Cornell @ Aints

Very interested in seeing starting line up Friday. After that performance last Saturday there are some players you may not see again this year on the ice.

flyersgolf
Very interested in seeing starting line up Friday. After that performance last Saturday there are some players you may not see again this year on the ice.

Meaning?

Daily Sun article on the road trip.

tl; dr: "I just want to help the team. We gotta play them one day at a time. I just wanna give it my best shot, and the good Lord willing things will work out."

Ithaca Journal article features Enormous Schafer Face photo.

As of 6:05 there are as yet no links on Redcast for audio.

From the ECAC homepage:

SLU link. I don't see anything there for streaming either, but they have certainly have had streaming in years past as their color guy is legendarily inept.

looks like audio/video is a bit buried in all the advertsiements
try this

[www.americaonesports.com]

$8 for a single event, no idea what the quality has been and it looks like you cant 'buy' it till 10minutes before broadcast begins
(I am preparing for the inevitable server crash when a dozen Cornell fans actually log on to watch an event)

So I just got an email from Sidearm that no Redcast streaming for tonight's game. I'm on chat.

Jim Hyla
So I just got an email from Sidearm that no Redcast streaming for tonight's game. I'm on chat.

Fuckers. I'm so glad I pay for that service.

Trotsky

Jim Hyla
So I just got an email from Sidearm that no Redcast streaming for tonight's game. I'm on chat.

Fuckers. I'm so glad I pay for that service.

What he said

WHCU is streaming the game [www.whcu870.com]

Trotsky

Jim Hyla
So I just got an email from Sidearm that no Redcast streaming for tonight's game. I'm on chat.

Fuckers. I'm so glad I pay for that service.

And I'm so glad they didn't get my money this year. Will see if RIP can take it to Sucks tonight in troy

Gang,

You can find the game live at: (audio only--with marginal audio quality)

[www.ustream.tv]

Phil

Lowry scores on power play, his 8th. dag and miller assist. PP GOAL!

Jim Hyla
WHCU is streaming the game [www.whcu870.com]

Everything else broadcast on WHCU looks like pure garbage.

Much better period guys getting in shooting lanes and selling out, blocking shots, Good energy. Birch cheap shotted at end of period. P play to start 2nd. CU could have had more penalties called against them.

check out the elynah chat if you want to exchange thoughts during the game

Horrendous call for 5 minute boarding against McDonald. It was a hard hit.

flyersgolf
Horrendous call for 5 minute boarding against McDonald. It was a hard hit.

We're either getting more than our fair share of "horrendous calls"... or maybe they aren't all so "horrendous."

McDonald crushed the kid, maybe too hard.

please just let this season be over...

The team should be embarrassed by tonight's third period. That was just complete dog crap, through and through, by every guy. JFC, 2007 is too kind -- at least that team cared. We look like 1993.

Good start in the first, ho hum second, implode in the 3rd. Trots you are right on. As with all of our sports today technology has improved the ability of coaching staffs to scout and come up with a game plan. I have noticed that opposing defensemen are sometimes moving to a spot before our players have moved in that direction.
We have guys who can only go their left or right, much like when some players drive in basketball. It has been driving me crazy that these players are not developing the ability to pass or shoot on the backhand. As the league figures these nuances out some players become less effective because they are predictable, they need to develop and become more creative. I also do not understand why the reigns have not come off Joakim Ryan. This guy can fly and lead the rush, he is in my opinion the best skater on the team. It seems Joakim jumped up into the play more as a Freshman, I could be wrong, I have not seen all the games.

There are 4 sophs who have off the charts abilities. Ferlin hasn't looked the same since the injury, though that also happens to be roughly on the schedule of him adapting into the team -- one thing, he didn't appear to make his linemates better at the beginning, and then that changed during his run of solid play in the middle part of this year. As you alluded to, Ryan has all but disappeared into the system, but that may be a good thing for the team overall, especially when you have D'Ags freewheeling from the blue line too. Bardreau we all know about: we'll see where he is next year. Lowry was following the trajectory of Ryan, but then something happened and he started showing flash and creativity again. Now, maybe that's good, but he may also have his own agenda and decided he's going to do it His Way, regardless of what the coaching staff thinks. Or it may be a little of both, but sometimes he seems to be off the reservation.

Mowrey is the other guy who seems to really have ups and downs -- but then again he always has. It may not be attitudinal at all -- he may just be one of those guys who can knock the socks off some defenses, but others have no trouble tying him up.

The collapse tonight wouldn't have been nearly as galling if SLU had really taken the play to us, but frankly SLU looked like crap for most of the night, too. Insofar as you can ever say we should have won a North Country game, we should have won that North Country game.

Oh, and just to add to the worry, Andy looked awful, and that's the one thing we really can't afford. Good goalies have bad nights, but let's hope he's not trending downwards -- Omar is not walking through that door.

Al DeFlorio
We're either getting more than our fair share of "horrendous calls"... or maybe they aren't all so "horrendous."

I agree with you.

We don't want to start sounding like RPI fans on USCHO that tend toward 50 page threads that are mostly decrying their persecution by the officials. They would be laughing behind their hands at us, since they are convinced, in spite of any measurable indicators (like team rank PIM) that you show them, that we always get a favorable whistle.

TimV

Al DeFlorio
We're either getting more than our fair share of "horrendous calls"... or maybe they aren't all so "horrendous."

I agree with you.

We don't want to start sounding like RPI fans on USCHO that tend toward 50 page threads that are mostly decrying their persecution by the officials.

Or like SLU's Got 6 Want More.

flyersgolf
Good start in the first, ho hum second, implode in the 3rd. Trots you are right on. As with all of our sports today technology has improved the ability of coaching staffs to scout and come up with a game plan. I have noticed that opposing defensemen are sometimes moving to a spot before our players have moved in that direction.
We have guys who can only go their left or right, much like when some players drive in basketball. It has been driving me crazy that these players are not developing the ability to pass or shoot on the backhand. As the league figures these nuances out some players become less effective because they are predictable, they need to develop and become more creative. I also do not understand why the reigns have not come off Joakim Ryan. This guy can fly and lead the rush, he is in my opinion the best skater on the team. It seems Joakim jumped up into the play more as a Freshman, I could be wrong, I have not seen all the games.

