Another dramatic performance for the Massachusetts hockey team in last night’s 5-4 overtime win over Maine in the opener of the Capital City Classic puts the Minutemen in a historic position. With their 4-0-1 record to start the season it’s the first time in the program’s history that the team has been unbeaten through its first five games. To extend that streak to six games the Minutemen will have to overcome its toughest test yet when they face the #13 Yale Bulldogs in the tournament championship game tonight.
All posts for the month October, 2015
Recap ▲ Minutemen Down Maine In Overtime, Will Face #13 Yale In Capital City Championship
Posted by rocks22 on October 31, 2015
https://fearthetriangle.com/2015/10/31/recap-%e2%96%b2-minutemen-downs-maine-in-overtime-will-face-13-yale-in-capital-city-championship/
Preview ▲ Unbeaten Minutemen Travel To Capital City Classic
The Massachusetts Minutemen hope to continue their strong start to the season as they head south to Trenton, New Jersey where they’ll spend Halloween weekend participating in the Capital City Classic. UMass will take on the Maine Black Bears in a non-conference matchup on Friday evening before facing either #13 Yale or Princeton on Saturday. This weekend’s action will represent the beginning of the regular season for the two Ivy League participants.
Posted by rocks22 on October 29, 2015
https://fearthetriangle.com/2015/10/29/preview-%e2%96%b2-unbeaten-minutemen-travel-to-capital-city-classic/
Recruit Update ▲ Nachtigall & Conzo Each Grab Four Points This Past Week
Time to take a look at the future Minutemen. Kyler Nachtigall, Troy Conzo, and Shane Bear each had multiple point weeks north of the border while Ty Pelton-Byce and John Leonard scored goals in the USHL this week.
Posted by rocks22 on October 27, 2015
https://fearthetriangle.com/2015/10/27/recruit-update-%e2%96%b2-nachtigall-conzo-each-grab-four-points-this-past-week/
Weekend Wrap-around ▲ Ties Abound As Hockey East Play Begins
League play for Hockey East opened up this past weekend and half of the six games played ended in ties. Of course the Massachusetts Minutemen had the dramatic five-goal comeback to tie New Hampshire at the Mullins Center on Friday. Bragging rights are still up for grabs in the Merrimack Valley as Lowell and Merrimack fought to a couple 1-1 ties in a home and home this past weekend. Boston University was the only team to grab a league win with their 4-2 victory over UConn and sit alone in first place currently.
Posted by rocks22 on October 26, 2015
https://fearthetriangle.com/2015/10/26/weekend-wrap-around-%e2%96%b2-ties-abound-as-hockey-east-play-begins/
Recap ▲ UMass Comes Back From 5 Goals Down To Tie UNH In League Opener
“Best tie ever”. That’s what Friday night’s game had a lot of fans saying as they left the Mullins Center. It’s rare for fanbases to get really excited for a tie, but that’s what happens when your team comes back from a five goal deficit and, behind four 3rd period goals, gains a league point with a 6-6 result against New Hampshire. The previous three games had been marked by tremendous individual efforts, but Friday’s heroics were a complete team effort. The six goals were scored by six different players and 16 different Minutemen registered a point on the night.
Posted by rocks22 on October 25, 2015
https://fearthetriangle.com/2015/10/25/recap-%e2%96%b2-umass-comes-back-from-5-goals-down-to-tie-unh-in-league-opener/
Preview ▲ Minutemen Look To Stay Perfect As They Open League Play Against UNH
New Hampshire Wildcats 1-2-0 (0-0-0) T-1st Hockey East
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Massachusetts Minutemen 3-0-0 (0-0-0) T-1st Hockey East
The Massachusetts hockey team has found early success in their non-conference schedule, starting out the year 3-0-0. They’ll look to carry over that early momentum as they kick off their Hockey East schedule at home against the New Hampshire Wildcats. After starting their season against a rebuilding Colorado College program and Atlantic Hockey’s Sacred Heart, UNH, a team picked to finish 6th in the league, should prove to a step up in terms of competition for the Minutemen.
UNH is hoping to rebound from a disappointing weekend at home where they dropped a couple one goal games to the North Country teams of Clarkson and St Lawrence. The trip to the Mullins Center on Friday will be the first game away from Durham for UNH after they opened the season with a dominant home win against AIC by the score of 7-3.
UNH’s problem so far seems to be goaltending. Danny Tirone joined the Wildcats in mid-season last year and ended up being one of the prominent storylines for the team. He went 9-4-0 in the second half of last season with a .924 save percentage. Through three games this season though he’s made 78 saves on 88 shots on net, just a .886 save percentage. Even in the AIC game he allowed 3 goals on 29 shots for a sub-.900 save percentage. If Tirone is unable to get the job done in net for the ‘Cats, they’ll have to turn to freshman Adam Clark who had a .894 save percentage in 21 games last season.
Though the AIC game skews their statistics somewhat, UNH has been getting the job done offensively, averaging 4 goals per game so far. They have matched their opponents in terms of shots on goal per game with 29.3, right around the national average. It’s no surprise that Tyler Kelleher is among the top scorers so far for the Wildcats as he’s one of the best forwards in the league. Kelleher led his team in points last year with 42 in 39 games and so far has 2 goals and 2 assists in their four games. It is a little strange though to see senior Maxim Gaudreault as the top goal-scorer for UNH as the 3 goals already scored so far this season matches the amount he scored in 30 games last season.
