Niagara Game 1 Post Game

[scoop85]

Some observations from the TV broadcast:

1.  The Greening-Nash-Barlow line is on a different level from everyone else on the ice.  Greening has that rare combination of superior strength and skill.  He and Nash really have developed great chemistry; I hope we get to see it for at least one more year.  Barlow has an awesome shot, but he missed the net far more often than not. And, what the heck was he thinking when he pulled down the Niagara forward to leave us down two men?

2.   Pagliero (sp?) played an excellent game in net for Niagara and really kept them in it in the second period.

3.  Speaking of goalies, Scrivens is playing with great confidence, and his positioning seems much improved from a year ago.  Niagara had enough good opportunities that one can safely say he really earned that shutout.

4.  On a few too many occasions, Niagara forwards were able to come from behind our net unimpeded and get point-blank shots on Scrivens.  Something should be done about that breakdown.

5.  I thought Sean Collins was an impressive physical force on the forecheck; the scoring will come

6.  Blake Gallagher had a few excellent opportunities; clearly one of our more skilled players, and he has a motor that never stops.

7.  Defense was reasonably solid, although B. Nash had no business pinching near the end of the game, leading to his taking a penalty.  

8.  The Niagara broadcasters, while clearly dealing from a Niagara perspective, were professional and knowledgeable.  Impressive that the play-by-play guy was able to handle the Cornell names notwithstanding the "throwback" nameplates.

9,  Nice to see North Dakota put it to the Goophers last night. Some pretty good results elsewhere for us in general.  Who would've figured that Union and RPI would win and tie respectively at Princeton and Q-Pac?

10.  Overall, a steady, grind-it-out win against a pretty good and determined team with a hot goalie. Will be interesting to see how we come out tonight.

[andyw2100]

[quote scoop85]Barlow has an awesome shot, but he missed the net far more often than not. And, what the heck was he thinking when he pulled down the Niagara forward to leave us down two men?[/quote]

My best guess: "I can see the ref, and he's not looking this way", followed shortly thereafter by, "Damn, that's right--extra ref this year."

It was the ref trailing the play that made the call.

[Trotsky]

[quote scoop85]4.  On a few too many occasions, Niagara forwards were able to come from behind our net unimpeded and get point-blank shots on Scrivens.  Something should be done about that breakdown.[/quote]Agreed on all of your observations, but this one in particular was painfully obvious.  Cornell has not owned the area immediately outside of either crease.  The D isn't doing a great job of forcing shots to the periphery.  They are doing a great job of blocking shots, and of coming in and immediately clearing out opponents who walk right out in front of the net with the puck, but someday they are going to run into talented forwards with quick shots and/or legs of oak, and then life will become far more earnest for Scrivens.

At the other end, as has been pointed out many times, there is no Immovable Object parked outside the crease waiting for the deflection or the dribbling rebound.  Ironically, the guys who might fill that role are more valuable doing other things (Greening, Mugford), but it would be nice to have a threat like that on the intermediary lines.

Anybody know why Scali was sitting?

[Al DeFlorio]

[quote Trotsky]
Anybody know why Scali was sitting?[/quote]
Dunno.  I--and others writing here--thought he had a terrific game against UMass.  Perhaps a "chemistry" experiment to get more scoring punch on the Mugford line with P. Kennedy?

[Chris '03]

[quote Al DeFlorio][quote Trotsky]
Anybody know why Scali was sitting?[/quote]
Dunno.  I--and others writing here--thought he had a terrific game against UMass.  Perhaps a "chemistry" experiment to get more scoring punch on the Mugford line with P. Kennedy?[/quote]

Based on all the pregame chatter about mixing things up this week, I'm guessing it's chemistry. He played great last week. In particular, his one man PK forecheck in the third last week was easily among the best efforts I've seen out of a Cornellian in that capacity.

Who was it that blocked a shot with his wrist last week? Was it gallagher or scali? I don't remember except that he was back on the ice reasonably soon after. That could also be part of the scratch if it was Scali.

