UConn MHOC takes on defending National Champion Union on Saturday night

[brasssbonanzaa]

Very respectable result, Lowell's one of the top few teams in HE. Seemed like from what parts I saw UConn skated well with them.

 

[huskymedic]

UConnMHOC9:41pm via Twitter for Websites
Final Wrap from Bridgeport - UConn Beaten by #7 UMass Lowell, 3-1, in Frozen Holiday Classic Final#BleedBlue uconnhuskies.com/sports/m-hocke…

TheUConnBlog9:31pm via TweetDeck
UConn plays ‘championship hockey’ in loss to No. 9 UMass Lowell: Post original url/1xsWlyl

 

[Stinger92860]

ALL UConn home games should be in Hartford. I don't mind the tournament so much (although it be better attended in Hartford) but Colorado College and ND should be in Hartford. It's gonna pizz me off when the ND game has empty seats.

Drive down! It's great to be able to watch UConn hockey and be home in 15 minutes.

 

[Carl Spackler]

Double dipped today. UCONN hoops in Hartford and hockey in Bridgeport. Crowd today at the civic center was the largest I've seen there since we played Cuse in KO's first season and left a nasty taste of UCONN in their mouths. IDK if they were giving tickets away at Central or something, or what - but the baseline upper decks were sparse, and the sidelines upper decks were full to the rafters.

Crowd in Bridgeport for the frozen classic title game was pretty pathetic. Last night's Union-UConn game - yeah - I was there too - was a much better crowd, but probably 50/50 UCONN-Union.

 

[Jimdish255]

Final score not really indicative of the play tonight but give Lowell credit. They passed well and positioned themselves to get good shots and use the traffic from the points. We got lost on D for awhile in the 1st period there but fought our way back with some better passing and a little better D after that.

A few decisions here and there might have impacted the game positively for UConn but that's part of the growing process. Lowell just looked like a more experienced squad that was a click ahead in the ideas department and played with confidence. Have to say we never let up and put the pressure on to where it looked like an equalizer might come. We're not that many players away from winning these games. Sad to see the trophy go North but we'll get it back eventually.

 

[whaler11]

I did the doubleheader too.

UConn had the better of the play in the second period but never really threatened to even score once. Lowell completely dominated the first period - UConn was lucky they were only down a goal until the end.

If they announce attendance higher than 750... they were seeing double.

 

[Carl Spackler]

FWIW: I was angry at Cavanaugh for putting the Goalie back in. UCONN goal was garbage, the other team wasn't even skating anymore. I fricking hate seeing that kind of throw the towel in attitude anywhere, in any sport. You pulled the fekking goalie when it was 2-0, and 3 min to go, WTF use is it to put the GK back in down 3-0?

 

[whaler11]

FWIW: I was angry at Cavanaugh for putting the Goalie back in. UCONN goal was garbage, the other team wasn't even skating anymore. I fricking hate seeing that kind of throw the towel in attitude anywhere, in any sport. You pulled the fekking goalie when it was 2-0, and 3 min to go, WTF use is it to put the GK back in down 3-0?

You were mad when they put the goalie back in down 3-0 in the last minute? Were you upset with Sacred Heart putting the goalie back in down 3-1 with 3 seconds left?

 

[Carl Spackler]

You were mad when they put the goalie back in down 3-0 in the last minute? Were you upset with Sacred Heart putting the goalie back in down 3-1 with 3 seconds left?

I wasn't there for either of the SH games.

edit: but yeah, I'd have been pissed to see that.

 

[freescooter]

Been to games in Hartford and no question the atmosphere is much much better even thought Bport is a nicer facility. Good game but no juice at all in the building. Not sure why we are playing there. As for the game. We desperately need a scorer. That has to be high on Cav's list for recruiting. Lowell was the better team but if UConn had won it wouldn't have been luck

 

[hockeyfan44]

Been to games in Hartford and no question the atmosphere is much much better even thought Bport is a nicer facility. Good game but no juice at all in the building. Not sure why we are playing there. As for the game. We desperately need a scorer. That has to be high on Cav's list for recruiting. Lowell was the better team but if UConn had won it wouldn't have been luck

I agree UConn needs a scorer. It was frustrating watching how slow Uconns first line was this weekend compared to Unions and Lowells. The effort seemed to be their but my gosh that first line compared to the other teams is so noticeable even for the casual hockey fan watching.

 

[Carl Spackler]

Been to games in Hartford and no question the atmosphere is much much better even thought Bport is a nicer facility. Good game but no juice at all in the building. Not sure why we are playing there. As for the game. We desperately need a scorer. That has to be high on Cav's list for recruiting. Lowell was the better team but if UConn had won it wouldn't have been luck

Were you there? Just curious. I agree that there was very little energy in the arena for the final, the crowd for the Sat night game was sparse, but more energetic. As for the scoring, and rest - not sure I agree with the "desperate" need of a scorer. I've decided to follow UCONN hockey a little more closely with the debacle the football program has become. I'll wait until my eyes can observe what happens when we start next season against Villanova, before I really get into that again. The past 4 seasons have just been too much.

