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UNH Wildcats 2018-2019: Souza the Opportunity or Louza the Opportunity

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Re: UNH Wildcats 2018-2019: Souza the Opportunity or Louza the Opportunity

After the Whistle said:
HR, i think it is hard to say Greg is off but you were looking for more. I believe that UConn has improved in recruiting the past few years but as Greg said pretty much every coach knows how to defend against us. We have (even in the good years) struggled with any team that employs the trap against us. We also struggle with teams that clog up the shooting lanes and just block shot after shot. BU, MC, UM. That is why even during the long BC drought we had exciting games that were fun to watch and even a 2-3 goal lose usually came at the end when the cat was tired of playing with the mouse. BC plays just as wide open as we do. Just usually have more fire power and depth.
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Here is another take,

UNH was 22-18-1 in 13/14, when Yukon was still in AHC, and we did not play them.
UNH was 19-19-2 in 14/15, and we beat Yukon 5-1 and 4-1 the last weekend of the regular season, beat them twice in the first round 5-2 and 2-0, before knocking off PC at Schneider 2 of 3 for our last Gahden visit. Souza was assistant coach at Yukon.
UNH was 11-20-6 in 15/16, and we lost to Yukon 4-1 and 5-4(ot) the last weekend of the season, before losing 2 of 3 to Mack in the first round. Souza was assistant coach at UNH.
UNH was 15-20-5 in 16/17, and we lost again to Yukon, 5-3 and 4-2, the last weekend of the season, then took 2 of 3 from Mack in the first round, before losing 2 of 3 to UML in the second round. Souza was assistant coach at UNH.
UNH was 10-20-6 in 17/18, and we lost again to Yukon, 4-2 and 3-2, the last weekend of the season, before losing two in the first round in Orono.

One might blame Souza for the past three years of debacles against Yukon, based on the above records, but it must be something else.

I do not entirely buy the trap argument, and certainly not in 15/16 and 16/17 when we had TyK and Cleland, who were both effective at breaking the trap. Sure, they could not be on the ice all of the time. but it still seems like we should have won a couple of those games. I think HR is correct that Yukon did have some talent the past few years, some of which was supposed to come to UNH.
 
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Chuck Murray said:
Actually, it wasn't "(my) own question". Snively65 asked it. I was just being my old Luce-baiting self. :D

There's no "due" owed to UConn. They were a slightly less sucky program than UNH has been as of late. That may very well be changing. And if so, it's only a matter of time before Luce swoops in like the human vulture that he is, and claims credit for grooming Souza. Watch and wait. It's inevitable.

Greg and d.gerry are correct, and sometimes it's really just that simple. So UConn won a few meaningless games. Like the BC kids used to taunt us back in the day … "hang a banner" ...
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Hey my correction on asking the question. It’s obvious they have been better than us (although it’s hard to erase the memory of the 3,4 goal lead we had in ‘16 last game of the regular season where we lost home ice if my shaky memory serves). Oh well. Let’s beat them this year and geeze figure out how to beat a trap!!!! Harrumph. Hang a banner indeed!
 
Snively65 said:
Here is another take,

UNH was 22-18-1 in 13/14, when Yukon was still in AHC, and we did not play them.
UNH was 19-19-2 in 14/15, and we beat Yukon 5-1 and 4-1 the last weekend of the regular season, beat them twice in the first round 5-2 and 2-0, before knocking off PC at Schneider 2 of 3 for our last Gahden visit. Souza was assistant coach at Yukon.
UNH was 11-20-6 in 15/16, and we lost to Yukon 4-1 and 5-4(ot) the last weekend of the season, before losing 2 of 3 to Mack in the first round. Souza was assistant coach at UNH.
UNH was 15-20-5 in 16/17, and we lost again to Yukon, 5-3 and 4-2, the last weekend of the season, then took 2 of 3 from Mack in the first round, before losing 2 of 3 to UML in the second round. Souza was assistant coach at UNH.
UNH was 10-20-6 in 17/18, and we lost again to Yukon, 4-2 and 3-2, the last weekend of the season, before losing two in the first round in Orono.

