2009-10 UNH MEN’S ICE HOCKEY MEDIA GUIDE January 12, 1985 – The Wildcats edge Northern Michigan 6-5 for Charlie Holt’s 400th career win. March 1, 1986 – Charlie Holt, who had announced his retirement after 18 years as head coach of the Wildcats, wins his last game at Snively Arena, 7-4, over UMass-Lowell. On “Hats Off to Charlie Night,” Mike Rossetti notches a hat trick. Prompting the capacity crowd to throw their replicas of Charlie’s fedora onto the ice. Described as an innovator, visionary and “way ahead of his time” by a countless number of his former players and fellow coaches, Holt retires as a three-time winner of the Spencer T. Penrose Award as the nation’s outstanding college hockey coach. He has been an inspiration to dozens of his former players who have gone into the coaching ranks, including former NHL coach Bob Francis (Phoenix Coyotes) and college coaches Bruce Crowder (Northeastern), Joe Marsh (St. Lawrence), Mike McShane (Norwich), Bill Beaney (Middlebury) and UNH’s own Dick Umile. The legendary one finished his coaching career with 412 wins and in 1997 was inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame. April 1986 – Bob Kullen is elevated to the head hockey coach position. Within a year he develops a serious heart condition, which eventually requires a transplant. He misses the entire 1987-88 season and, although he is able to return to coaching the following two seasons, he never fully regains his health. Dick Umile began his UNH coaching career as an assistant to Kullen and describes him as “one of the great young coaches in the league. He coached in the style of Charlie Holt. Bob Kullen loved the game of hockey, he was a great teacher and a class guy.” 1988-89 — Umile returns to his alma matter and serves as an assistant coach under Head Coach Bob Kullen. March 4, 1990 – Down by two with 11 minutes to go, UNH scores five straight goals to defeat Providence College, 7-4, in the third game of a best of three quarterfinal series. Sophomore Domenic Amodeo’s goal is the game winner. The victory secures the Wildcat’s first trip to the Hockey East semifinals and is the last win of Bob Kullen’s career.
UNH Hockey Tradition Continues November 3, 1990 — While the Wildcats are out in Colorado for a two game series with Air Force, Kullen passes away in Durham at the age of 41. November 28, 1990 — Umile earns his first Hockey East victory with a 7-3 win over Lowell at Snively Arena. December 9, 1990 — The day after UNH posts a 5-4 victory over Boston College, and with UNH holding a 12-3 record, Umile is officially named the new head coach. The Wildcats finish the year 22-11-2 and 10-9-2 in Hockey East. March 8, 1991 — Umile earns his first of five Hockey East Coach of the Year awards. Freshman goaltender Jeff Levy is named Hockey East Rookie of the Year. The awards are the first Hockey East postseason honors for the Wildcats. October, November 1991 — Umile guides the Wildcats to an 8-0 start for the 1991-92 season which begins UNH’s bid for a berth in the Hockey East Championships. November 23, 1991 – Down 4-3, UNH scores four goals during a fiveminute power play and skates off with a 7-4 victory over Boston University at Snively Arena. March 12, 1992 – Captain Savo Mitrovic scores the game’s wining goal with 3:38 left in the third period and UNH goes on to defeat Providence College 5-3 to reach the Hockey East finals for the first time. The win guarantees the Wildcats a bid to NCAA tournament for the first time in nine years.
October 9, 1990 — With Kullen weak from complications due to a heart transplant, Umile is named interim head coach and takes over the day-to-day operations of the program.
March 26, 1992 — The Wildcats earn their first NCAA bid under Umile’s tenure and the first berth in the national tournament since the 1982-83 season. Against Wisconsin, UNH and Scott Morrow strike first but the 1-0 lead could not hold up as the Badgers take a 4-2 win. Despite the loss, the 1991-92 season begins a stretch of nine national tournament berths in 12 years.
October 26, 1990 — Umile earns his first UNH win with a 5-4 victory at Vermont.
November 20, 1992 — Umile registers his 50th career victory with a 9-6 win at Boston College.
November, 1990 – After serving on an interim basis in place of Bob Kullen, Dick Umile is named Head Coach of the Wildcats. Former captain of the Wildcats (’72).
March 19, 1993 — UNH reaches its second straight Hockey East Championship at the Boston Garden after defeating Merrimack in the quarterfinals. Boston University keeps the Wildcats from reaching their second straight title game with a 2-0 win.
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