ELynah Forum

     I never played hockey so I'm not an expert. When Bancroft left Cornell as a junior to go pro, I was kind of surprised. The kid was a sniper and had a hard shot, but was he well rounded enough to turn pro and have legit chance? He seems to be getting more playing time with his new team so maybe this is breakthrough he needed?
     To me, Walsh and Castagna bring much more. Both are better defensively, better on face offs, quicker, etc. I think with Walsh wearing the "C" it made him a little too unselfish at times this season. He's very talented and I think there were a few times he could have "taken over" more than he did.
     Anyway, in my head: "if Bancroft went pro, then surely Walsh and Castagna will go". Would be interested in hearing thoughts from people with more
Knowledge about this.

Natyshak: O'Brien
Macfarlane: Major
Gage: Keoppel
Shippel: Castagna...given 110% effort every shift I've seen in 3 years. As scrappy as they come
Schafer: Walsh
Oates: Syer
Dadswell: Ryan
Nieuwendyk: Castagna

     Every time I get disappointed, I have to remind myself that we are kind of playing with house money. We dressed 7+ freshman every game including a goalie. We have a new coaching staff (Casey's first solo year in Cornell). I think everyone would have taken 22 wins back in October. They had us all thinking great things late January...which turns out to be unfair. I think this team ca beat anyone when we bring out A+ game. But anything less that A+ won't get it done as young as we are.
    I wanted to beat Denver because nobody really gave us a chance. Not much talk of an upset or "we are a dangerous team".  Ugh to that now.
     I know he's not elite like Walsh or Castagna, but Jack O'Brien was solid this season. Very few mistakes, didn't seem like he took any bad penalties, and just a solid gritty defenseman. Really came to appreciate him
     

    I think we did peak too early. Too many nights we didn't play well from February 7 until last night. Loss to Clarkson, tie RPI, ugly loss to Union, bad loss at Princeton, got suckered into a bar fight vs Clarkson, game 1 vs Harvard wasn't a good look, Princeton, culminating in Denver. I was starting to think that maybe we don't like playing on Fridays.
     Every year when the last game is over, I think "how are we ever going to win again without x senior?". Obviously that is changing with the addition of transfer portal and players going pro earlier so I have to worry about underclassmen. But every year we seem to figure it out. We need suffocating defensemen that play consistent and limit the mistakes.