Vermont Hockey: Taking No Prisoners In 2012-2013

[VTinNY]

Re: Vermont Hockey: Taking No Prisoners In 2012-2013

I am starting to think you are right. We just cant compete at the upper level of this conference and I really cant understand it as I really dont think its recruiting as of these guys had good success in their previous leagues. I think its just a style of play being jammed down their throats that most cant adjust to. Freshman D tonight for Vermont were not in same league as BU freshman D but that is somewhat acceptable as they are freshman. Luukko needs to be shown where the D zone is. Last two games he has been a disaster defensively. I appreciate that he adds offense but lets be accountable defensively first. Lenz still takes untimely undisciplined penalties that kill any momentum. Not what a captain should do. I hope Bricks is ok. Sneddons post game interview is comical to almost scary where he says we wanted to create a little "buzz" in the 3rd so we let our guys go??? Please dear god" let them go" but start it in the 1st period. Thats all I know and I try and call it like I saw it.

It is the players.. they are not as good as 2/3 of HE. Yes, some of them were hot prospects when they were 15 or 16, but most have not panned out when they got to Burlington. The talent on this team would be middle of the pack in ECAC. As an FYI, Kravchenko is like the 4th leading scorer in USHL. I know some on here said he was a "one-dimensional player", but right now that one dimension would be pretty handy to have. Not to mention the top returning forward who got benched after the 4th game for being in a "slump". I hope Hoffman can keep the Cats in some games and they learn how to grind out some wins, but this is not looking good so far. I think perhaps the most telling game of the season could be when Union comes to town in December and we get to see who has recruited more talent - UVM with all the scholarships & HE prestige or the team that Sneddon "took as far as I could".

 

[UVM Cat in Texas]

Re: Vermont Hockey: Taking No Prisoners In 2012-2013

Big game today to see if the team rebounds from two thumpings by the A division and can beat a struggling NU team. Anybody know if Reynolds is back in the lineup?

Unless we see a vastly different team, I don't see them beating NU, struggling or not. Thus, if I were picking, I'd say NU 4-2. If Kevin Roy were to score a couple of goals, well that'd be just another kick in the nuts. Re Reynolds, he played Friday against BU, so unless he was hurt in that game, I'd expect to see him in the lineup.

 

[jcarter7669]

Re: Vermont Hockey: Taking No Prisoners In 2012-2013

Northeastern is 2-3 in their last 5 with those two wins against UAH. Two losses versus MC and a loss to PC (actually a drubbing to PC). UVM has a tie against MC and a win versus PC, with the loss to PC being a relatively close game. In this league it really is any given night and some teams just play better against other team styles, but I will be disappointed if the Cats can't scrape one out tonight. PC, MC, UMA, NU, UML, ME... these are the teams we need to pick up some points from because UVM isn't going to pick up more then a point against the likes of UNH, BU, BC...

Right now NU, ME, and UML are struggling, this team needs to strike while the time is ripe.

What WILL be interesting in this game is who starts in net. I'm not at all sold on Hoffman just yet, it will be interesting to see if Hoffman or Faust gets the nod and if it is Faust how he will do.

 

[catmandoo]

Re: Vermont Hockey: Taking No Prisoners In 2012-2013

Northeastern is 2-3 in their last 5 with those two wins against UAH. Two losses versus MC and a loss to PC (actually a drubbing to PC). UVM has a tie against MC and a win versus PC, with the loss to PC being a relatively close game. In this league it really is any given night and some teams just play better against other team styles, but I will be disappointed if the Cats can't scrape one out tonight. PC, MC, UMA, NU, UML, ME... these are the teams we need to pick up some points from because UVM isn't going to pick up more then a point against the likes of UNH, BU, BC...

Right now NU, ME, and UML are struggling, this team needs to strike while the time is ripe.

What WILL be interesting in this game is who starts in net. I'm not at all sold on Hoffman just yet, it will be interesting to see if Hoffman or Faust gets the nod and if it is Faust how he will do.

Great win for the team! Two important points. Did it without "Bricks" and Matt White which is even better. Thank god for Hoffman and Colton Saucerman.

