UNH Wildcats 2016-17 -- We're Going to Have a Hockey Season Here!!

[deltabravo62]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016-17 -- We're Going to Have a Hockey Season Here!!

Here's the thing I really like about "Hattrick" Grasso (or is it PG-HT+1 Chuck?), look at where most of his goals are scored. Scooping up the garbage in front because he knows when and how to get there. Fun to watch.

The defense is tightening up around Tirone without collapsing in so far that they allow a shooting gallery from the point. Hopefully this continues as they were getting too caught up in crowding the net and giving up the blue line last year to obvious results. Wyse is getting better, he just needs to ease up on the penalty minutes.

Another good HE win against a team we needed to get a win out of. Tirone had a pretty good weekend, but he is still all over the place and it scares me (shocker, I know...). The second goal given up tonight was just bad defensive coverage and I didn't really get a good look at how the first one went in (assuming there was a screen). He kept out what he needed to keep out and the defense is getting better at locating and clearing rebounds.

 

[Snively65]

According to Mike McMahon first UNH Hattie in ONE period since Grayson Downing v Maine Dec 2014!

But, as we looked up between first and second tonight, Downing's one period hat trick included an ENG in third, and was not a natural like Grasso's.

 

[Snively65]

In the post game presser Umile said the same thing. I also bumped into Alan Lessels after the first period and he agreed as well. Can't get ahead of ourselves but, like Haydar, he seems to have the knack of avoiding contact and getting separation. Also, very quick release.

And, like Haydar benefitted by playing on the first line as a freshman with Krog and Souza, I think Grasso needs to be on the first line with TyK and McNick. TyK has assists on three of Grasso's five PPG's. Yeah, I get it, against mostly cupcakes, as we try not to be a cupcake.

 

[HockeyRef]

But, as we looked up between first and second tonight, Downing's one period hat trick included an ENG in third, and was not a natural like Grasso's.

Good point! Who knew this player would have the start he has had? Wow. Now teams have a new threat to worry about but I'd be surprised to see him play first line; not saying he doesn't belong there just would be surprised. He seems to do just fine where he is but...

 

[GoUNH]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016-17 -- We're Going to Have a Hockey Season Here!!

Personally I'd keep the top 3 lines intact for now, they all moved the puck very well and generated many quality scoring chances in my opinion, especially the 1st line.

 

[e.cat]

In the post game presser Umile said the same thing. I also bumped into Alan Lessels after the first period and he agreed as well. Can't get ahead of ourselves but, like Haydar, he seems to have the knack of avoiding contact and getting separation. Also, very quick release.

All that being said, and they definitely were more engaged than they were last week vs. CC, we won't know exactly what UNH's level is until they play someone decent. Maybe election night at BC?

You know what they say about great minds. Haha!

Agree they were definitely more engaged. Umile said at the Friends event after the game that they got 'em altogether and showed them clips of past glories and talked with them about the tradition and what it means to wear the UNH jersey. Kinda, the name on the front is more important than the name on the back stuff! Whatever works I guess but it seems odd to me that these kids can just flip a switch like that. On the other hand, they are still college kids and not pros.

 

[HockeyRef]

You know what they say about great minds. Haha!

Agree they were definitely more engaged. Umile said at the Friends event after the game that they got 'em altogether and showed them clips of past glories and talked with them about the tradition and what it means to wear the UNH jersey. Kinda, the name on the front is more important than the name on the back stuff! Whatever works I guess but it seems odd to me that these kids can just flip a switch like that. On the other hand, they are still college kids and not pros.

Your last sentence speaks volumes....In a perfect world I'd like to think the team as a whole just pulled it together ...who knows? Last year I remeber when NU's Kevin Roy was asked how they went from 0-12 (something like that) to HE champs and he talked about the "hockey culture" they developed and I thought of that at the FOH meeting. (Good to catch up Aerman btw and the rest of the usual suspects)

You gotta start somewhere. Now before anyone thinks I expect them to do what NU did that's not the point. They played what I think are two nights of consistent hockey so that's encouraging. Let's see where it goes next few games and would agree how they do against a big gun (like BC) will be a fair measure.

