Wildcat Hockey Monday
Wildcat Hockey Monday is back in Wildcat Nation!
It was a good night and I thoroughly enjoyed the spectacle.
Here's what I took away from Saturday night's display:
Brian Foster looked laser sharp except for managing only a slight piece on the lone Acadia goal that resulted from a long distance rising slapshot.
Kevin McCarey returns to the line-up a radically different player. Leaner, stronger, faster and with an incredible release that by my tally accounted for 5 posts on just three shots. McCarey's goal, which the Official Site records slightly incorrectly, came from one of a handful of terrific shots off of the sophomore's stick. His first two best attempts came early in the game when he straight-up beat the Acadia netminder on his glove hand, short-side, but both shots ended up being misguided by only the smallest of margins, clanging loudly off the near post. Kevin would attempt one shot to the glove hand, far-side, but it was snared and so returning to what worked in his next bid he rifled the puck short-side blocker with a rising snap shot that caught the left post before ricocheting up to catch the crossbar and then the far post before going in. Remind me never to play 'Post' with Kevin. Most Improved.
Then, how's that for leadership!? Peter 'Guns' LeBlanc just absolutely blasts home the first goal of the game on the one-timer from Blake Kessel (who had a few blasts of his own from the blueline). LeBlanc and Butler came onto and left the ice as real leaders in charge of a team that was disciplined and focused. They displayed a high-degree of unity and cohesiveness which leaves me unable to say enough about our Captains who maintained an obvious presence both on and off the ice throughout.
New guys! Showed some stuff. Of the freshmen that we saw the most of: Greg Burke has great size, speed and stick-handling once battling two Acadia Axemen at center ice and coming away with the puck - I think we'll see him in action as his strength and shooting power increase. Don't forget that this is a guy who had to sit out almost the entire season last year due to injury. Austin Block, smart with and without the puck, a nose for the net and a real ability to make things happen in the offensive zone - you can see why he was the NAHL's leading scorer and he's only going to get better. John Henrion great two-way play with strength beyond his size but a little penalty prone. Scott Pavelski. Led the exhibition game in points with three assists. An extraordinarily dangerous role-playing forward he is extremely sound with or without the puck and is willing to grind it out - it'll be hard if not impossible to keep him out of the line-up.
Missing - Stevie Moses. I'll see what I can find out... and I'm hearing a rumor of a groin injury - let's hope he's 100% soon. Get well, Steve!
Well, that's just the exhibition game - let's get this season underway!
Coming up this week, the season's first Wednesday's Wildcat Alumni Weekly and Friday's Pre-Game along with whatever other news is on the horizon!
Welcome back Nation!
Go 'Cats!
It was a good night and I thoroughly enjoyed the spectacle.
Here's what I took away from Saturday night's display:
Brian Foster looked laser sharp except for managing only a slight piece on the lone Acadia goal that resulted from a long distance rising slapshot.
Kevin McCarey returns to the line-up a radically different player. Leaner, stronger, faster and with an incredible release that by my tally accounted for 5 posts on just three shots. McCarey's goal, which the Official Site records slightly incorrectly, came from one of a handful of terrific shots off of the sophomore's stick. His first two best attempts came early in the game when he straight-up beat the Acadia netminder on his glove hand, short-side, but both shots ended up being misguided by only the smallest of margins, clanging loudly off the near post. Kevin would attempt one shot to the glove hand, far-side, but it was snared and so returning to what worked in his next bid he rifled the puck short-side blocker with a rising snap shot that caught the left post before ricocheting up to catch the crossbar and then the far post before going in. Remind me never to play 'Post' with Kevin. Most Improved.
Then, how's that for leadership!? Peter 'Guns' LeBlanc just absolutely blasts home the first goal of the game on the one-timer from Blake Kessel (who had a few blasts of his own from the blueline). LeBlanc and Butler came onto and left the ice as real leaders in charge of a team that was disciplined and focused. They displayed a high-degree of unity and cohesiveness which leaves me unable to say enough about our Captains who maintained an obvious presence both on and off the ice throughout.
New guys! Showed some stuff. Of the freshmen that we saw the most of: Greg Burke has great size, speed and stick-handling once battling two Acadia Axemen at center ice and coming away with the puck - I think we'll see him in action as his strength and shooting power increase. Don't forget that this is a guy who had to sit out almost the entire season last year due to injury. Austin Block, smart with and without the puck, a nose for the net and a real ability to make things happen in the offensive zone - you can see why he was the NAHL's leading scorer and he's only going to get better. John Henrion great two-way play with strength beyond his size but a little penalty prone. Scott Pavelski. Led the exhibition game in points with three assists. An extraordinarily dangerous role-playing forward he is extremely sound with or without the puck and is willing to grind it out - it'll be hard if not impossible to keep him out of the line-up.
Missing - Stevie Moses. I'll see what I can find out... and I'm hearing a rumor of a groin injury - let's hope he's 100% soon. Get well, Steve!
Well, that's just the exhibition game - let's get this season underway!
Coming up this week, the season's first Wednesday's Wildcat Alumni Weekly and Friday's Pre-Game along with whatever other news is on the horizon!
Welcome back Nation!
Go 'Cats!
posted by THE UNH MEN'S HOCKEY BLOGGER GUY at 12:42 PM
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