Vermont’s record (0-4-0) indicates a struggling men’s hockey team.
The game scores tell a different story — one of a club that has been competitive in every game.
Scan the Catamounts’ schedule so far and one will find a pair of one-goal losses and, perhaps more importantly, no blowouts or embarrassments.
The mentality of constant improvement will be what UVM takes into its weekend series with No. 9 Boston College (3-2-1, 1-0-0 Hockey East). The series (Friday at Vermont, 7:05 p.m., and Saturday at BC, 7 p.m.) will mark the conference opener for the Catamounts.
“This is going to be a long journey for us,” UVM coach Todd Woodcroft said. “The lessons we’re learning in these one-goal losses, they’re stinging today but they’re going to help us in five games, ten games, next year. The adversity we’re facing, (it’s) going to lend toward our story at the end. You need a little bit of drama. Nothing would be interesting if we weren’t in these one-goal games.”
Woodcroft said despite the Catamount’s lack of wins, his club has shown improvement in several categories from this point in last season (UVM finished 1-10-2 in the COVID-shortened campaign), citing a 40 percent improvement in shots on goal.
“We’re generating, now it’s capitalizing,” he said. “I hate the term ‘baby steps,’ but we’re taking incremental steps here.”
Close games against top-quality opponents such as No. 5 Quinnipiac (2-0 loss) and Colgate (2-1 loss) indicate the Catamounts don’t expect to roll over for the Eagles.
“I’m happy we’re playing these teams,” Woodcroft said. “Quinnipiac’s a great team — they went out and waxed (No. 6) North Dakota (5-2 win and 3-2 loss last week). Colgate’s on a great tear right now and we were right there with them. (We) feel we’re on the way.”
BC coach Jerry York said coaching 28 years in Hockey East has taught him no team should be taken lightly.
“I have a great feeling that there’s not much separation between the top team and the bottom team,” York said. “Evermore so this year — every time you play a Hockey East opponent, it’s going to be decided by who plays the best hockey that particular night.”
York said he likes what he’s seen so far from his Eagles through seven games (including one exhibition), but noted that they need improvement in what he called the “structure” of their game.
“Whether it’s forecheck or D-zone or special teams — it’s still early to gauge how successful a year we’re going to have,” York said. “But in the small sample, I like what I’ve seen.”
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Defending NCAA champion UMass (2-2) dips its toes into conference waters for the first time this season with a weekend series against Merrimack (3-3, 1-2). The Minutemen and Warriors will play Friday at Merrimack at 7 p.m. and Saturday in Amherst on NESN-plus at 7 p.m.
The start of league play hopefully will provide a spark for the Minutemen, according to coach Greg Carvel, who was disappointed with his club’s lack of urgency in a 3-2 exhibition loss to Dartmouth last weekend.
“League games bring a different level of desperation, and I think we really need that,” Carvel said. “I think our guys are a little guilty of not having enough desperation in the game, and you saw that the way we got scored upon — guys just not working hard enough to defend.”
Carvel said it will be to Merrimack’s advantage that they’ve thrice played Hockey East opponents so far this season.
“It’s probably helped push their team forward at a quicker pace than we have,” Carvel said. “(I) think our group, hopefully, finds that urgency and desperation. We need to keep getting better.”
Warriors coach Scott Borek said facing the 2020-21 national champs twice to close out October will be a good test for where his team stands.
“I think their sea legs are pretty good right now,” Borek said about UMass. “We’ve played a hard schedule thus far. Playing the teams in Hockey East makes us a better team. Even our out-of-conference — Sacred Heart’s off to a good start, as is Colgate. I feel good about the competition we’ve had, (but) I think UMass — they’re the best team we’ve faced so far.”
