Cornell-Yale Post Game

Nice win. Lots of good scoring chances even though we were outshot. Scrivens was solid in goal.

Jason's Three Stars of the Game:
1st Scrivens
2nd Greening
3rd R. Nash

Unfortunately the best analysis of this game I can offer is Redcast > All-Access.

Good win -- conference, road and Ivy.

Omie
Nice win. Lots of good scoring chances even though we were outshot. Scrivens was solid in goal.

Jason's Three Stars of the Game:
1st Scrivens
2nd Greening
3rd R. Nash

Thanks for taking the post-game thread away from the game-thead starter, former roomie

10 seconds before I started my own too.

Apologies... see you at MSG.

A strong finish by Scrivens despite his 1st period shakiness...will Schafer nix the rotation and reward him with another start tomorrow night, or give Davenport another crack at it?

Brown came to play tonight, putting 5 past Dekanich. We better have our offense up to speed tomorrow night, especially since Rosen can be a tough nut to crack.

At least they took the hint about stupid penalties from the Quinny game...only 2 penalties all game! When was the last time that happened?
Last year at Yale, the two teams combined for 83 minutes on 25 penalties.

Just a tiny bit more civilized this time, even if Smith missed some obvious calls, with both teams combining for only 12 minutes on 6 penalties.

Sorry, the game thread listed Yale's goal as EAG. What does that stand for?

whatthe?
Sorry, the game thread listed Yale's goal as EAG. What does that stand for?

EAG=Extra Attacker Goal

Thanks Chris.

Dekanich was not in goal for Colgate

Cop at Lynah
Dekanich was not in goal for Colgate

Whoops my bad. No wonder then.

It's nice to see that Cornell was only took 4 minutes in penalties, a steep drop from our 22 mins/game average. Sounds like the played a pretty solid game overall.

For those at the game, I have a few questions:

1) How did the PP look? 0-4 on the night.

2) Cornell only had 4 shots in the first, and 5 in the second. Does that tell the whole story of the offense, or did we actually have so few chances? I know Mike Devin ripped one off the post.

3) How were the breakout plays tonight? As many turnovers as we've seen so far, or did there appear to be some improvement?

Nice to get the ECAC and Ivy win tonight.

Back from the game.

This is a much different Cornell team than we have seen the last several years. The depth in talent is just not there as it has been. Still, I liked what I saw tonight. The coaching staff has gotten back to basics, really focusing on details all over the ice, specifically in the defensive zone. The coverage in the D zone was very good and Cornell was very effective in clogging up the middle. There were still several occasions where Cornell got bottled up in their own end with the blueline's general inability to make good decisions coming out of the zone. Still, this team worked harder tonight than they did in almost any game last season. The team was a lot easier to cheer for tonight than they were last season because they battled hard and really tried to do all the little things necessary to win.

As a whole, the game was pretty close though I would give Cornell a slight edge in play and good scoring chances. They were a little cleaner in their own end though as I mentioned before, really struggled at times to move the puck effectively out of the zone. The team was better in transition and gaining speed through the neutral zone than I expected so that was a big positive. Under Alain, Yale has become an extremely physical team and that was again evident tonight. Cornell's players really had to pay the price physically but they seemed willing to do that and make that sacrifice.

I have always been a big critic of Scrivens but tonight was definitely the best I have seen him play. He has gained considerable confidence and has improved in both his major deficient areas from last season - quickness and mental sharpness. He was a lot more active in the net tonight and made some smart plays to block passing lanes from around the net. As well, he did a good job of making himself big but remaining mobile. I thought he helped out the defense in setting up the puck off of dump-ins though he was a lot smarter and more decisive in knowing when to leave the net to play the puck. As mentioned earlier, the team did a really great job in front of him, letting him see the puck, but also taking away the good shooting lanes as well as picking up men around the net.

Yale only has that one line and they were neutralized for the most part. For some reason, Alain matched them with Cornell's top line rather than going up against the very slow Scali line. By the third period, Alain moved to that matchup and that was the only time they generated sustained pressure the entire night. That being said, I was pleasantly surprised by the fourth line of Nichols-Scali-Fontas. They certainly aren't pretty but they generally held their own. Like the entire team, they really played within themselves, something last year's team rarely ever did.

