Just over two weeks ago, it seemed like the Minutemen were playing well enough that they might land a decent seed.
But back-to-back bad weekends have left UMass gasping for air as missing the Hockey East Tournament all together seems like a realistic fear.
It's mathmatically possible for UMass to finish higher than sixth and it's possible Vermont could make the playoffs. But both of those are long shots. I'm going to deal with teams six through nine.
Hockey East
Overall
GP
W
L
T
Pts
GF
GA
W
L
T
GF
GA
Boston University
20
13
6
1
27
73
50
17
8
1
92
68
UMass Lowell
19
13
6
0
26
65
47
18
7
0
89
58
Merrimack
19
11
5
3
25
53
43
15
6
5
78
55
Boston College
20
12
7
1
25
65
55
16
10
1
87
73
Maine
20
11
7
2
24
68
63
16
8
3
96
78
Providence
19
8
10
1
17
53
60
10
14
2
69
83
New Hampshire
20
8
11
1
17
52
58
11
14
2
83
83
Northeastern
20
7
11
2
16
56
58
11
11
3
77
67
Massachusetts
19
5
10
4
14
54
65
9
12
5
82
86
Vermont
20
2
17
1
5
45
85
5
21
1
64
111
UMass HE Games Left: 8 Home: 1 vs. Providence, 2 vs. New Hampshire, 1 vs. Merrimack Road: 1 vs. BU, 2 At Maine, 1 at Merrimack Combine Hockey East record of remaining games*: 81-62-14
Northeastern
HE Games Left: 7
Home: 2 vs. PC, 2 vs. Maine, 1 vs. BU
Road: 1 vs. UNH, 1 vs. BU
Combine Hockey East record of remaining games*: 72-57-10
New Hampshire
HE Games Left: 7
Home: 1 vs. Northeastern, 2 vs. Vermont
Road: 1 vs. Merrimack, 2 vs. UMass, 1 vs. Maine
Combine Hockey East record of remaining games*: 43-77-17
Providence HE Games Left: 8
Home:
1 vs. Maine, 1 vs. BC, 1 vs. Lowell
Road: 1 vs. UMass, 2 vs. Northeastern, 1 vs. BC, 1 vs. Lowell
Combine Hockey East record of remaining games*: 80-65-12
* If someone is playing one opponent twice, the record is counted twice
New Hampshire's two games vs. Vermont gives it a big edge if it can win or even take three points from those two games.
Several Minutemen are have written “JABS” on items of their equipment to honor Minnesota High School player Jack Jablonski, who was paralyzed in a game on Dec. 30 after a hit from behind. His injury has spurred an outpouring for support throughout the hockey community with players from every level of the game, including the Minutemen, sending well-wishing messages on Twitter with the hashtag #Jabs.
UMass’ sophomore defenseman Anthony Raiola, who attended Minnetonka, a rival of Benilde-St. Margaret’s, where Jablonski played, organized the effort.
“I felt like as a Minnesotan and as a hockey player I wanted to make the guys aware of what’s going on,” said Raiola, who has been Tweeting to him from his @Razor5Guy handle. “We wanted to show him support from out here from some guys he doesn’t even know.”
Boston College is the only team UMass played in football, basketball and ice hockey this season and for the first time in I don't know how long, the Minutemen got the better of the Eagles in the three highest profile sports combined in the same school year.
Last night's UMass 4-0 win in hockey gave the Minutemen a 2-1 win the season series.
UMass crushed BC in basketball, while the Eagles won the football game just as handily.
So if you're keeping track by sport, UMass won 2-1. If it's being done by game, the Minutemen prevailed 3-2.
I came to the Mullins Center tonight wondering who Toot would start in goal against Boston College. Would he go back to Jeff Teglia, who played well in last week's win over Vermont, trying to see if he could keep the hot hand? Or would he go to Kevin Boyle, who made 24 saves in UMass' Nov. 5 upset of BC?
Instead it will be Steve Mastalerz, who hasn't played since Nov. 26.
As is often the case, when I interview Toot Cahoon for my UMass-BC hockey preview I covered more topics than I got into my story. One topic that didn't make it was how he selects who is playing goalie. Now I wished I'd included it. So I'll put the quotes here. Enjoy:
"We go day to day with that. We're not in a position now where one guy is going to run the table. It's going to be a cooperative effort. They're good goaltenders and great people. I think they all can contribute. I think Boyle has done a real good job. Mastalerz hasn't been given as much of an opportunity for a variety of reasons. Teglia stood up when he needed to stand up the most. So it's day-to-day.
I just watch how they present themselves in practice, the types of saves they make, their level of focus. You can tell when someone's fighting it a little bit and when someone is in a rhythm and feeling it. I didn't think Kevin or Steve had bad weeks (last week), but I thought that Teglia had a good enough week and I leveraged that with his maturity.
(If it's close) you've got to go with your gut and your personal preference. I'm always trying to measure where the kids are emotionally.
