Props

I'm giving props to the Terrier Blog for unearthing a great video depicting the USA U-18 National Development Team by Justin Vaive.

I think the greatest clip comes in at :56 seconds. If you don't know who that is... you will! Click on the link at the end of the Terrier Blog piece that is title-linked.

All I can say is - Get that kid a better camera! If you can stand the dancing it's worth watching to the end. For what it's worth, Justin is joining the Maimi Redhawks this fall.

Go 'Cats!

Alumni Game Roster *UPDATED*

I was passed along some information regarding the rosters for the alumni game (I expect a few more will show).

Your UNH Wildcats!

Blue Team	White Team
Bob Blood(74-78)	Brian Byrnes(80-85)
Peter Douris(83-85)	Ken Sharpe(62-66)
George White(80-83)	Dana Barbin(77-81)
Bill Batchelder(61-65)	Dan Muse(81-85)
Mike Rossetti(84-88)	Andy Brickley(79-82)
Ryan Brandt(66-70)	Tom Moulton(73-77)
Ken McKinnon(58-62)	Jim Abbott(99-03)
Jon Fontas(74-78)	Tim Hanley(84-88)
Tim Burke(73-77)	Josh Prudden(99-03)
Bob Chebator(90-94)	Richard Lamontagne(59-63)
Greg Rota(83-87)	Walter Read(55-59)
Brian Yandle(02-06)	Glenn Stewart(90-94)
Paul Powers(73-77)	Frank Barth(77-81)
Mark Doherty(80-84)	Josh Ciocco(03-07)
Scott Ellison(80-85)	Jeff Pietrasiak(02-06)

*The years listed are, as best as I was able, (first fall-final spring) of their time playing at UNH. The Alumni Game usually runs two games with the second game featuring many of the more recent alumni but I do not have that list. You can see last year's list here.

Go 'Cats!

ESPN Caves To The Greatness That Is College Hockey

I ran across the title-linked ESPN article discussing underscored rivalries in sport, on the USCHO fan boards with the indication that it was initially divulged from, yuck, a maine fan.

If this doesn't get your blood boiling then you're in the wrong place!

Go 'Cats! Beat maine!

Alumni Game at 2:00pm

One week from today! 2:00pm - Whittemore Center, Durham, NH on the University of New Hampshire Campus.

The 2007 UNH Men's Hockey Alumni Game!

Bring your family, and bring your friends! It's free!

A great time to be had by all - get some autographs and pictures taken with Wildcat Stars!

For any more information (like you need any!) see the title-linked Official Page release.

Go 'Cats!

Blast From the Past

I don't usually embed videos but I was just carving the web today and stumbled on the Oilers vs. Atlanta fight video featuring Ty Conklin versus Pasi Nurminen. Just listen for the comment about the impending goalie fight from the announcer.



Go 'Cats!

Oddball Wildcat Stat (New Roster)

I title-linked the new official roster (only a month or so behind me official page!). They've yet to update the players' year in school, so pay no attention to that and I don't believe the jersey numbers are set yet but don't quote me on that one.

So, oddball stat he says. What's he going to come out with this time? Well, it's not too oddball but I wanted to do a rough test for essentially the densest player on the team - now come on Nation, I'm not implying Joe Charlebois is dense in that manner - would you!? (For the record, I have him beat at 240 lbs over 6'1" of height - a lbs./in.-of-height density of 3.29! (As a note I'm a woodworking/lumberjack sort when I'm not hunched over the keyboard - yeah, I'd look strange if you saw me blogging! But I'd like to think I make a decent puck-stop when I'm in net.) So, without further ado...

Your UNH Wildcats: lbs./in.-of-height density

Joe Charlebois	3.08
Paul Thompson	2.91
Jerry Pollastrone	2.85
Matt Campanale	2.82
Mike Beck	2.74
Peter LeBlanc	2.71
Craig Switzer	2.70
Jamie Fritsch	2.70
Phil DeSimone	2.67
Matt Fornataro	2.64
Kevin Kapstad	2.64
Nick Krates	2.64
Alan Thompson	2.60
Greg Manz	2.58
Danny Rossman	2.57
Kevin Reagan	2.57
Danny Vranek	2.54
James van Riemsdyk	2.53
Bobby Butler	2.50
Mike Radja	2.47
Thomas Fortney	2.46
Greg Collins	2.46
Scott Savard	2.46
Danny Dries	2.44
Brian Foster	2.43
Brad Flaishans	2.43
Mike Sislo	2.42

Overall I find it an interesting statistic - you have defensemen Joe Charlebois and Brad Flaishans who are at opposite ends of the spectrum. You have Jerry Pollastrone who just doesn't come off as one of the toughest guys out there - but I would watch out. You have the tallest guy on the team, James van Riemsdyk, running ever-so-slightly behind our team's shortest, Danny Vranek. This all assumes no typos. Enjoy what you get out of it. If anyone wants to run any interesting statistics (like average height/weight or anything really) please let me know and if you'd like, I'd gladly post them up here.

