UConn v. #7 Maine Black Bears @ XL Center (Friday 1/12/24 @7p & Saturday 1/13/24 @3p). Both games on ESPN+

[Punkbo]

Terrible loss, but I’m more bullish than others. I think today’s crowd will get people fired up. The fans are willing to support the program and we’ve got a new beautiful arena to help with recruiting. Cav is far from perfect, but he’s ours for a while longer so get used to it.

 

[Bomber36]

Maine hit posts too. Everyone hits posts

Maine dominated the 3rd. Their talent took over.

The refs helped quite a bit. Called back a goal that I didn’t see a replay of, but have been told was a shaky decision at best and gave them a late power play on what was a clean hit. Any time UConn hits someone, the refs blow the whistle. Maine leaves our guys writhing on the ice and it’s just incidental to the play. This has gone on for years. I’m sick of it. At some point the referees have to be brought to task for their obvious lack of evenhandedness.

 

[The Viking]

I'm not saying we didn't have a hand in our own demise. Of course that third period was in part due to us.
As a season ticket holder who goes to most games, I'm telling you we get shafted by officials so much at home it's incredible. This is a sport where the officiating is pretty consistent. They will look for ways to even out the penalties and if there is a call late it tends to favor the home team. I've been watching hockey for 40 years.this is how it works.
But this team? Cav must have slept with every wife or girlfriend of every official in this goshdarn league because it's unconscionable what goes on whether it's XL or Toscano.

 

[The Viking]

The goal they wiped off the board after
Looking at it for five minutes- what is so obvious about that where it took you forever to overturn the call on the ice.
The elbow call that let Maine tie it up- when you look to see if it's a 5 minute and then realize oh we screwed the call it was actually a great hit. Overturn that call you hideous beasts.
It's every game where we get hosed like this one way or the other and it's so hard to watch

 

[mac2351]

Eric Lang. Until I am blue in the face. He’s the guy.

Him or I would go up to BU and bring Pereira back. He’d return for 600k per

Pereira is an elite recruiter. One of the best in the country.

All of UConn’s best recruits were got by him while playing out of a shed. He’d make an immediate impact on the recruiting trail with Toscano

 

[zls44]

Him or I would go up to BU and bring Pereira back. He’d return for 600k per

Pereira is an elite recruiter. One of the best in the country.

All of UConn’s best recruits were got by him while playing out of a shed. He’d make an immediate impact on the recruiting trail with Toscano

Not a terrible shout, but two things to consider

1. Would he be willing to do that after Cav got axed? Might not want to. They were close.

2. I’d prefer someone with HC experience.

 

[Sea Goat]

It’s sad because Cav is a genuinely good guy and got shafted on the arena delay thing.

But at a certain point…you are what you are. It’s a decade. This isn’t year two. The excuses don’t work anymore.

Agreed that he is a genuinely good guy. If he wasn't, he would have been gone years ago. This isn't about that.

BTW, coaches have started with less. Pecknold worked out of a broom closet and started a new program. He has been competitive for years, with a Natty last year.

 

[mac2351]

I'm not saying we didn't have a hand in our own demise. Of course that third period was in part due to us.
As a season ticket holder who goes to most games, I'm telling you we get shafted by officials so much at home it's incredible. This is a sport where the officiating is pretty consistent. They will look for ways to even out the penalties and if there is a call late it tends to favor the home team. I've been watching hockey for 40 years.this is how it works.
But this team? Cav must have slept with every wife or girlfriend of every official in this goshdarn league because it's unconscionable what goes on whether it's XL or Toscano.

I was surprised by the goalie interference negating the goal. However, I have become numb to big hits turning into penalties. Probably should adopt the IIHF rule where after review the refs can downgrade to no penalty.

One major issue I have with the roster is there are way too many grinders. You cannot except to compete at the top of Hockey East with 4th liners throughout the roster.

I strongly believe Wood would have a much larger impact if he was playing on a team with better talent. His ability would should shine a lot brighter. I’m worried he realizes that and moves on.

