>
> ANyone with ideas as to what has happened to UNH?
>
 
My two cents (and/or speculation)...
 
UNH was playing solid hockey right through Christmas--including the USAir
tourney at Vermont where they picked up wins over Dartmouth and BU.  But
Eric Royal left the lineup with an injury during the Dartmouth game and
was out for most of January.  A week later, Nick Poole injures a knee in
the second game of the Merrimack series.  Merrimack goes on to beat the 'Cats
6-3 in Volpe.  Poole was in-and-out for the next two weeks.  UNH picked up a
win at Northeastern, but the Huskies handed UNH its first home loss of the
season two days later.  This home loss was marked by the attendance of the
NH State Legislature and a lack of a National Anthem.  (Steve McBride called
for the start of the game following a minute+ of near-silence in Snively
waiting for the anthem that never came).  That's where the trouble began.  :)
A loss to NU, two more losses in close games to BU (including another home
loss) and then the split with PC (and another home loss).
 
The loss of Royal and Poole shook up the lines a bit, but more than anything
I think it's a lack of confidence that plagues the 'Cats right now.  A couple
quick losses grew into a skid and we now see a team trying to force wins.  The
team looks healthy now, but is noticably shaken.  A sweep by Maine didn't help.
Now the 'Cats face BU in Durham on Friday.  I've also heard rumblings from the
fans expressing disappointment--that adds an awful lot of pressure to a team
trying to find its winning ways.  UNH has a great team this year (one of the
best in recent memory) and with a couple of confidence-boosting wins, who knows
what will happen.  The team just needs to remember that they can beat any team
in the nation--and then do it.
 
H
 
(Still pissed that the Legislature got my seat)
 
 
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