Finally man did not realize it after watching the re cap that last night was only the second win at home since Dec 10 of last season (gulp) Be nice to win the next couple! Wonder if Bobby V will make the trek to the 'Whitt to watch his cupcakes?

 

[Scott]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016-17 -- We're Going to Have a Hockey Season Here!!

Terrific. Another uneaten cupcake left on the shelf.

Puts a lot of pressure on the boys to sweep next weekend.

Ain't gonna happen.

0-2 at home against two of the most mediocre teams in the country? Uummmm....yeah

Your "supposed best goalie" gives up two shorties ON THE FIRST TWO EFFING SHOTS HE FACES??? Uummmm....yeah

This $hitShow Express has left the station...final destination Hockey East Cellar. Enjoy the ride, folks. If I were Umile, I would do some serious soul-searching at this point.

I suppose that the only solace is that when we finally hit bottom, no place to go but up. I was really hoping not to see the evil mid-80's seasons make a 30 year re-surfacing, but....I can't see much hope at this point.

Enjoying a generous helping of crow at breakfast this morning.

I really hope that this is the beginning of a long-awaited turnaround for this team.

 

[Scott]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016-17 -- We're Going to Have a Hockey Season Here!!

But, as we looked up between first and second tonight, Downing's one period hat trick included an ENG in third, and was not a natural like Grasso's.

First four-goal game for a single player since Stevie Moses back in January 2012, according to Foster's sports writer Al Pike. Can anyone remember the last natural hattie by a freshman? Haydar? Mowers? Sean Collins? Ralph Cox?

 

[C-H-C]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016-17 -- We're Going to Have a Hockey Season Here!!

"Tricks & Treats: 4 Grasso Goals Lead Wildcats to 6-2 Victory Over Warriors"
by Ben Nawn
Includes video highlights.

 

[Darius]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016-17 -- We're Going to Have a Hockey Season Here!!

Haydar was 41GP, 31 goals, 30 assists, 61 points as a freshman. No pressure. On the PP, parked on the weak side and capitalizing on a great pass, Mr. Grasso reminds me of another glory days 'cat. Like I said, no pressure.

After this weekend, changes to the top 3 lines seems unlikely. Why mess with success?

 

[wildcatdc]

Haydar was 41GP, 31 goals, 30 assists, 61 points as a freshman. No pressure. On the PP, parked on the weak side and capitalizing on a great pass, Mr. Grasso reminds me of another glory days 'cat. Like I said, no pressure.

After this weekend, changes to the top 3 lines seems unlikely. Why mess with success?

I'm with you, Darius. I liked the cohesion this weekend. And if we all believe this is another rebuilding year, let the freshman develop together .

I hope we see additional progress next weekend and then carry that into some HEA challenges.

Underclassmen making up almost 50% of our goal scoring and about 40% of our points. -8 +/- for the underclassmen. Same -8 for the juniors and seniors. FR/SO taking just a bit under 50% of our shots (used a a measure of "activity" only).

So, they are seeing a good amount of ice time and seem to be involved and contributing. This year, that seems like a pretty important outcome.

 

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016-17 -- We're Going to Have a Hockey Season Here!!

It's that time again ... from WIS Productions, here's the latest chapter of "Umile's Last Stand - The _____ for 600".

Umile's Last Stand - The Quest for 600"

Coach Umile's current career wins total: 574
Wins Remaining to the next round number: 26
*Games Remaining (Next 2 Seasons - Min.): 66
Win Pct. Required to Hit Target: approx. 39%
WIS Estimated Likelihood of Success: 80%
2016/2017 Cupcake Quotient to Date: 2/4 (50%)