Almost everything you've said they did in much of the first 2 periods. Coach said in the pregame that he wanted the D to move into the offense and they did. Many times they went in deep, that includes Ryan, Wilcox, MacDonald as well as D'Agostino and Gotovets. I didn't recogonize Birch doing it as much, but maybe that was my blinders of thinking of him as a pure defensive defenseman. It happened enough so that we were caught on odd man rushes. Andy was good on those. For all people complain about the offense, it looked a lot different last night, including the PP. Our problem was not the offense, rather the defense. As, I think, Arthur Mintz pointed out on chat last night, you don't protect a lead by getting out shot 7-1 to start the third period. overall we were outshot 17-11 in the third. Put that together with an awful 5 min penalty, and you have a recipe to lose.

We didn't lose because of our offense, nor because of Andy. Maybe he didn't have his best game, but he did come up big at times, and he played good enough for us to win. Much like some of last year, we can't seem to protect a lead. You can't allow the opposition to get half their shots, 17/35, in the third period. The only good thing is that, seeing how much more creative they became on offense, you can hope they can learn to drop back and protect a lead.

Trotsky
As you alluded to, Ryan has all but disappeared into the system, but that may be a good thing for the team overall, especially when you have D'Ags freewheeling from the blue line too.

Whether or not Ryan gets the green light seems to have a lot to do with the game situation. When we get up (rarely), he goes to town. Hence how we have been able to pull away from some teams. The guy I'm most concerned with disappearing into the system is Gotovets. Speedy, sneaky, and pretty creative—at least, he used to be. I think playing with MacDonald is killing him. For whatever reason, he's turned into the stay-at-home in that pairing. I would reverse it.

And, well, if anyone on the team could use a good sit, it would be D'Agostino. He needs to remember that he's paired with a freshman, however stay-at-home that freshman might be. So, be Murray, not McRae. Gotta be ready to bomb it and then retreat. And no idiotic passing (a la Dailey/Whitney) or other funny stuff.

We seem to be "blessed" with too many offensive defensemen right now, and I think they're getting in each other's ways. Too bad Stoick has not developed as fast as one might have hoped. Too bad we don't have two Braden Birches.

TimV

Al DeFlorio
We're either getting more than our fair share of "horrendous calls"... or maybe they aren't all so "horrendous."

I agree with you.

We don't want to start sounding like RPI fans on USCHO that tend toward 50 page threads that are mostly decrying their persecution by the officials. They would be laughing behind their hands at us, since they are convinced, in spite of any measurable indicators (like team rank PIM) that you show them, that we always get a favorable whistle.

Scersk '97

Trotsky
As you alluded to, Ryan has all but disappeared into the system, but that may be a good thing for the team overall, especially when you have D'Ags freewheeling from the blue line too.

Whether or not Ryan gets the green light seems to have a lot to do with the game situation. When we get up (rarely), he goes to town. Hence how we have been able to pull away from some teams. The guy I'm most concerned with disappearing into the system is Gotovets. Speedy, sneaky, and pretty creative—at least, he used to be. I think playing with MacDonald is killing him. For whatever reason, he's turned into the stay-at-home in that pairing. I would reverse it.

And, well, if anyone on the team could use a good sit, it would be D'Agostino. He needs to remember that he's paired with a freshman, however stay-at-home that freshman might be. So, be Murray, not McRae. Gotta be ready to bomb it and then retreat. And no idiotic passing (a la Dailey/Whitney) or other funny stuff.

We seem to be "blessed" with too many offensive defensemen right now, and I think they're getting in each other's ways. Too bad Stoick has not developed as fast as one might have hoped. Too bad we don't have two Braden Birches.

Our biggest problem is that most of our defense is strong on one side of the ice or the other, but most pairs have an obvious guy who is going to pinch and an obvious guy who won't. We need more Justin Schultz types (and yes I understand we'll never have one as good as Schultz) who can either jump into the play or stay at home equally well. IF you could combine Ryan with Birch (by far the two best defensemen on the team in my opinion) you would have a legitimate top D guy. Our roster, despite all of the NHL draft picks seems to consist of 3s, 4s, 5s, and 6s at the college level, with no really dangerous offensive pair or true shutdown pair.

ursusminor

TimV

Al DeFlorio
We're either getting more than our fair share of "horrendous calls"... or maybe they aren't all so "horrendous."

I agree with you.

We don't want to start sounding like RPI fans on USCHO that tend toward 50 page threads that are mostly decrying their persecution by the officials. They would be laughing behind their hands at us, since they are convinced, in spite of any measurable indicators (like team rank PIM) that you show them, that we always get a favorable whistle.

Yeah, I don't associate this behavior with RPI fans either.

SLU are the paragon of "just remember, you can't hammer the last nail in yourself," but after listening to their announcers over the years I know why. There is no worse whining, mewling, self-martyred homerism on the air waves, and that's including Boston. If SLU fans have had that drivel poured into their ears for decades it's no wonder they are so laughable in their victimhood.

Trotsky

ursusminor

TimV

Al DeFlorio
We're either getting more than our fair share of "horrendous calls"... or maybe they aren't all so "horrendous."

I agree with you.

We don't want to start sounding like RPI fans on USCHO that tend toward 50 page threads that are mostly decrying their persecution by the officials. They would be laughing behind their hands at us, since they are convinced, in spite of any measurable indicators (like team rank PIM) that you show them, that we always get a favorable whistle.

Yeah, I don't associate this behavior with RPI fans either.

SLU are the paragon of "just remember, you can't hammer the last nail in yourself," but after listening to their announcers over the years I know why. There is no worse whining, mewling, self-martyred homerism on the air waves, and that's including Boston. If SLU fans have had that drivel poured into their ears for decades it's no wonder they are so laughable in their victimhood.

I didn't listen to them last night, but I remember from past years that the SLU announcers are the worst possible things.

Trotsky

ursusminor

TimV

We don't want to start sounding like RPI fans on USCHO that tend toward 50 page threads that are mostly decrying their persecution by the officials. They would be laughing behind their hands at us, since they are convinced, in spite of any measurable indicators (like team rank PIM) that you show them, that we always get a favorable whistle.

Yeah, I don't associate this behavior with RPI fans either.

You don't read those threads much, do you? Or it's only their half dozen regulars. Except you. Ralph.

