UConn vs. Vermont - First Hockey East Home Playoff Series (3/4 - 3/6)

[brasssbonanzaa]

Just checked XL website. There are a ton of tickets left. Looks as though it will be disappointing attendance wise.

If UConn draws over 3,500 for these events, it will be seen as a success by the league. These octofinal/QF games are HUGE attendance drags nationwide.

 

[Dooley]

They were out the door the minute Bettman and the NHL approved the sale of the team to Karmanos and his clan of merry men. You would have most likely seen a stadium on campus that fit the minimum of 30 or 35K that was required by the Big East...and it would have been built with the football facility as part of it. Perkins was on a mission to upgrade football from the minute he stepped on campus. The BEST line I ever heard at a sporting even was muttered by a Whaler season ticket holder sitting in front of me one night at the Civic Center...it was early in the season and after a loss where they flat out played like total garbage...he turned around to me as he was getting his coat and said "every year they say this will be our year; that this team is greatly improved from last year....and every year they put the same product out on the ice for us to watch"

My favorite fan quote came from the year that their ticket ad campaign was "The Icemen Cometh."...

"The Icemen sure Cometh alright. Right after they bend us all over to pay and watch this ."

 

[FDNY99]

Just checked XL website. There are a ton of tickets left. Looks as though it will be disappointing attendance wise.

I just looked at the website...I'm gonna go with about 4500 sold so far from what the availability looks like.

 

[Dooley]

Never trust the green dots.

 

[FDNY99]

Never trust the green dots.

Even 4500 would be a good number; but with the regular season game against UVM (1/22) being the first home game in over a month (12/11) most likely helped get the attendance number to 6442. I told my wife I figured there were about 5100-5200 against UNH...and the attendance was 6254 so hopefully the numbers for this weekend are closer to the regular season UVM and UNH games.

 

[zls44]

He's just angry they haven't yet fired the entire assistant coaching staff of the men's basketball team.

Hah...I'm actually just upset that the entire program is being built upon the cross of a failed NHL franchise. UConn does not need to associate itself with the Whalers.

 

[FDNY99]

 

[ct06111]

Hah...I'm actually just upset that the entire program is being built upon the cross of a failed NHL franchise. UConn does not need to associate itself with the Whalers.

If you really feel that way, then you should resign as my #icebus tour director

 

[FDNY99]

From Mike Anthony:
http://www.courant.com/sports/college/hc-state-college-notebook-0304-20160303-story.html
UConn's Huge Win

UConn hockey coach Mike Cavanaugh stopped short of calling Corey Ronan's overtime goal Saturday in the regular season finale at New Hampshire a program-changing moment, but it was another step in the program's evolution.

The victory marked the first time the Huskies had erased a three-goal deficit in the third period under Cavanaugh. It also bumped UConn up to the No. 8 position in Hockey East and landed the Huskies home-ice advantage for a first-round playoff series against No. 9 Vermont (Friday-Sunday at the XL Center). The Huskies finished one spot higher than they did in 2014-15, their debut Hockey East season.

"And the magnitude of the game, knowing it was going to determine whether we stayed home for the playoffs, to be able to do it was pretty special," Cavanaugh said.

As of Thursday afternoon, about 2,500 tickets had been sold for Game 1, which begins at 7:05 p.m. Game 2 is Saturday at 7:05 and Game 3, if necessary, is Sunday at 5:05. With walk-ups, UConn expects a crowd more than 5,000 Friday.

UConn (11-19-4) lost both regular season meetings to Vermont – 2-1 Nov. 13 in Burlington, Vt., and 4-2 Jan. 22 in Hartford. The Catamounts are 12-20-3.

"I don't think there's any secret formula on how to succeed in the playoffs," Cavanaugh said. "I think when you get to this point, it's not so much about a forecheck or defensive zone coverage or neutral zone play — it's making sure you compete every shift, that you're mentally plugged in."

Sophomore David Drake, arguably UConn's best defenseman before being sidelined with a broken hand sustained in the second game against Vermont, returned to full-contact practice Thursday but it remains a long shot for him to play Friday.

 

[ct06111]

Nice little segment about the playoffs just now on nbc Connecticut during 6 o'clock news. Will try to find later... Literally just happened.

 

[31GuardTrap]

I haven't been this excited for a playoff game played in this arena since 1992 - Game 6. For those of you too young to remember, Yvon Corriveau tapped in a game winner in OT to force Game 7 against Montreal. The Whale, of course, went on to lose on a backbreaking Russ Courtnall softie in Game 7 2OT. That kids, was the last time a playoff hockey game that Dooley is/was 100% invested in was played on our ice.

I. Am. Pumped.

I was there.

 

[31GuardTrap]

I was there (game 6) and I recall it being the loudest crowd I have ever been a part. Montreal players were even commenting on it after the game. Saw Chris Berman at the end of reg and he said he had chills, for whatever that is worth.

 

[MattMang23]

I don't feel like scrolling through four pages so maybe this has been addressed, but are the teams re-seeded after the first round? ie, we are eighth and if we win, no matter the other series' outcomes, we would play BCU next?

