ELynah Forum

General Category => Hockey => Topic started by: cbuckser on August 16, 2024, 12:56:59 PM

Title: Cornell vs. HK Nitra
Post by: cbuckser on August 16, 2024, 12:56:59 PM
This game is also being streamed on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iErDCT7AlaE

The stream wasn't up when the game began.
Title: Re: Cornell vs. HK Nitra
Post by: BearLover on August 16, 2024, 02:13:23 PM
As far as I can tell, Cornell is now down 5-2 after an ENG. Does that make Cornell 1-3 on this Euro trip? Anybody familiar with the quality of the teams they are playing against? I didn't get to watch much, but our opponents seemed to play good defense against us. Or maybe our offense really misses Seger.
Title: Re: Cornell vs. HK Nitra
Post by: arugula on August 16, 2024, 03:15:23 PM
Fwiw these were all professional teams in the highest division in the countries with older players.  I noticed at least a few ex NHLers amongst their rosters.   So they were good opponents.
Title: Re: Cornell vs. HK Nitra
Post by: fastforward on August 16, 2024, 03:18:52 PM
Fun watching Major play today, he's another speedster. He and Kraft had the two goals.
Title: Re: Cornell vs. HK Nitra
Post by: scoop85 on August 16, 2024, 04:47:05 PM
I only caught bits and pieces, but the opponents were big, fast, and skilled pro teams, so I don't think there's any shame to take away from our performance.
Title: Re: Cornell vs. HK Nitra
Post by: jtwcornell91 on August 19, 2024, 10:12:11 AM
Quote from: arugulaFwiw these were all professional teams in the highest division in the countries with older players.  I noticed at least a few ex NHLers amongst their rosters.   So they were good opponents.

HC Sparta Praha ("I believe when you're speaking English, you're allowed to refer to it as Prague.") finished second in the Czech Extraliga (and lost in the semis) last year, so they're playing in the Champions Hockey League this season.  It seems a step up from Cornell's trip to Switzerland last decade, when they were playing clubs from the lower divisions.
Title: Re: Cornell vs. HK Nitra
Post by: ugarte on August 19, 2024, 12:34:51 PM
pretty cool that they were able to get four high-quality opponents. i guess more executives in czechia and slovakia want to get their kids into American colleges than in switzerland.
Title: Re: Cornell vs. HK Nitra
Post by: abmarks on August 20, 2024, 12:16:07 AM
How.much practice time did the team get (if any) before setting off for the trip?
Title: Re: Cornell vs. HK Nitra
Post by: upprdeck on August 20, 2024, 06:09:34 PM
they had a few days of practice before they left.
Title: Re: Cornell vs. HK Nitra
Post by: cbuckser on August 24, 2024, 12:08:53 AM
Quote from: jtwcornell91
Quote from: arugulaFwiw these were all professional teams in the highest division in the countries with older players.  I noticed at least a few ex NHLers amongst their rosters.   So they were good opponents.

HC Sparta Praha ("I believe when you're speaking English, you're allowed to refer to it as Prague.") finished second in the Czech Extraliga (and lost in the semis) last year, so they're playing in the Champions Hockey League this season.  It seems a step up from Cornell's trip to Switzerland last decade, when they were playing clubs from the lower divisions.

I concur with JTW's assessment about the top-division pro teams. I wouldn't expect Cornell, Sparta Praha, Karlovy Vary, or Nitra to be at the top of its game in early- to mid-August, and they weren't. I wouldn't expect a good NCAA team to outplay teams from the Czech and Slovak elite leagues, and Cornell didn't. And that's fine. These quadrennial international trips are great experiences for the players, coaches, and staff.

Cornell's win was against college-aged Czech hockey prospects. That was a team Cornell should have outplayed, and it did,

Too bad Ondrej Psenicka couldn't play.
Title: Re: Cornell vs. HK Nitra
Post by: jtwcornell91 on August 24, 2024, 03:38:17 PM
Quote from: cbuckserI wouldn't expect Cornell, Sparta Praha, Karlovy Vary, or Nitra to be at the top of its game in early- to mid-August, and they weren't.

Although the European pro season starts earlier.  A number of teams are already playing exhibition games, and opening day is September 16 in Switzerland and September 19 in Germany, for example.