Dafatone

Trotsky

ursusminor

TimV

Al DeFlorio
We're either getting more than our fair share of "horrendous calls"... or maybe they aren't all so "horrendous."

I agree with you.

We don't want to start sounding like RPI fans on USCHO that tend toward 50 page threads that are mostly decrying their persecution by the officials. They would be laughing behind their hands at us, since they are convinced, in spite of any measurable indicators (like team rank PIM) that you show them, that we always get a favorable whistle.

Yeah, I don't associate this behavior with RPI fans either.

SLU are the paragon of "just remember, you can't hammer the last nail in yourself," but after listening to their announcers over the years I know why. There is no worse whining, mewling, self-martyred homerism on the air waves, and that's including Boston. If SLU fans have had that drivel poured into their ears for decades it's no wonder they are so laughable in their victimhood.

I didn't listen to them last night, but I remember from past years that the SLU announcers are the worst possible things.

Some day, I want to compare those guys and Brown's broadcast team calling the same game. Just to see who I believe less when they each claim their team just got handed the worst travesty ever dished out by officials.

RichH
Some day, I want to compare those guys and Brown's broadcast team calling the same game. Just to see who I believe less when they each claim their team just got handed the worst travesty ever dished out by officials.

It would be outstanding to have the video of an SLU-Brown game with the audio calls laid side-by-side. Right out of a Jim Maas lecture on confirmation bias.

TimV

Trotsky

ursusminor

TimV

We don't want to start sounding like RPI fans on USCHO that tend toward 50 page threads that are mostly decrying their persecution by the officials. They would be laughing behind their hands at us, since they are convinced, in spite of any measurable indicators (like team rank PIM) that you show them, that we always get a favorable whistle.

Yeah, I don't associate this behavior with RPI fans either.

You don't read those threads much, do you? Or it's only their half dozen regulars. Except you. Ralph.

Perhaps not. I used to check in on their game threads when I was active on USCHO. I think I tend to just judge them by the their more intelligent and mature posters, like Ralph. That still can't save Minny or BC threads, though.

Trotsky

TimV

Trotsky

ursusminor

TimV

We don't want to start sounding like RPI fans on USCHO that tend toward 50 page threads that are mostly decrying their persecution by the officials. They would be laughing behind their hands at us, since they are convinced, in spite of any measurable indicators (like team rank PIM) that you show them, that we always get a favorable whistle.

Yeah, I don't associate this behavior with RPI fans either.

You don't read those threads much, do you? Or it's only their half dozen regulars. Except you. Ralph.

Perhaps not. I used to check in on their game threads when I was active on USCHO. I think I tend to just judge them by the their more intelligent and mature posters, like Ralph. That still can't save Minny or BC threads, though.

I do think that things tend to even out over the course of the season, and most of the penalties that we get are deserved, but what we remember are the bad calls that go against us. I certainly do. The real problem is that the ECAC refs, seen as a group, are not good, and several feel that it is their duty to affect the outcome of the game, one way or another.

This year RPI is not a heavily penalized team. RPI currently ranks close to the middle of the pack, 31st of the 59 teams [collegehockeystats.net], in penalty minutes per game, and you know who number one is.

Our game threads have become more like chat threads, and I am as much of an offender as anyone.

ursusminor
and you know who number one is.

Yup, and we deserve it. Cornell can't blame the refs this year (with the one possible exception being the Denver series).

When I looked at the penalty minutes, I was surprised we weren't worse off. I don't know how many 5 & 10's we have had, but subtract those (I only wish) and we would be very pedestrian in penalty minutes. I didn't see Lowry's penalty and have heard various thoughts about it. Was it on the video, if anyone was watching, and how was it described on the air?

Anyone who says coach can't coach offense should look again at the 2 man goal he drew up, it was a thing of beauty. I still say our problem is our defense, and 5 & 10s, and not offense. But it's become a long season. I only hope we can get home ice for the prelims.

Jim Hyla
When I looked at the penalty minutes, I was surprised we weren't worse off. I don't know how many 5 & 10's we have had, but subtract those (I only wish) and we would be very pedestrian in penalty minutes. I didn't see Lowry's penalty and have heard various thoughts about it. Was it on the video, if anyone was watching, and how was it described on the air?

Anyone who says coach can't coach offense should look again at the 2 man goal he drew up, it was a thing of beauty. I still say our problem is our defense, and 5 & 10s, and not offense. But it's become a long season. I only hope we can get home ice for the prelims.

Our problem is our defense when we have the 2nd lowest GPG in the ECAC and the second fewest GAPG (we did before this weekend, at least)?

Jim Hyla
When I looked at the penalty minutes, I was surprised we weren't worse off. I don't know how many 5 & 10's we have had, but subtract those (I only wish) and we would be very pedestrian in penalty minutes. I didn't see Lowry's penalty and have heard various thoughts about it. Was it on the video, if anyone was watching, and how was it described on the air?

Anyone who says coach can't coach offense should look again at the 2 man goal he drew up, it was a thing of beauty. I still say our problem is our defense, and 5 & 10s, and not offense. But it's become a long season. I only hope we can get home ice for the prelims.

Does Cornell have a higher percentage of 5- and-10 minute penalties than other teams? Personally I wouldn't count the 10-minute penalites in penalty minute totals, but I would count the 5s.

ursusminor
Does Cornell have a higher percentage of 5- and-10 minute penalties than other teams? Personally I wouldn't count the 10-minute penalites in penalty minute totals, but I would count the 5s.

We have a shitload of GMs compared to years past. Completely off the top of my head, I would say our average # GMs for a season of more than 30 games is maybe 2 -- it's a rarity. This year we have 7 or even more in 21 games. It's truly nuts.

Now it may be that this is happening across the league; that I would not know (and at that point all I have to go on is comparative PIM, where we are Jack the Ripper.)

Again purely anecdotally it seems to me our frequency of stupid, self-destructive penalties -- crap after the whistle, crosschecks, hits from behind, offensive zone penalties, Joel Lowry Faceoff Nut Spears -- is also through the roof. This isn't a slow team rolling up impedance minors when they fall behind the play. It's, for lack of a better word, goonery. Where in years past we would have delivered a solid check, this year it's bitchy little stick play.

It's Bob Gaudet Hockey, and it's embarrassing.

