Hockey East Preview: #4 New Hampshire

2011-12 Storyline: New Hampshire fails to make the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2001

2012-13 Storyline: UNH makes a step back towards the top of Hockey East after a 6th place finish last year

Player To Watch: Kevin Goumas F (9-25-34)

Player Missed Most: Stevie Moses F (22-13-35)

Newcomer To Keep An Eye On: Dan Correale F

Random Fact: Last year was only the second losing season in Dick Umile’s 22 year career in Durham.

Beer The Triangle Favorite Local Brew: I’ve been enjoying the Smuttynose Homunculus quite a bit recently.

Team Outlook:

I believe in last season’s preview of UNH I said they don’t rebuild, they reload.  OK, I was wrong about that one.  Last season ended up being a total rebuilding year for them due to the lack of experienced forwards and a surprising implosion in net.  With their younger players a year older, a deep freshman class, and perhaps some more consistency in net, UNH could find themselves in the top half of Hockey East instead of the bottom.

Graduating senior Stevie Moses accounted for over one of every five Wildcats goals last year as the team was without many upperclassmen goal scorers.  This season the team will look to the likes of junior Kevin Goumas, junior Nick Sorkin, and sophomore Grayson Downing to provide a scoring punch for the team.  Look for a couple freshmen like Dan Correale or Jamie Hill to put the puck in the net as well.

UNH brings back an experienced group of defensemen, losing only Damon Kipp to graduation.  Junior Eric Knodel will anchor the Wildcat blue liners that also includes Trevor VanRiemsdyk coming off an impressive freshman year.  At goaltender will likely be sophomore Casey DeSmith, who took over for a struggling Matt DiGirolamo last December and never looked back.  In 22 games DeSmith had a 2.33 goals against average and a save percentage of .926.

They’ll Finish Lower Because: Goumas and Sorkin are unable to make the necessary progression as goal scorers

They’ll Finish Higher Because: Productive forwards join the experienced and talented defensemen and a solid, young goaltender in competing for a Hockey East title

Fear The Triangle Fearless Hockey East Predictions
1. ??
2. ??
3. ??
4. New Hampshire
5. Providence Friars
6. Maine Black Bears
7. Massachusetts Minutemen (preview upcoming)
8. Merrimack Warriors
9. Northeastern Huskies
10. Vermont Catamounts

▲

Time to see how the recruits fared this past week.

Kenny Gillespie – RW – Omaha Lancers (USHL) – 2013
2 GP / 0 G / 0 A / 0 Pts / 0 PIM / -3
No points for Gillespie in his first weekend of play.

Mark Hamilton – D – Salisbury School Crimson Knights (NE Prep) – 2013
0 GP / 0 G / 0 A / 0 Pts
Hamilton is due to return to Salisbury again this season. Prep hockey will start up at the end of November.

Mike Iovanna – RW/C – Malden Catholic Lancers (MA High School) – 2013
0 GP / 0 G / 0 A / 0 Pts
According to this post from ESPN Boston, it does sound like Iovanna will return to Malden Catholic this year.

Dennis Kravchenko – LW – Sioux Falls Stampede (USHL) – 2013 or 2014
2 GP / 1 G /1 A / 2 Pts / 2 PIM / +1
After being held off the score sheet in the season opener, Kravchenko had a goal and an assist the next night.

Casey Miller – C – Kimball Union (NE Prep) – 2014
0 GP / 0 G / 0 A / 0 Pts
It’s expected that Miller will return to KUA again after helping the Wildcats to a New England Prep championship last year.

Willy Smith – LW – Springfield Pics (EJHL) – 2014
3 GP / 0 G / 1 A / 1 Pts / 4 PIM
Smith did not dress for the Pics this past weekend.