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Vermont Catamounts 09-10 Season

L

Livinhocky

Registered User
Ok, I'll start a Vermont thread for this season. I know us Catamount followers are few and far between on this forum, but I'll do my best to give a UVM perspective to the Hockey East discussions.

While it hasn't necessarily shown in the overall record the past few seasons, I have seen improvement, albeit in baby steps sometimes, in this program. But while recent seasons have had the myriad of losses interspersed with the rare "upsets" of teams like BU, Providence, and UConn, I feel this year could be the "breakout" season for this program.

First off, I believe the smaller roster (22 vs. 25 or 26 players) will do wonders for team chemistry. Instead of spending the week competing with each other to dress for the weekend, this team can concentrate on their opponent without concern for who's playing and who's not. And they have a good mix of senior leadership, juniors and sophs who've improved their game, and a small but solid freshman group who've been able to step right in and contribute.

From their first game, a 2-1 OT loss to CIS powerhouse McGill, they have looked like a different team. They followed that up by dominating Union in a 2 game series, but it was this weekend's pair of games against #4 Clarkson that have me encouraged for this season's possibilities. In the 1st game, they outshot (and outplayed, at times) the bigger, stronger Knights, but couldn't solve Clarkson's Dahm. On Saturday, in a game in which I feared Clarkson would pick up their play to send a message, the exact opposite happened. The Cats, after giving up an early goal, bounced back and carried the play from there on, scored twice on the power play and again with the goalie pulled on a delayed penalty, and came out with their biggest win of their D-1 existence.

This Olympic year already seems like it will be one of surprises, judging from some of the scores early on, and I for one am hoping that Vermont will be one of those teams doing the surprising! :)
 
Re: Vermont Catamounts 09-10 Season

Saturday's win was huge! Defeating #4 should help the team build confidence for the remainder of the October games. Could be a very good month for the Catamounts!
 
Re: Vermont Catamounts 09-10 Season

Some thoughts on tonight's 4-3 win over Princeton:

I saw something in this team in an OT loss to McGill to start the season. I felt they were ready to take that next step from being a team that could pull off the occasional upset to a team that could consistantly compete with higher ranked teams. So far, they have done just that.

The team chemistry that is so important to success seems to be there. In talking to some of the girls, they say the chemistry is the best they've seen since they've been at Vermont.

This was a legitimate win, just as the Clarkson win was last weekend. Neither was one of those fluke games where the team is outshot badly but relies on their goalie to steal it (as can happen so often in hockey). They outplayed Princeton for large parts of this game (though not in the 3rd, which the Tigers owned).

To be a good hockey team, you need great goaltending. Vermont is getting that from Olychuck. She is doing consistantly as a senior what she showed in flashes as a sophomore.

Vermont now needs to learn what any long-struggling program has to do to get to the next level: play to WIN, and NOT play "not to lose". It may sound the same, but it is so different. As they build confidence with these wins, they have to play 60 minutes aggressively. Tonight, they took it to Princeton, built a lead, then spent the final period on their heels, almost as if they were thinking "I hope we can hold on". But, that will come with time as the team grows and improves.

I'm excited to see how Vermont handles a very talented Princeton team tomorrow who will certainly be out for revenge. How they respond to that will be the next test in their young but promising season.

With all that said, and as exciting as this is for a Vermont fan, I realize this was the Tigers' first game of the season. I wouldn't be surprised if what Vermont saw in the 3rd period tonight is what they will see for 3 periods tomorrow. But it's challenges like this that will make them keep raising their game. So far, so good, Cats!
 
Re: Vermont Catamounts 09-10 Season

I was afraid of what might happen today, and my fears were realized. Princeton came out and took it to the Cats from the opening faceoff. I think the combination of the Tigers having something to prove after last night's loss, and finding their legs in their 2nd game of the season, was just too much for Vermont. The host team looked a bit slow, the passes were off, decision making wasn't quite there, and too much time was spent in the sin bin.

Well, noone said climbing out of the cellar and into respectability would be easy. Two steps forward, one step back. Now it's time for their first conference games, and next weekend will be a big test against the team they've been chasing in the standings for the last two years, NU. It's only October, and still this coming weekend could go a long ways toward deciding playoff fates. Go Cats!
 
Re: Vermont Catamounts 09-10 Season

Vermont ranked 10th in the latest Rutters rankings (3rd in R.P.I. rankings). Yeah, I know it's just a complicated ranking, it's early in the season, and they were just brought back down to earth by Princeton.

But........

Being ranked in the top ten in the nation by any system at any point in the season is a huge accomplishment for a program that has never really been relevant at the D-1 stage since joining it.

