Wednesday, March 15, 2006
2005-2006 Hockey East Regular Season Review
Another Hockey East regular season is in the books, and I will certainly remember this season for a long time. The regular season championship was not decided until the final hour of the season. Now, the postseason is well underway. Here are my final thoughts about the regular season via rundown of each team, in reverse order of finish. Before I do that, do review what I wrote in my season preview back in September.
10. Merrimack College - I don't think I can say anything good about them this season. Which really leads to the question: was it really all Chris Serino's fault?
9. Northeastern University - The kids played hard. But this season was a mountain to climb considering the team only had three Seniors, a lot of freshman, and a new coach.
8. UMass Amherst - They pulled off some major upsets (e.g. BU, BC, and then #1 Colorado College). Even from what I saw in the Hockey East Quarterfinals, they certainly did not look like a #8 seeded team. They were fast-skating, and talented. A number of them will be back next season. Their Senior class will be one that will be remembered for a long time: they meant a lot to the program, including two trips to the HE semifinals (and almost winning it in 2004). I also know that Coach Cahoon is not going anywhere. I am penciling UMass to finish in the top 5 next season.
7. UMass Lowell - I asked in the season preview: "Can something go right for them this year, or will something be bound to go wrong again?" The answer: nothing went right this season for Lowell --again. One of the biggest disappointments in college hockey this season. Lowell was projected to finish 3rd in the league. Worst of all, more than half of the team is graduating. It has been a very disappointing four-year stretch for Lowell, and I will not be surprised if Blaise MacDonald gets fired during the offseason.
6. Vermont - Was ranked as high as 3rd in the nation in the first few weeks. Over the course of the season, we realized how overrated Vermont was. Good defense and good goaltending from Joe Fallon (at times) were not enough. Their HE quarterfinal series with Boston College was a testament of their season: Vermont simply did not know how to finish a game.
5. Providence - A pretty decent effort under first-year coach Tim Army. Definitely a noticable, if not dramatic, improvement in overall gameplay and speed. Fast and impressive start to their season, only to dramatically falter near the end of the season.
4. UNH - They were a very inconsistent team for most of the season, including some bad losses. However, they got very hot at the end of the season. But too much, too late.
3. Boston College - No question, the team still had the firepower. But two things doomed them in the end that led to them from 1st place to 3rd place in a matter of 30 minutes: (1) inexperienced defense and (2) false sense of security. Almost everyone, including myself, thought that BC was going to run away with the HE regular season. But no, their defense was very young and vulnerable. It became evident, and ugly, during the last few weeks of the regular season including losses to BU, UNH, UMass, and even Lowell (a 6 - 0 win, followed by a 6-3 loss?!?!). I do not blame Cory Schneider. He is a great goalie, and stole a number of games for BC. The freshman class was okay. Nathan Gerbe was a solid player, but his numbers was not anything I expected. Chris Collins will probably most likely be part of the "Hobey Hat-Trick." There is a very good chance that Brian Boyle will leave for the NHL (Los Angeles is very high on the kid). I am sure Brian will elaborate more on BC's regular season.
2. Maine - Things could only get better for Maine after being swept in January by Boston University, because they could not be any worse. And indeed, things got a lot better. The team became healthy, and went on a hot-streak for the remainder of the regular season.
1. Boston University - WHO KNEW! Picked to finish 5th in the HE preseason poll. From being at all the home games, I could say that near the end of the first-half of the season, things were looking bad --really bad. In the first week of January, BU actually fell out of the national rankings! Their record: 7-8-2. It was looking like aDr. Jekyll-and-Mr. Hyde season, and I wasn't sure if things were going to get worse or better. But then that dramatic win vs. Maine at home. The rest is history. Only one blip on the radar screen after that: to UNH a la post-Beanpot meltdown. The freshman class was better than advertised: was second behind the Senior class in scoring, interestingly enough. Oh, and the white-line.
10. Merrimack College - I don't think I can say anything good about them this season. Which really leads to the question: was it really all Chris Serino's fault?
9. Northeastern University - The kids played hard. But this season was a mountain to climb considering the team only had three Seniors, a lot of freshman, and a new coach.
8. UMass Amherst - They pulled off some major upsets (e.g. BU, BC, and then #1 Colorado College). Even from what I saw in the Hockey East Quarterfinals, they certainly did not look like a #8 seeded team. They were fast-skating, and talented. A number of them will be back next season. Their Senior class will be one that will be remembered for a long time: they meant a lot to the program, including two trips to the HE semifinals (and almost winning it in 2004). I also know that Coach Cahoon is not going anywhere. I am penciling UMass to finish in the top 5 next season.
