University of Massachusets Athletics
Hockey Set To Face Vermont
November 23, 1999 | Hockey
Nov. 23, 1999
STATE SCHOOL BATTLES: Tuesday?s game will be UMass? fourth in its last five against a New England public school. After facing UMass Lowell, UNH, and UConn already, and Vermont in Tuesday?s game, the Minutemen will have played every other public school in the region except for Maine, which they face for the first time this season in January.
PREPARE FOR A NAIL BITER: If Tuesday?s game vs. Vermont goes as the series has gone, it will likely be a thrilling one. Since the Minutemen and Catamounts renewed their rivalry in the 1995-96 season, only one game has been decided by more than one goal (4-1 win for UVM in Burlington, 1996-97). Both previous meetings in the Mullins Center were overtime affairs with UVM taking both on tough goals, while last season?s meeting in Burlington was a one goal loss for UMass in a contest that featured a third-period penalty shot.
UMASS-VERMONT SERIES: Tuesday?s game marks the 31st meeting between Vermont and UMass. The Catamounts lead the all-time series, which began in 1927, 22-6-2. Vermont has held a 4-0 advantage in games played since UMass reinstated its hockey program in 1993-94, but three of those four games have been overtime contests with both of the previous Mullins Center contests being overtime decisions. UMass? last win in the series came on Dec. 4, 1971, a 4-3 overtime win in Burlington.
OFFENSIVE CHANCES UP: While the Minutemen have struggled in the goal scoring column, it has not been for lack of effort. Even with the defensive style of play the Minutemen utilize, UMass has averaged 34.3 shots per game, second best in Hockey East. Only defending national champion Maine (34.4 shots/g) has outshot the Minutemen on a per-game basis this season. Comparing against last season, the Minutemen averaged 21.6 shots per game through the first eight games and 23.9 for the season. UMass also holds a +7.7 shots/game differential vs. its opponents through the first seven contests, compared to a -11.5 after eight games last season and -8.5 for the 1998-99 campaign.
DEFENSE DOES IT: The UMass defense has been particularly strong over the early part of the season. Through last weekend?s games, the Minutemen have the league?s fourth best defense, allowing just 2.88 goals per game behind Maine (2.09 gpg), Boston College (2.70 gpg) and Providence (2.70 gpg). Part of the strong defense has the fact that the Minutemen have taken the fewest penalties in the league (6.6 pen/game, 14.3 min./game) and have kept opposing power play attempts down as a result.
BLANCHARD HOLDS SCORING LEAD: Senior forward Jeff Blanchard (Stouffville, Ont.) is leading the Minutemen in scoring yet again this season. To date, Blanchard has had a balanced attack with nine points on four goals and five assists. Blanchard recorded a career-high three assists in last Saturday?s win over UConn to keep one point ahead of Jeff Turner for the team lead in scoring.
HELANEN RETURNS AS TOP GOALIE: Junior Markus Helanen (Vanta?, Finland) returns as the Minutemen?s top goalie and one of the top three in Hockey East. An honorable mention All-Hockey East pick and two-time Hockey East Goaltender of the Month last season, Helanen posted a UMass single-season record 885 saves and recorded 10 of UMass? 12 wins. Helanen is also second among returnees in the league in save percentage with a .898 mark last year. Helanen has gotten off to a solid start this season, posting his second career shutout vs. Army and holding a 3.09 goals-against average and a .889 save percentage after seven starts.
TURNER RECORDS BEST GAME: Junior Jeff Turner (Saginaw, Mich.) put forth his best game as a Minuteman with a three-point performance against UConn. Turner scored two goals and added an assist as part of UMass? 7-4 win. Turner?s second goal was the first shorthanded goal of his career and his second career game-winner. Turner is second on the team in scoring with eight points and leads the team in assists with six. Turner also leads the team in plus/minus with a +5.