Go 'Cats!

CHB Round Table

Goon, over at his self-titled North Dakota blog hit up a number of the college hockey blogger community for a little Round Table: Hot Stove League edition.

You can see yours truly featured as we bloggers discuss the hardships of college hockey blogging in the off-season - truly depressing but we did manage to talk some hockey.

Check it out through the title-link (that's the linked title of this post)!

Go 'Cats!

PS - Hey Eric! As to that nice marker on the Wildcat Nation Frappr map... we'll see about that! Them's fight'n words!

Potential Recruit: Mark Goggin

I wanted to congratulate Choate Prep Wild Boars', Mark Goggin '09, on his selection to the US Under-18 Select Team which will represent the United States in just a few weeks at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Ice Hockey Tournament. Click here if you would like to know more about Hlinka.

Mark, along with his brother, Connor Goggin '08, and new Wildcat, Greg Manz, made up the top sounder (the correct term for a group of boars!) for the Wild Boars this past season.

Connor has visited our illustrious university and Mark is being courted by our coaching staff. It would be great to see them reunited here in Blue and White.

Congratulations Mark!

Go 'Cats!

Another 'Cat Takes Up The Mantle

I've title-linked the University of New England's (Biddeford, ME) release concerning the reinstatement of their hockey program.

Why?

Oh, well, that's because UNE hired Wildcat, Brad Holt, to coach their return. Coach Holt played on some great New Hampshire teams from 1976-77 to 1978-79. He has stayed active in the hockey world ever since, including stints in and around the Durham area.

Congratulations Coach Holt! And Good Luck!

Go 'Cats!

Conklin Lands A Penguin

Ty Conklin has moved on to join the Pittsburgh Penguins organization yesterday as a backup to the Penguins' starter, first overall draft pick, Marc Andre-Fleury.

The half-million dollar, one-year deal will see him with the potential to play with either the parent club or their AHL affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins. Wilkes-Barre's other goaltenders are a young lot with little pro experience and include Dany Sabourin, who's expected to compete with Ty for the backup position, and then two total newcomers from the college ranks, David Brown (Notre Dame), and fellow Hockey East alum, John Curry (BU) - both coming off of outstanding senior seasons.

Congratulations Ty! Good to see you still going strong.

Go 'Cats!

News Flash

USHR is reporting that our very own Patrick Foley is now Coach Foley of the Harvard Crimson under head coach Ted Donato. Thanks to Boblav over at the USCHO message boards for calling attention to this story.

You'll recall that I interviewed him this past season during his stint as assistant coach for the US National Team Development Program. Now he will be moving back toward home to take up the same post down in Cambridge.

Good Luck, Coach!

Go 'Cats!

New Site Starting Up

For those that don't get to the CH&OS blog on a regular basis, check out the title-linked article.

'Double A' was let in on a new site, CollegeHockey.info, which is seeking information to become the most comprehensive listing of current AND former college hockey players - including their stats.

If you know any former college hockey players or ARE one, follow that title-link to the link in his article to submit information to the new site.

Very nice.

Go 'Cats!

More Filler - *Now Updated With Real News*

Found the title-linked article displaying what may be Darren Haydar's first foray into journalism and the impeccable character of this Wildcat standout. He put together a nice article, well spoken as always.

In light of the content of the piece - Hey Darren, don't quit your day job. ;)


Smith makes his case - joined by '08 recruit Kessel at Islanders' Prospect Camp.

I have not found the number of points scored by early departure, Trevor Smith, but he is credited with being on the top line at Islanders Mini-Camp.

Blake Kessel was unfortunately on the opposite end of the ice as his 'team' was defeated in the mini-camp tournament.


Regan for Goaltender.

Kevin Regan has put on a strong showing at Bruins' Prospects Camp. Just search through the linked page for his last name.

Go 'Cats!

'Cats At Camp

I don't have a complete list of 'Cats that are attending their respective development camps but I'll tell you what I've found - all players' stat page at hockeydb.com can be linked to through the roster further down the page.