This year's 5s and 10s:

Opp

10-26 CC Boivin 10 Misc
11-03 Col Spinks 10 Misc
11-03 Col Larkin 10 Misc
11-30 Clk Frederick 10 Misc
11-30 Clk Boak 10 Misc
11-30 Clk McPherson 5 Hitting after Whistle
11-30 Clk McPherson 10 GM
11-30 Clk Christian 10 GM
12-29 Mai Hutton 10 Misc
01-04 Den Mayfield 5 Grasping the Facemask
01-04 Den Mayfield 10 GM
01-19 RPI Burgdoerfer 5 Checking from Behind
01-19 RPI Burgdoerfer 10 GM

Cor

11-03 Col Ferlin 10 Misc
11-03 Col Mowrey 10 Misc
11-30 Clk McCarron 5 Leaving Bench
11-30 Clk McCarron 10 GM
12-01 SLU de Swardt 10 Misc
12-28 FSU Mowrey 10 GM
12-29 Mai Lowry 10 Misc
12-29 Mai Ferlin 10 GM
01-05 Den Tiitenen 5 Contact to the Head
01-05 Den Tiitenen 10 GM
01-05 Den Axell 5 Contact to the Head
01-05 Den Axell 10 GM
01-05 Den de Swardt 5 Spearing
01-05 Den de Swardt 10 GM
01-05 Den McCarron 5 Obscene Language
01-05 Den McCarron 10 DQ
01-05 Den Team 10 GM Abuse of Officials
02-01 SLU Maconald 5 Boarding
02-02 Clk Lowry 5 Hitting from Behind
02-02 Clk Lowry 10 GM

Trotsky

ursusminor
Does Cornell have a higher percentage of 5- and-10 minute penalties than other teams? Personally I wouldn't count the 10-minute penalites in penalty minute totals, but I would count the 5s.

We have a shitload of GMs compared to years past. Completely off the top of my head, I would say our average # GMs for a season of more than 30 games is maybe 2 -- it's a rarity. This year we have 7 or even more in 21 games. It's truly nuts.

Now it may be that this is happening across the league; that I would not know (and at that point all I have to go on is comparative PIM, where we are Jack the Ripper.)

Again purely anecdotally it seems to me our frequency of stupid, self-destructive penalties -- crap after the whistle, crosschecks, hits from behind, offensive zone penalties, Joel Lowry Faceoff Nut Spears -- is also through the roof. This isn't a slow team rolling up impedance minors when they fall behind the play. It's, for lack of a better word, goonery. Where in years past we would have delivered a solid check, this year it's bitchy little stick play.

It's Bob Gaudet Hockey, and it's embarrassing.

Exactly. They take stupid penalties when they know their penalty kill sucks. Teams can have a lot of penalty minutes and still be successful (73-74, 74-75, and 75-76 Flyers all come to mind, although they may have benefitted from an inordinate amount of their penalties being matching fighting majors), but they can't be successful when they take a lot of penalty minutes and their penalty kill is truly awful. That's a recipe for losing 8 of 9.

Trotsky

we are Jack the Ripper.

Good one, Greg. But I think we're more these guys:

Trotsky

TimV

Trotsky

ursusminor

TimV

We don't want to start sounding like RPI fans on USCHO that tend toward 50 page threads that are mostly decrying their persecution by the officials. They would be laughing behind their hands at us, since they are convinced, in spite of any measurable indicators (like team rank PIM) that you show them, that we always get a favorable whistle.

Yeah, I don't associate this behavior with RPI fans either.

You don't read those threads much, do you? Or it's only their half dozen regulars. Except you. Ralph.

Perhaps not. I used to check in on their game threads when I was active on USCHO. I think I tend to just judge them by the their more intelligent and mature posters, like Ralph. That still can't save Minny or BC threads, though.

Even among the RPI posters in those threads, it's one numbnut in particular who does all of the complaining. We all know exactly who I'm talking about.

TimV

Trotsky

we are Jack the Ripper.

Good one, Greg. But I think we're more these guys:

hansons.jpg

slap_shot_movie.jpg

If I were the type that likes a good conspiracy theory (and I am,) I would say that perhaps coach knows his time is up and this is how he's choosing to go out. Maybe he doesn't like the general direction the game is taking and this is his final screw you? It would explain a lot of the brutally ugly stuff. I don't think it's that hard to believe. Certainly in the same realm of believe-ability as the refs are out to get us.

The smoking gun for me would be Ferlin's stick to the groin "cup check" in the Yale game. It was right on the faceoff, near Section A, in a nationally televised game (I think was still a close game at that point, and as I recall it was mid 3rd period.) For a player to do that and play the next night, you know the coach is OK with it. You can't even make the excuse that it was "in the heat of the moment" because it happens every goddamn game. Lowry gave a guy a good nut shot. There's just no way that it can happen this often without the coach's consent.

ScrewBU
If I were the type that likes a good conspiracy theory (and I am,) I would say that perhaps coach knows his time is up and this is how he's choosing to go out. Maybe he doesn't like the general direction the game is taking and this is his final screw you? It would explain a lot of the brutally ugly stuff. I don't think it's that hard to believe. Certainly in the same realm of believe-ability as the refs are out to get us.

The smoking gun for me would be Ferlin's stick to the groin "cup check" in the Yale game. It was right on the faceoff, near Section A, in a nationally televised game (I think was still a close game at that point, and as I recall it was mid 3rd period.) For a player to do that and play the next night, you know the coach is OK with it. You can't even make the excuse that it was "in the heat of the moment" because it happens every goddamn game. Lowry gave a guy a good nut shot. There's just no way that it can happen this often without the coach's consent.

You been drinking?

ScrewBU

The smoking gun for me would be Ferlin's Lowry's stick to the groin "cup check" in the Yale game. It was right on the faceoff, near Section A, in a nationally televised game (I think was still a close game at that point, and as I recall it was mid 3rd period.) For a player to do that and play the next night, you know the coach is OK with it. You can't even make the excuse that it was "in the heat of the moment" because it happens every goddamn game. Lowry gave a guy a good nut shot. There's just no way that it can happen this often without the coach's consent.

Joel Lowry did get scratched the following night, and I see no evidence Mike Schafer has condoned the after-the-whistle infractions. I can't imagine that the coaching staff is any less frustrated than the fan base.

