UNH Wildcats Official Wait til Next Year...14/15 thread

[Priceless]

Did I hear correctly that the team has to bus it home?

Following their progress on Facebook and Twitter thanks to Dan Parkhurst. They are in Ohio, just ahead of the storm. They will have to change buses in Buffalo. A contingent of UNH fans rented cars and are also driving home.

 

[HockeyRef]

Re: UNH Wildcats Official Wait til Next Year...14/15 thread

Following their progress on Facebook and Twitter thanks to Dan Parkhurst. They are in Ohio, just ahead of the storm. They will have to change buses in Buffalo. A contingent of UNH fans rented cars and are also driving home.

They have just changed busses in Buffalo and will do so again in Albany...what an odyssey of a weekend! I'm sure we'll hear about this one at the hockey banquet...

 

[HockeyRef]

Re: UNH Wildcats Official Wait til Next Year...14/15 thread

Sure, I say if somehow our Cats and Clark beat the Hippie Cats on Friday night, give Clark the start the next night as well.

Bummer about the team having to bus it home for 15 hours, especially after a loss. Maybe most of the players can have two seats? Notre Dame pays for these flights and bus trips, right? Why have the Fighting Irish not moved to another conference already?

Obviously Umile was making a goalie statement starting DT two games in a row..but frankly after this one I'm not sure it matters who gets the start as both of them have their strengths and weaknesses (easy to say Clark down low, DT glove/high) as every GK has, even the great ones! Didn't feel we got the game we got the night before maybe from a couple of our bigger guns maybe and our struggles to get it out of the zone were more apparent than previous game too. Soo may as well continue the GK development and see where we are in March. Nice, nice goal from Foegele last night, a real beauty of a shot; he and Eiserman looked good together. Onto VT..looking forward to chalking up another HE rink to the madness...!

 

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH Wildcats Official Wait til Next Year...14/15 thread

Obviously Umile was making a goalie statement starting DT two games in a row..but frankly after this one I'm not sure it matters who gets the start as both of them have their strengths and weaknesses (easy to say Clark down low, DT glove/high) as every GK has, even the great ones! Didn't feel we got the game we got the night before maybe from a couple of our bigger guns maybe and our struggles to get it out of the zone were more apparent than previous game too. Soo may as well continue the GK development and see where we are in March. Nice, nice goal from Foegele last night, a real beauty of a shot; he and Eiserman looked good together. Onto VT..looking forward to chalking up another HE rink to the madness...!

The answers are in there somewhere.

So, more to the point ... to those who advocated "riding the hot goalie" ... now what do you do, with Tirone having now allowed 11 goals in his last 3 games (obviously cutting out the 2 ENG's), including two losses? Clark has played in only one of the last 5 games, two of the last seven games. If you are Coach Umile - have you already decided that Tirone is your go-to guy? Where is Clark's confidence, after a solid if unspectacular first half of his freshman season, if after one month of Tirone being on board, he has been demoted??

This coming weekend may offer some very interesting insights on how Coach sees his goalie situation, at least in the short term, if not in the long term. IF Tirone is back between the pipes Friday night against UVM, then clearly Coach sees him as his top guy. If it's Clark then (1) will he continue to play until he loses, or (2) will Coach Umile back out of last weekend's "hot goalie" strategy by giving Clark both games - even if UNH loses on Friday - and claim he is rotating them again, except on a rotating weekend basis instead??

I don't necessarily blame Coach (or anyone else) for giving this a shot this weekend. When UNH is where they are this season, doing a little experimenting when you are down and looking for longer-term solutions isn't a bad thing. And from the standpoint of fans like us, we're all very interested to see what the future is going to look like. I think we're beginning to see some exciting things up front, while some of the struggles on the blue line are continuing. Harry Quast taking a regular shift speaks volumes in that regard.

