Re: Yale Hockey 2010-2011 thread
More from the "I hate to break it to you" department, but BC doesn't play again until December 30.
In other news, the UNH win probably keeps Yale as the "5th best team in New England" for the time being depending on the results of the BU-RPI game tomorrow and the UMaine-Umass game on Sunday (I don't think Maine or BU are that great either but let's be honest, they are better than Yale and Maine has 2 wins vs. North Dakota this year and BU has a win over Notre Dame to show so far).
Correct you are Carmine, I would add that even though BC is not playing it does not mean they cannot move up in the polls.
Nice article about Yale from Boston.com, coach allain was alittle more forethcoming than usual
Yale goes into break on top of the heap
By Nancy Marrapese-Burrell
Globe Staff / December 10, 2010
There is more than a little excitement surrounding the Yale men’s hockey team, which is ranked No. 1 in the nation for the first time in program history.
The Elis (11-1-0 overall, 6-0-0 in the ECAC) wrapped up the first semester with a 3-0 victory over Vermont Wednesday, and fans are basking in the early success.
But coach Keith Allain, who will spend the break coaching the US National team at the World Junior Championships in Buffalo, is not getting carried away.
Asked if he’d allowed himself any time to enjoy the ride, he said, “No, I have not. To be honest with you, if we’re ranked first or 100th, our approach doesn’t change. It can’t change. Our job is to get ready to win the next game.’’
He did acknowledge that the acclaim is a boon for the school and the area.
“Everyone from the athletic administration to the professors to the students are all very excited,’’ he said. “We get great community support in New Haven.’’
Senior forward Broc Little and sophomore Andrew Miller lead the team with 19 points. The bad news is that forward Jeff Anderson was lost with a possible right leg injury against Vermont.
“Fortunately, we have great depth up front, and we all understand through the course of a hockey season, this happens to everybody and it’s our turn right now,’’ said Allain.
The coach said there is strong leadership on the squad, and the players are all pulling in the same direction.
“It’s the approach that we’ve taken over the last couple of years,’’ he said. “As a group, we have to come and practice hard every single day to try to get better, and if we do that, the games will take care [of] themselves.
“We do have a veteran team. They’ve been through it all before a little bit, so they know how to handle it.’’
One place they are particularly strong is in net. Senior goaltender Ryan Rondeau is coming off back-to-back shutouts (the first for the Bulldogs since February 1998), and his shutout streak is up to 134 minutes 37 seconds.
“All summer long, everyone I talked to wanted to talk about how that was the weakness of our team,’’ said Allain. “I told anyone who would listen that we were confident in our goaltending, and we were and we are. Ryan has come in and played very well for us right from the start.’’
The coach expects that to continue and that the team will come back from the break refreshed and ready to go.
“We’ll give them a pretty good workout schedule,’’ said Allain, “and we’ll use this time to get them away from the ice a little bit, but get stronger and quicker off the ice so we’ll be in better shape when we get back.
“It kind of rekindles your desire to be on the ice. A hockey season can be a grind, and for our students, it can be more of a grind. We’ll come back with rejuvenated hunger.’’