Your UNH Wildcats had themselves a case of the munchies this past weekend, and hopefully proved to themselves the magic of playing with a lead for the first time(s) of the season, as they polished off a pair of cupcakes with decisive wins at UMass (bettering the WIS prediction by an extra goal) and at home over Merrimack (where WIS had cheekily predicted an OT win). And just in the nick of time, as the WIS prognosticators had sounded the warning alarms after last weekend's home loss to cupcake CC ... but with convincing back-to-back wins in their opening HE contests, the 'Cats improbably now find themselves atop Hockey East. Freshman forward Patrick Grasso is emerging early as the best of the batch of new recruits, with many (premature) comparisons to Darren Haydar turning up the pressure to produce. But somewhat lost in the shuffle has been the gradual development of three balanced forward lines, and although there has been some discussion about moving Grasso up to the top line, WIS is with the apparent majority of posters who feel that if it ain't broken, don't fix it. Three balanced lines with a mix of emerging young talent, and some older players finally enjoying more quality ice time, is something we've been hoping for. And while it may have been helped by *competitive issues* with two of HE's traditional bottom feeder programs ... that it's already on the cusp of busting out and we're not even into November, leaves lots of reasons for optimism for the rest of this season, and (hopefully) beyond.

By most accounts, the defense has shown improvement, and G Dan ("Dr. Jekyll") Tirone kept the opposition off the scoresheet in both games until his teammates had established control. Rumors of an aggravation of G Adam Clark's shoulder injury have now been confirmed, so WIS observers fully expect Tirone will get both starts in goal for the 'Cats next weekend, as Coach Umile really wants to believe his search for salvation between the pipes has been answered (WIS thinks that's a wee bit optimistic). Just how serious Clark's condition might be long-term is unclear, but with his penchant for riding the "hot hand", Coach probably wants to err on the side of caution, lest he put himself in the frightening position where the term "starting goalie Joe Lazzaro" becomes a reality - which of course would put the Quest for 600 in some serious danger.

Looking at the big picture ... WIS experts had projected Coach Umile's Wildcats would amass at least 10 wins in the opening 18 game stretch of the season, until the calendar changes to 2017. WIS is tentatively restating its position on this projection. The previous weekend's home loss to the Paper Tigers sent shock waves that shook the WIS Estate right to its foundations, but this weekend's decisive sweep reassured those in this corner that the 10 win projection is still attainable. Two more cupcakes loom just over the horizon for next weekend, and with both of those games at home, these still figure to be pivotal games which will offer further insight into whether Coach's quest for the next round number remains on course and viable.

Given that early concerns about an inability to devour cupcakes has been at least temporarily quelled, WIS has restored Coach Umile's chances for success in his quest to the 80% level we started the season at, since Coach has historically won well over 40% of his games. As long as this year's team meets modest expectations for 15 wins, it's likely BS35+4 and Coach will assemble a NC schedule for next season that makes this year's NC schedule look like the highway to he11. But a 20 win season this year (as improbable as that may seem) could render the Quest a virtual fait accompli. Overall, however, the Quest remains in the balance, and WIS is still watching the on-ice results very closely next weekend, as the parade of cupcakes continues unabated.

Predictions:

Friday: UNH 7 Sacred Heart 0
Saturday: UNH 4 Mercyhurst 2

NEXT CUPCAKES ON THE SHELF: 11/12/16 @ home vs. Arizona State; 11/13/16 @ home vs. Merrimack

IS BS35+4 PAYING ATTENTION YET?

Still doubtful. UNH Football romped to a second straight win over Stony Brook this weekend, moving the Football 'Cats to a 6-3-0 record, where 1 win in their last 2 games probably gets UNH back in the D-2 tourney for their 88th consecutive season (OK just a slight exaggeration there ). So it's been nothing but sunshine and balloons across the UNH campus this weekend, and I'm sure our hero is going to want the boys to get that win in their next home game against Albany, as a tricky season finale on the road vs. the suddenly scorching archrivals from Orono could really be a very unwelcome surprise ending to the CAA regular season. On the home front ... the NHIAA postseason tourney has taken a bite out of one of the two D-2 programs nearest and dearest to his heart so while potential distractions to his (former) flagship Hockey program have been thinned, there's still too much going on across the street, and BS35+4 is no doubt sleeping these days (nights?) with visions of D-2 Football home game sugarplums dancing in his head. All those ESPN8 announcers who took snarky shots at the old stadium in days past will be mighty impressed with the new one, begging for his forgiveness (and all-you-can-eat buffet passes in the MUB). If he plays his cards just right, it might free our hero up some "me time" to be spent in the watering holes of downtown Portsmouth - *maybe* with his fave hockey coach.

* - minimum games remaining assumes 34 regular season games, and at least 2 games in the MBPBEGAM "playoffs"

 

[Snively65]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016-17 -- We're Going to Have a Hockey Season Here!!