But for the past weekend, it was two entirely different games UCONN hockey games I watched, and again, I'm no hockey expert, but I know sports, I know competition and I know what it means to be focused on performing physical tasks as a team. The game against UNION was entirely different than the game against UMASS Lowell. The UNION game was sloppy and full of penalties. It was slow paced and lots of speed/size mismatches. UNION seemed to be a very fast team individually - when it comes to individual skating, but aside from maybe 4-5 guys on the roster, we outsized them and the game as a whole was played slow. They were faster individually, and we needed a lot of work from our goalie to stop them because of that speed, they were getting shots off, but we were able to score 3 goals and win. The UMASS Lowell team was a really good team. Everybody on that team was big - BIG - and fast, and we needed the goalie to keep us in it more than they needed their goalie again. But we skated with them the entire game - and it was a very fast, and fluid game - disciplined, there were no penalties. It was a one goal game until I think 2 minutes left and the one goal was a great shot by what turned out to be the tournament MVP. With the clock running down, and down by 1, we started taking chances to create scoring opps, and they came up with a 2 on 2 break out of the middle of the ice, and even though the defenders had the 2 UMASS players wrapped up, they were able to get a pass across from the boards in front of the net that their player was able to chip up and past the goalie to go up 2-0. Just a great play. In football it happens all the time, you do everything right, and it just comes down to who makes the plays, and who doesn't. We pulled the goalie after that and gave up the open netter. ANd it did piss me off that with 1 min to go, down 3-0, the goalie went back in. No matter how much anyone tries to explain that to me, I won't understand it.

So, I'm sure the team can benefit from having a great goal scorer, every team would, but I'm not sure how desperate that need is - based on what I can observe, and what I've been told by people I trust about hockey - the future for UCONN in this sport is very bright. We are in year one of really recruiting to where we should be in the league and division we are in, and we have a coach that has demonstrated the ability to put a team on the ice that can not just compete with, but also beat the competition we face - which happens to be among the best in the country.

We've already beaten several ranked opponents, and over the past weekend, beat the defending national champ, and the next day, I saw us play against a team that is ranked in the top 10 nationally, and skate with them start to finish, and really the only difference was 2 plays - where they made plays and we didn't. We had opportunities to score as well, but failed when we had the chance.

I'll tell you what, we didn't win the trophy, and I don't like losing - but I was entertained by good athletic competition.

 

[TheDoggPound]

Richter, Gendron and Thompson will be able to contribute right away and all have good offensive skill sets.

 

[freescooter]

Carl. I was there Sunday but not Saturday. Compared to the Hartford games it was like being in church. Or at BC. I guess I'm talking globally. Uconn is one of the lowest scoring teams in the country and when you watch you can see why. They play hard and are very good on the defensive end. Good goalie and they recruited several good dmen. And Poe has improved dramatically since last year. But their front lines are either very young or made up of guys recruited to play at a different level and it shows. But again they play their guts out every game so I have no beefs really.

 

[Carl Spackler]

Carl. I was there Sunday but not Saturday. Compared to the Hartford games it was like being in church. Or at BC. I guess I'm talking globally. Uconn is one of the lowest scoring teams in the country and when you watch you can see why. They play hard and are very good on the defensive end. Good goalie and they recruited several good dmen. And Poe has improved dramatically since last year. But their front lines are either very young or made up of guys recruited to play at a different level and it shows. But again they play their guts out every game so I have no beefs really.

I agree. There were many times yesterday when I knew that if I wanted my voice to be heard by everybody in the arena, including the players on the ice, all I had to do was raise my voice as loud as I"m capable. That was not the case at the civic center for the b-ball game earlier in the day. It wasn't sold out, but there were more people in Hartford than I've seen in a long time for a basketball game.

Saturday night's game was a much better environment in Bridgeport. I would wager there were similar if not more people there Saturday for the game, than show up regularly for minor league hockey games. I've yet to attend a UCONN hockey game in Hartford, but I will. I got tickets for a game later in the season from the UCONN football season ticket holder apology gesture from the athletic department. If the urge comes over me, I may buy another set of tickets before then, but that said, I have no frame of reference to compare to, other than Saturday and Sunday for UCONN hockey, as those games are the first hockey games I've attended since UCONN was playing in the open air covered shell, and the Krygier's were playing.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

Well, let's all give BC a round of applause for selling 10K tickets to a bowl game against a big name opponent 250 miles from campus on a Saturday afternoon. That's gotta be some sort of record.

 

[Carl Spackler]

Well, let's all give BC a round of applause for selling 10K tickets to a bowl game against a big name opponent 250 miles from campus on a Saturday afternoon. That's gotta be some sort of record.

