Harvard 2 @ Cornell 3 postgame thread (11/10/06)

[billhoward]

Whew! Cornell dodged the bullet against what seemed like a better team. I kept waiting for Cornell's four strong lines to wear down Harvard. Didn't happen. Cornell lost too many faceoffs. Took some dumb offensive zone penalties. Got outshot 29-18.

After Cornell had the weak PP with 5 minutes to play, then Cornell drawing a penalty (goaltender interference, which should have been whistled as Gross Stupidity when it's with 5 minutes to play in a game Cornell is losing against the Cantabs), a 2-2 tie would have been a very positive outcome.

Decent goaltending by Davenport. The man needs to stay closer to home.

So we're off to a 5-0 start ... but we still don't feel like a top ten team. Need more defense. Need offense that can carry the game against good and great defenses, not just mediocre defenses. Hey, the season is young. So is half the team.


This is a game for the ages. Actually, half a notch below (it was early in the season):
- Quick start by Cornell made you think it was going to be a blowout.
- Cornell outplayed much of the game. Made you think Cornell'd be lucky to tie.
- Amazing comeback to tie.
- Amazing comeback to win in the final 2 minutes on a breakaway. (Goalies are said to stop half of all breakaways. It seems like Cornell's luck on breakaways has been worse than that.)
- Unlikely heros.
- Against Harvard.

One other off note: The women's team got blown out 7-1 by Dartmouth. Doesn't seem right having just one national caliber hockey team. Should be both or none. I'd vote for both.

[CU at Stanford]

But Harvard still sucks (it has to be said, even in post-game) ::whistle::

[Lauren '06]

Struggling against a superior defense is new.

As stated elsewhere, Davenport needs to stay in the net when play is coming in his direction.  Is it really worth it to get in those three-second puck sweeps?

[jy3]

wow, what a game. the trap dominated cornell for 2 full periods (middle of the 1st to middle of the third). what an end to a game. wish i could have been there!

[Jacob '06]

That kennedy goal was iggulden-esque.

[DL]

Thanks to Tom for pointing me to Max-TV.  It was more than choppy out here in the Far East, it finally started coming in just as Du did his little one-timer that suckered Davenport, AND I didn't get to see the full results of Kennedy's breakaway, but we won and that's what matters, w00t!!!!!!  LGR!!!!!

[scannon]

Did it seem to anyone else like Greening didn't play after the 1st period and that carefoot didn't log many mintues either?

[Dafatone]

Strange, I feel like I disagree with all the comments.  I thought Davenport was great in goal, both goals he had no chance on.  Greening and Carefoot both played a lot and played well.

Our new fast-paced offense just wasn't getting the job done, so we went to a bit of a dump and chase and that worked better toward the end.

Davenport does have some trouble handling the puck, but at least he didn't pay for any of his mistakes.

[Al DeFlorio]

[quote Dafatone]Strange, I feel like I disagree with all the comments.  I thought Davenport was great in goal, both goals he had no chance on.  [/quote]
Agree.  Looked solid to me.

[redhair34]

I'm so sick of hearing the bullshit about Davenport playing the puck.  He played great.  He didn't have a chance on either goal.  Everyone needs to turn their brains off and enjoy the moment.

[redhair34]

Cornell is 5-0 for the first time in more than 30 years!!

[evilnaturedrobot]

davenport was the only thing keeping in the red in the game from midway through the first untill the last 5 minutes.

[billhoward]

[quote Dafatone]Strange, I feel like I disagree with all the comments.  I thought Davenport was great in goal, both goals he had no chance on.  Greening and Carefoot both played a lot and played well.

Our new fast-paced offense just wasn't getting the job done, so we went to a bit of a dump and chase and that worked better toward the end.

Davenport does have some trouble handling the puck, but at least he didn't pay for any of his mistakes.[/quote]

Yes on the first goal and for sure on the second: Yes, you're right, there wasn't much Davenport could do on the two goals. On the second goal, Harvard overloaded near side (camera side / press box side / Cornell bench side) but not Du all by his lonesome on the far side five or eight feet out and when the puck slid across the crease, it would have been a miracle if Davenport could have slid as quickly as the puck to cover the open far side. There was just one Cornell defender trying to cover Du and one other Harvard player who was in the slot. So maybe in hindsight too much of the defense attacked the puck where it was and microseconds later wasn't.

[calgARI '07]

One of the worst games Cornell has played at home in the Schafer-era.  They were badly outworked for the majority of the game but found a way to win which is obviously the most important thing.  No doubt that Harvard is the real deal.  I think Cornell had five shots on goal in the second and third periods combined.  It was ugly.  Thought Troy Davenport was spectacular.  Taylor wasn't so bad himself.

[redhair34]

[quote billhoward]
On the second goal, Harvard overloaded near side (camera side / press box side / Cornell bench side) but not Du all by his lonesome on the far side five or eight feet out and when the puck slid across the crease, it would have been a miracle if Davenport could have slid as quickly as the puck to cover the open far side. There was just one Cornell defender trying to cover Du and one other Harvard player who was in the slot. So maybe in hindsight too much of the defense attacked the puck where it was and microseconds later wasn't.[/quote]

Morin made a wonderful play there.  A lesser player would have shot it, but he had the poise to wait till he picked up DU on the doorstep.  It killed me that Morin made it (Auburn, NY native former Cornell recruiting target).