I agree that it is great to have three lines again that can be a threat to score goals, but moving up Grasso to the first line should not change that. Also, nice to have again a PP that can score once in a while. Just seems to me that TyK needs a finisher on the first line, and I do not think that Salvaggio fits that bill. Just based on my observations from the three games that I have seen at home.

 

[wildcatdc]

I agree that it is great to have three lines again that can be a threat to score goals, but moving up Grasso to the first line should not change that. Also, nice to have again a PP that can score once in a while. Just seems to me that TyK needs a finisher on the first line, and I do not think that Salvaggio fits that bill. Just based on my observations from the three games that I have seen at home.

Fair point. 5 of his 8 goals have come on the PP, where I think he spends a material amount of time with TyK.

I thought we would see more out of Salvaggio to date as well. It's early though - we will see!

 

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016-17 -- We're Going to Have a Hockey Season Here!!

I agree that it is great to have three lines again that can be a threat to score goals, but moving up Grasso to the first line should not change that. Also, nice to have again a PP that can score once in a while. Just seems to me that TyK needs a finisher on the first line, and I do not think that Salvaggio fits that bill. Just based on my observations from the three games that I have seen at home.

It may come to pass later in the season that someone like Grasso (or Blackburn?) will be moved up to the top line - or not. I don't see the need to rush it, frankly. For one, we are starting to see some regular contributions from the top three lines, and there's no need for urgency to "fix" something that's working quite well right now. Let those lines continue to gel and develop. And, let's not forget ... last season (and other past seasons) when UNH has loaded up its top line, the lack of scoring depth across multiple lines has not done the team any favors. I'm sure it would help boost Kelleher's stats in the short run ... but are we trying to get Kelleher a Hobey nomination, or is UNH trying to win hockey games, and get the program turned back in the right direction?



Not to mention Kelleher is a senior, and the guys Grasso is playing with now are (hopefully) going to be teammates for several years into the future. I think some (if not all?) of these points have been raised and made by other posters. They play together enough on the PP as it stands, and I think you'd want to be careful not to create a line of "munchkins" and create an easy target for the opposition's best checking lines.

Let's not forget ... Correale/Poturalski/Kelleher was fun to watch early last season, but ran out of steam as the season progressed when they soaked up the attention of the opposition, which would often neutralize them, and then allow them just bash UNH over the head with their lack of depth issues. And this year's would-be "Munchkin Line" (assuming McNicholas or Nazarian would fill out a line with Kelleher/Grasso) makes the Correale/Poturalski/Kelleher line of last season look like behemoths by comparison.

If you're gonna move Salvaggio - and I'm not there yet myself, but let's say IF - then I'd be leaning more towards someone with some size and potential finishing skills. Vela comes to mind first, then maybe Eiserman or Blackburn, or even BvR if he continues to progress in the coming weeks.

But for now, I'd leave well enough alone. No need for munchkins when we've got cupcakes waiting ...

 

[deltabravo62]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016-17 -- We're Going to Have a Hockey Season Here!!

Agreed Chuck, a "munchkin" line works on the PP, but creating opportunities even strength with lack of size is a much tougher thing especially when the better competition starts rolling into town. Let the freshman line get more familiar with each other and let Grasso take his bonus time on the first PP. We all know there will be plenty of PP time in the near future with how tightly they are calling the game right now.

 

[HockeyRef]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016-17 -- We're Going to Have a Hockey Season Here!!

Of course it's no surprise that Patrick Grasso is HE POW! DT gets a mention for his 2-0 weekend/ .944 save percentage...Oh, also mentioned that Coach U won his 350th HE game (since we are into following the numbers here).

 

[Snively65]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016-17 -- We're Going to Have a Hockey Season Here!!

I am just here to be the contrarian, to contrast with e.cat just being here to help.

 

[e.cat]

I am just here to be the contrarian, to contrast with e.cat just being here to help.

Contrarian's are people too so I'm okay with that. In fact, I'm partial to contrarians stemming from my days at UNH in the early seventies! I was a contrarian then because I was not anti-establishment. Now I am. Go figure!

I'm just to help though