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Weekly Roundup: Rank UConn, you cowards

Weekly Roundup: Rank UConn, you cowards

What do the Huskies need to do to crack the top 20?

February 01, 2021

Welcome to the UConn Hockey Hub newsletter, which catches you up on all the stories, trends, and anything else you might have missed, along with some quick takes and leftover notes from the weekend.

Subscriber news

I finally got the UConn commitment lists posted, which many of you have already checked out. I only put rankings on the 2021 class since I don’t have as great a grasp of the players outside that class but will continue to update info as it becomes available.
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Weekend thoughts

Let’s start with the USCHO Poll: UConn didn’t make the top 20 after sweeping Merrimack, and only picked up five more votes. The Huskies are still four spots out of the rankings.
At this point, UConn is justified in feeling a little disrespected. No. 17 AIC’s strength of schedule is 47th out of 51 teams and the Yellow Jackets went 0-2 against Quinnipiac with a -8 goal differential — the only ranked team they’ve faced.No. 19 Robert Morris is 37th out of 51 in SOS and went 0-2 against Bowling Green, its only ranked opponent. No. 20 UMass Lowell, meanwhile, is 0-3 against ranked opponents with a -8 goal differential. Two of its wins came against lowly Maine.
For reference, UConn is 2-5-2 against ranked teams with only a -9 goal differential. I think you can make an argument that the Huskies still shouldn’t be ranked but they’re a better team than AIC and Robert Morris. Their resume is better than UMass Lowell, too.
UConn has been known for playing up to good opponents and disappointing against lesser teams. Last season it dropped games against Army, RPI, Merrimack (twice) and needed a goal at the buzzer just to tie an awful St. Lawrence team. This series was a big test for the Huskies on that front.
UConn passed that test and it did so in impressive fashion. On Friday, the Huskies scored a quick pair of goals in the first period and then jumped on a string of mistakes from Merrimack in the second period to put the game out of reach.
On Saturday, UConn faced some resistance from the Warriors but still went into the third period up two. Again, the Huskies put Merrimack away with ease.
How good is Jonny Evans? Consider this: He has three career hat tricks. In UConn’s Hockey East history, players have racked up just three other hat tricks total. Sasha Payusov got one against AIC in 2017-18 while Max Letunov and Tage Thompson both got one in October of 2015.
Remember a couple of weeks ago when I mentioned that Evans was on pace to have one of the best seasons in the Huskies’ Division I history with 1.18 points per game? In the two weekends since, he’s increased that number to 1.33 points per game, which is sixth-best in the nation.
Last season, Vladislav Firstov and Sasha Payusov lead the team with 12 goals. Evans is already at 11 despite playing in fewer than half as many as those two.
UConn’s power play is white-hot at the moment. Since the Huskies returned from their false positive on Jan. 15 and also got Firstov and Yan Kuznetsov back from World Juniors, their power play has converted on 37.9 percent of chances — best in the nation (min. three games played).
In that same time span, UConn’s offense is first in the nation with 15.0 points per game (min. three games played). Everything is clicking on offense right now for Mike Cavanaugh’s squad.
Speaking of the head coach, it was great to see him reach 100 wins on Saturday. Though the program-building process has been slow, the results are beginning to show. UConn had its best team ever last season and is significantly better this year. The arrow is pointing up.
If UConn gives Cavanaugh the tools (i.e a first-class practice facility that will be branded as a new, on-campus rink), the sky is the limit for this program. With facilities that can compete with the rest of Hockey East — instead of Freitas Ice Forum, which barely competes with some local D-III programs — the Huskies can be a perennial national power.

Headlines

Evans has been named Hockey East Offensive Player of the Week for his four-goal, two-assist weekend. Hudson Schandor earned the league’s Rookie of the Week with a goal and two assists while Harrison Rees made the weekly honor roll after his two-goal performance on Friday.
Evans is one of 50+ players nominated for the Hobey Baker Award, which goes to the best player in college hockey. You can vote for him here.

Three stars

Each week, we’ll highlight UConn’s top performers from the weekend.

First star: Jonny Evans

Not a tough decision here. Evans set a Division I program record with his four-goal performance on Saturday and claims the first star.

Second star: Hudson Schandor

Though Schandor may not have been the most highly-touted member of UConn’s freshman class, he’s established himself as the most productive first-year player. His nine points are fifth on the team while his four goals are tied for third behind only Evans and Carter Turnbull. Schandor seems to have a nose for the goal and has been an invaluable piece on multiple units through 15 games.

Third star: Harrison Rees

After two inactives in the previous four games prior to Merrimack, Rees made the lineup as the extra skater with Roman Kinal out due to a knee injury and seized his opportunity with two goals on Friday. He’s now the second UConn defenseman with multiple goals, joining John Spetz.

Scoreboard

Tuesday, Jan. 26

Women’s:Northeastern 2, UConn 0

Friday, Jan. 29

Men’s:Providence 5, UNH 1UMass 5, UMass Lowell 0

Women’s:Northeastern 5, Merrimack 0

Saturday, Jan. 30

Men’s:UMass 2, UMass Lowell 1

Women’s:BC 3, UConn 2Northeastern 6, Merrimack 0 — Tough weekend for Merrimack hockey teams.

Sunday, Jan. 31

Men’s:Providence 3, UNH 2

Women’s:BC 4, UConn 0