Kevin Regan - Bruins' Prospect Camp, Ristuccia Arena, Wilmington Mass. - they'll be running camp through Saturday where you can see action at 1:30 Friday and 2:00 Saturday.

Mike Radja and Phil DeSimone (pictured here at the Capital Fanatic blog) - Capitals' Development Camp, Kettler Capitals Iceplex, Arlington Va - the schedule is here, you can see Radja was a late addition to the roster.

James van Riemsdyk - Flyers' Mini-Camp - and you can read what the Director of Player Development had to say.

Brian Foster - was reportedly at Panthers' Camp from June 3rd-10th which is verified here although I could not find a synopsis of the action from their camp.

Joe Charlebois and Peter LeBlanc - were listed as attendees of the Chicago Blackhawks development camp although I was unable to find a synopsis of their presence either.

Craig Switzer - got a nice write-up from New England Hockey Journal on his experience at Predators' Prospect Camp.

Not sure if he attended a camp but Brad Flaishans deserves even more recognition for his academic accomplishments which were well noted on the Texas Tornado site.

If anyone has any information to pass along please email or comment - let me know if you don't wish to be acknowledged as I always acknowledge by default.

Go 'Cats!

Radja Scores At Caps Development

You read that right, Caps not 'Cats.

Mike Radja is attending the first ever Washington Capitals Development Camp held at the Kettler Capitals Iceplex in Arlington, Virginia.

Mike hails from Yorkville, Illinois which would mean the KCI would be just a hop, skip and a twelve hour jump if he was back home - it's actually just under 9 hours from Durham though.

So, the meat of the story is that he scored one of the three goals scored by his blue squad. It is well reported on the Dump and Chase blog. Sounds like Mike pulled the same move he did in the Tournament this past year without that whole being tripped to the ice thing and lofting it in past Zatkoff while prone on the ice.

Check out the Dump and Chase blog for his take.

Go 'Cats!

Wildcat in the Wild

Well, things are incredibly tame around Wildcat Nation. No drinking scandals, no defections... nothing! And I'll take it. I always say, no news is good news - less for me to do.

So. Nation. I'm in to report that there has been a Preston Callander sighting near campus in the town of Newmarket. I don't know what the motivation for the trip is - whether he's just back on this side of the big pond for a visit and the alumni game or if he's possibly moving back stateside. Preston has been with Wolfsburg EHC of the 2.GBun (Second Bundesliga - check the Wikipedia Entry for a good laugh - just read it in your best Deutsch, out loud, preferably with other people around for best effect) for the past two years and posted an excellent 20 goals and 25 assist in 51 games with the Grizzly Adams' this past season. Our Wildcat 'Sturmer' standing at a 'Grobe' of 183 cm and tilting the scales at a 'Gewicht' of 87kg was the team's fourth leading scorer. You can see a nice (but not updated!) stats page on the Wolfsburg site. My only question is, what is the thirteenth month!? Get with the program Germany! There is no thirteenth month! Preston was born on May 13th! Get it right! (Nation, you need not comment on this rant unless you're appreciating the 'Colbertness' of it. I call it Channeling Colbert. TRADEMARK! The UNH Hockey Blogger Guy July 10th, 2007!)

So, if you see a Wildcat in the wild, of the hockey persuasion, let me know. If I'm up to it I'll fire off a post.

This is Stephen Col... I mean Your UNH Men's Hockey Blogger Guy signing off!

Go 'Cats!

We're Halfway There!

Well, almost. With the exact middle of the year falling tomorrow we will have officially crossed the threshold to the 2007-2008 UNH Wildcat Hockey Season.

I've already completed the switch, just let me know if I missed anything.

We've got a lot to look forward to this year and first up is the Alumni Game just over a month away on Sunday, August 5th. I'll post a time as soon as it's available (it's usually in the early afternoon) - make sure you're there!

I continue to seek help as 'The Other UNH Men's Hockey Blogger' was unable to continue due to other commitments. Anyone who would like to contribute just need send me an email and we'll discuss it.

Also, I want to say 'Thank You!' to all those who've brought news to my attention and who have answered inquiries on my behalf - you help make this blog what it is. And finally a hearty 'Thanks!' to the readers - those of you loyal to Wildcat Nation, those who are keeping an eye out on the competition and especially those who speak up to keep me in line.

Looking forward to the upcoming season!
-TUMHBG

Go 'Cats!