Let's not give BC a round of applause for anything.

 

[freescooter]

I agree. There were many times yesterday when I knew that if I wanted my voice to be heard by everybody in the arena, including the players on the ice, all I had to do was raise my voice as loud as I"m capable. That was not the case at the civic center for the b-ball game earlier in the day. It wasn't sold out, but there were more people in Hartford than I've seen in a long time for a basketball game.

Saturday night's game was a much better environment in Bridgeport. I would wager there were similar if not more people there Saturday for the game, than show up regularly for minor league hockey games. I've yet to attend a UCONN hockey game in Hartford, but I will. I got tickets for a game later in the season from the UCONN football season ticket holder apology gesture from the athletic department. If the urge comes over me, I may buy another set of tickets before then, but that said, I have no frame of reference to compare to, other than Saturday and Sunday for UCONN hockey, as those games are the first hockey games I've attended since UCONN was playing in the open air covered shell, and the Krygier's were playing.

Carl
The BC game was absolutely electric. And take in a game or 2 in Hartford because the crowd is much more lively. Plus the band is there and more students. You are right about Lowell too. They were big and fast. Very good hockey club. UConn hung with them and if they had put the puck in the net might have pulled it out. But they have struggled all year to score.

 

[Carl Spackler]

Carl
The BC game was absolutely electric. And take in a game or 2 in Hartford because the crowd is much more lively. Plus the band is there and more students. You are right about Lowell too. They were big and fast. Very good hockey club. UConn hung with them and if they had put the puck in the net might have pulled it out. But they have struggled all year to score.

As noted, I'll be there at least once this season - maybe more. Hartford has a been a hockey town in some fashion for a long, long time. I used to enjoy Whaler games immensely. Screw the bruins - it was Montreal that made me nuts. We could never get past them. How many game 7's of playoffs did we lose to Montreal? more than I want to think about.

I think it makes sense that playing UCONN hockey in Hartford against established hockey east opponents is going to generate a fan following among die hard hockey people in the region. I think that if we were in the Big 10 conference, and bringing in the likes of Michigan, etc. and scheduling as many HE opponents as possible, that the casual interest would have much more potential - but being in the Big10 conference is something that I would wish Santa would bring some year soon, no matter what. Maybe hockey east membership for a few years and scheduling those kinds of schools for Hartford out of conference would be a nice brick to help build that bridge. Fantasy? whatever.

Reality is that I looked at the sched, and jumped at the Notre Dame matchup in about 2 weeks, but that's in Bridgeport again. I may go anyway. Bridgeport down rte 8 is just an easy drive and about the same as Hartford on 84 for me. No biggie. I wonder what the rational was for using that arena? Generating a fan following in Fairfield country I suppose, which I'm not going to knock in any way as a motivational/decision making kind of thing. Generating interest in that region of CT for all things UCONN is a decidedly good thing.

 

[huskymedic]

I wonder what the rational was for using that arena? Generating a fan following in Fairfield country I suppose, which I'm not going to knock in any way as a motivational/decision making kind of thing. Generating interest in that region of CT for all things UCONN is a decidedly good thing.

Beside germinating new fan base - one additional reason is operating cost is said to be cheaper @ WBA than @ XL (rental alone is $20K difference).

 

[Carl Spackler]

One reason is operating cost is said to be cheaper @ WBA than @ XL (rental alone is $20K difference).

LOL - my mistake. Always follow the money. Generating a fan interest in that region of CT, would definitely by secondary in decision making. The arena there is nice, but it's a small, very well laid out field house really. I'll have to look up seating capacity in a sec, but by eyeball, it was essentially the equivalent of the civic center, without the second deck - just the lower bowl and box seating. The civic center, with it's renovations, I think is pretty nice again and has big money making potential - but is also going to come at cost. 3500 tickets at Webster bank arena vs. 7000 tickets at civic center? I'm sure the cost analysis has been done.

what would be interesting is to see UCONN hockey get on television, and what kind of deals could come up there. Would SNY be interested?

 

[Carl Spackler]

according to Wikipedia...yeah - I know....Wikipedia - but it was the quickest link that came up on google...

Webster Arena seats 8,525 for hockey at full capacity, civic center seats 15,635 for hockey at capacity.

The UCONN v Union game was a little less than 50% tickets sold AND attendance by my eyeball. UCONN v. UMASS Lowell? have to imagine that the ticket sales were similar because it was a package deal for the tournmanent, but actual attendance was very poor, the arena was empty. It appears that Union hockey is a decent regional draw for attendance. I wonder what the Notre Dame game will generate for ticket sales. A sell out, would warrant scheduling games in the future in Hartford.

 

[zls44]

I wonder what the Notre Dame game will generate for ticket sales. A sell out, would warrant scheduling games in the future in Hartford.

ND is not a draw in hockey. Think of how their aura doesn't match their recent accomplishments in FB, but multiply the chasm by 50.