ScrewBU

TimV

Trotsky

we are Jack the Ripper.

Good one, Greg. But I think we're more these guys:

hansons.jpg

slap_shot_movie.jpg

If I were the type that likes a good conspiracy theory (and I am,) I would say that perhaps coach knows his time is up and this is how he's choosing to go out. Maybe he doesn't like the general direction the game is taking and this is his final screw you? It would explain a lot of the brutally ugly stuff. I don't think it's that hard to believe. Certainly in the same realm of believe-ability as the refs are out to get us.

The smoking gun for me would be Ferlin's stick to the groin "cup check" in the Yale game. It was right on the faceoff, near Section A, in a nationally televised game (I think was still a close game at that point, and as I recall it was mid 3rd period.) For a player to do that and play the next night, you know the coach is OK with it. You can't even make the excuse that it was "in the heat of the moment" because it happens every goddamn game. Lowry gave a guy a good nut shot. There's just no way that it can happen this often without the coach's consent.

You believe in this too? (There is likely a better version of this goon's image available later this week.)

marty

ScrewBU

TimV

Trotsky

we are Jack the Ripper.

Good one, Greg. But I think we're more these guys:

hansons.jpg

slap_shot_movie.jpg

If I were the type that likes a good conspiracy theory (and I am,) I would say that perhaps coach knows his time is up and this is how he's choosing to go out. Maybe he doesn't like the general direction the game is taking and this is his final screw you? It would explain a lot of the brutally ugly stuff. I don't think it's that hard to believe. Certainly in the same realm of believe-ability as the refs are out to get us.

The smoking gun for me would be Ferlin's stick to the groin "cup check" in the Yale game. It was right on the faceoff, near Section A, in a nationally televised game (I think was still a close game at that point, and as I recall it was mid 3rd period.) For a player to do that and play the next night, you know the coach is OK with it. You can't even make the excuse that it was "in the heat of the moment" because it happens every goddamn game. Lowry gave a guy a good nut shot. There's just no way that it can happen this often without the coach's consent.

You believe in this

Abdominal_Snowman_01c.GIF

too? (There is likely a better version of this goon's image available later this week.)

Nah, more like this:


@Al - I probably should be drinking. Not a serious theory, although I do think the people that still believe "we're fine, it's the refs that are the problem" are entering tinfoil hat territory.

ScrewBU




If I were the type that likes a good conspiracy theory (and I am,) I would say that perhaps coach knows his time is up and this is how he's choosing to go out. Maybe he doesn't like the general direction the game is taking and this is his final screw you? It would explain a lot of the brutally ugly stuff. I don't think it's that hard to believe. Certainly in the same realm of believe-ability as the refs are out to get us.

The smoking gun for me would be Ferlin's stick to the groin "cup check" in the Yale game. It was right on the faceoff, near Section A, in a nationally televised game (I think was still a close game at that point, and as I recall it was mid 3rd period.) For a player to do that and play the next night, you know the coach is OK with it. You can't even make the excuse that it was "in the heat of the moment" because it happens every goddamn game. Lowry gave a guy a good nut shot. There's just no way that it can happen this often without the coach's consent.

ScrewBU
@Al - I probably should be drinking. Not a serious theory, although I do think the people that still believe "we're fine, it's the refs that are the problem" are entering tinfoil hat territory.

Agree, but I don't see that being posted around here. I think that we, like coach, think that the players are screwing themselves. As for the coach sending meessages that it's OK, then why would he bench 3 guys for Brown? As was posted before, he has also made verbal comments about how much he hates it.

Jim Hyla

ScrewBU




If I were the type that likes a good conspiracy theory (and I am,) I would say that perhaps coach knows his time is up and this is how he's choosing to go out. Maybe he doesn't like the general direction the game is taking and this is his final screw you? It would explain a lot of the brutally ugly stuff. I don't think it's that hard to believe. Certainly in the same realm of believe-ability as the refs are out to get us.

The smoking gun for me would be Ferlin's stick to the groin "cup check" in the Yale game. It was right on the faceoff, near Section A, in a nationally televised game (I think was still a close game at that point, and as I recall it was mid 3rd period.) For a player to do that and play the next night, you know the coach is OK with it. You can't even make the excuse that it was "in the heat of the moment" because it happens every goddamn game. Lowry gave a guy a good nut shot. There's just no way that it can happen this often without the coach's consent.

ScrewBU
@Al - I probably should be drinking. Not a serious theory, although I do think the people that still believe "we're fine, it's the refs that are the problem" are entering tinfoil hat territory.

Agree, but I don't see that being posted around here. I think that we, like coach, think that the players are screwing themselves. As for the coach sending meessages that it's OK, then why would he bench 3 guys for Brown? As was posted before, he has also made verbal comments about how much he hates it.

There seems to be 2 alternative explanations. The stupid behavior is being done with a wink and a nod from the coach. The stupid behavior is being done in spite of the coach's best efforts to change it. In the first case the coach's behavior is inexcusable and I for one prefer not to believe it. The second is that the the coach is not able to inpose his will on the team and the players. That is also a problem.

Jim Hyla

ScrewBU




If I were the type that likes a good conspiracy theory (and I am,) I would say that perhaps coach knows his time is up and this is how he's choosing to go out. Maybe he doesn't like the general direction the game is taking and this is his final screw you? It would explain a lot of the brutally ugly stuff. I don't think it's that hard to believe. Certainly in the same realm of believe-ability as the refs are out to get us.

The smoking gun for me would be Ferlin's stick to the groin "cup check" in the Yale game. It was right on the faceoff, near Section A, in a nationally televised game (I think was still a close game at that point, and as I recall it was mid 3rd period.) For a player to do that and play the next night, you know the coach is OK with it. You can't even make the excuse that it was "in the heat of the moment" because it happens every goddamn game. Lowry gave a guy a good nut shot. There's just no way that it can happen this often without the coach's consent.

ScrewBU
@Al - I probably should be drinking. Not a serious theory, although I do think the people that still believe "we're fine, it's the refs that are the problem" are entering tinfoil hat territory.

Agree, but I don't see that being posted around here. I think that we, like coach, think that the players are screwing themselves. As for the coach sending meessages that it's OK, then why would he bench 3 guys for Brown? As was posted before, he has also made verbal comments about how much he hates it.

