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University of New Hampshire Athletics
Harrison Blaisdell and the Wildcats hope to score more in their series vs. Vermont at the Whittemore Center this weekend. (China Wong photo)
Photo by: China Wong
Insider Report: The Goal? More Goals
11/11/2021 2:53:00 PM | Men's Ice Hockey, UNH Insider
'Cats Look to Boost Power Play, Scoring with Vermont in for a Pair
DURHAM, N.H. – Looking ahead, not dwelling on what has been, is one way the University of New Hampshire men's hockey team is approaching the goal-scoring struggles it has been having early in the season, said senior center Filip Engaras.
"You can't really live in the past," Engaras said. "You have to look forward. It's a big weekend for us with Friday and Saturday games against Vermont here. Obviously, it's an opportunity for us to find a way to score and look to the future, not really look behind us."
UNH and Vermont, who have not played since the 2019-20 season, square off both Friday and Saturday nights at 7 at the Whittemore Center.
Individual and group tickets are available at www.unhwildcats.com and by calling the Whittemore Center Box office at 603-862-4000.
UNH is 3-6 overall and 1-4 in Hockey East. Vermont is 1-5 overall and 1-1 in the league.
The Catamounts will be playing their first road games of the year this weekend. They had last weekend off and the weekend before split a pair of games with No. 9 Boston College, winning 5-4 in overtime on Friday night and dropping a 2-1 decision on Saturday.
"They're probably licking their chops," said UNH coach Mike Souza. "I imagine they're sitting up there thinking they can come in here and knock us off. I'm sure if we're not ready, they will. My plan is to have us ready."
After scoring seven goals in a Whittemore Center weekend sweep of Union – 4-1 and 3-2 – to open the season, the Wildcats have had difficulty scoring. They've scored a total of seven goals in their last seven games and only once – in a 2-1 overtime win over No. 8 Providence at home – have scored as many as two goals in a game.
They won one of three games against Providence and then lost a pair of 4-1 contests to Northeastern last weekend.
Souza talked this week about hitting the reset button and said he has confidence the Wildcats can pick up their scoring and likes how his team has been practicing.
UNH has had little success on the power play in recent games and Souza hopes improving that can provide a boost.
The Wildcats scored three power play goals in the season-opening series, but have not had one since, covering 22 opportunities over the last seven games.
"We need to see if we can find a way to get a goal or two on the power play," Souza said. "I think that would really take the pressure off on five-on-five. The power play hasn't been good enough. It needs to get better."
Souza and his staff made some changes to the power play last weekend and have been working with new looks this week in practice.
"In a tight league like this, when a lot of the games are 2-1, 3-2, obviously the power play has immense importance," said junior forward Harrison Blaisdell. "You have to be able to score power play goals to win games."
Engaras, sophomore defenseman Luke Reid and freshman forward Robert Cronin have scored UNH's power play goals. Engaras, Reid, Cronin and freshman forward Liam Devlin lead the team in goals with two each.
Blaisdell and four other players have a goal apiece.
When he's facing a scoring slump, Blaisdell said, he works on making sure that every shot he takes in practice is taken with a purpose, with a focus on making sure shots are hard and on net.
"Oftentimes, players will get in a slump and they'll be too picky with their shot selection," he said. "I think you put the puck hard on net and from there you get a bounce and all of a sudden you're hitting the corners."
He compares it to a pitcher in baseball.
"One night they don't necessarily have their stuff, but if they're putting it hard on the plate, they might get rewarded," he said. "That's how I kind of look at it."
The goal: get more goals.
"It's just working on the little things," Blaisdell said. "The small details, in practice: When you're stopping at the net, you're getting in the paint, you're creating little plays for each other and finding chemistry with your linemates and kind of pushing forward and finding success putting the puck in the net."
THE ROAD AHEAD
THE CATAMOUNTS
Allen Lessels
@UNHInsider
Allen.Lessels@unh.edu
"You can't really live in the past," Engaras said. "You have to look forward. It's a big weekend for us with Friday and Saturday games against Vermont here. Obviously, it's an opportunity for us to find a way to score and look to the future, not really look behind us."
UNH and Vermont, who have not played since the 2019-20 season, square off both Friday and Saturday nights at 7 at the Whittemore Center.
Individual and group tickets are available at www.unhwildcats.com and by calling the Whittemore Center Box office at 603-862-4000.
