is less production. Its that simple. There is no need to bury the kid.

Kelleher's slide started after a huge night at Brown. Since then, they've played a more difficult stretch of opponents than at any other point to date, including the last two weekends against Providence (11th nationally in GA) and Notre Dame (9th).

----

First Half Opponents GA/D Rank/PWR -
Bentley - 3.23 / 49 / 43
St. Lawrence - 2.18 / 7 / 14
Clarkson - 3.07 / 40 / 31
CC - 3.35 / 51 / 34
UMass - 3.52 / 53 / 56
Merrimack - 2.62 / 22 / 35
Sacred Heart - 3.12 / 42 / 47
Mercyhurst - 3.00 / 37 / 44
BC - 2.32 / 13 / 10
ASU - 4.13 / 58 / 48
Merrimack - 2.62 / 22 / 35
UMass - 3.52 / 53 / 56
RPI - 3.75 / 56 / 57
Cornell - 2.20 / 8 / 17
Maine - 3.19 / 47 / 40
Maine - 3.19 / 47 / 40
Dartmouth - 3.14 / 43 / 37
Maine - 3.19 / 47 / 40
AVERAGES - 3.26 / 39 / 38

Second Half Opponents GA / D Rank / PWR -
Lowell - 2.52 / 17 / 13
Brown - 4.19 / 59 / 55
Northeastern - 3.08 / 41 / 22
Northeastern - 3.08 / 41 / 22
Notre Dame - 2.23 / 9 / 21
Notre Dame - 2.23 / 9 / 21
Providence - 2.27 / 11 / 11
Providence - 2.27 / 11 / 11
AVERAGES - 2.73 / 24 / 22

UNH played three teams in the top-30 in PWR in the first half and already seven of eight second half games have been against #22 or higher. The more difficult second half numbers would be even more dramatic were they not skewed badly by Brown - a team Kelleher scored five points against. One may not think the second half schedule is too difficult - but you cannot argue it hasn't been much tougher, both overall and defensively, than the first half. Unfortunately, for this UNH team, the step up in competition has been a big problem. Its the same scenario as last year - bad team with no depth plays tougher schedule, opponents focus on lone 1 or 2 offensive threats and the team and said threats struggle offensively. Kelleher's actual play (like Poturalski's and Kelleher's last year) is well down the list of reasons for his recent lack of production...

One final note on the weakened 2016-17 version of HE - if the season ended today, five HE teams would make the NCAA Tournament...
 
Last edited:
Re: UNH Wildcats 2016-17 Vol II -- We Do Have a Hockey Season Here!?!

Go 'cats. Beat BC. "Harvard Rejects!"
 
Re: UNH Wildcats 2016-17 Vol II -- We Do Have a Hockey Season Here!?!

Darius said:
Go 'cats. Beat BC. "Harvard Rejects!"
Click to expand...

BU Safety School....BU Safety School...BU Safety School....Preppies with Pucks...Preppies with Pucks....Preppies with Pucks....:)
 
Last edited:
Re: UNH Wildcats 2016-17 Vol II -- We Do Have a Hockey Season Here!?!

HockeyRef said:
BU Safety School....BU Safety School...BU Safety School....Preppies with Pucks...Preppies with Pucks....Preppies with Pucks....:)
Click to expand...

While we usually struggle with BC for a win, they are often some of the best, and most wide open games of the year. As noted after our first game down there, we actually looked decent all night. We are both fast breakout teams, and BC is one of the few who teams that doesn't typically take our transition game away. They just have been way deeper as a team for several years.
That said, we win by 1 either 3-2 or 4-3. If they come on strong early, we lose 5-2.
 
After the Whistle said:
While we usually struggle with BC for a win, they are often some of the best, and most wide open games of the year. As noted after our first game down there, we actually looked decent all night. We are both fast breakout teams, and BC is one of the few who teams that doesn't typically take our transition game away. They just have been way deeper as a team for several years.
That said, we win by 1 either 3-2 or 4-3. If they come on strong early, we lose 5-2.
Click to expand...

Sounds about right....
HR's game predicts:
BC 4. UNH 2

UML 3. UNH 1
 
Dan said:
Well, it is a shame that a while back I deleted a snarky reply about Kelleher. I was so close! In my post I wondered if the much more difficult second half schedule would result in cries of Kelleher quitting. Selfish was on the tip of my tongue. I should have gone with selfish.