Frozen Fenway II Jan. 7 - Fenway Park, Boston Vermont vs. UMass New Hampshire vs. Maine Jan. 13 - Harvard vs. Union Jan. 14 - Boston College vs. Northeastern
The Frozen Diamond Faceoff
Jan. 15 - Progressive Field, Cleveland, Ohio Ohio State vs. Michigan Wolverines
Frozen Fenway II Jan. 7 - Fenway Park, Boston Vermont vs. UMass New Hampshire vs. Maine Jan. 13 - Harvard vs. Union Jan. 14 - Boston College vs. Northeastern
The Frozen Diamond Faceoff
Jan. 15 - Progressive Field, Cleveland, Ohio Ohio State vs. Michigan Wolverines
Officials at two Hockey East schools confirmed that Notre Dame and Hockey East are expected to make a joint annoucement Wednesday that the Fighting Irish will join the conference.
Unless the timetable is accelerated, the addition wouldn't come until 2013 when the beginning of Big Ten Hockey triggers nationwide realignment.
Hockey East would likely find another team to add to bring the conference to an even 12 teams.
The 2011-12 UMass hockey season officially gets underway this Saturday
at 4 PM when the Minutemen host the Maroon & White Scrimmage at the
Mullins Center Practice Rink. The opening puck drop is set for 4 PM and
admission is free to all.
After the scrimmage, UMass will host the annual Skate With The
Minutemen where fans can hop on the ice with the team and collect some
autographs afterwards.
UMass will officially open the season next Friday, October 7 at Northeastern.
Tickets are available at redsox.com/frozenfenway or by calling (877)
RED-SOX9. Fans with disabilities may also call (877) RED-SOX9 to
purchase accessible seating. The Red Sox' TTY number for
hearing-impaired fans is (617) 226-6644. Prices start as low as $5 and tickets will be valid for both games.
Dainton concluded last season with the Falcons after finishing his
four-year collegiate career with UMass-Amherst. The Sudbury, Ontario
native made his AHL debut on March 23, 2011 at Hartford stopping 31 of
34 shots. He earned his first AHL win on March 26, 2011 at Worcester
turning aside 39 of 41 shots on goal.
Installment No. 3 of our summer "Where Are They Now" is standout hockey player Tim Turner.
Tim Turner then and now
Tim Turner was the captain of the first UMass hockey team to reach the semifinals of the Hockey East Tournament at the (then) FleetCenter. He was part of the team that was the building blocks from the program's success in subsequent years.
THEN What did you major in at UMass? - I majored in Criminal Justice.
Favorite Class? - Psych 380
Favorite Professor? - Dr. Halgin
Where did you live while you were a
student? - As a student I lived in Dorms for 2 years and on Hazel Ave for 2.
Favorite off campus spot (restaurant/bar/hang out spot)
etc.? - McMurphy's
Favorite Antonio’s slice? - Hot Cheese Up Front
Greatest game playing for UMass? - My senior year when we played UNH at the
Fleet Center because I knew the hockey program had turned the corner at
that time.
Do you have any souvenirs from your playing career? - I have my Jersey from Senior year also I have a framed
picture that was given to me of the Article titled UNBELIEVABLE with my
arms up and how we went into Maine and beat them twice in the playoffs.
That is hanging proudly in my house.
Do you still follow UMass sports? - Yes I follow UMASS sports I will always
have a strong connection with UMASS sports. 7. I do still stay in touch
with quite a few x players like Poeck, Callahan, Warner, Werner, Lang,
Travato just to name a few.. I met a lot of great people at UMASS and I
am proud to say I played College Hockey for them. I look forward to
many years of following them and one year watching them win a National
Championship...
NOW What do you do for a career? - I work for Stryker Orthopedics selling Medical
Devices for Total Joints.
Where do you live now? - Since UMASS I live in Kalamazoo for four
years where I played for the Kalamazoo Wings and now I live in my
hometown Saginaw, MI where I work for Stryker... I have been with them
for 3 years.
Family? - I am Married to Heidi and have 2 kids Owen 5 and
Madeline 3.
Last time you visited Amherst - Four years ago
Do you still play? - From time to time
Do you still follow UMass sports? - Yes I follow UMass sports I will always
have a strong connection with UMass sports.
What teammates do you stay in touch with -I do still stay in touch
with quite a few x players like Poeck, Callahan, Warner, Werner, Lang,
Travato just to name a few.
Anything else you’d like to add? - I met a lot of great people at UMASS and I
am proud to say I played College Hockey for them. I look forward to
many years of following them and one year watching them win a National
Championship
Former Mullins Center hockey public address announcer Bob York died unexpectedly. I've known Bob since I was covering hockey for the Collegian. He was a very nice man and will be missed.
Usually when a sports information director/media relations director departs, its news because the media says its news. After all we deal with people in those positions on a regular basis.But there is actual news in Jason Yellin's departure from UMass. Yellin arrived in Amherst at a time when new technology was really blooming and he embraced it.
He led the move to do more digital video on the web site and was a driving force behind the groundbreaking use of CBS 3 Now to broadcast home games on the digital TV station.
Staying ahead of that will be key for the athletic department. I'm guessing we're not far from people being able to watch games on their smart phones and other developments that I'm not smart enough to come up with.
Keeping UMass on the cutting edge of technology was Yellin's legacy at UMass. It wasn't a small thing.
Gazette UMass sports beat writer Matt Vautour tracks the daily happenings in Minutemen sports across the board, as well as casting a wider view on college sports in general.
Gazette UMass beat writer Matt Vautour shares his thoughts in this blog about the Minutemen and college sports. E-mail him questions (to be published here), suggested restaurants in UMass travel cities or recommended reading links at: mvautour@gazettenet.com
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