random thoughts

Random thoughts that have occurred to me while perusing records, stats, and standings:

The case for optimism:

1. Being 8-1 rocks.
2. Combo of #1 Defense and #6 Offense is promising.
3. Of the 13 teams in the top 20 in both offense and defense, Cornell has the second highest goal differential (+3.23 per game), behind only CC (+3.28). Third place is Maine at +2.91, followed by Miami at +2.56 - big dropoff!
4. Of those 13 teams, Cornell has the highest GF/GA ratio at 3.42. Second is Maine at 3.05, followed by CC at 2.76 - again, major dropoff.
5. #3 PK and #7 PP is a deadly combination.
6. Half of the wins have been over ranked teams (Harvard, BUx2, OSU) plus one over the top "others receiving votes" (Yale)
7. #1 in (extremely preliminary and volatile) RPI and PWR
8. 6-0 record at home

The case for caution:
A. 9-0 would have been better....
B. Only 2-1 on the road
C. Road goal differential is only +2.33
D. Road goal ratio is only 2.17
E. Road goal differential and ratio badly skewed by a game with doormat UVM.
F. 8 games in a row upcoming away from Lynah
G. (Hopefully) missing Lenny for 4 big away games

We'll know a heck of a lot more about this team the next time they skate for the Faithful: We'll be somewhere between 16-1 with 10 road wins and a 7-0 NC record, and 8-9 with an 8 game losing streak....

Aaaargh. Posted without logging in so I can't edit.

Another cause for caution: our RPI (and therefore possibly PWR) will drop once we start playing more conference games because of the lousy OOC record for the rest of the ECAC....