You're probably right, but if he wanted to send a message then shouldn't he have benched Ferlin that night? I thought it sent a mixed message: "As long as you score, you can do whatever the hell you want, but if you don't score, you can't do that crap or you sit."

And he has also made verbal comments (I believe after the Denver games) to the effect of "I review all of these plays after the game and if I see something dirty I will hold the player accountable." I just don't see that happening.

Well, may cooler heads prevail.

Towerroad

Jim Hyla

ScrewBU




If I were the type that likes a good conspiracy theory (and I am,) I would say that perhaps coach knows his time is up and this is how he's choosing to go out. Maybe he doesn't like the general direction the game is taking and this is his final screw you? It would explain a lot of the brutally ugly stuff. I don't think it's that hard to believe. Certainly in the same realm of believe-ability as the refs are out to get us.

The smoking gun for me would be Ferlin's stick to the groin "cup check" in the Yale game. It was right on the faceoff, near Section A, in a nationally televised game (I think was still a close game at that point, and as I recall it was mid 3rd period.) For a player to do that and play the next night, you know the coach is OK with it. You can't even make the excuse that it was "in the heat of the moment" because it happens every goddamn game. Lowry gave a guy a good nut shot. There's just no way that it can happen this often without the coach's consent.

ScrewBU
@Al - I probably should be drinking. Not a serious theory, although I do think the people that still believe "we're fine, it's the refs that are the problem" are entering tinfoil hat territory.

Agree, but I don't see that being posted around here. I think that we, like coach, think that the players are screwing themselves. As for the coach sending meessages that it's OK, then why would he bench 3 guys for Brown? As was posted before, he has also made verbal comments about how much he hates it.

There seems to be 2 alternative explanations. The stupid behavior is being done with a wink and a nod from the coach. The stupid behavior is being done in spite of the coach's best efforts to change it. In the first case the coach's behavior is inexcusable and I for one prefer not to believe it. The second is that the the coach is not able to inpose his will on the team and the players. That is also a problem.

This is really the crux of the problem. Either he is letting them do it (which admittedly is very unlikely) or he doesn't have enough control of the team enough to stop it. Is that any better?

ScrewBU


You're probably right, but if he wanted to send a message then shouldn't he have benched Ferlin that night?

Why would he have benched Ferlin when it was Lowry who stuck his stick in the other guy's groin?

ScrewBU

Towerroad

Jim Hyla

ScrewBU




If I were the type that likes a good conspiracy theory (and I am,) I would say that perhaps coach knows his time is up and this is how he's choosing to go out. Maybe he doesn't like the general direction the game is taking and this is his final screw you? It would explain a lot of the brutally ugly stuff. I don't think it's that hard to believe. Certainly in the same realm of believe-ability as the refs are out to get us.

The smoking gun for me would be Ferlin's stick to the groin "cup check" in the Yale game. It was right on the faceoff, near Section A, in a nationally televised game (I think was still a close game at that point, and as I recall it was mid 3rd period.) For a player to do that and play the next night, you know the coach is OK with it. You can't even make the excuse that it was "in the heat of the moment" because it happens every goddamn game. Lowry gave a guy a good nut shot. There's just no way that it can happen this often without the coach's consent.

ScrewBU
@Al - I probably should be drinking. Not a serious theory, although I do think the people that still believe "we're fine, it's the refs that are the problem" are entering tinfoil hat territory.

Agree, but I don't see that being posted around here. I think that we, like coach, think that the players are screwing themselves. As for the coach sending meessages that it's OK, then why would he bench 3 guys for Brown? As was posted before, he has also made verbal comments about how much he hates it.

There seems to be 2 alternative explanations. The stupid behavior is being done with a wink and a nod from the coach. The stupid behavior is being done in spite of the coach's best efforts to change it. In the first case the coach's behavior is inexcusable and I for one prefer not to believe it. The second is that the the coach is not able to inpose his will on the team and the players. That is also a problem.

This is really the crux of the problem. Either he is letting them do it (which admittedly is very unlikely) or he doesn't have enough control of the team enough to stop it. Is that any better?

It is far better to not have control. The other option is venal and unworthy of our Alma Mater. That being said, it is still a big problem.

No coach is sacred. Ask Terry Francona.

marty

ScrewBU

TimV

Trotsky

we are Jack the Ripper.

Good one, Greg. But I think we're more these guys:

hansons.jpg

slap_shot_movie.jpg

If I were the type that likes a good conspiracy theory (and I am,) I would say that perhaps coach knows his time is up and this is how he's choosing to go out. Maybe he doesn't like the general direction the game is taking and this is his final screw you? It would explain a lot of the brutally ugly stuff. I don't think it's that hard to believe. Certainly in the same realm of believe-ability as the refs are out to get us.

The smoking gun for me would be Ferlin's stick to the groin "cup check" in the Yale game. It was right on the faceoff, near Section A, in a nationally televised game (I think was still a close game at that point, and as I recall it was mid 3rd period.) For a player to do that and play the next night, you know the coach is OK with it. You can't even make the excuse that it was "in the heat of the moment" because it happens every goddamn game. Lowry gave a guy a good nut shot. There's just no way that it can happen this often without the coach's consent.

You believe in this

Abdominal_Snowman_01c.GIF

too? (There is likely a better version of this goon's image available later this week.)

Here is what I wanted to post. (Wondering if Piraro will check the link to eLynah and apologizing for adding levity to a decidely dismal weekend)

ScrewBU
You're probably right, but if he wanted to send a message then shouldn't he have benched Ferlin that night? I thought it sent a mixed message: "As long as you score, you can do whatever the hell you want, but if you don't score, you can't do that crap or you sit."

I think the fact that he benched Miller and Lowry, both of whom are higher scorers than Ferlin, don't just shoot holes in your theory, but blow it away. It's amazing what a few facts can do.

Here's more data. The year listed is the spring of the hockey year (2012 = 2011-2012 season).

5 min by Cornell by season
2012: 4
2011: 6
2010: 3
2009: 3
2008: 6
2007: 4
2006: 5
2005: 3
2004: 5
2003: 4
2002: 2
2001: 5
2000: 4

10 min by Cornell by season:
2012: 9
2011: 14
2010: 3
2009: 4
2008: 11
2007: 5
2006: 13
2005: 3
2004: 6
2003: 11
2002: 8
2001: 6
2000: 10

Towerroad
No coach is sacred. Ask Terry Francona.

