I can't claim to be an ECAC expert, so I have let everyone else fight
it out.  I do find some of the comments on Vermont interesting,
however.  I think many of them come out of a disappointment in how
Vermont did last year.
 
A recurring theme is "Vermont has two of the best offensive players in
the country, but their defense hurt them."  Then I look at the
standings from last year, and despite finishing 5th in the ECAC,
Vermont's GAA was the lowest in the league.  Sure, Thomas is good, but
no team finishes with the lowest GAA without their D having at least a
decent season.
 
The interesting thing is that in many of the key games Vermont didn't
win, they had trouble scoring goals: only 1 in their two q-final
losses to Colgate, for instance.  Down the stretch - last 15 games -
Vermont allowed more than 3 goals only 3 times.
 
My outside view is that this is a team that was talented but
inexperienced last season.  Many of Vermont's key players were young,
and they played with inconsistency.  That will change this season.
 
As an outside observer of the ECAC, I would say that if Vermont gets
the leadership it needs, it will probably be the best team in the ECAC
and win the league.  These guys know what they didn't do last year and
what it will take to get the job done this season.
---                                                                   ---
Mike Machnik                 [log in to unmask]           [log in to unmask]
Cabletron Systems, Inc.                                    *HMM* 11/13/93
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