But goalie is kind of a unique situation, where you are either a "first liner" or you are the virtual equivalent of sitting in the stands, bar injury to (or poor performance of) your teammate, even when you are suited up. I still feel very strongly there is nothing important to be gained in making long-term decisions on how these two goalies will stack up over the duration of their frosh seasons, especially when none of these games is likely to carry any long term impact on the players OR the program.

IF you are going to make a decision THIS early in their careers - on games that honestly mean very little in comparison to where you're hoping to be next season and beyond - aren't you basically telling one of these guys it's time to transfer?

And if so ... who is that next goalie in the pipeline, and why would he even come if his future is to sit three years behind the "chosen one" and hope to play only as a senior?

And finally ... how can you be certain of the "chosen one" until you see BOTH guys play in an elimination series format?

I'm sticking to my opinion that there is very little to be gained by doing anything other than playing both goalies regularly through to the end of this season - including the (likely very brief) postseason. To do otherwise limits your long term options. JMHO.

 

[WeAreNDHockey]

Re: UNH Wildcats Official Wait til Next Year...14/15 thread

Notre Dame pays for these flights and bus trips, right? Why have the Fighting Irish not moved to another conference already?

Why would Notre Dame pay for these trips? Hockey East wanted Notre Dame in their conference. This wasn't like the UAH or Alaska scenarios at all. Hockey East never offered to pay Notre Dame or NBCSN for all the extra national coverage the rest of their teams are receiving. I'm sure the league and team's coffers aren't breaking because half of them make one similar trip per season.

FWIW I thought UNH got robbed of two goals Saturday night. The reviewed goal looked like it was probably in although the video evidence may have been somewhat inconclusive and on the delayed penalty no ND player touched the puck before it got knocked in. Either goal could have really altered the course of play.

 

[Dan]

Re: UNH Wildcats Official Wait til Next Year...14/15 thread

I'm sticking to my opinion that there is very little to be gained by doing anything other than playing both goalies regularly through to the end of this season - including the (likely very brief) postseason. To do otherwise limits your long term options. JMHO.

Exactly. The biggest reason to go with a rotation is that with a young and inconsistent team who is in net is not going to matter much - the results will depend almost entirely on how the team plays in front of them. In my opinion, since Tirone's arrival, UNH has won the games where they've played well as a team and lost when they haven't. I'm not sure either goalie has lost or stolen a game since the new year. Nothing to lose, and everything to gain, by getting both goaltenders good reps...

 

[Felger]

Re: UNH Wildcats Official Wait til Next Year...14/15 thread

The goaltending situation is fubar right now.

I thought that Tirone would play both games this past weekend. Umile's quotes during the week made clear that he was not wedded to a rotation which indicated to me that he has lost at least some confidence in Clark. Given that AC has struggled in his all too rare recent appearances he probably has confidence issues of his own. Its a chicken and egg thing. But Notre Dame was a team that doesn't score many goals, and was missing its leading scorer. I believe the Irish had averaged 3 goals a game heading into the series. And what happened? They scored 7, including an empty netter, so Tirone did just what the numbers said he would. The only way he wasn't going to start Saturday was if he got lit up Friday.

My guess is Tirone plays this coming Friday, and if he wins gets the call on Saturday. If he loses Umiles goes back to Clark.

I have two nagging concerns. First, I fear that part of the reason that Tirone is playing as much as he is could have more to do with the fact that he came in mid-year. Its almost as if the coaching staff is saying "well we burned a year of his eligibility anyway, might as well make the most of it and ride him." Certainly hindsight is 20-20 and you can't second guess the decision that was made last fall to bring Tirone in for the second semester. But Clark performed better than expected in the first half. And once Tirone arrived he could have sat, been an insurance policy, and not burned a year of eligibility. If Clark is struggling with his confidence, then the move right to Tirone so quickly could have impacted that. Chuck has pointed out the minimal stakes this season, and Dan is right on the money that victories and losses since the break have been more about team play than the specific goaltender.

