Saturday, January 10, 2009

Just Beat UMass: UNH 3 - UMass 2 Final OT

Starting line

Collins-LeBlanc-Butler and Kapstad-Kessel on the blueline, Brian Foster will seal up the 4'x6' opening.

First Period

UMass's overall penaltykill is 89.4%(2nd in HE) and 93.8% in HE(1st), Pete.

Early scorekeeping trouble affects the beginning of the game but nothing happening thus far.

Some chances for the 'Cats but I'm sure UMass is collapsing on the net and the shots aren't finding there way through.

14:30 to go in the first.

Much more offensive pressure early for the 'Cats tonight.

Somehow these two teams just seem to pile up shots which currently stand at 7-4 UNH under nine minutes into the game.

Ugh. What sluggish play.

Some UNH chances but does not seem to be really threatening with the UMass defense and goaltender Meyers giving them nothing despite some offensive control.

The first powerplay goes to UMass and is killed by the 'Cats.

It sounds like the three top UNH lines are coming on strong but not getting anything but ahh's from the crowd as they out-shooting UMass 15-13 in the first period.

End of the First

Hope everyone has voted for their favorite Wildcats' Men's Hockey Players (link below) and be sure to check out TUMHB's sortable stat table (can't miss them as you scroll down the page). The only thing I know to be inaccurate is the points-per-game stat which I'll recalculate either tonight or tomorrow.

Second Period

17:37 in the second with some up-tempo play but each team neutralizing the other.

They may as well skip the game and go straight to the shootout.

Kapstad going for a crosscheck as UMass is running Foster again with the refs refusing to protect him the team is forced to.

Second UMass powerplay. None for our 'Cats.

Minuteman powerplay goal with 14:52 to play in the second.

0-1.

Shots 17-16 UNH. UMass has totally gone into their shell.

11:00 to play in the second - a little less with UMass taking their first penalty of the game.

UNH Powerplay.

Foster makes a game-saving stop on a bad giveaway by DeSimone.

Powerplay expires with nary a chance.

8:33 to go in the second.

The winter break crowd has a lump in their throat at this point - seems to me they think this one won't end well.

Alan Thompson still working, working, working for that first goal. Let it come.

Just a complete failure to execute on the part of our 'Cats as they squander a 2-on-1 rush.

4:25 to go in the second.

Shots 23-22 Wildcats - regardless of the shots they seem to need a radical change.

Not that kind of change. Kapstad goes off for tripping with 2:51 to go in the second.

1:33 to go in the second with a UMass icing during the powerplay.

A chance on a break with Kessel to van Riemsdyk failing to beat Meyers. And now Dries and Marcou will sit the rest of the second and the beginning of the third.

4-on-4 hockey.

UMass coming close to making it two. Foster reins them in.

End of the Second

Shots 26-24 UNH.

The biggest problem that I see tonight is that Greg Collins and Peter LeBlanc have failed to record a shot tonight.

And I think I'm coming around to the notion that this team lacks that competitive edge to their game.

Third Period

Kessel tripped up draws the penalty to enhance the 4-on-4 play.

UNH Powerplay.

Who else but Sislo!

1-1.

The fish is on the ice in the third period - wonder how many times the fish has sat their that long? I can remember it sitting there through most of the second once... but the third period?

Announced as a blistering slapshot by Dan Parkhurst.

Anyone know if James van Riemsdyk is back from the World Juniors yet?

He is? Two games without a point then. I guess it can happen to anyone.

2-1 UMass.

Just over fourteen minutes to play.

4-on-4 with 13:06 to play... wait... another 2:00 coming against UMass, it will be a UNH powerplay with the rookie scoreboard operator goofing it up some more - I jest of course but something's going on down there.

Oh, they broke it now... the clock is just ticking away.

Nothing doing on the Wildcat powerplay with the guys just seeming very jittery and unsure.

The way Dan is calling this game now it sounds like a eulogy and the crowd sounds like they're at a wake.

Suddenly... oh my goodness... Jamie Fritsch steps up and collects the feed from Thomas Fortney... what parallel universe did I just fall into!?

*I got this wrong at the time - it was Fortney FROM Fritsch but I say that's not how they called it at the time.

2-2.

From the cheering it sounds like many of the fans have already left

8:27 to play.

The guys do know that if they tie UMass again tonight they are officially sisters, right?

UNH powerplay drawn by a Sislo rush with van Riemsdyk pressing.

5:30 to play.

UNH out-shooting 37-31.

3:35 to go powerplay expired.

2:12 now. Shots 41-33.

Play generally being dominated by UMass late.

1 minute.

Collins breaks it up and dishes to Butler for a good chance stopped by Meyers and after a UMass rush Collins and Butler turn it again and draws the penalty on Marcou's trip.

UNH timeout with :24 to play and will likely go into overtime with the man advantage.

End of the Third

You've got to feel for these goalies. Shots 42-37 UNH. Neither of these two teams have generated fewer than 31 shots in their entire season series versus each other.

Overtime

100% of the shots that miss the net don't go in... DeSimone with the chance, misses.

Ah, I guess Bobby Butler doesn't want to be sisters with any Minutemen - scores off of a broken play from Kapstad for the game-winner.

3-2 'Cats!

Butler: "I just wanted to get it on the net."

Ha ha ha.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

'Night, Nation!

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Pre-Game

Tonight's Lineup

Pollastrone-van Riemsdyk-Sislo
Collins-LeBlanc-Butler
Dries-DeSimone-Moses
A.Thompson-Borisenok-Fortney

Kapstad-Kessel
Fritsch-Campanale
Krates-Kipp

Brian Foster

----------------

Forget git-r-done, just beat UMass!

Links.

Live Online Stream

Last Night: In Case You Forgot

College Hockey News' Tale of the Tape

Official Site of UNH Men's Hockey

Vote for your favorite Wildcats!

Go 'Cats! Just beat UMass!

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