 

[UVM Cat in Texas]

Re: Vermont Hockey: Taking No Prisoners In 2012-2013

The Brett Bruneteau goal late in the game was a thing of beauty! And it was nice to see someone score, in a situation where they absolutely should have scored. Regarding Bricks, he's got to be one of the most injury prone players in the history of UVM hockey. It'll be interesting to see how we play against a UMass team that got hammered. I'm sure they're not happy and will be looking to take their frustrations out on UVM.

 

[Vermont Ref]

Re: Vermont Hockey: Taking No Prisoners In 2012-2013

Does anyone think season ticket holders get ripped off and are taken advantage of? They pay full price for all tickets, including any scrimmages and then during holidays get to sit next to general admission ticket holders (yes they do sit in reserve seats, or even better in the prime student section) at $5 per ticket less. I think season ticket holders are taken for granted. Any thoughts? Or is this just sour grapes. I know one doesn't have to buy them and there is a waiting list (although it is not anywhere near as long as it once was), but during down years, which are many, this group of dedicated individuals make up the major funding to the program.

 

[Vermont Ref]

Re: Vermont Hockey: Taking No Prisoners In 2012-2013

The Brett Bruneteau goal late in the game was a thing of beauty! And it was nice to see someone score, in a situation where they absolutely should have scored. Regarding Bricks, he's got to be one of the most injury prone players in the history of UVM hockey. It'll be interesting to see how we play against a UMass team that got hammered. I'm sure they're not happy and will be looking to take their frustrations out on UVM.

John Leclair had more injuries than Brickley, he did ok for himself. I recall him sitting in the stands on many occasions. Of course Connor still has some time left to catch up. His injuries aren't due to poor conditioning, maybe the result of just playing hard.

 

[UVM Cat in Texas]

Re: Vermont Hockey: Taking No Prisoners In 2012-2013

John Leclair had more injuries than Brickley, he did ok for himself. I recall him sitting in the stands on many occasions. Of course Connor still has some time left to catch up. His injuries aren't due to poor conditioning, maybe the result of just playing hard.

Or just bad luck, but he sure seems to be out of the lineup a lot. Hopefully he can stay healthy from here on out.

 

[snwbrdr]

Re: Vermont Hockey: Taking No Prisoners In 2012-2013

Brickley plays harder than Leclair did, he's just does not have the same combination of physical talents. Leclair got injured at Rasputins as much as he did on the ice I think.

I'm still optomistic if we can get Brickley and Markison (and White) back to full strength. Reynolds looked pretty good vs. NU, he almost potted several goals. Once those start going in he will be fine and it will be boost for the team. Massar is very much a pleasant surprise. Fallon is playing well. Turk and Polesello look good at times, they may start to develop some nice waterbug chemistry.

Hopefully that BB goal last night breaks the ice for him. He's got some talent, not sure why he is not seeing more game time. They do have more depth this year, just lacking a Stalberg or two to be a threat for home ice.

McCarthy obviously is stepping it up now. I just wish we had a Stalburg to pair him with.

Hoffman has been average to excellent. He surely is a huge step up from Madore last year. They lose that NU game last year due to a soft goal or two.

They also are so much more physical this year. That should not be ignored.

I think this team continues to compete nicely with the mid pack and lower teams; they just don't have the firepower to play with the BC, BU and UNH's of the league, but that could change by year end if they get healthy, the frosh continue to develop, and the D solidify a bit more.

Hey, they have six points before Thanksgiving after having 7 all of last year. That's going in the right direction, albeit slower than we would like. go Cats.

 

[jcarter7669]

Re: Vermont Hockey: Taking No Prisoners In 2012-2013

Hopefully they take some momentum and some confidence into the UMA game. Points are always crucial and I'm betting two points will be the difference between playing the #2 or #3 seed. Of course it probably means BU or BC (UNH will obviously win the regular season title ) and I'm not sure it really matters...

