#11 UConn v. Vermont Catamounts (Friday 1/16/26 @7p & Saturday 1/17/26 @4p) Both games @Toscano Family Ice Forum and on ESPN+ and FOXSports979

[Sea Goat]

Last night we snapped back in the 2nd and carried the play for the rest of the game. Failed to follow through today. We absolutely should have swept them.
Cavanaugh has to keep them motivated. We have no margin of error. Simply put, Cavanaugh got out coached by a a guy who makes $250k per year or about 40% of what he makes.

 

[JeannoCT]

I don't think Cav was out coached - I think our players were out of sorts, or out played.

 

[TagTen901]

Disappointing loss they didn't respond well after Vermont tied it with that bad bounce. Cav should called a timeout after that goal they looked stunned. That's what led to that bad turnover to lazy with the puck. And to make matters worse that 4 goal was a bad odd man rush. Cav needs to get this team to be constant they dropped to 19 in the npi so now they are out of the bubble. If they want to make the NCAA tournament as a large bid than you need to get hot!

 

[Sea Goat]

Disappointing loss they didn't respond well after Vermont tied it with that bad bounce. Cav should called a timeout after that goal they looked stunned. That's what led to that bad turnover to lazy with the puck. And to make matters worse that 4 goal was a bad odd man rush. Cav needs to get this team to be constant they dropped to 19 in the npi so now they are out of the bubble. If they want to make the NCAA tournament as a large bid than you need to get hot!

Yup - right now we need to win HE to play in the FF. That is a tall task given our inconsistency. I am not a fan of NPI. It looks like a recipe to favor Big 10 teams. However, to make the FF, we have to dance to its tune...

 

[The Viking]

The second goal was a travesty right from the get go. We win the faceoff but the puck is in no mans land. Our defenseman is afraid to go get it - fine. But them the Vermont player gets it and blows BY our defenseman who was afraid to be aggressive and then the puck flips over the goalie.
Correct me if im wrong but this is the second straight weekend Muscilik allowed a goal OVER his freakin head.
And after scoring two quick goals to take the lead it was that second freak goal that tilted the game back to vermont.

 

[The Viking]

I will give credit to Vermont. They are almost 500 in the hockey east and they play a lot stronger than they have in many years.

 

[TagTen901]

Yup - right now we need to win HE to play in the FF. That is a tall task given our inconsistency. I am not a fan of NPI. It looks like a recipe to favor Big 10 teams. However, to make the FF, we have to dance to its tune...

I don't like it either like Saint cloud is 16 their only at .500. And Denver is three games above 500 and still at 9. Uconn has a better record than those two teams and some how we are at 19. But the way I look at it UConn can still make it in as a large bid. Their schedule is in their favor they two non conference games coming up if they beat Yale and end up facing quinnipiac and we beat them UConn will move up. And we have bc coming up and one more against Providence. If we can win all the road games we should be fine. Also we have Maine away which UConn has been successful there. A lot of hockey left!

 

[TagTen901]

I will give credit to Vermont. They are almost 500 in the hockey east and they play a lot stronger than they have in many years.

I'm

Yup - right now we need to win HE to play in the FF. That is a tall task given our inconsistency. I am not a fan of NPI. It looks like a recipe to favor Big 10 teams. However, to make the FF, we have to dance to its tune...

And we have a few other games two!

 

[Bomber36]

I will give credit to Vermont. They are almost 500 in the hockey east and they play a lot stronger than they have in many years.

Definitely. They have swept Maine and Northeastern and taken one from BC and UConn. That’s 6 wins over ranked teams. They also beat a good St.Cloud St team.

 

[Sea Goat]

I don't like it either like Saint cloud is 16 their only at .500. And Denver is three games above 500 and still at 9. Uconn has a better record than those two teams and some how we are at 19. But the way I look at it UConn can still make it in as a large bid. Their schedule is in their favor they two non conference games coming up if they beat Yale and end up facing quinnipiac and we beat them UConn will move up. And we have bc coming up and one more against Providence. If we can win all the road games we should be fine. Also we have Maine away which UConn has been successful there. A lot of hockey left!

I agree we have some opportunities to move up, but we have to beat the teams we should beat! This should have been a "sweep weekend". We needed to bottle the 2nd and 3rd periods from Friday night and break it out again tonight. We do miss some veterans from last year who played with a consistent natural grit. Schandor, Spetz, Larkin, Tung eg.

But, this is where a coach earns his keep. Xs and Os are critical, but it is up to a coach to find motivator buttons and push when necessary! He can do it, but then we expect that he will...

 

[RitzLuce1]

A good way to not find yourself in this NPI mess?

Don’t schedule Stonehill.

 

[Bomber36]

A good way to not find yourself in this NPI mess?

Don’t schedule Stonehill.

I found that to be a bit inexplicable. But hell, if you’re gonna schedule them do your job.

 

[TagTen901]

A good way to not find yourself in this NPI mess?

Don’t schedule Stonehill.

Well true but the stonehill game doesn't make a difference they dropped after that game all the way to 29 but moved back up. It was a tie in that game not a loss. A loss would've really ended their chances. Also their schedule works in their favor the next 5 games are on the road if they can win those they will get more points. Road wins against good opponents which they have coming up will give them more points. But they got to win at home as much as they can. The coaching staff needs to call out the captains at this point. Also last year I remember cav put up the pairwise at this point of the season and they played great. I'm wondering if cav is putting up the npi in the locker room. That will give them a reminder what there trying to a accomplish!

 

[huskymedic]

 

[Sea Goat]

The second goal was a travesty right from the get go. We win the faceoff but the puck is in no mans land. Our defenseman is afraid to go get it - fine. But them the Vermont player gets it and blows BY our defenseman who was afraid to be aggressive and then the puck flips over the goalie.
Correct me if im wrong but this is the second straight weekend Muscilik allowed a goal OVER his freakin head.
And after scoring two quick goals to take the lead it was that second freak goal that tilted the game back to vermont.

Any reason Hendrickson couldn't play yesterday? He gave us a nice lift in Lowell last weekend.

 

[RitzLuce1]

A lot of I don’t know and I’m not sure’s for my liking.

 

[Bomber36]

Any reason Hendrickson couldn't play yesterday? He gave us a nice lift in Lowell last weekend.

The only reason, I believe, is because Tyler is the teams top goalie. He won’t sit much the rest of this year. I do feel confident in Hendrickson as a back up if something happens. Anyway, Tylers effort didn’t lose that game, that’s for sure. It was passive defense and no consistency in the offensive zone. Vermont was much more aggressive on the forecheck and kept UConn from having many long offensive zone possessions. They are a young, fast and eager group. I feel like if they stay healthy, Vermont will finish over .500 this year. Their coach, Steve Weidler (former AIC assistant) looks like he has a good plan and they will get better under him each year. I know, way more than you asked, but it got me thinking.

 

[Halloween]

While there are no easy BE games, the frustrating thing with the program is we don’t win games we are supposed to. Those wins are needed to get over the hump.

 

[Bomber36]

While there are no easy BE games, the frustrating thing with the program is we don’t win games we are supposed to. Those wins are needed to get over the hump.

HE.

 

[Fairfield_1st]

They've lost the last 2 games I watched on TV. I'll take one for the team and stop watching.