2008 Woodie Awards
Column: 'Was this season a success?'
Issue date: 3/17/08 Section: Sports
BURLINGTON, VT - When a season ends as painfully as it did for the men's hockey team, a 4-1 loss at the hands of UVM, it's hard to find positives.
"It stings a little bit right now," said a dejected and emotional Joe Vitale after the game. "I'm going to have trouble sleeping tonight."
The question for me, and for many Husky faithfuls at the end of the year is, what did this season mean? Was it a success?
The answer is a little complicated.
The team finished the season 16-18-3 overall and 12-13-2 in Hockey East, a somewhat disappointing mark considering the Huskies went unbeaten in 11 consecutive games from Nov. 3 through Jan. 11.
But they faltered down the stretch, with a 4-11-1 record after the streak ended, including losing five of their last six league games.
But when you consider recent history, it is an incredible improvement.
Just two seasons ago this team won three - count them - three times. Last season the team only managed 13 wins and just nine in the league.
The inability to finish the season strong cost the Huskies in national polls - they fell from No. 7 earlier in the season to out of the rankings. In Hockey East, they dropped from second to sixth, missing a chance at home ice on the last day of the season.
While this season is not quite the epic collapse of the 1980 team, which won its first 12, were ranked No. 1 in the nation and were featured in Sports Illustrated before losing 12 straight to close the year and missing the ECAC playoffs, it is still a cause for concern.
I would be remiss if I didn't mention here that the 1980 Husky hockey team rebounded from that crushing season to have the most successful season in the history of the program, winning ECAC title and making the Final Four of the NCAA tournament.
The other big negative on this past season was the performance of the sophomore class. When Chad Costello and Kyle Kramer led the team in points last year with 22 and 19 respectively, it looked as if head coach Greg Cronin was engineering a youth movement. But this season, Costello came up with just 13 points and Kramer 10, although Costello missed a few weeks due to injury.
"It stings a little bit right now," said a dejected and emotional Joe Vitale after the game. "I'm going to have trouble sleeping tonight."
The question for me, and for many Husky faithfuls at the end of the year is, what did this season mean? Was it a success?
The answer is a little complicated.
The team finished the season 16-18-3 overall and 12-13-2 in Hockey East, a somewhat disappointing mark considering the Huskies went unbeaten in 11 consecutive games from Nov. 3 through Jan. 11.
But they faltered down the stretch, with a 4-11-1 record after the streak ended, including losing five of their last six league games.
But when you consider recent history, it is an incredible improvement.
Just two seasons ago this team won three - count them - three times. Last season the team only managed 13 wins and just nine in the league.
The inability to finish the season strong cost the Huskies in national polls - they fell from No. 7 earlier in the season to out of the rankings. In Hockey East, they dropped from second to sixth, missing a chance at home ice on the last day of the season.
While this season is not quite the epic collapse of the 1980 team, which won its first 12, were ranked No. 1 in the nation and were featured in Sports Illustrated before losing 12 straight to close the year and missing the ECAC playoffs, it is still a cause for concern.
I would be remiss if I didn't mention here that the 1980 Husky hockey team rebounded from that crushing season to have the most successful season in the history of the program, winning ECAC title and making the Final Four of the NCAA tournament.
The other big negative on this past season was the performance of the sophomore class. When Chad Costello and Kyle Kramer led the team in points last year with 22 and 19 respectively, it looked as if head coach Greg Cronin was engineering a youth movement. But this season, Costello came up with just 13 points and Kramer 10, although Costello missed a few weeks due to injury.
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