It's a nice milestone in the journey toward respectability. Congrats to the team and coaching staff.
 
Re: Vermont Catamounts 09-10 Season

Livinhocky said:
Vermont ranked 10th in the latest Rutters rankings (3rd in R.P.I. rankings). Yeah, I know it's just a complicated ranking, it's early in the season, and they were just brought back down to earth by Princeton.

But........

Being ranked in the top ten in the nation by any system at any point in the season is a huge accomplishment for a program that has never really been relevant at the D-1 stage since joining it.

It's a nice milestone in the journey toward respectability. Congrats to the team and coaching staff.
Click to expand...

Have to agree.
 
Re: Vermont Catamounts 09-10 Season

Bergey1 said:
To add, the Catamounts have received a vote in this week's USCHO poll.
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I hadn't noticed that, thanks! Getting a vote in the USCHO poll is also a first for the program, I believe. That's very cool!

Now, it will mean absolutely nothing if the team can't follow it up with a good showing against a very good Northeastern squad. I would expect it to be a great pair of games at the Gutt, with both teams realizing the significance of the weekend.
 
Re: Vermont Catamounts 09-10 Season

Bergey1 said:
I can definitely foresee a split, though I want an NU sweep no offense. The series have been pretty even the past couple of years. It'll probably come down to goaltending.
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None taken ;) ! Northeastern has definitely accomplished what I'd like to see Vermont do, and that is make the HE playoffs (of course I mean "recently", as I know NU has had great success in the distant past). To be honest, up until this year, I was resigned to the fact that the only way for UVM to taste the playoffs was to leapfrog NU. This year, I'm not so sure. It seems as wide open as I've seen it, and if both teams continue to improve, they could BOTH make it, and maybe leave some other perennial playoff team on the outside looking in. Here's hoping........
 
Re: Vermont Catamounts 09-10 Season

Bergey1 said:
See, the thing that makes me "nervous" about this series is that you guys have played a much tougher schedule than we have so far with Clarkson and Princeton, so I think 1) Those games (and loses) improved you and you beat us or 2) NU rides the momentum of a strong opening and beats UVM. On paper I would say NU has the edge, but you guys have Jackie Thode so I don't know. It's gonna be really really close.
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Judging from the recent past, I agree that the games will probably be close. NU has had the edge, winning 6 of 9 over the past 3 seasons, but 6 of those 9 games have been either decided by a lone goal, or ended in a tie. So, it's usually a tight contest when they faceoff.

And, I always wonder if Miss Thode knows that she has this "following" on USCHO (particulary from the BC contingent!). Hopefully, she's flattered!
 
Re: Vermont Catamounts 09-10 Season

Livinhocky said:
Judging from the recent past, I agree that the games will probably be close. NU has had the edge, winning 6 of 9 over the past 3 seasons, but 6 of those 9 games have been either decided by a lone goal, or ended in a tie. So, it's usually a tight contest when they faceoff.

And, I always wonder if Miss Thode knows that she has this "following" on USCHO (particulary from the BC contingent!). Hopefully, she's flattered!
Click to expand...

Oh! For sure, she does!
 
Re: Vermont Catamounts 09-10 Season

Noticed that Coloradan Channing Ahbe is rostered but has not played yet. Injured? Been sick?
 
Re: Vermont Catamounts 09-10 Season

That's a shame, she is a speedy one. She played Lacrosse here in Colorado and we would see her apply her hockey skills on the Lacrosse field. She could always find an opening and find her way to the goal. Nice girl too. Wish her a quick recovery.
 
Re: Vermont Catamounts 09-10 Season

After the Qwest Tour game today, I was heading west to the Concord/Hooksett area to run some errands. Walked into a Wendy's to get some food before the hourlong drive, and it looked like the place had been taken over by UVM women's hockey. Thought that was a funny coincidence. One of them was seriously being a bit spastic (#10?).

I was very impressed with Wakeham's play during the game today. It's too bad that Olychuck didn't get any time.
 
Re: Vermont Catamounts 09-10 Season

vellnueve said:
After the Qwest Tour game today, I was heading west to the Concord/Hooksett area to run some errands. Walked into a Wendy's to get some food before the hourlong drive, and it looked like the place had been taken over by UVM women's hockey. Thought that was a funny coincidence. One of them was seriously being a bit spastic (#10?).

I was very impressed with Wakeham's play during the game today. It's too bad that Olychuck didn't get any time.
Click to expand...

Yeah, they loaded up the cars this morning and headed out to cheer on Wakeham and Oly and the HE stars. I'll have to "inquire" about the spastic episode at Wendy's! Maybe it was something she ate??? :eek:
 
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