2023 NCAA QF: Cornell vs BU

[scoop85]

... I thought possession was pretty even.

in terms of "we knocked them off the puck and have it until we give it back" or "we have the puck and we're going to do something with it that looks like offense"? because it was a lot of the former and very little of the latter.

Yes, that's how I saw things play out. This team had a lot to offer, but lacked a Barron-like forward who could be a difference-maker at the college level. Bancroft showed flashes of that, but I don't think he's quite at that level (at least for this year). I'll save my thoughts for next year for another day, but no reason to think we won't remain in the hunt for good things in the next several years.

[Pghas]

In the big games late in the season, our lack of elite offensive talent showed up. We were shut out in 8 of the last 10 periods we played. Perhaps we would have done better if Steinburg had time to work himself back into the lineup. Our power-play also fizzled once the post-season began. We didn't have any 5-minute majors against Union to get it back on track.

Agreed.  We don't have a couple of elite offensive players who you feel like are a threat when the puck is on their stick. Nobody like that at least not yet.  Maybe next years recruits will be scorers and have more offensive upside because that's all this team needs now.

[Anne 85]

IINM BU led blocked shots 21-6.

[BearLover]

In the big games late in the season, our lack of elite offensive talent showed up. We were shut out in 8 of the last 10 periods we played. Perhaps we would have done better if Steinburg had time to work himself back into the lineup. Our power-play also fizzled once the post-season began. We didn't have any 5-minute majors against Union to get it back on track.

Agreed.  We don't have a couple of elite offensive players who you feel like are a threat when the puck is on their stick. Nobody like that at least not yet.  Maybe next years recruits will be scorers and have more offensive upside because that's all this team needs now.

The team is going to need a lot more than that given we're graduating three defensemen and five forwards who played almost every single game they were healthy for over the last 4 or 5 years. We are losing our best player (Malinski), our other best defenseman (Mitchell), our best defensive forward (Tupker), most of our best offensive players (Berard, Andreev, Stienburg, Malone), and one of our most dependable defensemen (Dirven). Frankly, next year is going to be a partial rebuilding year. But Quinnipiac and Harvard stand to lose as much or more than we will, and Clarkson has already lost several of their best players to the transfer portal. I don't take Colgate particularly seriously, plus their goalie and top forward should be graduating. Don't know much about St. Lawrence. And the rest of the ECAC has been horrible. So we should be good again next year, but the team is going to need a lot of work. Since the NCAAs seem impossible, it would be nice to actually win the ECAC for once.

[BearLover]

In the big games late in the season, our lack of elite offensive talent showed up. We were shut out in 8 of the last 10 periods we played. Perhaps we would have done better if Steinburg had time to work himself back into the lineup. Our power-play also fizzled once the post-season began. We didn't have any 5-minute majors against Union to get it back on track.

Agreed.  We don't have a couple of elite offensive players who you feel like are a threat when the puck is on their stick. Nobody like that at least not yet.  Maybe next years recruits will be scorers and have more offensive upside because that's all this team needs now.

The team is going to need a lot more than that given we're graduating three defensemen and five forwards who played almost every single game they were healthy for over the last 4 or 5 years. We are losing our best player (Malinski), our other best defenseman (Mitchell), our best defensive forward (Tupker), most of our best offensive players (Berard, Andreev, Stienburg, Malone), and one of our most dependable defensemen (Dirven). Frankly, next year is going to be a partial rebuilding year. But Quinnipiac and Harvard stand to lose as much or more than we will, and Clarkson has already lost several of their best players to the transfer portal. I don't take Colgate particularly seriously, plus their goalie and top forward should be graduating. Don't know much about St. Lawrence. And the rest of the ECAC has been horrible. So we should be good again next year, but the team is going to need a lot of work. Since the NCAAs seem impossible, it would be nice to actually win the ECAC for once.

I'm still holding out hope one or two of these players finds a way to come back for a fifth year. I think we would have brought back several if we were a non-Ivy. At other schools, seniors still participated in senior night ceremonies even if they later announced they were returning for a fifth year.