UNH is 3-6 overall and 1-4 in Hockey East. Vermont is 1-5 overall and 1-1 in the league.
The Catamounts will be playing their first road games of the year this weekend. They had last weekend off and the weekend before split a pair of games with No. 9 Boston College, winning 5-4 in overtime on Friday night and dropping a 2-1 decision on Saturday.
"They're probably licking their chops," said UNH coach Mike Souza. "I imagine they're sitting up there thinking they can come in here and knock us off. I'm sure if we're not ready, they will. My plan is to have us ready."
After scoring seven goals in a Whittemore Center weekend sweep of Union – 4-1 and 3-2 – to open the season, the Wildcats have had difficulty scoring. They've scored a total of seven goals in their last seven games and only once – in a 2-1 overtime win over No. 8 Providence at home – have scored as many as two goals in a game.
They won one of three games against Providence and then lost a pair of 4-1 contests to Northeastern last weekend.
Souza talked this week about hitting the reset button and said he has confidence the Wildcats can pick up their scoring and likes how his team has been practicing.
UNH has had little success on the power play in recent games and Souza hopes improving that can provide a boost.
The Wildcats scored three power play goals in the season-opening series, but have not had one since, covering 22 opportunities over the last seven games.
"We need to see if we can find a way to get a goal or two on the power play," Souza said. "I think that would really take the pressure off on five-on-five. The power play hasn't been good enough. It needs to get better."
Souza and his staff made some changes to the power play last weekend and have been working with new looks this week in practice.
"In a tight league like this, when a lot of the games are 2-1, 3-2, obviously the power play has immense importance," said junior forward Harrison Blaisdell. "You have to be able to score power play goals to win games."
Engaras, sophomore defenseman Luke Reid and freshman forward Robert Cronin have scored UNH's power play goals. Engaras, Reid, Cronin and freshman forward Liam Devlin lead the team in goals with two each.
Blaisdell and four other players have a goal apiece.
When he's facing a scoring slump, Blaisdell said, he works on making sure that every shot he takes in practice is taken with a purpose, with a focus on making sure shots are hard and on net.
"Oftentimes, players will get in a slump and they'll be too picky with their shot selection," he said. "I think you put the puck hard on net and from there you get a bounce and all of a sudden you're hitting the corners."
He compares it to a pitcher in baseball.
"One night they don't necessarily have their stuff, but if they're putting it hard on the plate, they might get rewarded," he said. "That's how I kind of look at it."
The goal: get more goals.
"It's just working on the little things," Blaisdell said. "The small details, in practice: When you're stopping at the net, you're getting in the paint, you're creating little plays for each other and finding chemistry with your linemates and kind of pushing forward and finding success putting the puck in the net."
THE ROAD AHEAD
- The Wildcats face Vermont at the Whittemore Center on Friday and Saturday nights at 7.
- Friday night's game is on NESN.
- Fans can purchase season, group and individual game tickets at UNHWildcats.com/Tickets or by calling the UNH Wildcats box office at 603-862-4000 (Monday-Friday, 10am-5pm).
- Fans must wear masks while inside the Whittemore Center.
- Every home game and away Hockey East game will be livestreamed for free on College SportsLive.
- The Wildcats close out a stretch of nine straight Hockey east with a pair of games against defending national champion Massachusetts next weekend.
- The teams play Friday night at UMass at 7.
- They meet again Saturday, Nov. 20 at 7 at the Whitt.
- UNH plays at Harvard, Friday, Nov. 26.
- The Wildcats play Holy Cross at home on Saturday, Nov. 27 at 7 p.m.
THE CATAMOUNTS
- Todd Woodcroft is in his second year as Vermont's coach.
- UNH and Vermont did not play last year as Covid-19 wreaked havoc with league schedules.
- Grad student Philip Lagunov, a grad transfer from UMass, leads Vermont with four goals.
- He had two goals in the win over BC, including the winner in overtime.
- Gabe Carriere had 39 saves for the win in net against BC.
- Carriere has a 5.29 goals against average, .864 save percentage and 1-1-0 record.
- Tyler Harmon has a 2.14 gaa, .923 save percentage and 0-4-0 record.
- Robbie Stucker leads the Catamounts with a goal and four assists for five points.
- UNH and Vermont last played on Feb. 7 and 8, 2020 in Durham.
- The Wildcats swept the series with 6-3 and 2-1 wins.
Allen Lessels
@UNHInsider
Allen.Lessels@unh.edu
Players Mentioned
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