Tech 4 Cornell 2 (Post-Game Thread)

amerks127 · January 20, 2008, 10:47:23 PM

I noticed nobody had started this thread, and I have a few comments about the game.

First, a huge thank you to all the Greek kids out there who put their frats and sororities ahead of Cornell hockey and to students arriving in Ithaca Sunday night. That crater in Section B owes you one.

Second, Cornell was clearly outplayed for the majority of that game. The first period was just brutal to watch. After playing SLU(T), Onion, RPI, and Niagara twice, it's evident that the team just wasn't prepared to skate, hustle, and make plays against Tech. The Defense could not move the puck, and we forced long passes through the neutral zone all game. Clarkson was just too quick.

The Defense in general was brutal to watch. None of them had respectable games. Berk and Johnston skated with lead feet, while Seminoff and Krantz acted better as pile-ons, although Krantz played the best of all defensemen. Devin needs to make better decisions when he quarterbacks the powerplay, as quite often his shots are blocked. I'd still like to see him hit the one-timer more often. By settling the puck instead of pulling the trigger, he's allowing the opposing team to plug the shooting lane. Krueger was -2.

Offensively, how much is there to say? Topher Scott was without question the best player on the ice. He moved the puck extremely well and his vision was incredible tonight. He alone was responsible for half a dozen scoring opportunities, not to mention the two times he lit the lamp. His line is just on fire. I thought the top line played decently. Clarkson was all over Nash the entire game, and I thought under the NHL crackdown, a number of holds and hooks could have been called. I'm a huge fan of our fourth line of Fontas, Nicholls, and Scali, but the bottom two line combinations were both brutal to watch, and neither saw much ice time in the the period as players began to double shift more.

Overall, the game was a real wakeup call for this team. We're definitely a top-4 team in the massively mediocre ECAC, but if they want to compete with the top teams it's time to kick it into gear. Now that the second half of league schedule is underway, this team must find its identity. Are they going to step it up and have a real shot at winning in Albany, or will this season ultimately become one of "we just didn't have the talent"?

Trotsky · January 20, 2008, 11:02:04 PM

[quote amerks127]Are they going to step it up and have a real shot at winning in Albany, or will this season ultimately become one of "we just didn't have the talent"?[/quote]I was with you until the last sentence. IMHO this team has an abundance of talent. Maturity and experience are what's lacking.

Jim Hyla · January 20, 2008, 11:16:27 PM

[quote Trotsky][quote amerks127]Are they going to step it up and have a real shot at winning in Albany, or will this season ultimately become one of "we just didn't have the talent"?[/quote]I was with you until the last sentence. IMHO this team has an abundance of talent. Maturity and experience are what's lacking.[/quote]

I agree wholeheartedly with you. As I posted on the game thread, not counting goalies, we have 4 seniors and 5 juniors. As also posted, if we can win 2 next weekend, we are tied for second. OK by me. We played good enough to beat Clarkson in 2 games, not as good as I would like, but Clarkson was supposed to be the class of the league. So, not too bad for a young team.

Al DeFlorio · January 20, 2008, 11:46:30 PM

[quote Jim Hyla]I agree wholeheartedly with you. As I posted on the game thread, not counting goalies, we have 4 seniors and 5 juniors. As also posted, if we can win 2 next weekend, we are tied for second. OK by me. We played good enough to beat Clarkson in 2 games, not as good as I would like, but Clarkson was supposed to be the class of the league. So, not too bad for a young team.[/quote]
Playing two games against a team touted by their fans as a Frozen Four team::blush:: with a tie and one-goal loss (discounting the empty net goal) as outcomes and people think we can't "compete" with them? Give me a break.

polar · January 21, 2008, 12:21:18 AM

As far as Scrivens is concerned, I'm still very up in the air about him. Some nights he has looked absolutely fantastic (see: UMASS), but he's had three games so far, this one included, where he looked completely flat. He needs to start playing up to his own standard in the big games.

Chris '03 · January 21, 2008, 08:55:18 AM

[quote amerks127]

First, a huge thank you to all the Greek kids out there who put their frats and sororities ahead of Cornell hockey and to students arriving in Ithaca Sunday night. That crater in Section B owes you one.

[/quote]

I didn't see the game, but I'm not sure what you expect for a game moved to a sunday afternoon in the middle of conference championship games (involving two teams with pretty decent fan bases on campus) during rush and before classes even start. Add to that the fact that the game was on TV so you could watch it at your frat while also watching the football and the poor showing is no shock. I know it's Clarkson and I know it's a big game but I've been to enough winter break games to not expect a huge turnout.

imafrshmn · January 21, 2008, 09:27:15 AM

This is a tough game to analyze. I think the reality is that the team just lacks a solid identity, and lacks belief in their own tactics and abilities. It's not only about effective game plans, it's about effective team systems that everyone understands and buys into.