Riley Nash was an NHL first round pick and certainly looked like one tonight. He has incredible skills in tight and sees the ice very well. He is always looking to create with the puck and often was able to create chances out of nothing. He has an awkward stride but has deceiving quickness. As he becomes more comfortable and his linemates adapt to his level of thinking, he will be getting points every game.

I have no clue what Schafer is doing with the powerplays. Neither unit moves the puck particularly well and it is unclear what purpose either unit is serving. I don't know what the objectives are for either. What are their options? What plays are they trying to use? What individual player strengths are they utilizing? Why on earth are Seminoff and Krantz not on either unit. Seminoff is the steadiest and smartest defenseman and proved to be a good powerplay guy last year while krantz has the best open ice speed and the hardest shot on the team not to mention he is the best blueliner at getting pucks through to the net. No clue why Krueger gets a sniff of powerplay time.

Was really impressed with Barlow tonight. He has brought a work ethic and a better overall sense of the game to match his high skill level. He has also improved his open ice speed. Switching him to the top line and moving Sawada down was a good move for sure.

No superstars on this team (except Nash eventionally) but no passengers either. There is more of an identity this year than there was at any point last year. These guys are a lunch pale, hardworking, detail-oriented team that is going to keep things simple all over the ice. Because of the relatively low expectations for the team this year, this is a team that doesn't have much to lose. They play hard and are very mindful of the smaller parts of the game that are needed for success. There will be no easy wins this year.

I really can't add much to or improve on what Ari said. This was a great, hard-fought, close game, and a joy to watch. This group of kids wants to work hard and wants to work together - as they continue to click together, I think it's going to be a real pleasure.

Oh, and whoever was counting the shots on net was on crack. We had easily 20-30% more shots than they credited us with.

Our defense is pretty good and will get better with the return of the other Nash. Reminiscent of those early 2000s clubs that won a lot of games 2-1. Only this team is one I'm not sure is ready to score more than one goal in some games. And I'm not sure how reminscent the D will be when we play top tier teams. Here's hoping.

Exception to the strong defense thought: Our defense (all five skaters on the ice, not just the D) allowed Yale two or three powerful attacking flurries when it was a crapshoot whether they'd score or not. Yale came up empty every time. Those were unsettling.

Yale owned the first ten minutes.

We could not break out well early on.

We only had five shots on goal at the midway point of the game. Others say we had more game total shots on goal than the 19 credited to us (vs. 25 for Yale); I thought that was about right.

We didn't take many penalties (one plus a too-many-men).

Our PP (0x4) is not very effective yet except it's a great four-corner stall when we're protecting the lead, as Cornell showed in controlling play from 4:00 left in the third to 2:00 left. Except for a Yale clear out of play that brought the puck back into the Yale zone, Cornell didn't allow the puck out of the Yale end. One other PP highlight: Joe Devin, I believe, almost cut the pipe in half with a slapshot that bounced out not in.

Greening is a heads-up player. Riley Nash played well, too; he was the one who was in front of the net when a Son of Yale misplayed the puck and let it dribble in Nash's direction. Scrivens and or the defense played well. It was disappointing he lost the shutout; without woofing on his future, he's probably not going to leave Cornell with a whole string of shutouts and to lose one with 6 seconds to go is a downer. I'd much rather the game have ended 1-0, which better reflected that we got lucky tapping home a Yale misplay in the first and then just hung on.

Also: There was nobody home at the game. No Yale fans. Hardly any Cornell fans. (But still more Cornell fans than Yale, or so it seemed.) The "Red!" shout during the anthem was the most raggedy-assed Cornell cheer in years. No Cornell pep band. It was nice hearing the Yalies in our section gripe about there being more Cornell than Yale fans. If Yale announced more than 2,000, it's a typo. (Officially, they announced 3,180.)

