UConn's Hockey East day at Fenway
There isn't much to write about concerning UConn's disappointing 4-0 loss at Frozen Fenway to the Maine Black Bears last Saturday. The Huskies did not show up but at least 16,432 fans did. Due to the Patriots and Bruins playing later that day UConn's 4pm start time became 1:30pm to help stagger traffic in and out of Boston.
The earlier start time meant UConn was about to face Maine in blustery conditions with a ton of midday sun on the ice. The amount of ice repair activity that happened during TV timeouts during the game was a blatant indicator on how the ice was being affected. Sometimes the puck bounces your way and sometimes it doesn't, the puck was bouncing midday Saturday but it wasn't bouncing UConn's way.
Bouncing pucks aside UConn had no excuses for losing the game. Maine put the the puck on the net making Adam Huska face 44 shots. That was about four more shots a period than what UConn could muster. The Huskies would hear no Brass Bonanza at Fenway and the loss would become their first scoreless contest of the 2016-2017 season.
The offense will bounce back and they'll
need it. UConn's loss at Fenway was big for two reasons. They should not have lost so badly to a team they had just defeated 6-3 last Thursday night in Bridgeport and secondly it will be tough to get a win over their next three games where they play Boston College and Vermont twice.
The positives are few but one was the fan support. The 80 thousand UConn Alumni surrounding the Greater Hartford area traveled well for this Hockey East outdoor event. There was not a view of Kenmore Square without a pedestrian clad in UConn Husky gear. Many times a UConn fan was seen rocking a Husky jersey and Hartford Whalers hat.
The Huskies will play Vermont Friday and then Boston College next Tuesday January 24. They will return home to the XL Center on January 27 when they play Vermont again.
Breakaways-
Fenway Park looked about half full turnstile attendance wise, the two and a half hour time change makes you wonder how many people couldn't attend at that time and or didn't learn of the rescheduled time? While the sun was out it wasn't too comfortable with freezing temperatures but it sure beat Whale Bowl weather.
Getting to see the inside of Fenway's Press Box was an honor, this was a big game and it came in a very famous venue. Calling Fenway Park one of the last Cathedrals of Major League Baseball just doesn't cut it. While walking around the ball park you feel like it's foundation is built on solid memories and the walls are held together with passion from a city with a renown diehard fan base. You can go to Fenway Park a thousand times and it never really gets old.