Jacob '06 · January 21, 2008, 09:35:33 AM

Has anyone noticed that they have been using more of a "man" defense in the defensive zone at least these past 2 games (I haven't paid enough attention on the webcasts on previous games). I think a lot of the miscues that led to the 3 goals came from guys not sticking with their man in a man type defense, and the more traditional zone defense played by Cornell maybe would have made the coverage a little easier. I could be crazy though.

BMac · January 21, 2008, 10:28:50 AM

I'm surprised nobody's said this, but TOPHER! Good God! He's the true Clarkson-killer. He wanted to tie the game all by himself (and nearly did).

The Rancor · January 21, 2008, 11:52:10 AM

[quote Trotsky]I was with you until the last sentence. IMHO this team has an abundance of talent. Maturity and experience are what's lacking.[/quote]

totally.

KeithK · January 21, 2008, 01:06:07 PM

When Riley Nash was interviewed during the second intermission he said something to the effect of "we weren't prepared to skate with them in the first period." They certainly weren't and there really is no excuse for that. We played Clarkson a few weeks ago, we had a day off at home the day before. They should have come out ready to play in the first and instead stood around like cones while the guys in green skated circles around them. Like Greg said, there's plenty of talent on the team but it doesn't help when there's no effort like we saw in the first period yesterday.

I don't recall any of the Clarkson goals being particularly soft. The defense didn't give Scrivens much help on the the second and third. What he didn't do was stand on his head to stop one or two of those goals and keep the team in the game. He can be quite good but I don't think he has that kind of talent.

From my televised perspective Cornell did dominate play in the third. But I think Clarkson's strategy helped us out there. In the second and the first half of the third they seemed to be content to sit back and hold the three goal lead.

scoop85 · January 21, 2008, 01:40:34 PM

I concur of most of the previous comments, and just want to add that Topher has been playing like a true Senior leader the last number of games, which I wouldn't have said the first part of the season.

sah67 · January 21, 2008, 01:49:52 PM

Didn't seen this posted on here before:
http://www.ksml.fi/kiekko/finnish-hockey-league/its-nickerson-time---again(21575).ece

I'm glad to see Matt is making the most of his professional hockey career.

Now is the hair a symptom of the syphillis, or just a result of the subsequent dementia?

Also, from earlier in the fall, Matt goes on a homicidal rampage during a game:
http://www.ksml.fi/kiekko/finnish-hockey-league/matt-nickerson-the-worst-of(18956).ece

daredevilcu · January 21, 2008, 02:32:24 PM

[quote sah67]Didn't seen this posted on here before:
http://www.ksml.fi/kiekko/finnish-hockey-league/its-nickerson-time---again(21575).ece

I'm glad to see Matt is making the most of his professional hockey career.

Now is the hair a symptom of the syphillis, or just a result of the subsequent dementia?

Also, from earlier in the fall, Matt goes on a homicidal rampage during a game:
http://www.ksml.fi/kiekko/finnish-hockey-league/matt-nickerson-the-worst-of(18956).ece[/quote]

You do realize that Clarkson is 4 years removed from Nickerson, meaning this year's seniors never played with him and with the exception of the hockey seniors probably never even saw him play? Most of us who did see him play will admit that he's a little insane, but you Cornell fans seem to have such an irrational hatred toward someone who isn't really even associated with ECAC hockey anymore, I have to question if you guys aren't the same. ::crazy::

Also, since this is the internet and many people (myself included sometimes) have trouble recognizing them : I AM JOKING.

sah67 · January 21, 2008, 02:41:14 PM

[quote daredevilcu][quote sah67]Didn't seen this posted on here before:
http://www.ksml.fi/kiekko/finnish-hockey-league/its-nickerson-time---again(21575).ece

I'm glad to see Matt is making the most of his professional hockey career.

Now is the hair a symptom of the syphillis, or just a result of the subsequent dementia?

Also, from earlier in the fall, Matt goes on a homicidal rampage during a game:
http://www.ksml.fi/kiekko/finnish-hockey-league/matt-nickerson-the-worst-of(18956).ece[/quote]

You do realize that Clarkson is 4 years removed from Nickerson, meaning this year's seniors never played with him and with the exception of the hockey seniors probably never even saw him play? Most of us who did see him play will admit that he's a little insane, but you Cornell fans seem to have such an irrational hatred toward someone who isn't really even associated with ECAC hockey anymore, I have to question if you guys aren't the same. ::crazy::[/quote]

Hatred? Nah. Amusement and bemusement? Definitely. Some of us just like to keep tabs on ECAC characters of the past. And, besides, you don't even have to question if any of the people on Elynah are insane...it's a given. Nonetheless, I don't think anyone on here would do that to their head