Ingalls Rink still unbearably noisy, still very attractive relative to Lynah, and of the same age. Yale, remember, used Eero Saarinen; we used Ralph Quonset, I think. And yes, Mark, it is almost as big as the old Lynah at 3486 stated capacity.

So our game-winning goal was an empty-netter. We were on the other side of that in Florida a few years ago; got to be frustrating for Yale.

billhoward

Our PP (0x4) is not very effective yet except it's a great four-corner stall when we're protecting the lead, as Cornell showed in controlling play from 4:00 left in the third to 2:00 left. Except for a Yale clear out of play that brought the puck back into the Yale zone, Cornell didn't allow the puck out of the Yale end. One other PP highlight: Joe Devin, I believe, almost cut the pipe in half with a slapshot that bounced out not in.

I was watching on the free Yale All Access and so my vision was impaired, but the PP was better than I remember from last year. The puck was worked down low and Yale's defense isn't bad - they seemed to block the lanes well on the penalty kill.

Yale is a better team than they have been for the past few seasons. The coaching change is working, but as was mentioned they only have one potent line.

Re the Cornell power play: Yes, we did get it down low at times. We also had one frustrating play when the two points went back and forth, Yale kept eding closer, and a Yale lunge deflected the pass. Had the Yalie been a step quicker he could have been moving in on Scrivens unmolested.

We also had another PP (the third of four tries, maybe, the fourth being our keepaway PP with 4:00 left) where it took us nearly the first minute to establish ourselves in the Yale end.

Yes, we should give Yale credit for being better than Yales of the past decade. We also should give Cornell leeway for being a young team, missing a key defender, and we've more often finished the season stronger than we began it. Excepting those two ECAC Q-final disasters.

GOOD GAME ! ! !

I am still worried about the back door (back post) being exposed. In the games I've watched, that damn door gets unattended alot. And all that is needs to be done is to set a man to close down that gaping hole. There has been several times I have watched an opposing player camped out there just waiting for the feed.

Still all-in-all let's celebrate the win !!!!!!

Hip! Hip! Hoorah!

tvset
GOOD GAME ! ! !

I am still worried about the back door (back post) being exposed. In the games I've watched, that damn door gets unattended alot. And all that is needs to be done is to set a man to close down that gaping hole. There has been several times I have watched an opposing player camped out there just waiting for the feed.

This has been a consistent problem for several seasons now.

Last year they were subpar on:

1. Back door
2. Consistency in net
3. Breakout on banana peels
4. No finisher
5. Impotent powerplay
6. Passion and determination


1 and 3 are coaching. 2 and 4 are talent. 5 is a combination of both. 6 is team chemistry and so far this year there is a tremendous improvement.

Trotsky
Last year they were subpar on:

1. Back door
2. Consistency in net
3. Breakout on banana peels
4. No finisher
5. Impotent powerplay
6. Passion and determination


1 and 3 are coaching. 2 and 4 are talent. 5 is a combination of both. 6 is team chemistry and so far this year there is a tremendous improvement.

#1 also goes to "talent". The defense needs to keep their heads on a swivel and check behind them. The coaches can yell, scream and preach all they want, but until they get a remote control that can move the defenders to cover the open man, it is up to the players to make sure everyone on offense is marked up.

I hope this will be solved with better communication between the players on the ice. For those of you who have been at the games are you able to hear the defense and do they help each other out (i.e. I got #5 in the slot, watch the guy on the right)?

Rita

Trotsky
Last year they were subpar on:

1. Back door
2. Consistency in net
3. Breakout on banana peels
4. No finisher
5. Impotent powerplay
6. Passion and determination


1 and 3 are coaching. 2 and 4 are talent. 5 is a combination of both. 6 is team chemistry and so far this year there is a tremendous improvement.

#1 also goes to "talent". The defense needs to keep their heads on a swivel and check behind them. The coaches can yell, scream and preach all they want, but until they get a remote control that can move the defenders to cover the open man, it is up to the players to make sure everyone on offense is marked up.

