2008 Woodie Awards
UNH Men's Hockey Team Plans to Stay Focused and Take One Game at a Time
Erica Brien
Issue date: 2/29/08 Section: Sports
Hanging on the wall of the UNH Men's Hockey locker room is a board, a board with their next opponent's name written on it. Right now it reads Merrimack College, and according to the Wildcats, that's all they are focused on.
After winning the Hockey East regular season last weekend, the Wildcats' mentality going into the final four games of the regular season is to take them one at a time
"[Merrimack] is our next opponent and we want to win," said UNH Head Coach Dick Umile. "We play every game to win. We are taking it one game at a time. That is what got us here."
No matter how the final four games play out, the Wildcats are guaranteed to finish number one in the division. Many teams in the Wildcats' position would choose to take the opportunity to rest certain players. However, according to Umile, the Wildcats are not going to change anything.
"You can rest people and kind of lose it," said Umile. "I don't think that you should change the pace that you play at or work at. You do what you do and continue to play."
After the way his team has been playing recently, it makes sense for Umile to leave things the way they are. The Wildcats are currently riding a nine-game unbeaten streak with a record of 8-0-1 dating back to January 25. The team has yet to lose in its last 13 Hockey East games, and is also boasting an 11-3-1 record on the road this season including a current nine-game road unbeaten streak.
However, Wildcats senior d efenseman Craig Switzer said that this upcoming weekend against Merrimack is going to be the most important weekend for the Wildcats.
"You can not relax against a team like Merrimack," said Switzer. "We still have four games left and they are still important games. We just got to keep going and not change anything and not get too comfortable."
The last time UNH and Merrimack met on the ice was January 6, and the Wildcats came away with a close 1-0 win. Now, the stakes are much different. Although UNH has already clinched the Hockey East, Merrimack, only three points behind of UMASS, is still fighting for the eighth and final playoff spot.
After winning the Hockey East regular season last weekend, the Wildcats' mentality going into the final four games of the regular season is to take them one at a time
"[Merrimack] is our next opponent and we want to win," said UNH Head Coach Dick Umile. "We play every game to win. We are taking it one game at a time. That is what got us here."
No matter how the final four games play out, the Wildcats are guaranteed to finish number one in the division. Many teams in the Wildcats' position would choose to take the opportunity to rest certain players. However, according to Umile, the Wildcats are not going to change anything.
"You can rest people and kind of lose it," said Umile. "I don't think that you should change the pace that you play at or work at. You do what you do and continue to play."
After the way his team has been playing recently, it makes sense for Umile to leave things the way they are. The Wildcats are currently riding a nine-game unbeaten streak with a record of 8-0-1 dating back to January 25. The team has yet to lose in its last 13 Hockey East games, and is also boasting an 11-3-1 record on the road this season including a current nine-game road unbeaten streak.
However, Wildcats senior d efenseman Craig Switzer said that this upcoming weekend against Merrimack is going to be the most important weekend for the Wildcats.
"You can not relax against a team like Merrimack," said Switzer. "We still have four games left and they are still important games. We just got to keep going and not change anything and not get too comfortable."
The last time UNH and Merrimack met on the ice was January 6, and the Wildcats came away with a close 1-0 win. Now, the stakes are much different. Although UNH has already clinched the Hockey East, Merrimack, only three points behind of UMASS, is still fighting for the eighth and final playoff spot.
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