Kelleher is the same player he's always been - except in previous years he's had more (not a lot) help and in the first half they played an incredibly weak schedule. Now, they're playing better overall teams, better defensive teams, they've proven to all game planning coaches they lack depth and teams are zeroing in on Kelleher. The result, is less production. Its that simple. There is no need to bury the kid.

Kelleher's slide started after a huge night at Brown. Since then, they've played a more difficult stretch of opponents than at any other point to date, including the last two weekends against Providence (11th nationally in GA) and Notre Dame (9th).

----

First Half Opponents GA/D Rank/PWR -
Bentley - 3.23 / 49 / 43
St. Lawrence - 2.18 / 7 / 14
Clarkson - 3.07 / 40 / 31
CC - 3.35 / 51 / 34
UMass - 3.52 / 53 / 56
Merrimack - 2.62 / 22 / 35
Sacred Heart - 3.12 / 42 / 47
Mercyhurst - 3.00 / 37 / 44
BC - 2.32 / 13 / 10
ASU - 4.13 / 58 / 48
Merrimack - 2.62 / 22 / 35
UMass - 3.52 / 53 / 56
RPI - 3.75 / 56 / 57
Cornell - 2.20 / 8 / 17
Maine - 3.19 / 47 / 40
Maine - 3.19 / 47 / 40
Dartmouth - 3.14 / 43 / 37
Maine - 3.19 / 47 / 40
AVERAGES - 3.26 / 39 / 38

Second Half Opponents GA / D Rank / PWR -
Lowell - 2.52 / 17 / 13
Brown - 4.19 / 59 / 55
Northeastern - 3.08 / 41 / 22
Northeastern - 3.08 / 41 / 22
Notre Dame - 2.23 / 9 / 21
Notre Dame - 2.23 / 9 / 21
Providence - 2.27 / 11 / 11
Providence - 2.27 / 11 / 11
AVERAGES - 2.73 / 24 / 22

UNH played three teams in the top-30 in PWR in the first half and already seven of eight second half games have been against #22 or higher. The more difficult second half numbers would be even more dramatic were they not skewed badly by Brown - a team Kelleher scored five points against. One may not think the second half schedule is too difficult - but you cannot argue it hasn't been much tougher, both overall and defensively, than the first half. Unfortunately, for this UNH team, the step up in competition has been a big problem. Its the same scenario as last year - bad team with no depth plays tougher schedule, opponents focus on lone 1 or 2 offensive threats and the team and said threats struggle offensively. Kelleher's actual play (like Poturalski's and Kelleher's last year) is well down the list of reasons for his recent lack of production...

One final note on the weakened 2016-17 version of HE - if the season ended today, five HE teams would make the NCAA Tournament...
Click to expand...

Been busy the last few days but I feel the need to respond. My intention wasn't to bury the kid because, after all, he's the best we have. He has skills and I think that on a complete team he would be an awesome player, I really do. But he's on UNH and, as bad as they are, there are some guys that have the ability to contribute. But they're not going to get the chance if TK is hogging the puck. He does have the skill to bring the puck out of the zone and get through center ice. But what happens when he gets into the offensive zone. Last week against Providence I saw him a make couple of center ice moves, cross the blue line and skate into no man's land. He turned the puck over on a 1-on-3 situation and the next thing you know, the Friars are getting a Grade A chance. I have seen this too much, this turning opportunities into mush. He's going to finish with a lot of points, be the team MVP and he may even be an All-American. But elite, even in the pantheon of UNH greats? No.
 
After the Whistle said:
While we usually struggle with BC for a win, they are often some of the best, and most wide open games of the year. As noted after our first game down there, we actually looked decent all night. We are both fast breakout teams, and BC is one of the few who teams that doesn't typically take our transition game away. They just have been way deeper as a team for several years.
That said, we win by 1 either 3-2 or 4-3. If they come on strong early, we lose 5-2.
Click to expand...

Would love to embrace this idea, as I have in the past, but this is the slowest wildcat team I can remember. The ice works more to their favor than ours.
 
Re: UNH Wildcats 2016-17 Vol II -- We Do Have a Hockey Season Here!?!

Curious, Sacco warming up with D, no sign of Wyse.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top