Defensive Note

I was looking through the NCAA stats at uscho.com and found something that I thought was interesting:

In seven games, LeNeveu has only had to make 125 saves. To put that in perspective, the #1 goalie in gaa, Grady Hunt (of BSU) has made 192 saves in six games. Or ME's Jim Howard has made 185 saves in eight games. For a league comparison, Yann Danis at BN has had to make 173 saves in his seven games.

Only the BC and UND goalies appear to be on a similiar low save total pace, and their on the #1 and #2 teams in the nation, respectively.

As long as we keep knocking the puck down and not allowing it to get to Dave, it'll be a very very good season in Ithaca.

You're right, the low shots against total is extraordinary.

But if you ask LeNeveu (or any other goalie), he'd tell you that it ain't necessarily the best thing for him. You get cold, stiff, and listless when you don't face a shot for long stretches of games -- and shot-blocking is great, but only if it's done with exquisite timing and without creating a screen. I've noticed some concern creeping into LeNeveu's post-game comments. Adam Wodon, have you noticed this in your interviews with him? He seems to be very careful about complimenting his skaters for blocking shots, but I get the impression that he'd like to (literally) see more pucks.

But that would be typical goalie groaning. Truth is, as long as no one gets hurt blocking all those shots, it's a good thing. Lenny will have to learn to deal with it. I'll never forget the growing frustration of the Clarkson players in the '97 ECAC Championship at LP when shot after shot after shot after shot was blocked. Schafer was a good shot-blocker himself--he's teaching them well.

Who would've thought we'd be complaining that our defense is a little TOO good?

Are there many goalies noted for their like of facing few shots?

I mean, I can name plenty that do well under pressure, but what about those who do best behind a great D?

Maybe Murray can shoot at him between whistles.

The low shot totals probably won't be seen in the upcoming NC games, so Lenny ought to see all the rubber he wants.

Hillel J. Hoffmann '85 wrote:

I'll never forget the growing frustration of the Clarkson players in the '97 ECAC Championship at LP when shot after shot after shot after shot was blocked.

Or the second period of the February 1998 game at Bright when Jason Elliott got hurt and Ian Burt was suddenly playing in a tied game against Harvard with less than a game of prior collegiate experience. The team blocked every shot on goal for the rest of the second period, and Ian held up in the third and got the W.

But it's true that low shot totals are not great for a goalie in general; I'd think that a situation where a lot of shots get blocked would still keep a goalie in the game better than one where all the play is at the other end, but then there's the danger of screening the keeper if you fail to block the shot.

John, I see your point, but there's **always** the danger of screening the goalie whether you are trying to block the shot or not. It's often just a product of being in the wrong place at the wrong time (especially in college hockey where the skill level is lower than the pros). I guess I was just saying that all other things being equal, I'd rather the puck not get near our goal.

Wow.. I remember that game with Burt...

I have to say that was the greatest 10 minutes of defense I've ever seen. I always wondered why the team didn't give such a strong defense ever again.