There has been a lot of talk about the quality of UMass’ 3-0-0 start this week. Some people have pointed to their easy schedule. Others have said that their high shooting percentage (16.9%) or shots attempted differential (-67) shows that they’ve been “lucky” and that once they play tougher opponents their fortunes will turn. It’s true that their shooting percentage will come down and they need to do a better job of possessing the puck, but I would argue there are other reasons why they’re winning.
They’ve gotten some solid individual efforts from the likes of Dennis Kravchenko, Austin Plevy, and Shane Walsh. Those three have accounted for 11 of UMass’ 26 goals so far. The team has also done a great job at converting their power play opportunities. Their 33% power play conversion is tied for 5th best in the country so far. Lastly, while UMass has allowed opponents to attempt a good number of shots, they’ve gotten very solid goaltending on the other end of those shots. Nic Renyard and Henry Dill have an identical .938 save percentage so far this season, which is good for 17th best in the country.
UMass will probably have to do a better job in terms of possessing the puck against a talented, yet struggling UNH team this weekend. But aside from that, I’m not sure I’d do too much differently if I were Coach Micheletto. The team is playing extremely well right now and their success so far should allow them to play confidently in their league opener. With the game at home a 4-0-0 start is within their grasp. But in the long run starting off Hockey East with a 1-0-0 record may be more important.
Beer The Triangle
The merger of the Hangar and Amherst Brewing Company has not only made it a little easier to find a table and enjoy some wings pre or post-game, but it has helped relaunch ABC brewing. After kicking off the new era with a very good IPA, Jess, the most recent addition to the ABC lineup is an aromatic wet hop brew, Chelsea. Definitely worth a try.
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The Collegian has their preview of Friday’s game as well as this interesting piece on sophomore Dominic Trento and his start so far.
The Gazette has their preview.
For a UNH viewpoint, here’s the preview from the Foster’s Daily Democrat.
To get you psyched up for Friday’s matchup, here’s the UMass hockey intro video:
Posted by rocks22 on October 22, 2015
https://fearthetriangle.com/2015/10/22/preview-%e2%96%b2-minutemen-look-to-stay-perfect-as-they-open-league-play-against-unh/
Recruit Update ▲ Bear And Nachtigall Continue To Provide Offense For Brooks
Time to check in with the future Minutemen.
Posted by rocks22 on October 20, 2015
https://fearthetriangle.com/2015/10/20/recruit-update-%e2%96%b2-bear-and-nachtigall-continue-to-provide-offense-for-brooks/
Weekend Wrap-around ▲Kravchenko Named Hockey East Player Of The Week
Two weeks. Two hat tricks. Two honors for Massachusetts hockey players. Austin Plevy’s opening night hat trick gained him last week’s Hockey East Rookie of the Week. After his own hat trick this past Friday in UMass’ win over Sacred Heart, sophomore Dennis Kravchenko was named Hockey East Player of the Week. It’s his first POTW honor after being named Rookie of the Week once last year. In addition to the three goals Kravchenko also assisted on Dominic Trento’s goal in the game against the Pioneers. Plevy was named a Top Performer for his two assist effort against Sacred Heart.
Posted by rocks22 on October 19, 2015
https://fearthetriangle.com/2015/10/19/weekend-wrap-around-%e2%96%b2kravchenko-named-hockey-east-player-of-the-week/
Recap ▲ Minutemen Stay Undefeated With 5-2 Win Over Sacred Heart
The Massachusetts hockey team improved to 3-0-0 on the young season with a 5-2 win over the Sacred Heart Pioneers in the team’s home opener. For the second Friday night in a row the game featured a Minuteman hat trick. While freshman Austin Plevy had a three goal effort in the season opener at Colorado College, it was sophomore Dennis Kravcheno with the hat trick, the first of his collegiate career, this past Friday.
Posted by rocks22 on October 18, 2015
https://fearthetriangle.com/2015/10/18/recap-%e2%96%b2-minutemen-stay-undefeated-with-5-2-win-over-sacred-heart/
Preview ▲ Minutemen Return Home To Open Mullins Slate Against Sacred Heart
Sacred Heart Pioneers 0-0-1 (0-0-0) T-2nd Atlantic Hockey
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Massachusetts Minutemen 2-0-0 (0-0-0) T-1st Hockey East
The Massachusetts hockey team will look to build off a very successful trip west where they gained two wins when they play their first home game on Friday against the Sacred Heart Pioneers. The Minutemen swept the Colorado College Tigers in Colorado Springs last week thanks to offense outbursts from freshman Austin Plevy and senior Shane Walsh as well as some solid goaltending from the duo of Henry Dill and Nic Renyard. UMass will look to stay undefeated on the young season against a Sacred Heart team that’s a little tough to read.
Posted by rocks22 on October 15, 2015
https://fearthetriangle.com/2015/10/15/preview-%e2%96%b2-minutemen-return-home-to-open-mullins-slate-against-sacred-heart/
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