Second, and I admit far less likely, is I worry that Umile is acting more like a fan than a coach. Chuck recently noted that coaches coach while fans react. Yet Umile seems to be reacting like a fan would, as if he is caught up in the idiotic narrative that "Danny Tirone is going to lead us to the promised land" which I read somewhere on this board. Clearly the goals for the season have changed if you read the quotes last week. The eyes are on home ice for the play in round of the HE tourney and maybe its as simple as the coaches think that Tirone will net them a point or two more than Clark. Nonetheless, its troubling.

As I said, the goalie situation is fubar. At least I don't have to read that insipid oxymoron that "its a nice problem to have."

P.S. My biggest fear is that the coaching staff thinks/knows that neither guy is the answer, which is why they have another (apparently higher ranked) goalie in the pipeline

 

[Darius]

Re: UNH Wildcats Official Wait til Next Year...14/15 thread

Lots of good posts folks!

The 'cats played well last night. We had a jump in our step, never quit. Kelleher on the ice, box score aside, looked like the force I have impatiently and unfairly been expecting him to be. Most of the younger players are also showing more confidence. Chuck mentioned Harry Quast who coach must see potential in. At 6' 4" 215 lbs. I can see why, but again ask: is Maller a health scratch?

UNH did get robbed of 2 goals although they scored on the PP after the whistle that should not have been.

Tirone getting back to back same weekend on the road starts might be because Coach wants him to have that experience, see how he reacts since Clark had the opportunity 1st semester.

Pesce makes a huge difference to this team. Not only is he clearly the top defenseman, but it is like acquiring and inserting a much better clean up hitter in a baseball line up. The 9th hitter (8th in the NL) sits down and everyone else drops a spot, making each position in the lineup stronger.

 

[sonar]

Re: UNH Wildcats Official Wait til Next Year...14/15 thread

I get that ND pays NBC a lot to love them... Even so, the commentary tonight has my blood pressure up. Way up. *growl*

I turned off the audio ... just like I do when watching Jack Edwards and the Bruins .....

Talk about "toadying" up to (over) the home team.

 

[Greg A]

Re: UNH Wildcats Official Wait til Next Year...14/15 thread

The goaltending situation is fubar right now.

I thought that Tirone would play both games this past weekend. Umile's quotes during the week made clear that he was not wedded to a rotation which indicated to me that he has lost at least some confidence in Clark. Given that AC has struggled in his all too rare recent appearances he probably has confidence issues of his own. Its a chicken and egg thing. But Notre Dame was a team that doesn't score many goals, and was missing its leading scorer. I believe the Irish had averaged 3 goals a game heading into the series. And what happened? They scored 7, including an empty netter, so Tirone did just what the numbers said he would. The only way he wasn't going to start Saturday was if he got lit up Friday.

My guess is Tirone plays this coming Friday, and if he wins gets the call on Saturday. If he loses Umiles goes back to Clark.

I have two nagging concerns. First, I fear that part of the reason that Tirone is playing could have more to do with the fact that he came in mid-year. Its almost as if the coaching staff is saying "well we burned a year of his eligibility anyway, might as well make the most of it and ride him." Certainly hindsight is 20-20 and you can't second guess the decision that was made last fall to bring Tirone in for the second semester. But Clark performed better than expected in the first half. And once Tirone arrived he could have sat, been an insurance policy, and not burned a year of eligibility. If Clark is struggling with his confidence, then the move right to Tirone so quickly could have impacted that. Chuck has pointed out the minimal stakes this season, and Dan is right on the money that victories and losses since the break have been more about team play than the specific goaltender.

Second, and I admit far less likely, is I worry that Umile is acting more like a fan than a coach. Chuck recently noted that coaches coach while fans react. Yet Umile seems to be reacting like a fan would, as if he is caught up in the idiotic narrative that "Danny Tirone is going to lead us to the promised land" which I read somewhere on this board. Clearly the goals for the season have changed if you read the quotes last week. The eyes are on home ice for the play in round of the HE tourney and maybe its as simple as the coaches think that Tirone will net them a point or two more than Clark. Nonetheless, its troubling.