7. UMass Lowell - I asked in the season preview: "Can something go right for them this year, or will something be bound to go wrong again?" The answer: nothing went right this season for Lowell --again. One of the biggest disappointments in college hockey this season. Lowell was projected to finish 3rd in the league. Worst of all, more than half of the team is graduating. It has been a very disappointing four-year stretch for Lowell, and I will not be surprised if Blaise MacDonald gets fired during the offseason.
6. Vermont - Was ranked as high as 3rd in the nation in the first few weeks. Over the course of the season, we realized how overrated Vermont was. Good defense and good goaltending from Joe Fallon (at times) were not enough. Their HE quarterfinal series with Boston College was a testament of their season: Vermont simply did not know how to finish a game.
5. Providence - A pretty decent effort under first-year coach Tim Army. Definitely a noticable, if not dramatic, improvement in overall gameplay and speed. Fast and impressive start to their season, only to dramatically falter near the end of the season.
4. UNH - They were a very inconsistent team for most of the season, including some bad losses. However, they got very hot at the end of the season. But too much, too late.
3. Boston College - No question, the team still had the firepower. But two things doomed them in the end that led to them from 1st place to 3rd place in a matter of 30 minutes: (1) inexperienced defense and (2) false sense of security. Almost everyone, including myself, thought that BC was going to run away with the HE regular season. But no, their defense was very young and vulnerable. It became evident, and ugly, during the last few weeks of the regular season including losses to BU, UNH, UMass, and even Lowell (a 6 - 0 win, followed by a 6-3 loss?!?!). I do not blame Cory Schneider. He is a great goalie, and stole a number of games for BC. The freshman class was okay. Nathan Gerbe was a solid player, but his numbers was not anything I expected. Chris Collins will probably most likely be part of the "Hobey Hat-Trick." There is a very good chance that Brian Boyle will leave for the NHL (Los Angeles is very high on the kid). I am sure Brian will elaborate more on BC's regular season.
2. Maine - Things could only get better for Maine after being swept in January by Boston University, because they could not be any worse. And indeed, things got a lot better. The team became healthy, and went on a hot-streak for the remainder of the regular season.
1. Boston University - WHO KNEW! Picked to finish 5th in the HE preseason poll. From being at all the home games, I could say that near the end of the first-half of the season, things were looking bad --really bad. In the first week of January, BU actually fell out of the national rankings! Their record: 7-8-2. It was looking like aDr. Jekyll-and-Mr. Hyde season, and I wasn't sure if things were going to get worse or better. But then that dramatic win vs. Maine at home. The rest is history. Only one blip on the radar screen after that: to UNH a la post-Beanpot meltdown. The freshman class was better than advertised: was second behind the Senior class in scoring, interestingly enough. Oh, and the white-line.
Comments:
<< Home
Unlike the so-called "experts", I didn't think this was going to be a first place kind of year for BC. They have only 3 seniors, while playing up to 10 freshman at a time. Not usually the recipe for success. Yes, they had some bad losses, uncluding to UMass. This loss included a goal that undoubtedly clanged off the post, but the ref (don't remember who it was) said that the puck went into the net, went through a hole in the net and redirected out in the direction as if it had hit the post. YA, explain that one to me.
Anyways, this is indeed a down year for BC. But when a down year means a 3rd place finish, a possible HE tournament title and a probable trip to the NCAA's, things aren't so bad after all.
HE has had a down year, but is it so far down that BU might be able to win their first HE title since 1997. BU is a dismal 1-5 during the Garden portion of the HE tournament since their last title. BC has 4, Maine has 2, even UNH has 2 titles since BU won their last. Here's to BU's championship drought continuing yet another year. And hopefully it is Boston College that takes it home once again.
Post a Comment
Anyways, this is indeed a down year for BC. But when a down year means a 3rd place finish, a possible HE tournament title and a probable trip to the NCAA's, things aren't so bad after all.
HE has had a down year, but is it so far down that BU might be able to win their first HE title since 1997. BU is a dismal 1-5 during the Garden portion of the HE tournament since their last title. BC has 4, Maine has 2, even UNH has 2 titles since BU won their last. Here's to BU's championship drought continuing yet another year. And hopefully it is Boston College that takes it home once again.
<< Home