Not a terrible shout, but two things to consider

1. Would he be willing to do that after Cav got axed? Might not want to. They were close.

2. I’d prefer someone with HC experience.

Cavanaugh is a nice guy and probably would tell him to take the opportunity and not to worry about him. This team needs a big upgrade in talent and Pereira would do it.

I would take Lang too. But I want a big time recruiter to come with him.

But this is all moot because he’s not getting fired for at least a couple more seasons.

 

[Sea Goat]

Him or I would go up to BU and bring Pereira back. He’d return for 600k per

Pereira is an elite recruiter. One of the best in the country.

All of UConn’s best recruits were got by him while playing out of a shed. He’d make an immediate impact on the recruiting trail with Toscano

I was touting a swap for Pereira years ago...

 

[mac2351]

I’m really worried about this team getting blitzed off the ice today in front of 9,000 people. This just seems like it has has all the makings of it.

 

[DblCrossbar]

I echo the sentiments about poor officiating and lack of clutch play. At this juncture, other than a chance to win a trophy at CT Ice, this season is likely to be a lost one, and for the first time UConn will probably finish below their predicted spot in the standings.

I will say that the loss of Jake Flynn o injury on the D line didn’t help. With him in the pairing and healthy it would have been tougher for Maine to come back. He was playing a solid game.

However special teams play is a huge problem. The PK unit is not stepping up like they once did and the pathetic power play unit that Cavs has not been able to figure out since the days of Tage and Letunov (or maybe Payusov, maybe). Everytime their PP takes to the ice it looks like 5 on 4 pond hockey with no set plays or positioning, just a random scramble. If that “style“ or approach actually worked then fine, but the numbers speak for themselves.

As for Wood, he is still developing but also overrated. I have read about how he’s be better on a better team, but that’s not true due to his style and mucking up his own chances on breakaways. That and his obvious lack of raw speed which he sometimes compensates with good hands and a long reach, but that won’t work at the next level. At least he’s really good at ping pong.

 

[DblCrossbar]

This feels like the early days of UConn basketball in the BE. In those days they did get shafted by the officials, the most frustrating thing is Cav feels like the Dom Perno of this program, will always be mid.

Newsflash, even after returning to the BIg East and winning a Natty, UConn is still getting screwed by officials In Men’s BBall. Did you see the absolutely horrendous call at Xavier (ok, granted they are neuvo BE but…) involving a cut to the forehead of Karaban sidelining him for 3 minutes and he gets called for the foul. It seems to be part of the UConn aura or something. Beyond talent, an important difference between UConn’s BBall team and hockey teams are is toughness and overcoming adversity. Hurley and his staff have that it factor - even with a stretch of bad games in conference last season. It doesn’t appear that Cavs and his staff bring the same kind of mojo to his team after all these years. Nice respectable guy, but not who we need to lead if we can pattern successful coaches that have served at UConn.

Need to hire a HC who is a proven winner at a smaller program as a HC, meaning he gets to the NCAA tournament consistently, essentially hiring the Jim Calhoun of this program.

I would certainly be open to that. I also love the Joe Pereira suggestions as HC here.

 

[mac2351]

 

[mac2351]

Sergeev to start. Only a decision someone like Cav would make.

First start since the 2nd week of November

Good luck with that

 

[Bomber36]

Let’s go!

 

[huskymedic]

 

[mac2351]

UConn sleepwalking

 

[mac2351]

UConn outshot 13-2 in the first

Badly outplayed. No great chances for Maine though

 

[The Viking]

The most anemic offensive period in 10 years _ two weak shots on goal from way outside. Thank god it's scoreless.
Great crowd being treated to a root canal

 

[The Viking]

Sergeev to start. Only a decision someone like Cav would make.

First start since the 2nd week of November

Good luck with that

He's actually playing well

 

[mac2351]

Much better 2nd period for UConn

Shots: 12-3 UConn

 

[JeannoCT]

2-0 good guys

 

[huskymedic]

 

[huskymedic]

2-0 good guys

 

[huskymedic]