[Beeeej]

What Schafer's taking away:

https://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2023/03/25_For-Cornell,-Schafer,-the.php

[BearLover]

What Schafer's taking away:

https://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2023/03/25_For-Cornell,-Schafer,-the.php

Well, that article makes it sound like none of the seniors will be back despite Schafer acknowledging they "got an extra year of eligibility." Then again, the article mentions 10 seniors when by my count there are only 8. So who knows how good the information in the article is. In any event, the Ivy league's idiotic rules continue to hamper this program.

This season is the culmination of another great job by this program, but even more so than normal, because (as the article alludes to) the bottom could have completely fallen out during the year the Ivy League canceled sports. The coaches and players stuck together and somehow ended up one game from the frozen four just two years removed from the canceled season. Pretty amazing.

[scoop85]

What Schafer's taking away:

https://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2023/03/25_For-Cornell,-Schafer,-the.php

Nicely written article that provides more than meaningless cliches.

[adamw]

What Schafer's taking away:

https://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2023/03/25_For-Cornell,-Schafer,-the.php

Nicely written article that provides more than meaningless cliches.

And I just cleaned up some typos - so read it again

[adamw]

What Schafer's taking away:

https://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2023/03/25_For-Cornell,-Schafer,-the.php

Well, that article makes it sound like none of the seniors will be back despite Schafer acknowledging they "got an extra year of eligibility." Then again, the article mentions 10 seniors when by my count there are only 8. So who knows how good the information in the article is. In any event, the Ivy league's idiotic rules continue to hamper this program.

This season is the culmination of another great job by this program, but even more so than normal, because (as the article alludes to) the bottom could have completely fallen out during the year the Ivy League canceled sports. The coaches and players stuck together and somehow ended up one game from the frozen four just two years removed from the canceled season. Pretty amazing.

Players leave every program every year. Losing the players Cornell is losing will hurt, but they're not alone, and it's not new. Others will take their place. Despite the numbers, Cornell will probably lose less than many other teams around the country. Andreev, Mitchell and Malinski are the obvious biggest losses. The others are more easily replaced. But it'll be fine.

[adamw]

I hadn't heard the entirety of Coach's quote until just now, so I added it to the story - so in all seriousness, it might be worth another look. Coach was pretty emotional saying this, and had to collect himself. But here is what I just added ...

"Guys leaving your program, guys jumping in the portal — seems like kids don't know how to fight through adversity anymore. There's a lack (of) character and integrity. Schools decommit guys, kids decommit," Schafer said. "These two guys here, they could've signed pro. They didn't. Both could've transferred. They didn't. Them and their whole classmates.

"I think it speaks volumes about the kids we get at Cornell University. They're loyal to their teammates, they're loyal to their coaching staff, they're loyal to the institution. They're willing to fight through adversity. And that's the kind of kid we want in our program in the future, and the kids we literally search out to represent and put some integrity in this game.

"There's 200 kids in the transfer portal? These kids are what it's all about in being a college coach. And I'm so proud of them and their classmates. They didn't blink. They stayed in school, got another year of eligibility. If that's not what first class, integrity, character, never quit (is) ... Proud coach. Proud."

[BearLover]

I hadn't heard the entirety of Coach's quote until just now, so I added it to the story - so in all seriousness, it might be worth another look. Coach was pretty emotional saying this, and had to collect himself. But here is what I just added ...

"Guys leaving your program, guys jumping in the portal — seems like kids don't know how to fight through adversity anymore. There's a lack (of) character and integrity. Schools decommit guys, kids decommit," Schafer said. "These two guys here, they could've signed pro. They didn't. Both could've transferred. They didn't. Them and their whole classmates.

"I think it speaks volumes about the kids we get at Cornell University. They're loyal to their teammates, they're loyal to their coaching staff, they're loyal to the institution. They're willing to fight through adversity. And that's the kind of kid we want in our program in the future, and the kids we literally search out to represent and put some integrity in this game.

"There's 200 kids in the transfer portal? These kids are what it's all about in being a college coach. And I'm so proud of them and their classmates. They didn't blink. They stayed in school, got another year of eligibility. If that's not what first class, integrity, character, never quit (is) ... Proud coach. Proud."

Great quotes from Coach Schafer, thank you

[Trotsky]

One last Ufda.