But, one might blame Souza for the past three years of debacles against Yukon, based on the above records, but it must be something else.

I do not entirely buy the trap argument, and certainly not in 15/16 and 16/17 when we had TyK and Cleland, who were both effective at breaking the trap. Sure, they could not be on the ice all of the time. but it still seems like we should have won a couple of those games. I think HR is correct that Yukon did have some talent the past few years, some of which was supposed to come to UNH.
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So I was right about that last season game ugh still remember how that went and that trip to MC....UConn had some talent then and not sure what’s up this year. I’m sure it will be a big weekend for us and time to break the “curse of Luce Caanon” or whatever his name is...😉.
 
Re: UNH Wildcats 2018-2019: Souza the Opportunity or Louza the Opportunity

Snively65 said:
Ok, 5:30 am is apparently when the HC updates their website stories. I will take the over, meaning that I do not think that Luce will claim any tutelage of MS by 5:30 am Friday. But, someone else will need to track this contest.

Meanwhile, next trivia question, which is much easier than Dan's trivia questions: what is the Hartford Courant's biggest claim to fame?
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No takers on the latest trivia question?
 
Re: UNH Wildcats 2018-2019: Souza the Opportunity or Louza the Opportunity

HockeyRef said:
So I was right about that last season game ugh still remember how that went and that trip to MC....UConn had some talent then and not sure what’s up this year. I’m sure it will be a big weekend for us and time to break the “curse of Luce Caanon” or whatever his name is...��.
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Or, is it the "curse of the Souza"? Remember, when Souza was assistant at Yukon in 2014/15, we beat those Huskies four out of four.
 
UConn has had success against UNH because they were better and deeper. UConn has not become the program they probably should have by now because their top talents left early and their overall depth of recruiting has been shaky (and unable to fill the void)...

To that end they represent a cautionary tail for UNH. It's fine to get excited about this year's UNH team - and next year could be even better - but...

UConn lost guys like Thompson and Letunov and hasn't replaced them. UNH could easily lose Gildon and Wyse this year. Maass the next. They'll graduate Blackburn, Nazarian, BVR in the next two years. A big second half and subsequent season by Robinson could see him out the door. If Crookshank continues at this pace is he a flight risk?

This is why the emphasis remains on recruiting and whether or not UNH can build consistent recruiting classes that re-stock the cupboard every season. That's what the successful teams do. Right now, the two recruits that really excite me are Stutzle and Margel. That's about it. The rest still have a lot to prove - and where they land next season will tell us a lot. Can these guys get into the USHL and produce at a high level. If not the USHL, at least the BCHL. They must outgrow the Eastern Leagues...

---

For all of UConn's lack of recruiting - they have a good looking FR class this year and next year will add the (current) 4th and 6th top-scoring players in the USHL this season. They'll also bring in the (current) 6th and 11th (#2 D) top-scorers in the BCHL. I wouldn't necessarily expect UNH to breeze right past them until UNH recruits start to have success across the board in those leagues. Stutzle will. Margel should. Who else?

The teams are on equal footing right now. Who outlasts who is all a matter of CONSISTENT recruiting...
 
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Re: UNH Wildcats 2018-2019: Souza the Opportunity or Louza the Opportunity

Dan said:
The teams (UConn & UNH) are on equal footing right now. Who outlasts who is all a matter of CONSISTENT recruiting...
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In the big picture, I agree. However, this season, giving "equal footing" to UConn might be a stretch. Weekend after next actually turns out to be a huge - no, I mean HUGE - weekend for them. I just took a gander at the HE standings, and at the remaining UConn schedule. Neither makes for good reading if you're one of the few unfortunate Huskies' Hockey fans out there. Their remaining HE schedule - with the exception of the UNH weekend, and a game against Merrimack (against whom they most recently lost 5-2) - is entirely made up of the top teams in the league right now.