As I said, the goalie situation is fubar. At least I don't have to read that insipid oxymoron that "its a nice problem to have."

P.S. My biggest fear is that the coaching staff thinks/knows that neither guy is the answer, which is why they have another (apparently higher ranked) goalie in the pipeline

The team is going nowhere. There is no discernible difference in the way they play in front of one goalie or the other, so I just say play them both. Umile has alternated in the past, even when it was clear that one was better than the other (Conklin vs. Matilke, Ayers vs. Carney), so I'd like to do think that he would do the same here. I would also play the rookies as much as possible in special teams situations, see what they can do and what they can't do. Kids are not going to get better if they don't play and, frankly, he knows by now what some of the upperclassmen can and can't do as well.

BTW, I'm glad to get an explanation as to why the team was bussing it back to Durham. Wasn't quite clear on the broadcast last night.

 

[Darius]

Re: UNH Wildcats Official Wait til Next Year...14/15 thread

BTW, I'm glad to get an explanation as to why the team was bussing it back to Durham. Wasn't quite clear on the broadcast last night.

Yes! My 1st thought/fear was that we were bussing to/from IN for budget reasons. Whew!

 

[Felger]

Re: UNH Wildcats Official Wait til Next Year...14/15 thread

After this weekend that trip to Burlington is going to seem like a hop, skip and a jump.

 

[HockeyRef]

Re: UNH Wildcats Official Wait til Next Year...14/15 thread

Exactly. The biggest reason to go with a rotation is that with a young and inconsistent team who is in net is not going to matter much - the results will depend almost entirely on how the team plays in front of them. In my opinion, since Tirone's arrival, UNH has won the games where they've played well as a team and lost when they haven't. I'm not sure either goalie has lost or stolen a game since the new year. Nothing to lose, and everything to gain, by getting both goaltenders good reps...

Right on Dan...I have had this on going 'discussion' with a fellow fan who staunchly believes without a doubt that DT is the answer, the 'better goalie'. (and that's ok...) Regardless of how many goals he has allowed in the past few games (count 'em) this doesn't matter. Anyhoo... sure DT is quick on his feet but that's his style, and his strength from what I can see. He's slow with his glove tho, and we've seen that in every game he's played. Clark has his strengths and weaknesses as well. From my observation all it takes is for a couple of our top dogs not to play as well (my feelings about last night and OH those two goals that didn't count didn't help the cause either ) and the team can't compensate, not with the D the way it is. They say D wins games and I do believe that. Er, look at our season. No offense D...they are coming along and have played very well at times and when they do, we win games. Go figure.
And not to pin it all on the D..ya gotta score goals too.

So who will 'get the nod' for the weekend against the VT 'Cats? If DT starts, does that mean yes, Coach U has him pegged as his number 1? Or, does he (DT) have a better week of practice (after they rest up from that 15 hr. bus ride!). At this point, maybe they should roll a dice. Who knows what really goes into who starts at goal and who doesn't, but I'm definitely in the camp that 'it doesn't really matter, does it" at the moment! Just want the team to play well and heck, win! ps I notice Maine seems to be rotating their GK's and it seems to be going ok for the most part?

Enjoy the Super Bowl gang if you are watching...hope Tom get's his 4th ring.

 

[e.cat]

Re: UNH Wildcats Official Wait til Next Year...14/15 thread

Game on. Go Pats!!

 

[Snively65]

Re: UNH Wildcats Official Wait til Next Year...14/15 thread

It is all about how each goalie does in PRACTICE during the week leading up to games; just ask Allen Iversen about the importance of practice.

 

[HockeyRef]

Re: UNH Wildcats Official Wait til Next Year...14/15 thread

Congrats Pats fans unbelievable!

 

[HockeyRef]

It is all about how each goalie does in PRACTICE during the week leading up to games; just ask Allen Iversen about the importance of practice.