 

[Vermont Ref]

Re: Vermont Hockey: Taking No Prisoners In 2012-2013

Brickley plays harder than Leclair did, he's just does not have the same combination of physical talents. Leclair got injured at Rasputins as much as he did on the ice I think.

I'm still optomistic if we can get Brickley and Markison (and White) back to full strength. Reynolds looked pretty good vs. NU, he almost potted several goals. Once those start going in he will be fine and it will be boost for the team. Massar is very much a pleasant surprise. Fallon is playing well. Turk and Polesello look good at times, they may start to develop some nice waterbug chemistry.

Hopefully that BB goal last night breaks the ice for him. He's got some talent, not sure why he is not seeing more game time. They do have more depth this year, just lacking a Stalberg or two to be a threat for home ice.

McCarthy obviously is stepping it up now. I just wish we had a Stalburg to pair him with.

Hoffman has been average to excellent. He surely is a huge step up from Madore last year. They lose that NU game last year due to a soft goal or two.

They also are so much more physical this year. That should not be ignored.

I think this team continues to compete nicely with the mid pack and lower teams; they just don't have the firepower to play with the BC, BU and UNH's of the league, but that could change by year end if they get healthy, the frosh continue to develop, and the D solidify a bit more.

Hey, they have six points before Thanksgiving after having 7 all of last year. That's going in the right direction, albeit slower than we would like. go Cats.

I agree with everything you said. And yes John did have his issues off the ice. I'm still hopeful for this team, barring further injuries.

 

[snwbrdr]

Re: Vermont Hockey: Taking No Prisoners In 2012-2013

not good to see that Brickley is now out indefinitely

What gives with this team and injuries for the second consecutive year. Losing two of your already very thin corps of probably four top forwards (McCarthy and Reynolds being the other two) indefinetely is pretty brutal.

Nice slash by BU. Hopefully they receive some justice in the form of bad bounces next time they play the cats.

Go Cats.

 

[catmandoo]

Re: Vermont Hockey: Taking No Prisoners In 2012-2013

not good to see that Brickley is now out indefinitely

What gives with this team and injuries for the second consecutive year. Losing two of your already very thin corps of probably four top forwards (McCarthy and Reynolds being the other two) indefinetely is pretty brutal.

Nice slash by BU. Hopefully they receive some justice in the form of bad bounces next time they play the cats.

Go Cats.

I dont think it was a slash. I think it was a skate cut.

Game set match tonight.

 

[Catatonic]

Re: Vermont Hockey: Taking No Prisoners In 2012-2013

I was looking through the program at the game last night (there wasn't much else to do by the time the 3rd period rolled around) and noticed a new player on the Cat's roster. #28 Jack Lyman, a 5'6" Freshmen from Shelburne. My first thought was he was added after Griem left, perhaps to have enough bodies for practice sessions, although he's listed as a forward and Griem is actually still listed in the program so maybe not.

Does anybody know anything about him? Did they snap up the top player from the club team? Is this an on-ice version of Rudy in the making? I realize this is much ado about nothing. Maybe after tonight's game there will be something better to post about, but this is all I've got today...

 

[Martin St. Louis Fan]

Re: Vermont Hockey: Taking No Prisoners In 2012-2013

Jack is an honorary member of the team.
More info here:
http://uvmathletics.com/news/2012/10/25/MHOCKEY_1025120929.aspx

 

[Vermont Ref]

Re: Vermont Hockey: Taking No Prisoners In 2012-2013

Some belly aching.

It took the new PA annoucer until the middle of the second game to pronounce the Bruneteau's name correctly. How embarassing to have our own announcer not know how to pronouce a team members name. He also is hard to understand as most announcers speak too fast. Then the announces a penalty as "pushing". I have the rule book and I've never seen a penalty for pushing - he meant roughing.

Speaking of announcers, I've had more than enough of that shrill unintelligible voice of the promotions person. She too needs to speak slowly and if possible with a deeper voice.

Why is Jake Fallon listed as a sophmore? Did I miss a season somewhere?

On a positive note the team played great Saturday night against an extremely talented team. I'm hoping they can remember that experience against Maine this coming weekend. We need those four points and they are more than capable of doing that - they have proven that with last nights performance.