[HockeyMan]

Good observations all.  Meanwhile, the ho-hum approach of B. Nash for long stretches continues to puzzle and irritate in equal measure.  I can't decide if he's unfocused, or thinks he's too good for these guys and can therefore be half-hearted, or both.  I grant that appearances can deceive, and that tall players can seem less engaged/energetic than they really are, but that can't be the full explanation--he can be effective when he puts his mind to it.

[redhair34]

[quote Chris '03][quote Al DeFlorio][quote Trotsky]
Anybody know why Scali was sitting?[/quote]
Dunno.  I--and others writing here--thought he had a terrific game against UMass.  Perhaps a "chemistry" experiment to get more scoring punch on the Mugford line with P. Kennedy?[/quote]

Based on all the pregame chatter about mixing things up this week, I'm guessing it's chemistry. He played great last week. In particular, his one man PK forecheck in the third last week was easily among the best efforts I've seen out of a Cornellian in that capacity.

Who was it that blocked a shot with his wrist last week? Was it gallagher or scali? I don't remember except that he was back on the ice reasonably soon after. That could also be part of the scratch if it was Scali.[/quote]

I suspect it's an injury.  I think Scali has gotten to the point where he is too valuable to be a healthy scratch (absent something unusual).

I like the idea of putting Kennedy with Mugford and Kary (assuming it's only for a weekend)--there's a lot he can learn from Mugford about playing Cornell hockey.

[RichH]

[quote HockeyMan]Meanwhile, the ho-hum approach of B. Nash for long stretches continues to puzzle and irritate in equal measure.  I can't decide if he's unfocused, or thinks he's too good for these guys and can therefore be half-hearted, or both. [/quote]

*sigh*  It's his style.  It always has been his style.  He's a calm and measured long-striding skater with above average vision of the ice.  I honestly don't know what you people want to see out of him...arms and legs flailing everywhere?  Constantly gasping for breath?  What exactly is irritating you?

No, he's not perfect and has made more than his share of mistakes, but he's really quite talented if you just take the time to watch.  He's the closest thing we've had to Pokulok since Sasha's freshman year.

[HockeyMan]

[quote RichH][

*sigh*  It's his style.  It always has been his style.  He's a calm and measured long-striding skater with above average vision of the ice.  I honestly don't know what you people want to see out of him...arms and legs flailing everywhere?  Constantly gasping for breath?  What exactly is irritating you?

No, he's not perfect and has made more than his share of mistakes, but he's really quite talented if you just take the time to watch.  He's the closest thing we've had to Pokulok since Sasha's freshman year.[/quote]

Style isn't the issue. The NHL is filled with long-striding d-men who are measured in their approach and who have great vision.  BN could be one of them one day; he has the goods. The issue, rather, is the one you yourself articulate: he's a talented guy who makes "more than his share of mistakes." His head doesn't seem in it on a lot of shifts. That's all I'm saying.

[CowbellGuy]

[quote RichH]He's the closest thing we've had to Pokulok since Sasha's freshman year.[/quote]
Did you forget that the same people who complained about Sasha are the same ones that are complaining about Bnash? I've stopped trying.

[Jim Hyla]

From today's IJ[/url]]Jared Seminoff, Brendon Nash and Tyler Mugford were on the ice for all 68 seconds of a Niagara five-on-three, helping the Big Red hold on to its slim one-goal lead.

I think that tells what coach thinks about Brendon Nash. I hope we can all look more closely now.

[JDeafv]

Updated the brothers goal scoring post with Michael and Patrick from last night.

Also, M. Kennedy scoring made it 3 straight games that the player on the ticket stub has scored (M. Devin, Greening, and M. Kennedy).

[HockeyMan]

[quote CowbellGuy][quote RichH]He's the closest thing we've had to Pokulok since Sasha's freshman year.[/quote]
Did you forget that the same people who complained about Sasha are the same ones that are complaining about Bnash? I've stopped trying.[/quote]

Not true; I didn't complain about Pokulok.  I did not expect as much from him, for one thing--he was a freshman; B Nash is a junior.

[dragonfan]

He good when he is set in his own zone or planted on the point for the power-play,but on the break out he consistently fumbles the puck with any pressure and I cringe when he gets turned around on opposing rushes,he is good at times,I just wish he could play with more get up and go.

[KeithK]

Scali was a healthy scratch. There's just good competition for ice time among the forwards right now.