The announcement came Tuesday, but head coach Greg Carvel learned last week that his schedule was changing.
The UMass hockey team was scheduled to play Providence in a home-and-home series this weekend. But what has become routine procedure during a pandemic, Hockey East moved games around. Now that Vermont has returned from quarantine, the Catamounts and Minutemen will resume their series that was originally slated for the second weekend of the season. The teams play Saturday and Sunday at the Mullins Center. Both games are at 6 p.m. and will be broadcast on NESN and WHAMP (1400 AM).
It will be the first time Carvel faces Vermont head coach Todd Woodcroft, who was hired in April after four seasons as an assistant coach with the Winnipeg Jets.
“I know Todd very well, we’re close friends, old friends, but I don’t know his coaching style per se, systemswise,” Carvel said. “We’ll go into this weekend completely unaware of what Vermont’s going to bring.”
It will be the fourth time this season UMass (2-3-1, 2-3-1 Hockey East) faces a team playing its first games. One slight difference is that the Minutemen are coming off a bye weekend.
“We’re getting a lot of high energy from our opponents and we’re going to have to make sure we’re ready to compete after a weekend off,” Carvel said. “After losing our last game I think our guys will be focused and ready to go.”
UMass lost at Merrimack 3-2 on Dec. 6. It was the third loss in four games for the Minutemen. The break may or may not have come at a good time for UMass.
“I’ve been more concerned about not playing in that it will allow our guys to kind of lose focus and intensity,” he said. “At the same time we played six games, maybe a weekend off kind of reset. It’s been a long four months. These kids have practiced so much. We tried to give them a couple days off over this last stretch just to maybe deal with some physical, nagging stuff, but mentally give them a couple days off.”
MORE CHANGES — Hockey East announced on Thursday that the Minutemen will host UConn on Wednesday at 3:30 p.m.
The conference also announced alterations to the 2020-21 season and postseason Tuesday.
Every game will now count toward the Hockey East standings, a change from the double round-robin format that included nonconference “flex games.” Additionally, every team will qualify for the postseason.
“The 2020-21 season has presented new challenges each day and Hockey East has done everything in our power to ensure a safe and fulfilling experience for our student-athletes in this difficult year,” Hockey East Commissioner Steve Metcalf said in a statement. “Inviting all teams into the Hockey East Tournament, and using all games played to determine seeding, gives our players the best possible experience of postseason competition while respecting the importance of each regular-season game.”
The league worked with the coaches on the changes. Playing all games as conference games was among the options discussed before opening the season. The move will allow for greater flexibility so that all teams can maintain a balanced schedule.
Carvel serves as of the head of the Hockey East coaching body.
“I think through all this we just want leadership,” he said. “There’s too many unknowns and that’s when things get tough, and to now know that every team is in the playoffs and every game counts, good. Just more knowledge and it helps us build the focus that I think is really important in these times. It’s hard when you are going through this. It feels like you’re on a rudderless ship and so the more guidance and direction that we’re giving that’s best for everybody.”
INJURY UPDATE — Forward Reed Lebster and defenseman Ty Farmer are out “long term” with injuries, according to Carvel.
PRO SUPPORT — NHL coaching veteran Mike Babcock joined the Catamounts as a volunteer adviser to the coaching staff. Babcock won the 2008 Stanley Cup with the Detroit Red Wings.
Mike Moran can be reached at mmoran@gazettenet.com. Follow on Twitter @mikemoranDHG.