Or if someone else springs an upset and we also win, therefore we wouldn't be the lowest seed in the next round, does that team get BCU and we get Provy?

 

[FDNY99]

I don't feel like scrolling through four pages so maybe this has been addressed, but are the teams re-seeded after the first round? ie, we are eighth and if we win, no matter the other series' outcomes, we would play BCU next?

Or if someone else springs an upset and we also win, therefore we wouldn't be the lowest seed in the next round, does that team get BCU and we get Provy?

This is direct from Hockey East Website:
(http://www.hockeyeastonline.com/men/tourney/index.php)

2016 Hockey East Men's Tournament Schedule
Friday - Sunday, March 4-6: Best-of-Three Opening Round
Play on Campus
(#5 hosts #12, #6 hosts #11, #7 hosts #10, #8 hosts #9)
Friday - Sunday, March 11-13: Best-of-Three Quarterfinal Round
Play on Campus
(Schools #1 - #4 host four opening round winners, highest vs. lowest, etc.)
Friday, March 18
at TD Garden: Semifinal Games
Saturday, March 19
at TD Garden: Championship Final

 

[MattMang23]

This is direct from Hockey East Website:
(http://www.hockeyeastonline.com/men/tourney/index.php)

2016 Hockey East Men's Tournament Schedule
Friday - Sunday, March 4-6: Best-of-Three Opening Round
Play on Campus
(#5 hosts #12, #6 hosts #11, #7 hosts #10, #8 hosts #9)
Friday - Sunday, March 11-13: Best-of-Three Quarterfinal Round
Play on Campus
(Schools #1 - #4 host four opening round winners, highest vs. lowest, etc.)
Friday, March 18
at TD Garden: Semifinal Games
Saturday, March 19
at TD Garden: Championship Final

Thanks. So they are re-seeded.

 

[huskymedic]

UConnStudentTix 9:33am via Twitter Web Client
There are still free tickets for tonight's @UConnMHOC Hockey East quarterfinal game vs. Vermont at the XL Center @ 7:05. #bleedblue

 

[ct06111]

I don't feel like scrolling through four pages so maybe this has been addressed, but are the teams re-seeded after the first round? ie, we are eighth and if we win, no matter the other series' outcomes, we would play BCU next?

Or if someone else springs an upset and we also win, therefore we wouldn't be the lowest seed in the next round, does that team get BCU and we get Provy?

Current playoff bracket
http://www.collegehockeynews.com/reports/confinfo.php?c=5&d=bracket

 

[HuskyCamper]

So the winner of the UCONN - Vermont Series would automatically play at BC regardless of how the other games play out this weekend? If that holds true I like that as long as UCONN would not have to play PC or ND because they did not match up well against both those teams during the regular season. UCONN will sweep VT this weekend.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

So the winner of the UCONN - Vermont Series would automatically play at BC regardless of how the other games play out this weekend? If that holds true I like that as long as UCONN would not have to play PC or ND because they did not match up well against both those teams during the regular season. UCONN will sweep VT this weekend.

No, Hockey East reseeds. If all top seeds win, UConn goes to BC. As it stands, UNH (10 seed) is up 1-0 on MC and if they win, UConn cannot under any circumstances play BC, and would then likely end up at Providence as UMass and Maine are highly unlikely to pull off upsets. I would bet on UNH winning one of the next two at MC, so the odds of UConn playing at BC if they win probably aren't that good.

But the key is the conference reseeds after every round, including QFs going into semis.
Edit: missed FDNY's post above.

 

[huskymedic]

UConnHuskyAD 12:32pm via TweetDeck
Good luck to Coach Cavanaugh and @UConnMHOC as they open @hockey_east playoffs vs. Vermont tonight at @XLCenter #UConnNation

 

[HuskyCamper]

No, Hockey East reseeds. If all top seeds win, UConn goes to BC. As it stands, UNH (10 seed) is up 1-0 on MC and if they win, UConn cannot under any circumstances play BC, and would then likely end up at Providence as UMass and Maine are highly unlikely to pull off upsets. I would bet on UNH winning one of the next two at MC, so the odds of UConn playing at BC if they win probably aren't that good.

But the key is the conference reseeds after every round, including QFs going into semis.
Edit: missed FDNY's post above.

Okay thank you.

 

[TheDoggPound]

Is Drake playing?

 

[ct06111]

Is Drake playing?

http://www.hockeyeastonline.com/sportsinfo/ORconfcall/Mike Cavanaugh.m4a

Listen to 5:00 on... Says he questionable. Broke wrist/hand same game as Ronan's. Drake's is taking longer to heal. Full practice resumed Thursday, but a long shot for tonight's game.

 

[FDNY99]

Really good first period...a lot of odd man rushes. Thought they started a bit tight/sloppy but cleaned it up pretty well.

 

[huskymedic]

UConnMHOC 8:29pm via TweetDeck
End of the 2nd - Vermont leads 2-1, shots are 23-22 UConn #IceBus