{"id":28520,"date":"2006-10-06T22:45:27","date_gmt":"2006-10-07T03:45:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.uscho.com\/2006\/10\/06\/200607-vermont-season-preview\/"},"modified":"2010-08-17T19:56:39","modified_gmt":"2010-08-18T00:56:39","slug":"200607-vermont-season-preview","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uscho.com\/2006\/10\/06\/200607-vermont-season-preview\/","title":{"rendered":"2006-07 Vermont Season Preview"},"content":{"rendered":"
Vermont’s inaugural season in Hockey East proved to be a rollercoaster ride. The Catamounts won their first seven games, giving them major attention in the national polls for quite some time. However, the season ended with only a single win after Feb. 3. Unfortunately for the league rookie, its stellar 8-1 record out of conference didn’t matter one whit in the standings, where the Catamounts finished a game under .500. <\/p>\n
The Catamounts took care of business more often than not against the middle and lower tiers within Hockey East, but finished only 1-8-5 against the four perennial powerhouses: Boston College, Boston University, New Hampshire and Maine.<\/p>\n
“We had played a lot of those teams in nonconference games for years, but conference games are different,” UVM coach Kevin Sneddon says. “The lineups look different. It was new for us last year to have to play a program three times. We didn’t fare too well against the top four. <\/p>\n
“I think I have a better sense of the styles of each program now. We’re going to be challenged every night and that’s something that we certainly learned last year. There is no weak team in the league and we’d better be ready to play. That’s going to make us a better team by the end. We’ve played in all the venues now. We’ve seen the crowds. We know what chants are going to be against us.”<\/p>\n
Not only will the adjustment process be behind the Catamounts, they also won’t receive the media scrutiny of being the new kid on the block.<\/p>\n
“That attention was awesome,” Sneddon says. “We just love the league and what it’s done for our school and hopefully we’ve been a good addition. But now from a media perspective, we’re no longer the new team. Some of that attention last year was subtle pressure.<\/p>\n
“This year we can write our own story and hopefully it will be a very positive story. I’m sure it will be, but it will be nice to be just another team in the league looking for a championship.”<\/p>\n
The foundation for such a championship can be found between the pipes. Joe Fallon followed up his ECACHL Rookie of the Year season with a sophomore campaign that included a league-best 2.02 GAA and a .907 save percentage. Freshman Mike Spillane replaces Travis Russell, who graduated, as backup.<\/p>\n
“I’ve always been a big believer that you build from the net out,” Sneddon says. “I know it’s an old coaches’ clich\u00e9, but I really believe it. <\/p>\n
“Joe has been a fabulous goaltender for us for two years, but I think his best hockey is ahead of him. I think he’s poised to have another great year. <\/p>\n
“That being said, we have a great young prospect in Mike Spillane, who’s going to push Joe every day and keep him honest. Obviously we expect Joe to be the starter, but he’ll be pushed every day.”<\/p>\n
The blue line’s only loss was Jaime Sifers, but what a loss! Kenny Macaulay and Mark Lutz will anchor the defense in Sifers’ absence. <\/p>\n
“We have some holes to fill even though we’re only talking about one player,” Sneddon says. “In my opinion, Jaime was one of the best defensemen that has ever played at the University of Vermont. And as [leaders go], he was one of the best.<\/p>\n