Absolutely. In fact, at this level of play, they should not need coaching on this very fundamental aspect of the game.

billhoward
One other PP highlight: Joe Devin, I believe, almost cut the pipe in half with a slapshot that bounced out not in.

Close. It was Mike. We had their pk on the ropes as the pp was running out and everyone collapsed towards the net. He snuck in from the point to just below the top of the circle and rung one off the right side of the crossbar.

billhoward
Also: There was nobody home at the game. No Yale fans. Hardly any Cornell fans. (But still more Cornell fans than Yale, or so it seemed.) The "Red!" shout during the anthem was the most raggedy-assed Cornell cheer in years. No Cornell pep band. It was nice hearing the Yalies in our section gripe about there being more Cornell than Yale fans. If Yale announced more than 2,000, it's a typo. (Officially, they announced 3,180.)

I ran into a guy after the game (coming into the rink to play an IM game) who was a season ticket holder for Yale hockey until this season. I mentioned that there wasn't a big Yale crowd and he seemed to think that part of the reason was that there's a nice new facility with easy parking and a somewhat higher ranked hockey team in the nearby hamlet of Hamden that's been drawing away some of the "townie" crowd. It might also have helped that the team that this new rink was built for played a fair portion of a season in the Whale while their rink was under construction, possibly winning over some fans (if I'm remembering correctly).

For more, see the other thread about how great the Deer Ticks' new rink is: [elf.elynah.com]

billhoward
There was nobody home at the game. No Yale fans. Hardly any Cornell fans. (But still more Cornell fans than Yale, or so it seemed.) The "Red!" shout during the anthem was the most raggedy-assed Cornell cheer in years. No Cornell pep band. It was nice hearing the Yalies in our section gripe about there being more Cornell than Yale fans. If Yale announced more than 2,000, it's a typo. (Officially, they announced 3,180.)

Ingalls Rink still unbearably noisy, still very attractive relative to Lynah, and of the same age. Yale, remember, used Eero Saarinen; we used Ralph Quonset, I think. And yes, Mark, it is almost as big as the old Lynah at 3486 stated capacity.

As much as I enjoyed the game, it just didn't seem the same without the pep band there and with a half-empty rink. The Cornell fans were well-represented, but did little in the way of organized cheering without the pep band to lead us on. Not having the pep band there really made me appreciate how much they add to the games, both home and away! I especially missed singing the alma mater between the second and third periods.

crodger1

billhoward
Also: There was nobody home at the game. No Yale fans. Hardly any Cornell fans. (But still more Cornell fans than Yale, or so it seemed.) The "Red!" shout during the anthem was the most raggedy-assed Cornell cheer in years. No Cornell pep band. It was nice hearing the Yalies in our section gripe about there being more Cornell than Yale fans. If Yale announced more than 2,000, it's a typo. (Officially, they announced 3,180.)

I ran into a guy after the game (coming into the rink to play an IM game) who was a season ticket holder for Yale hockey until this season. I mentioned that there wasn't a big Yale crowd and he seemed to think that part of the reason was that there's a nice new facility with easy parking and a somewhat higher ranked hockey team in the nearby hamlet of Hamden that's been drawing away some of the "townie" crowd. It might also have helped that the team that this new rink was built for played a fair portion of a season in the Whale while their rink was under construction, possibly winning over some fans (if I'm remembering correctly).

For more, see the other thread about how great the Deer Ticks' new rink is: [elf.elynah.com]

Just back from the weekend. You're definitely right about Q stealing some of the Yale crowd when both are home. The nice couple who bought my two extra seats said they made a last-minute decision to come to Yale instead of Q for various reasons. They'll often split a weekend between the two schools, if both are home, while they used to be Yale season subscribers.

Re: the power play, I think M Devin's shot from the point is one of the best we've seen in years, so that will definitely help. I thought when Topher was on the ice they did a better job of working the puck low and having a multi-dimensional unit.

dbilmes
As much as I enjoyed the game, it just didn't seem the same without the pep band there and with a half-empty rink.----Not having the pep band there really made me appreciate how much they add to the games, both home and away!

