Cornell-Princeton on Saturday

Huge game this weekend. Princeton has not been particularly impressive this year, and their 10-2 loss to Albany seems a good fit for the "clanger" category. But, as always seems to be the case, they are still around and in the hunt to win the league championship.

Although never acknowledged by the southern brand-name crowd (Princeton is still the Ivy team in their minds), we have now beaten Princeton four years in a row, including last year's solid 10-6 home win, the previous year's 4-3 thunderstorm game in NJ, and the 2005 17-4 pasting at Schoelkopf.

With a little more consistency on defense and a solid game from our attack, I like our chances.

Thoughts?

Seems to me it depends on which Cornell team shows up. The team that played the first half against Harvard and first three quarters against Penn would likely win. The team that played the last twenty minutes against Harvard and the second half against Dartmouth will likely not.

This game is a chance for Princeton to make a statement after a disappointing season to date, and they'll pull out all stops. Myers will have to be sharper than he was against Syracuse and Dartmouth or Princeton will sneak off with a win, especially if Hewit plays to his 2006 and 2007 form and stuffs our shots early, putting us back on our heels and getting us to play with little confidence.

While we've done much better on faceoff, the defensive end of the field remains a problem. Gradinger and MacDonald have gotta avoid the penalties they drew against SU, and the the shortstick middie #30 really needs to step up his game. The Princeton attack will never be as hard on this team as Syracuse, so I'm confident about Myers in goal. If we can work the ball inside to Hurley, we'll be OK since the Princeton goaltender has not lived up to his expectations this year. I'd still like to see the Canadian freshmen get worked into the offense - then Hurley could dump off to them when he draws the slide for a good inside finish.

TimV
The Princeton attack will never be as hard on this team as Syracuse, so I'm confident about Myers in goal.

Princeton has an attack?

In all the talk about what Cornell has to do, we need to realize that even if we show up with our B game, the only way Cornell loses is if Princeton brings their A+ game. If they are a little off, there is a lot more margin for error.

We let Harvard get close after we put the game out of reach; they needed a heroic stand by their goalie in OT to escape with a win. We can't look past any team, of course, but this is NOT a Princeton team that should cause pregame jitters.

This isn't to disagree with other posters comments about our weaknesses and areas in need of improvement but I refuse to pretend to be nervous about this game in advance. I'm not guaranteeing a win - I respect the Princeton program too much for that - but I'm expecting one.

Lots to talk about with this game, but first things first:

Anyone here with good connections who can arrange to move Passover? I'm pissed that the game time was moved to the late afternoon (4 p.m.); there's no chance I can go to Princeton or watch it live on television. On top of that, I don't get ESPNU, so I can't record it.

Given that Passover isn't likely to up and move, I'm hoping that there's someone out there who could make a recording of the ESPNU broadcast and mail it to me. Send me a private message if you're willing and able; maybe we can work out some kind of barter.

Brown continues unbeaten in the league tonight by sneaking past Harvard, 8-7, in Providence. 14 saves for Jordan Burke.

If you're Reform, are you at least allowed to watch if you get a goy to flip to the right channel?

Thank goodness Sandy Koufax isn't playing close defense for the Red.

billhoward
If you're Reform, are you at least allowed to watch if you get a goy to flip to the right channel?

Thank goodness Sandy Koufax isn't playing close defense for the Red.

And couldn't you set up a VCR and DVR to record it ahead of time and then watch afterwards?

French Rage

billhoward
If you're Reform, are you at least allowed to watch if you get a goy to flip to the right channel?

Thank goodness Sandy Koufax isn't playing close defense for the Red.

And couldn't you set up a VCR and DVR to record it ahead of time and then watch afterwards?

He said he doesn't get the channel at home.

Al DeFlorio
Brown continues unbeaten in the league tonight by sneaking past Harvard, 8-7, in Providence. 14 saves for Jordan Burke.

How many games has Harvard lost by 1 goal? 4? 5?

ugarte
How many games has Harvard lost by 1 goal? 4? 5?

Four.

Harvard's games this year

We could easily be in the same boat, having beat three teams by one goal: Navy, Yale and Army. The wins against the Army and Navy are looking better as the season goes on.

FarEastLax
We could easily be in the same boat, having beat three teams by one goal: Navy, Yale and Army. The wins against the Army and Navy are looking better as the season goes on.

The Yale and Navy games were certainly nail biters. Army is a bit different, as we led 9-6 before they got two late goals; that game never really seemed in doubt.

scoop85

FarEastLax
We could easily be in the same boat, having beat three teams by one goal: Navy, Yale and Army. The wins against the Army and Navy are looking better as the season goes on.

