> 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.
 
Well, Vermont had high expectations last year. Their offense was
probably the main reason behind that. From what I can recall, I
don't remember anyone claiming that the defense would hurt them.
 
> 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.
 
Good point...
 
> 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.
 
Ditto. I talk about experience like it's the sole factor for winning
the ECAC. I should clear up that fact in that experience along with
having the talent to do it is what makes a winner, IMO.
 
> 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.
 
I think that's a good argument, as well. However, I hesitate to say
whether or not they'll win the league. They couldn't get the job
done when they needed to last year, so I'm a little skeptical.
 
I'd love to see Vermont do it, though. I think we'll see what happens
when they face their first "important, must-win" game.
 
--
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+                                                                     +
+  Andy Weise           Let's Go Tech!                                +
+  SUNY Potsdam '93                     [log in to unmask]       +
+  Union College '95    Let's Go U!                                   +
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+  Performance Systems International, Inc. (PSI)                      +
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+  "If you think nobody cares you're alive, try missing a couple of   +
+   car payments."                                                    +
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