First Union Postgame

Well, it's nice to win, but they certainly don't give you a lot of hope during the game. We dominated the beginning, but as in past losses, we just don't seem to be able to keep up the intensity. After the second half of the first period and their goal, I certainly was not optimistic. Somehow whenever they score they seem to lay back and allowed Union to control the play. Union has a number of good skating forwards and for some reason we were just not slowing them down. Obviously, to our credit we came back each time they tied it up, and after the third goal we played a lot better defense.

Did anyone think Greening tipped the winning goal?

The Union fans, well they fit the situation of a rink with no band. It's too bad for their team, because the team is quite good. Aside from the student section, who did at least do some cheering, the rest of the fans basically were sitting on their hands except to yell U when we did Let's Go Red, or when they scored. As anyone there would testify, they had a couple of obnoxious fans whose only vocals were to taunt us when they scored. They also had a lot of fans who didn't usually come to games. I talked to a bunch before the game and they came to see their first or second game.

Most obnoxious was a rink attendant who complained to me about bringing in a bag of papers and how we left them all over for them to clean up. Too bad, I just hope they don't try to stop papers from coming in tonight.

I think tonight's game will be decided by how Union comes out. If they play hard, as they did for much of the first game, they can beat us. If they are discouraged, and we can come out hard and keep it up, we might be able to put them away early. This game was too sloppy at times and didn't have the defensive consistency that we need. I hope we are more consistent, as I don't want to come back Sunday, we just might give them a chance.

If no one heard me at the game, all I can say is after tonight..."The guy in the red jacket sucks!" He openly challenged me to fight between the second and third periods.

I'm so glad the team won tonight. The fourth line really stepped it up in a big way. When Fontas went down with the boarding major I was worried, but glad to see him in good health.

We cannot expect the fourth line to carry the team through the playoffs, but you can expect different players to step it up each game. Tonight it happened to be Fontas..tomorrow night it might be Joe Devin for all we know. It's rare that we're gonna see Nash's line, Kennedy's line, and the rest clicking.

That said, Kennedy, Scott, and Sawada were totally absent tonight. If Cornell is going to fend off a desperate Onion team tomorrow night, then that line cannot make the same mistake twice. Tie up your man, and clear away the rebound. I don't blame Scrivens for that goal, but I do think he could've guarded the post better on goal 2.

Good to see Schafer give the top lines some more playing time tonight. Being on the road does not allow him to match lines, and I think overall, that benefits the team. They played a solid road game, and if all goes according to plan, that should continue through Albany.

Otherwise, I was disappointed with Barlow and Brendon Nash. These are two players on the team that can really make an impact. Going into the rest of the playoffs, but more importantly, next season, they need to decide where they fit into this roster. Both players have such great potential, but they consistently fail to meet expectations. It's time for Barlow to play a complete season at optimal level, and it's time for Nash to start showing he can put the puck where his mouth is.

That all said two more points:

(1) I thought this was the best road crowd, and best road game of the season. Every fan was into it, and I'm proud to be amongst such devoted fans.

(2) Unfortunately for me, quite a while back I signed up to volunteer with post-Katrina cleanup in New Orleans. As such, I have to be in NYC tomorrow to catch a flight and thus will miss the rest of this series and possibly Albany. It has been a wonderful second season of attending Cornell hockey games for me. I'm honored to be amongst such great fans; fans that with a handful of people can out-cheer "U!" This team has the potential to make it to the NCAA's. The disparities in the ECACHL are great, and anyone who thinks that Clarkson or Princeton are unbeatable is surely mistaken. Please continue to heckle our red-jacketed friend in section 9 and Let's Go Red! Looking forward to cowbelling for everyone next season.

Strange, I don't usually agree with most things you write about the fans, but I agree that Red Jacket guy was so completely out of line.

In fact, a lot of the Union crowd was pretty goonish. After the game some chest-painters tried to pick a fight with us in the parking lot...It nearly got pretty interesting. I was later informed that there's still a lot of anti cornell sentiment on campus, stemming from the stabbing two years ago. It's sad and unfortunate, but clearly evidences how one bad apple can spoil a school's image so quickly...They don't like us.

The team's intensity clearly wanned in the second period, and there were a few horrifying minutes where we just couldn't clear the red line.

Scrivens made an unnecessarily scary glove save with about 3 minutes left in the third...He's a good goalie - I'll even go as far as saying he could be a great goalie - but he scares the buhjesus out of me much too much. He likes to skate too far out and he likes to make easy saves look impressive. As long as he stops them, I realize I have no grounds for strong complaint, but when you snare the puck like a fly in mid-air, instead of simply blocking it with your chest, you have to know you're pushing your luck.