Francona's fate said nothing about coaches and everything about the hub arm pit of the universe.

Trotsky

Towerroad
No coach is sacred. Ask Terry Francona.

Francona's fate said nothing about coaches and everything about the hub arm pit of the universe.

Your whining about Boston fans is getting to be about as predicable, novel and fun as a penalty against CU. I don't know which one of us ran over your puppy, but I'm sure they're sorry about it. We love dogs!

For what it's worth, my facebook feed shows me zero "shoulda been us" posts from friends.

ftyuv

Trotsky

Towerroad
No coach is sacred. Ask Terry Francona.

Francona's fate said nothing about coaches and everything about the hub arm pit of the universe.

Your whining about Boston fans is getting to be about as predicable, novel and fun as a penalty against CU. I don't know which one of us ran over your puppy, but I'm sure they're sorry about it. We love dogs!

For what it's worth, my facebook feed shows me zero "shoulda been us" posts from friends.

I have no idea where he got "the arm pit of the universe" from. I think as a city it's really nice. However the fans, well, the truth hurts sometimes. It was one of the great things about going there in the 60s+, beating all those, we have the best hockey, fans. Somethings truly are priceless.

As an aside, beating BC when they had the "we only have Americans, we are better" mentality, that's the ultimate.

ftyuv

Trotsky

Towerroad
No coach is sacred. Ask Terry Francona.

Francona's fate said nothing about coaches and everything about the hub arm pit of the universe.

Your whining about Boston fans is getting to be about as predicable, novel and fun as a penalty against CU. I don't know which one of us ran over your puppy, but I'm sure they're sorry about it. We love dogs!

For what it's worth, my facebook feed shows me zero "shoulda been us" posts from friends.

+1

Jim Hyla
I think as a city it's really nice. However the fans, well, the truth hurts sometimes.

That's fair. Architecturally, Boston is pretty (well, everything built before 1960 is anyway).

Trotsky

Jim Hyla
I think as a city it's really nice. However the fans, well, the truth hurts sometimes.

That's fair. Architecturally, Boston is pretty (well, everything built before 1960 is anyway).

Tip of the hat to the architects - that isn't a sunset reflection in the glass.

Trotsky

ursusminor
Does Cornell have a higher percentage of 5- and-10 minute penalties than other teams? Personally I wouldn't count the 10-minute penalites in penalty minute totals, but I would count the 5s.

We have a shitload of GMs compared to years past. Completely off the top of my head, I would say our average # GMs for a season of more than 30 games is maybe 2 -- it's a rarity. This year we have 7 or even more in 21 games. It's truly nuts.

Now it may be that this is happening across the league; that I would not know (and at that point all I have to go on is comparative PIM, where we are Jack the Ripper.)

Again purely anecdotally it seems to me our frequency of stupid, self-destructive penalties -- crap after the whistle, crosschecks, hits from behind, offensive zone penalties, Joel Lowry Faceoff Nut Spears -- is also through the roof. This isn't a slow team rolling up impedance minors when they fall behind the play. It's, for lack of a better word, goonery. Where in years past we would have delivered a solid check, this year it's bitchy little stick play.

It's Bob Gaudet Hockey, and it's embarrassing.

I feel like "The Joel Lowry Faceoff Nut Spear Award" should be the name for a TBRW award for dumbest penalty of the year.

Give him a break. He didn't intentionally jab a guy in the nuts during a faceoff at center ice in full view of 3 officials [the guy dropping the puck had his back to the extra curricular activities]. He did what guys in the faceoff do to distract an opposing player...he just did it a little better/worse than most because his aim was especially accurate or his opponent was not also jabbing with his stick so Lowry was more easily able to make contact, etc. Yes, it sucked that he got caught/had a penalty called/whatever. Joel Lowry is not a selfish cememt head who attacks opposing players without regard for the consequences. HE MADE A MISTAKE and he has paid for it, and likely will for awhile in ways we cannot possibly know. So let it go already.

marty

Trotsky

Jim Hyla
I think as a city it's really nice. However the fans, well, the truth hurts sometimes.

That's fair. Architecturally, Boston is pretty (well, everything built before 1960 is anyway).

Plylwood_palace.jpg

Tip of the hat to the architects - that isn't a sunset reflection in the glass.

Aim your cellphone there and mess up the QR reader.

dag14

As fans we may ring our hands and lament the premature end to the season. But these guys are living it. Don't think for a minute they are content with where they are, or willing to throw in the towel. Maybe the fans should back off a little.

Give him a break. He didn't intentionally jab a guy in the nuts during a faceoff at center ice in full view of 3 officials [the guy dropping the puck had his back to the extra curricular activities]. He did what guys in the faceoff do to distract an opposing player...he just did it a little better/worse than most because his aim was especially accurate or his opponent was not also jabbing with his stick so Lowry was more easily able to make contact, etc. Yes, it sucked that he got caught/had a penalty called/whatever. Joel Lowry is not a selfish cememt head who attacks opposing players without regard for the consequences. HE MADE A MISTAKE and he has paid for it, and likely will for awhile in ways we cannot possibly know. So let it go already.

So, dag.....are you the Forum apologist, or what?
I have a feeling that their fragile psyches can handle the criticism.
After all, their negative behavior hasn't been affected, neh??

As far as I know, the players don't read eLynah and if they do, they don't admit it. So what is posted here is for the posters, not the players.

I just get tired of the whining sometimes. There are pleny of whining fans on syracuse.com and I hate it when eLynah posters sound like those idiots.

There isn't a lot of whining here. After a decade of winning there will be some entitlement, sure, but people either get over that fast or they don't last. (Cold snaps are nature's way of getting rid of weak stock.)

Compared to a typical SB Nation or some of the worse USCHO threads, the population here is terrific. If people want to float ideas that Iles Is Not the Answer or The Game Has Passed Schafer By or whatever, so be it. Free expression and all that shit.

Trotsky
There isn't a lot of whining here. After a decade of winning there will be some entitlement, sure, but people either get over that fast or they don't last. (Cold snaps are nature's way of getting rid of weak stock.)

