Cornell 5 @ Princeton 0 postgame post-mortem

(no scores updates on this thread I hope, just after-action reports)

Cornell looked in control and awesome on defense for 2-1/2 periods.

The offense was a thing of beauty for those one-minute / two-goal bursts in the second and third periods. Iggulden's short-handed goal followed a minute later by Moulson's laser-guided shot on an unsettled play where Princeton wasn't back on defense fully, those were things of beauty and if only we could do that do that every game: Apply the crusher and not just to the halt and the lame of the ECACHL.

McKee *earned* his shutout. The defense was mostly good early on and Princeton was unlucky with centering passes that hopped over sticks and clean shots at goal (might have beaten McKee, might not) that all went wide.

Cornell got sloppy the last part of the game and McKee got really good. He gloved a couple shots that finally round their way at the net, plus steering aside a breakaway by Ian McNally, Princeton's one-man Fight Club. He had 19 saves. That should help his GAA and his save percentage. Cornell cannot play this sloppily against a top twenty team and come away unscathed. But, hey, it was 5-0, and the only question was: Would McKee get shutout #11?

Good to see Moulson get a regular not PPG for variety. He took a dumb interference penalty about fifteen seconds into an early Cornell power play. Ryan O'Byrne kept up his end of the penalty show - but nothing like McNally, who's got two more years left, unless turns pro and leaves early. The heck with the NHL - McNally should go straight to WWF.

With defenses getting better blocking shots from out near the point, you don't see many cannons that make it all the way into the net. Charlie Cook's one timer for goal #3 and PPG #2 (2x5 for night) was a classic.

Cornell band was outstanding. The Princeton band was the PA system plus a woman who sang the national anthem (U.S.) and then almost fell flat on her butt walking off. She set the tone for Princeton.

Announced attendance was 2922. The reality: We got standing room tickets and spent the whole game in the first row immediately behind the Cornell bench.

BTW, Cornell dressed just two goaltenders and two coaches. Mike Schafer was sick and sat the game out.

The PA system was not very good. They did keep us updated on Princeton women's hockey knocking off Cornell. Funny, I don't recall hearing much about the basketball game across the way at Jadwin. Wonder why we didn't get so many updates on that?

My three stars of the game:

1) Mckee
2) Big Red Band
3) Princeton team that, despite getting clobbered, kept their promise and came out afterwards for a community skate with any kid who wanted to go out on the ice with skates on.

Friday's stellar performance makes you greedy and wonder: Is it possible to shut out both opponents in one weekend? Unlikely, but it would be real nice.

Cornell only has two goaltenders.

They were a little bit sloppy at times, but it's tough to get up and stay up for a whole game against a team like Princeton. All said and done, they played fine.

What's the first rule of Fight Club?

Last night was my first in-person game since Paolini beat hyphen in Albany. A few observations:

1. This team is imposing and, despite the know-nothing detractors, possesses great skill. The Hynes-Moulson-Bitz line is awfully imposing, and the only surprise to me is that Hynes hasn't put more in the net. Moulson is even better than I thought.

2. McKee, although not severely tested, is playing with supreme confidence. His positioning was flawless, and he has a lightning quick glove. I have as much confidence with him in net as with LeNeveau (dare I say maybe even more confidence?)

3. Topher Scott is a perfect complement to the customary larger specimens on the roster. He's both skilled and feisty.

4. The penalty kill was excellent; you can see they are looking to generate scoring chances as soon as they clear the zone, and Iggulden's shorty was tremendous.

5. The power play maintained great control on every opportunity.

6. Although I am echoing the chorus, the team (and O'Byrne in particular) needs to recognize the way the game is being called these days. O'Byrne's cross-checking penalty was both obvious and unecessary.

7. The defense and backchecking forwards rarely seemed out of position, and did a good job (with the particular exception for one scary flurry in the second period) of keeping traffic away from McKee.

8. The Cornell crowd (which was clearly the majority) was a hoot, and the band provided phenomenal energy.

9. Princeton had a few moments, but the difference in quality between these teams is stark.

10. Who needs Schafer?

Cornell used to dress three goaltenders, then one of them got sick of not playing and bailed. (That part was a joke.) Cornell always used to dress three coaches -- Brekke, Garrow, Schafer (except once when he got tossed for commenting on the officiating) -- and Schafer was not among those present. Not to reignite the HIPAA flap, but allegedly Schafer had a wicked bad cold.

That's actually a concern for any team - that twenty-five players and coaches working in close quarters, maybe swapping water bottles on sneezing on someone else -- could all take ill - pass along the cold epidemic that has decimated schools at least where we live. That's one of the ways we could get hurt in the final three weeks against bottom half teams. Imagine heading off to Clarkson / St. Lawrence and McKee has a 103-degree fever.

Friday night it looked as if the Princeton fans who had taken ill and stayed abed. Or maybe they were over at Jadwin looking for a sure thing.

And, yes, when all is said and done, no matter how sloppy at times, it was a 5-0 victory against a team that has shut out Dartmouth, beaten Brown, and put up six goals against Harvard in an eight-day period.

[Q]scoop85 Wrote: Last night was my first in-person game since Paolini beat hyphen in Albany.[/q]My first since last year at Princeton. I wish I could have seen the first period, but I seriously underestimated how much time it would take to get through the Lincoln Tunnel on a Friday during rush hour.
[q]3. Topher Scott is a perfect complement to the customary larger specimens on the roster. He's both skilled and feisty.[/q]But so tiny! That he plays so well makes it worthwhile, but it looks like Mom forced his older brother bring him to the pond and let him play. I don't remember Hannah looking so small and he was a little guy

[q]4. The penalty kill was excellent; you can see they are looking to generate scoring chances as soon as they clear the zone, and Iggulden's shorty was tremendous.

5. The power play maintained great control on every opportunity.[/q]Special teams were tremendous. But, as you say later, scoop, there was a visible difference in quality. Every race to the puck was won by a skater in red. Every single one. Plus Cornell was stronger. And more deft with their sticks on open ice. And against the boards. This was a complete whipping.

Aside from the goals, two non-goal plays deserve particular notice.

1) A Princeton player got what looked like a breakaway in the third period. About two steps in front of McKee, the supposedly-plodding O'Byrne caught up to him and lifted his stick from behind just enough that he couldn't get off a clean shot and the puck slid harmlessly to the boards on McKee's left. There is a reason that O'Byrne saw as much ice time as Murphy last night despite his penalties. He is an excellent player.

2) During the second, McCutcheon was one-on-one with a defender just below the circle to the left of Leroux. He chopped the puck so it bounced over the defender's stick and spun around him to get face-to-face with the goalie. The puck didn't end up in the net (McCutcheon didn't have much of an angle), but the move almost brought tears to my eyes.

Cornell never has dressed three goaltenders for road games. Chabot traveled with the team but wouldn't dress for road games, but would dress for home games.

[Q]calgARI '07 Wrote:

Cornell never has dressed three goaltenders for road games. Chabot traveled with the team but wouldn't dress for road games, but would dress for home games. [/q]

What about tournament games at neutral sites (i.e., Albany, Providence, Buffalo, et al)?

[Q]Will Wrote:

calgARI '07 Wrote:

Cornell never has dressed three goaltenders for road games. Chabot traveled with the team but wouldn't dress for road games, but would dress for home games. [/Q]
What about tournament games at neutral sites (i.e., Albany, Providence, Buffalo, et al)?[/q]

Like I said, Cornell never has dressed three goaltenders for road games. I'm not sure about Florida, but they did dress three in Albany two years ago and in the NCAA's.