Of course we could all show them how much we appreciate them, and help them getting to away games, by a nice donation to the Cornell Fund, addressed to the Pep Band. $10 is good $50 is better. They do a lot for us.

Jim Hyla

dbilmes
As much as I enjoyed the game, it just didn't seem the same without the pep band there and with a half-empty rink.----Not having the pep band there really made me appreciate how much they add to the games, both home and away!

Of course we could all show them how much we appreciate them, and help them getting to away games, by a nice donation to the Cornell Fund, addressed to the Pep Band. $10 is good $50 is better. They do a lot for us.

I certainly don't mean to discourage donations... But in cases like this weekend, I don't believe it would have helped. Almost without exception, pep bandies are also marching bandies, and they had a home football game this weekend. There's almost always an away hockey weekend in the fall with no pep band for this very reason - and more money would be great for the pep band, but could not be used to buy more bandies.

Beeeej
I certainly don't mean to discourage donations... But in cases like this weekend, I don't believe it would have helped.

I agree, but I think that's too bad: can't the marching band spare (say) 10 bandies for hockey when there's a conflict? We don't need a complete band, just a few people to play Davy et al.

Kyle

8 trumpets on Schoellkopf and 2 at Ingalls/Meehan sounds a lot better than 10 trumpets on Schoellkopf. I don't suppose that's the way the band operates, though, which is why it's great to have such an active band alumni contingent at most away games. We missed you this past weekend.

krose

Beeeej
I certainly don't mean to discourage donations... But in cases like this weekend, I don't believe it would have helped.

I agree, but I think that's too bad: can't the marching band spare (say) 10 bandies for hockey when there's a conflict? We don't need a complete band, just a few people to play Davy et al.

Kyle

You also have to remember that a lot of bandies prefer to be around for a home football game; it's a fantastic time. In this case, it was also the final home football game of the season, which you'll almost never get volunteers to miss, maybe not even for Lynah East.

Even if you could, there are also other considerations. Instrumentation: If you ask for ten volunteers, will you have any woodwind at all? Too much low brass? "Davy" without percussion? Transportation: If you're sending only ten people, is it really cost-effective to rent a bus and pay a staff chaperone (both of which, I believe, may be necessary for the bandies to be insured under the university's policies)?

Obviously someone involved in the band's present administration will have the current perspective on this, but it's not a new issue.

Beeeej

Even if you could, there are also other considerations. Instrumentation: If you ask for ten volunteers, will you have any woodwind at all? Too much low brass? "Davy" without percussion?

The most irritating thing I had to deal with as pep band manager was requests from people to hire the band because often they just wanted a "small band." "You know 5-10 people or something." That doesn't work for silly little campus events and it sure as heck doesn't work for hockey games (mini-bands in florida not withstanding of course). You'd need the right 10-15 folks to have a chance of sounding respectable, and odds are those are the 10-15 folks most needed to carry the marching band. It's my understanding the alumni band fell through this week do to lack of trumpets, though I'm sure lack of planning played a role (plenty of people had no idea it was being attempted until Thursday).

Incidentally, I presume the pep band is doing the always exhausting Ithaca--->Cambridge----> West Philly---->Ithaca trip this weekend?

Chris '03
Incidentally, I presume the pep band is doing the always exhausting Ithaca--->Cambridge----> West Philly---->Ithaca trip this weekend?

Please please please?

jtwcornell91

Chris '03
Incidentally, I presume the pep band is doing the always exhausting Ithaca--->Cambridge----> West Philly---->Ithaca trip this weekend?

Please please please?

Yes, they are.

The one time in recent memory that the Lynah East game came at the same weekend as the last home football game, Lynah East was Friday night. We had to do some odd scheduling so that the bus driver could get his requisite hours off before we trucked back to Ithaca right after the hockey game, but we made it work. Actually the toughest part of that weekend was getting someone from Harvard to get back to me about where we could store our instruments during the day.

If they both ever fall on a Saturday... well, speaking as someone with clear priorities, I don't think you'd have a problem getting a pepband to Cambridge. It might be low on seniors, but it would be there.