Compared to a typical SB Nation or some of the worse USCHO threads, the population here is terrific. If people want to float ideas that Iles Is Not the Answer or The Game Has Passed Schafer By or whatever, so be it. Free expression and all that shit.

What he said (with one addition).

The thing that makes this season so galling is the success and high expectations from last year combined with the depths to which the team has fallen this year. Last year, playing without Ferlin, we made a decent run at the FF. This year we were a preseason top 5. We didn't lose much to graduation, and until Bardreau went down, injuries didn't seem as severe. Yet we're on track to have the worst season in 20 years. Not only is there an emotional difference between a season that begins 11-0 and ends 11-11 versus one that begins 0-11 and ends 11-11, there's an emotional difference between a season that begins ranked in the top 5 and ends completely unranked versus one that begins completely unranked and ends in the top 5. The drop-off this year is a killer.

To make things even worse, other than the penalties, there's no obvious reason for how bad the team's been, and there's no clear-cut help in sight!

Swampy
To make things even worse, other than the penalties, there's no obvious reason for how bad the team's been, and there's no clear-cut help in sight!

The lack of discipline is a serious problem and can ruin any season (1987 comes to mind). It's also one of those rare things that is entirely within the control of the team.

The inability to protect a third period lead which marred last season has also been killing us. It's gotten to where when we blow a late lead it's disappointing... but hardly surprising. Since this is a holdover from last year the "good" news it isn't some sudden mystery illness besetting us because somebody stole a Polynesian idol over break. The bad news, of course, is it's unlikely to change -- there is a fundamental deficiency in the way this mix of players, particularly the upperclassmen, play with a lead. It will probably not end until time changes the composition of the squad.

My suspicion is that random variation is also in there. With some puck luck 3 of the 8 losses could have been wins and we'd be looking at a 4-5 stretch -- irritating, but not unprecedented or horrifying. By the same token, we were inches from the 2012 season ending with an unremarkable loss to Michigan or even a soul-destroying crash and burn QF upset to Dartmouth.

Our number may just be up.

Jim Hyla

ftyuv

Trotsky

Towerroad
No coach is sacred. Ask Terry Francona.

Francona's fate said nothing about coaches and everything about the hub arm pit of the universe.

Your whining about Boston fans is getting to be about as predicable, novel and fun as a penalty against CU. I don't know which one of us ran over your puppy, but I'm sure they're sorry about it. We love dogs!

For what it's worth, my facebook feed shows me zero "shoulda been us" posts from friends.

I have no idea where he got "the arm pit of the universe" from. I think as a city it's really nice. However the fans, well, the truth hurts sometimes. It was one of the great things about going there in the 60s+, beating all those, we have the best hockey, fans. Somethings truly are priceless.

As an aside, beating BC when they had the "we only have Americans, we are better" mentality, that's the ultimate.

OK ask Joe Torre

Trotsky

Swampy
To make things even worse, other than the penalties, there's no obvious reason for how bad the team's been, and there's no clear-cut help in sight!

The lack of discipline is a serious problem and can ruin any season (1987 comes to mind). It's also one of those rare things that is entirely within the control of the team.

The inability to protect a third period lead which marred last season has also been killing us. It's gotten to where when we blow a late lead it's disappointing... but hardly surprising. Since this is a holdover from last year the "good" news it isn't some sudden mystery illness besetting us because somebody stole a Polynesian idol over break. The bad news, of course, is it's unlikely to change -- there is a fundamental deficiency in the way this mix of players, particularly the upperclassmen, play with a lead. It will probably not end until time changes the composition of the squad.

My suspicion is that random variation is also in there. With some puck luck 3 of the 8 losses could have been wins and we'd be looking at a 4-5 stretch -- irritating, but not unprecedented or horrifying. By the same token, we were inches from the 2012 season ending with an unremarkable loss to Michigan or even a soul-destroying crash and burn QF upset to Dartmouth.

Our number may just be up.

The combination of stupid penalties and inability to hold a lead (see, this year: Brock, Princeton, Dartmouth, Maine, Denver, Yale, St. Lawrence, Clarkson -- all games in which we had leads and tied or lost) suggest that the team is mentally weak.

Towerroad
OK ask Joe Torre

Can't hear him over Peter Laviolette.

Ben

Trotsky

Swampy
To make things even worse, other than the penalties, there's no obvious reason for how bad the team's been, and there's no clear-cut help in sight!

The lack of discipline is a serious problem and can ruin any season (1987 comes to mind). It's also one of those rare things that is entirely within the control of the team.

The inability to protect a third period lead which marred last season has also been killing us. It's gotten to where when we blow a late lead it's disappointing... but hardly surprising. Since this is a holdover from last year the "good" news it isn't some sudden mystery illness besetting us because somebody stole a Polynesian idol over break. The bad news, of course, is it's unlikely to change -- there is a fundamental deficiency in the way this mix of players, particularly the upperclassmen, play with a lead. It will probably not end until time changes the composition of the squad.

My suspicion is that random variation is also in there. With some puck luck 3 of the 8 losses could have been wins and we'd be looking at a 4-5 stretch -- irritating, but not unprecedented or horrifying. By the same token, we were inches from the 2012 season ending with an unremarkable loss to Michigan or even a soul-destroying crash and burn QF upset to Dartmouth.

Our number may just be up.

The combination of stupid penalties and inability to hold a lead (see, this year: Brock, Princeton, Dartmouth, Maine, Denver, Yale, St. Lawrence, Clarkson -- all games in which we had leads and tied or lost) suggest that the team is mentally weak.

I've only seen a handful of games, but it seems that we're turning the puck over in the defensive zone / getting beaten by forechecks / having our defensemen fail to handle the puck well constantly.

We play pretty well for the most part (other than the awful penalties) but the chances we give up are huge ones, because of the turnovers and inability to clear/possess the puck.

Dafatone
I've only seen a handful of games, but it seems that we're turning the puck over in the defensive zone / getting beaten by forechecks / having our defensemen fail to handle the puck well constantly.

Mistakes one expects from a young team early in the season. Could it be our problems boil down to: we don't learn?

Trotsky

Towerroad
OK ask Joe Torre

Or ask Joe about the year after he was MVP. (See Moneyball, the book)