UConn currently sits in 10th place, only 2 points ahead of UVM, and having played three more HE games than UVM. Their only HE wins to date have been against UVM and UMaine (while UVM's only HE win to date has come at UConn's expense, in OT). It would require nothing short of a sweep against suddenly red-hot UNH in their upcoming home-and-home series to get UConn up to UNH's current 9 point tally (7th place in HE). In the meantime, UNH has its two HE games-in-hand over UConn against Merrimack and UMaine. So there's a very good chance by the time Luce's boys host UNH at The Mall on Friday after next, the gap between the two teams will likely be at least 1-2 points larger, and possibly as much as an 8 point gap. Not to mention, any points UNH drops to Merrimack and UMaine - who currently sit between UNH and UConn in the HE standings - just raises the threshold elsewhere for UConn to have to overcome to begin to challenge for the 8th and final playoff seed.

The only other thing UConn has going for them down the stretch with their (relatively) brutal HE schedule is that 8 of their final 10 games are home games. At least in the same sense that The Mall is as close to a "home" game for UConn as SNHU Arena is a "home" game for UNH. Just sayin' …

So … for UConn, the UNH weekend is serious, must-win business. Drop any points, and it's less and less likely you're going to catch UNH, and then Luce is going to have to overcome BOTH Merrimack and UMaine. If UConn gets swept or only salvages a single point out of UNH weekend, there's the very real possibility that Your UConn Huskies will succeed Your UNH Wildcats as Hockey East cellar dwellers this season.

UNH's important business starts this weekend, though. As noted above, Merrimack and UMaine are the two teams just below UNH in the current HE standings. Barring improbable jump-ups from UConn and/or UVM, and barring a (doubtful) total collapse by the likes of a Lowell … only two out of the three teams at the bottom end of the seedings bracket (UNH/UMaine/Merrimack) are going to qualify for the non-MBPBEGAM version of the HE playoffs. The outlook:

* A bad weekend by UNH this coming weekend drops them down to 9th and out of the playoffs;
* A split weekend by UNH this coming weekend likely keeps them in 7th, possibly 8th;
* A great weekend could see them pressing Lowell for 6th, and 8 points up on UConn.

Last weekend's bellwether come-from-behind win against BC should give Coach Souza's boys some extra jump going into this stretch. I'll be disappointed if UNH can't take at least 5 out of 8 points during this key stretch. There are 8 winnable points on the table for the two weekends after that too, before things get a little more surly with the final 5 games against Northeastern and UMass Lowell - either of whom could easily be the 'Cats' first round playoff opposition.

Moral of the story? Take care of your business this weekend, next weekend, and in early February … and then the last stretch of games amounts to playing for playoff positioning, and prepping for the playoffs against two programs who we can expect to be playing "playoff hockey" as their regular styles in those last few RS games. I'm not sure it's stacked up this well for UNH in several seasons now. Make hay while the sun shines!! :) :)
 
Re: UNH Wildcats 2018-2019: Souza the Opportunity or Louza the Opportunity

I am still pulling for 14 total wins and another free beer coming my way at Libby's. My recollection is that only two of us chose the over on 13.5 wins in the previous season thread. :-)
 
Re: UNH Wildcats 2018-2019: Souza the Opportunity or Louza the Opportunity

Snively65 said:
I am still pulling for 14 total wins and another free beer coming my way at Libby's. My recollection is that only two of us chose the over on 13.5 wins in the previous season thread. :-)
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Here's hoping...on another note Coach Souza announced that Max will def play Friday night in Merrimack. Might've been ready for this past weekend but didnt' want to chance it. Chuck, great post about what's coming next. Game to game at this point. Going to be the usual slug fest, pucks to the net Friday night at 'Mack, who's playing pretty hot right now scoring some goals, etc. Getting down there is tough; we are challenged on that small ice surface. And of course going to the Alfond for Monday's match always a treat! Wanted to travel up Sunday but it looks pretty snowy and icy. Just like the last time I went...:rolleyes:

"It's always hard to play there" will be the mantra to avoid and just get down to it...go 'Cats!!
 
