There’s not too much to say about this game than to point out that UMass was pretty much dominated in all aspects. Shots, special teams, faceoffs. In every way the River Hawks were the better team. And while hats are off to the Hawks for the win and their improved play on the season, UMass really has no one to blame for the loss but themselves. After showing effort and resiliency on Friday night to come back and gain a tie against Maine, they showed neither of these things at the Tsongas Center last night. The team looked tired, disinterested, and listless.
Just when you thought the team had turned a corner and was building towards something this weekend happened. While it was nice to see them come back on Friday and gain the tie with the Black Bears that still doesn’t make up for the fact that they disappeared for long stretches in the first two periods that allowed them to go down by two goals in the first place. This Maine team is pretty dysfunctional right now and there really wasn’t any excuse to concede a point to them. In Lowell UMass looked like they didn’t even want to be there. For the weekend we saw a power play, which had been among the best in the league, go 0 for 12 while mustering only 9 shots with the man advantage. After putting up 37 shots on Friday they could manage just 16 last night, almost twenty less than the home team.
The team took two huge steps backwards this past weekend and has pretty much undone the good they generated in the prior two weekends. It may not be Thanksgiving yet, but things are not in UMass’ favor when it comes to any kind of success in Hockey East this season. Despite playing the second most league games so far the team is now in an 8th place tie with Maine. Their power play has sunk from second best to 6th. Team defense and penalty kill are second worst. It might be a benefit that the team will get right back on the ice quickly after last night’s disaster. Tuesday they’ll head up to Vermont to play the annual Turkey Tuesday matchup. There they’ll look to show that this past weekend was only a hiccup. If they end up giving the Catamounts their first league win however, I think a lot of UMass fans will be wondering if the three game win steak was more of a hiccup than the norm.
Fear The Triangle Player of the Game – Steve Mastalerz
It seems a little odd to give the POTG to a goaltender who let four goals in. However he did make 30 saves in just his third game and unlike a lot of the guys in front of him, gave full effort for the entire 60 minutes.
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Here’s the game recap from the Republican.
Fear The Triangle - UMass Hockey Blog 
Will
/ November 20, 2011Glad I didn’t have a chance to make it to this game… Listened to the radio broadcast, which was probably the highlight of the game. They do a great job. The announcers were complaining that UMass had more shots than the official count, but either way, it doesn’t matter since they didn’t put up any goals. Can’t really analyze anything since I didn’t see the game, but thank god we are playing UVM on Tuesday and Quinnipiac next weekend. While loss(es) would be devastating, hopefully they will be able to regain some confidence (and points vs UVM) with a win or two.
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George
/ November 21, 2011Will, I was in the same boat for both games and I second your opinion on the broadcasts. I listen to a lot of Hockey East games and we arguably have the best broadcasts. I want to tie that in in to Rocks comments about the “tired, disinterested, and listless” Minutemen. I watched the postgame video as technically difficulties (one of the downsides of the radiocasts this season. Fix the equipment or get new stuff) prevented Toot from being on the postgame show. WTF is up with Toot? Brock asked a legitimate question about UMass perhaps having a lot sucked out of them Friday night playing in a dogfight while Lowell expended little energy apparently in their 5-0 loss in Durham. He’s rolling his eyes and gives a snide half ass answer about it’s a new night and refocusing blah blah. Hockey is also a mental game and he’s gives little credence to the fact that Friday night for both teams had or would have a direct correlation to Saturday’s game.
It’s getting old.
http://www.youtube.com/umassathletics#p/u/2/2jRmQwCXE0A
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rocks22
/ November 21, 2011In retrospect my biggest mistakes on Saturday were: 1) leaving my tailgate to head in to watch football and 2) leaving Lowell Beer Works to head into the Tsongas.
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Will
/ November 21, 2011Surprised Toot labeled it as the low point of the year thus far. Hopefully it stays that way and things don’t get worse. Very rude to roll his eyes and whistle during Brock’s quesitons. Any thoughts on their road troubles and home success? We do have the largest attendance average and a great crowd, but I am curious how that may affect the players.
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Anonymous
/ November 21, 2011heard guzzo and hobbs did not play against lowell- why?
listless play w/ a chance to vault into 3rd place w/ a win is uncalled for..
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Anonymous
/ November 21, 2011guzzo was in the lineup
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George
/ November 21, 2011They said on radio Hobbs injured.
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Monty
/ November 21, 2011Was fun having a beer or six with you at the Beer Works!
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rocks22
/ November 21, 2011I go to Beer Works all the time since they put the one into Hingham. I have to say the Gozilla and Dopplebock are two of their better beers ever.
Good time hanging out with you. Thanks for not ridiculing us UMass fans nearly as much as you could’ve.
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