SODERHOLM SOLID DEFENSIVELY: After putting forth a very strong rookie season, sophomore defenseman Toni S?derholm (Helsinki, Finland) has kept it up in his sophomore campaign. S?derholm leads the UMass defensemen with a +4 plus/minus ratio and is tied for the lead among blue-liners in scoring with four points (0g, 4a).
CRUMB OFF TO STRONG START: The early front-runner for the Minutemen?s most improved player would have to be sophomore forward Jedd Crumb (Winnipeg, Man.) who has three goals in seven games this season after scoring just two all last season. Crumb has also been one of the most dangerous Minutemen around the net, creating several high-quality scoring chances in the past few games, including a shot that went off the top crossbar vs. UMass Lowell in a 2-2 overtime tie. Crumb is also second among forwards in plus/minus with a +3.
STILL YOUNG: While UMass had one of the youngest teams in the country last year, the Minutemen still have a young group, although slightly more experienced this season. With just four seniors, the bulk of the team is in the sophomore (nine players) and junior (nine players) classes. The defense, which has been one of the best in Hockey East, is even younger, with two freshmen ? Samuli Jalkanen (Helsinki, Finland) and Kelly Sickavish (N. Vancouver, B.C.) ? and one sophomore ? Luke Duplessis (Framingham, Mass.) ? in his first collegiate season appearing in a combined 20 games out of a possible 24.
TOUGHEST SCHEDULE YET: The Minutemen will be facing perhaps their toughest Division I schedule to date with 11 games vs. ?99 NCAA participants, and 16 games vs. teams either ranked or also receiving votes in the preseason U.S. College Hockey Online poll.
SCOUTING THE CATAMOUNTS: Vermont enter Tuesday?s action with a 3-5-1 record. The Catamounts have been stong offensively in the early going led by Kevin Karlander with 17 points (4g, 13a) and J.F. Caudron with 16 points (6g, 10a). Other top scorers include Jerry Gernander (5g, 5a) and Ryan Cox (6g, 2a). Andrew Allen has seen a majority of time in goal, posting a 4.64 gaa and a .862 save percentage along with a 2-3-0 record, while Tim Peters has also seen significant time with a 3.50 gaa and a .879 save percentage along with a 1-2-1 record.
HEAD COACH JOE MALLEN: Joe Mallen is in his seventh season at the helm of the Minuteman hockey program and tenth year as a collegiate head coach. In his tenure at UMass, he sports a 68-129-14 record. During his first year (1993-94), Mallen guided UMass to a school-record 20 wins. Over the past five seasons in Hockey East, Mallen has brought his team to a highly competitive level, winning season series with Merrimack, UMass Lowell, Providence, and Northeastern over that span, and defeating every league team at least once. Mallen began his head coaching career at UMass-Boston (1979-85), where he brought the Beacons from the club level to a successful Division II program. In his five years at UMass-Boston, he compiled an 80-46-2 (.633) mark and captured the 1982 ECAC Division III Championship. Mallen has an overall career record of 148-175-16 as a collegiate head coach.
SLAPSHOTS: Sophomore Mike Johnson (Excelsior, Minn.) has not been scored upon by a non-conference opponent yet in his career. In starts against Army and Western Michigan last season, Johnson recorded shutouts in both. Johnson also came in and shut out UConn for the third period of UMass? 7-4 win to extend his scoreless streak vs. non-conference teams to 140 minutes? UMass? overtime win over Army was its first OT victory since a Jan. 1997 win over Northeastern?UMass has not lost to an unranked team at home since Dec. 5, 1998 in a 3-2 decision vs. Boston University, a stretch of seven games?Senior captain Nathan Sell (Pembroke, Ont.) will be playing in his 100th career game vs. Vermont?.A couple members of the coaching staff have some ties to Vermont. Associate head coach Bill Gilligan?s brother is Vermont head coach Mike Gilligan, while assistant coach Mike McLaughlin was a former captain of the Catamounts.