The Yale and Navy games were certainly nail biters. Army is a bit different, as we led 9-6 before they got two late goals; that game never really seemed in doubt.

Well, there was some doubt in my mind when an Army guy fired a close-in shot (fortunately stopped by Martinez) with one or two seconds on the clock.

My impression watching that game was Cornell did have an edge in play and that seems to be confirmed by the game statistics. But we did come pretty close to giving it away at the end.

TimV
I'm confident about Myers in goal.

metaezra
Princeton has an attack?

ugarte
The only way Cornell loses is if Princeton brings their A+ game....This is NOT a Princeton team that should cause pregame jitters.

Woofilicious.

I'm not confident in Myers.

Yes, Princeton does have an attack.

And yes, Princeton should cause pre-game jitters -- even without their fab junior middie and leading scorer, Kovler, who is out for the season after breaking his ankle in practice last week.

Anyone remember the 2006 Princeton game, the last road game in this series? That was a better Cornell team, with an All-America goalie, a more consistent defense, a ferocious ride, and a solid attack that created a ton of high-percentage inside shots. That day, Princeton played a C- game (it would have been an F if it hadn't been for Hewit). The Tigers couldn't clear the ball and got off only 13 shots. Yet Cornell only won by one.

This year, Cornell can't seem to create nearly as many high-percentage shots -- and when they create good shots, they often don't finish them. Cornell's defenders and goalie are inconsistent and, even worse, turnover and penalty-prone.

Meanwhile, Princeton has done a pretty good job of improving their offensive production. Their shooting percentage and shots-on-goal percentage are higher than Cornell's -- not by much, but I bet most people assume it's the opposite -- and their man-up and man-down units are far more effective than ours. That could suck, given how few penalties they take and the fact that the 2008 Cornell team draws yellow flags like a racetrack during a biblical hailstorm.

I'm not saying Princeton should be favored. But I'm expecting a one-goal game.

Al DeFlorio

scoop85

FarEastLax
We could easily be in the same boat, having beat three teams by one goal: Navy, Yale and Army. The wins against the Army and Navy are looking better as the season goes on.

The Yale and Navy games were certainly nail biters. Army is a bit different, as we led 9-6 before they got two late goals; that game never really seemed in doubt.

Well, there was some doubt in my mind when an Army guy fired a close-in shot (fortunately stopped by Martinez) with one or two seconds on the clock.

My impression watching that game was Cornell did have an edge in play and that seems to be confirmed by the game statistics. But we did come pretty close to giving it away at the end.

Yeah, I guess I forgot about that last shot ...

So far our "best wins" are crashing and burning today:

Navy losing to Hopkins 6-3 at the half [12-5 final]

Army losing to Duke 7-3 at the half [10-6 final]

Denver lost to Ohio State 20-13 after trailing 13-3

[Edit: Other results - Virginia 11, Dartmouth 7; Maryland 9, Penn 4; UNC 13, Hofstra 9; Georgetown 8, UMass 3

It means we just have to do it ourselves.

See you in Princeton in two hours.

LGR!

Yikes! Seibald on attack today with Hurley and Finn. Glynn, Espey, and Romero on the first-line midfield.

Al DeFlorio
Yikes! Seibald on attack today with Hurley and Finn. Glynn, Espey, and Romero on the first-line midfield.

Al, can you explain your anxiety to a lax newbie? From what I have figured out thus far, Seibald is the "heart and soul" of the team, the man you go to when you need a face-off win or a goal.

With Seibald on the attack is the concern that our defense will suffer?

From what I understand, Princeton has some key injuries, so is moving Seibald to attack a way to exploit that?

Thanks.

Well, that's some horrible line noise on RedCast. (I'm probably the only one without ESPNU access.)

jtwcornell91
Well, that's some horrible line noise on RedCast. (I'm probably the only one without ESPNU access.)

No you are not alone, Hillel doesn't have access either, but part of that is "self-imposed" (i.e. due to Passover).

I'm taping (I think/hope) the game for him, would you like a copy?

Rita

Al DeFlorio
Yikes! Seibald on attack today with Hurley and Finn. Glynn, Espey, and Romero on the first-line midfield.

Al, can you explain your anxiety to a lax newbie?

Not anxiety, Rita, just surprise. I'm guessing it has something to do with assignment of Princeton's longsticks, and trying to generate more offense.

I am a bit concerned about not having Seibald on the defensive side during transitions.

Anyone know where I can find livestats to get the scoring?

He can still chase the ball Al, another middie will just have to stay onside..