I see Bentley won this weekend...

 

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH Wildcats Official Wait til Next Year...14/15 thread

I see Bentley won this weekend...

Don't encourage him. Those Bentley alums can be an insufferable lot.

 

[Snively65]

Don't encourage him. Those Bentley alums can be an insufferable lot.

Ha, ha, ha, Chuck. I am not a Bentley alum, just work there.

But, I really do think that you guys are over-reacting to the UNH goalie situation, as I do not think that these goalies are as thin-skinned and prone to loss of confidence as you guys imply. I feel that such loss in confidence would be oxymoronic for goaltenders, as they have been dealing with this stuff for years, just like football quarterbacks and ace pitchers. You sit out a game or two, get p-o-ed, play hard in practice, and show the coaches that they are dead wrong about all of their decisions. Say what you want about Umile, but the last thing that I would ever say is that he coaches like a fan, at least from what I have seen in the past 29 years.

Some things that I post here are tongue in check, just to get reactions. We need to get together for a beer before or after a game, maybe the next time the Cats get to the Garden, or sooner. Several posters here got together between periods during our first game at the Garden last March, which was a hoot.

This team is not as bad many think, with six one-goal and six two-goal losses so far. I am not saying that goal tending would have made a big difference in those outcomes, but certainly goal tending has not been the problem, as many have acknowledged. More experience at D and a healthy Pesce would have made a difference, I think.

 

[HockeyRef]

Re: UNH Wildcats Official Wait til Next Year...14/15 thread

Ha, ha, ha, Chuck. I am not a Bentley alum, just work there.

But, I really do think that you guys are over-reacting to the UNH goalie situation, as I do not think that these goalies are as thin-skinned and prone to loss of confidence as you guys imply. I feel that such loss in confidence would be oxymoronic for goaltenders, as they have been dealing with this stuff for years, just like football quarterbacks and ace pitchers. You sit out a game or two, get p-o-ed, play hard in practice, and show the coaches that they are dead wrong about all of their decisions. Say what you want about Umile, but the last thing that I would ever say is that he coaches like a fan, at least from what I have seen in the past 29 years.

Some things that I post here are tongue in check, just to get reactions. We need to get together for a beer before or after a game, maybe the next time the Cats get to the Garden, or sooner. Several posters here got together between periods during our first game at the Garden last March, which was a hoot.

This team is not as bad many think, with six one-goal and six two-goal losses so far. I am not saying that goal tending would have made a big difference in those outcomes, but certainly goal tending has not been the problem, as many have acknowledged. More experience at D and a healthy Pesce would have made a difference, I think.

I could watch Malcom Butler's interception all day. Wait, this is a hockey fan forum! Oh you know Snively65 just something to talk about and I hear ya. I have always appreciated your posts here they are 'grounding' and offer much to the atmosphere. Heck, you can even talk about Bentley if ya want... Goalies have to be a tough bunch. Can't even begin to imagine how you have to get yourself up and stay up through out the game. I am proud of the job both of them have done; who knew we'd be looking at a situation like this; unprecedented to have 2 freshman goal tenders like being thrown into the fire like this. They've performed admirably given all that's gone down this season.

Hopefully most of us have been to some 'Cat games to see the good stuff that happens out there; we have much to be excited about for the future and even this season. I mean, that goal by Foegele was a thing of beauty (there's more where that came from) and Cleland's wasn't too shabby either. He (Cleland) has come into his own...works hard out there and oh man I hope the Pesce/Cleland tandem continues into next season (hear that Carolina?? ) We've seen guys like TKelleher having a great year so that's been great to see.

Just read about the team's long trip home, with Coach U saying 'the first 7 hrs were the hardest'. UVM awaits and I think it will be a good match up. Would be fun to get together with 'Cat fans up there like you say we enjoyed our Garden Party last year. Burlington is a fun town looking forward to the weekend!