...I recall last season when he skated out to absolutely deck an oncomming rush. I think he wants to be a defenseman.

LGR!!!

-LJred

Hey, uh, Quinnipiac? The playoffs started tonight. Just kinda thought maybe you guys didn't know, since it seems like you didn't actually bother showing up for the game at Lynah East, so I thought I'd point it out.

Jim Hyla
Did anyone think Greening tipped the winning goal?

From Saturday's Ithaca Journal: "The puck ramped off Union forward Andrew Buote's stick over Dutchmen goalie Justin Mrazek's left shoulder."

In one of the post-game interviews, Leaman suggested that Corey Milan would be in goal for U tonight...not quite sure why, as I thought Mrazek played well, and has played very well against us all season. He really couldn't be faulted for any of our goals (except perhaps not being prepared on the faceoff where Fontas knocked it in).

sah67
In one of the post-game interviews, Leaman suggested that Corey Milan would be in goal for U tonight...not quite sure why, as I thought Mrazek played well, and has played very well against us all season. He really couldn't be faulted for any of our goals (except perhaps not being prepared on the faceoff where Fontas knocked it in).

From the Union play-by-play guy's comments, it sounds like Union's been rotating all year, and that the Leaman had already indicated that this would continue in the playoffs.

Jim Hyla
Well, it's nice to win, but they certainly don't give you a lot of hope during the game.

I agree with much of the detailed analysis of the game, but I can't say I didn't have a lot of hope during a game we never trailed.

from readying the brief recap of the CU-UC game on CHN it sounds like Coyle took a stupid penalty that lead to the game winner. it also said Coyle might not play, I find that hard to believe. I am all for punishing undisciplined players, but from what I have seen of Union this year, Coyle plays a very big role in their success.

Jordan 04

Jim Hyla
Well, it's nice to win, but they certainly don't give you a lot of hope during the game.

I agree with much of the detailed analysis of the game, but I can't say I didn't have a lot of hope during a game we never trailed.

Maybe I was too strong, but every time we scored it seemed we would drop back and allow them to come to us. I'd rather see us keep up the intensity and take it to them. We just don't seem to have that put them away attitude.

amerks127
If no one heard me at the game, all I can say is after tonight..."The guy in the red jacket sucks!" He openly challenged me to fight between the second and third periods.

That was something else. This happened right behind me, as I was sitting in the last row of Section J. I always sing the alma mater, but I actually stopped to watch this guy yelling at you. I was afraid he was going to sucker punch you, and even though I have not been in a fight since the sixth grade (I'm 43) I was all set to intervene on your behalf. Because looking at that guy I have a feeling he's been in his share of bar fights.

Anyway, glad that cooler heads (yours) prevailed.

What started that anyway? By the time you guys were in each other's faces right behind me it looked like whatever it was had been going for a while.

On a related note, I agree that we just took that place over. It felt and sounded more like a home game, except for their pathetic "U"s after our "Let's Go Red"s.

Jim Hyla
the rest of the fans basically were sitting on their hands except to yell U when we did Let's Go Red.

Cheer suggestion: When they go 'U' we quickly respond "Hoo" - high pitch optional (= YOO HOO for you lurking Union people who don't get most of these things). Works best during the anthem and if they for some crazy reason start up a spontaneous cheer.

Jim Hyla
Most obnoxious was a rink attendant who complained to me about bringing in a bag of papers and how we left them all over for them to clean up. Too bad, I just hope they don't try to stop papers from coming in tonight..

Newspaper suggestion: Screw 'em. If we can get fish into a rink, newspapers are child's play.

Jim Hyla
I think tonight's game will be decided by how Union comes out. If they play hard, as they did for much of the first game, they can beat us. If they are discouraged, and we can come out hard and keep it up, we might be able to put them away early. This game was too sloppy at times and didn't have the defensive consistency that we need. I hope we are more consistent, as I don't want to come back Sunday, we just might give them a chance.

Totally agree. And Thanks for the Snickers thrown to my wife in the Pink Coaches vs Cancer Cornell jersey.

LaJollaRed
In fact, a lot of the Union crowd was pretty goonish. After the game some chest-painters tried to pick a fight with us in the parking lot...It nearly got pretty interesting. I was later informed that there's still a lot of anti cornell sentiment on campus, stemming from the stabbing two years ago. It's sad and unfortunate, but clearly evidences how one bad apple can spoil a school's image so quickly...They don't like us.

Remember, Union used to be a Div III team in hockey. Unfortunately, many of their lame fans have not "outgrown" the Div III mentality. It is not uncommon, in Div III to see fans spitting on the opposing team. Now, that's classy!!