 

[UVM Cat in Texas]

Re: Vermont Hockey: Taking No Prisoners In 2012-2013

It took the new PA annoucer until the middle of the second game to pronounce the Bruneteau's name correctly. How embarassing to have our own announcer not know how to pronouce a team members name.

I listened to the radio call on Friday and the play-by-play guy kept referring to Hoffman as "Brady" instead of "Brody." Like you, thought it was a little embarrassing he couldn't get his own players name right.

Why is Jake Fallon listed as a sophmore? Did I miss a season somewhere?

Fallon's a transfer and played as a freshman for the University of Michigan.

On a positive note the team played great Saturday night against an extremely talented team. I'm hoping they can remember that experience against Maine this coming weekend. We need those four points and they are more than capable of doing that - they have proven that with last nights performance.

Agree. I didn't see the game, but listened to it on the drive back to Atlanta from Thanksgiving in NJ. Sounded like they went toe-to-toe with the Gophers and could easily have won the game. Hopefully, that will carry forward to next weekend in Maine.

My one belly ache: Have we ever pulled the goalie and not allowed an empty net goal? (That's a rhetorical question -- I know there probably have been times). I'd almost like to see the goalie stay in and have a chance to win all the way until the clock expires, rather than pulling the goalie and quickly killing any chance by letting in an empty netter. We had some serious momentum and then BOOM -- game over.

 

[jcarter7669]

Re: Vermont Hockey: Taking No Prisoners In 2012-2013

A decent 100 minute effort for the Cats. McCarthy, Fallon and Bruneteau were all over the place. Seemed like great intensity both nights from them.

Last night was definitely a better effort from the Cats then the previous night, that was a game they could have won. But there are several glaring weaknesses on this team that will continuosly be exploited until they are fixed. The offense can't score. They did much better Saturday, Wilcox made all the saves he should have and a few that he probably shouldn't have. Ultimately however they simply aren't getting passes through and creating good chances. How many cross ice passes were picked off this weekend...seemed like at least every other pass was intercepted. The other glaring weakness is goal tending. Hoffman seems to be a very good first stop goaltender, but there is nearly no puck control and any shot not glove side is a rebound. That has to stop. He's a big goalie, not very quick, but he negates his size advantage by letting rebounds pop out. It's not going to cut it as a starting D-1 goalie. As Sneddon has a no confidence in Faust, I sincerely hope we have a good goaltending recruit in the works. Or Hoffman improves that part of his game significantly. That and he needs to be better with skaters in close, although given his size there's not a lot of room for improvement there. Either way, there needs to be more offense, no matter what Hoffman does, if we can't manage better then a goal / game this team will go no where.

I really hope Sneddon finds some lines and keeps them together. What he is doing now changing players in and out constantly is ridiculous. I like Sneddon and am definitely a supporter, but the line combos are just absurd. Simply because Brickley goes out does not mean all 4 lines have to change, leave the other lines alone bring in one guy to fill in. It's disruptive and it shows, so many passes a half step behind the guy, or in their feet... let the guys play together and get used to playing with the same freaking guys for more then 20 minutes.

 

[GreenCat]

Re: Vermont Hockey: Taking No Prisoners In 2012-2013

My one belly ache: Have we ever pulled the goalie and not allowed an empty net goal? (That's a rhetorical question -- I know there probably have been times). I'd almost like to see the goalie stay in and have a chance to win all the way until the clock expires, rather than pulling the goalie and quickly killing any chance by letting in an empty netter. We had some serious momentum and then BOOM -- game over.

Funny I was thinking the exact same thing. We were getting decent offensive pressure 5x5 and when Sneddon pulled the goalie I knew we were done for with a team like MN. You know they are going to gain control of the puck in that situation. Not sure Sneddon makes any adjustments based on game situations. Part of the general lack of creativity or in this case reading the game of a this coach.

 

[Call It]

Re: Vermont Hockey: Taking No Prisoners In 2012-2013

I want to wish Vermont good luck the rest of the season. Beat BC!