Re: UNH Wildcats 2018-2019: Souza the Opportunity or Louza the Opportunity

HockeyRef said:
Here's hoping...on another note Coach Souza announced that Max will def play Friday night in Merrimack. Might've been ready for this past weekend but didnt' want to chance it. Chuck, great post about what's coming next. Game to game at this point. Going to be the usual slug fest, pucks to the net Friday night at 'Mack, who's playing pretty hot right now scoring some goals, etc. Getting down there is tough; we are challenged on that small ice surface. And of course going to the Alfond for Monday's match always a treat! Wanted to travel up Sunday but it looks pretty snowy and icy. Just like the last time I went...:rolleyes:

"It's always hard to play there" will be the mantra to avoid and just get down to it...go 'Cats!!
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Yes,unfortunately Mack has played very well these past couple of weeks. What has been helpful for the Cats during the past 5-6 games is the emergence of 3 solid lines.
23 11 22
6 26 25
7 17 20 have all shown an ability to score. And with Max back we should be able to get 3 or 4 points (hopefully).
 
Re: UNH Wildcats 2018-2019: Souza the Opportunity or Louza the Opportunity

JvR playing against B's tonight, following his fourth career hat trick on Monday night.
 
Re: UNH Wildcats 2018-2019: Souza the Opportunity or Louza the Opportunity

Snively65 said:
Kinda invisible last night; Flyers had very few PP's. B's on the other hand had double digit minutes of PP's, but only one PPG to show. Flyers goalkeeper stood on his head at times.
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Interesting observation I made in a couple of recent Flyers' games (not last night) … two games that both went to OT, and in neither of the games - one of which went the 5 minute duration, the other which ended about a minute in - did JvR see any ice during the 3-on-3. For a guy who's a great skater and (supposedly) a scoring machine, I thought that was curious. Maybe I just saw the wrong games, and maybe these were aberrations? Or just Philly's new HC getting a better sense of his players?? I mean, I can see him maybe not being on the first three, but for a top six forward not to touch the ice in the 3-on-3 OT at all … just one of those things that makes you go hmmmmm ...
 
Re: UNH Wildcats 2018-2019: Souza the Opportunity or Louza the Opportunity

Wow...Maine clocks BC...They have maturity and a great goalie...playing at the Alfond...what could possibly happen :eek:
 
Re: UNH Wildcats 2018-2019: Souza the Opportunity or Louza the Opportunity

Chuck Murray said:
Interesting observation I made in a couple of recent Flyers' games (not last night) … two games that both went to OT, and in neither of the games - one of which went the 5 minute duration, the other which ended about a minute in - did JvR see any ice during the 3-on-3. For a guy who's a great skater and (supposedly) a scoring machine, I thought that was curious. Maybe I just saw the wrong games, and maybe these were aberrations? Or just Philly's new HC getting a better sense of his players?? I mean, I can see him maybe not being on the first three, but for a top six forward not to touch the ice in the 3-on-3 OT at all … just one of those things that makes you go hmmmmm ...
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Just like some of the shoot out choices coaches make...they make me go hmmm as well. I watched the game last night; was surprised to see less of JvR than I expected. Maybe he's injured as he's returning from an injury sustained in the early season. But geeze he had a hattie game before last so I don't know what's up.
 
Chuck Murray said:
Interesting observation I made in a couple of recent Flyers' games (not last night) … two games that both went to OT, and in neither of the games - one of which went the 5 minute duration, the other which ended about a minute in - did JvR see any ice during the 3-on-3. For a guy who's a great skater and (supposedly) a scoring machine, I thought that was curious. Maybe I just saw the wrong games, and maybe these were aberrations? Or just Philly's new HC getting a better sense of his players?? I mean, I can see him maybe not being on the first three, but for a top six forward not to touch the ice in the 3-on-3 OT at all … just one of those things that makes you go hmmmmm ...
Click to expand...

What makes me "go hmmmmm...." is watching/listening to Kevin Dean interview during second intermission of B's game tonight.
 
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