Cornell 3 RPI 0 Postgame

Started by Trotsky, January 17, 2009, 09:41:36 PM

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hypotenuse

#30
January 18, 2009, 08:14:53 PM
Because we don't score much, even though we've only lost the one game it is hard to give this team the credit that it is probably due. The tendency is to downplay both us and the opposition when we keep winning by 2-1  , but when you look at our opponents, they've all had big victories- with scoring--against "strong" teams. So I think we have to conclude that we've got a well coached, well prepared, damned good team. This team is not like the Harkness teams-- which won a lot of games by 12-1, but it plays a different system and plays it well. LGR!

Robb

#31
January 18, 2009, 08:55:39 PM
[quote hypotenuse]Because we don't score much, even though we've only lost the one game it is hard to give this team the credit that it is probably due. The tendency is to downplay both us and the opposition when we keep winning by 2-1  , but when you look at our opponents, they've all had big victories- with scoring--against "strong" teams. So I think we have to conclude that we've got a well coached, well prepared, damned good team. This team is not like the Harkness teams-- which won a lot of games by 12-1, but it plays a different system and plays it well. LGR![/quote]

Yes, but...

I'm going on record today predicting that Cornell gets a #1 seed and loses its regional championship game.  

To date, we've played precisely one team in the top 10 of PWR, RPI, KRACH, KPWR, KASA, Heal, and RHEAL - Princeton.  If you reach all the way over to CHODR then you can add SCSU at #6 and NoDak at #10 (but then Princeton doesn't count at #17), and in CCHP we haven't played any top 10 teams.  IMHO, there's a BIG difference between being better than average with the discipline to show up every game versus being a truly great team.  

Cornell should get to play a fairly average team in its first NCAA game (yea, autobids!), so we can play our normal game and win that one.  The NCAA regional final will be the first time we really face a top team all season.  Are we good enough to contain Blue Chip forwards? Do we have enough scoring punch to beat a really fast defense?  Those are unanswered questions, and given our schedule, they will continue to be unanswered until our regional final.  Obviously, I hope that I'm wrong and that we ARE that good - but I just can't quite bring myself to believe it yet.
Let's Go RED!

Scersk '97

#32
January 18, 2009, 09:34:03 PM
[quote Robb]The NCAA regional final will be the first time we really face a top team all season.  Are we good enough to contain Blue Chip forwards? Do we have enough scoring punch to beat a really fast defense?  Those are unanswered questions, and given our schedule, they will continue to be unanswered until our regional final.  Obviously, I hope that I'm wrong and that we ARE that good - but I just can't quite bring myself to believe it yet.[/quote]

Which speaks to the importance of having teams like North Dakota and (hopefully next year) BU on the schedule.  The 2003 team played BU (admittedly in a somewhat down season) and knew that it could dominate a talented team, which was probably an important lesson when it came to facing, say, BC in the regional final; a couple of years later, the 2005 team had less-than-stellar results against Michigan State and BC, but they did, in those games, learn what it would take to hang with the best; and in 2006, the team entered the playoffs largely untested, making their failures and successes, if anything, only surprising.

I feel the team is one year ahead of schedule; that is, whatever happens this year is a real surprise.  2010 seemed the real goal.  With BU and North Dakota on the schedule, plus the Florida tournament, that team should be battle-tested indeed.  This year, have we learned enough from North Dakota and SCSU?  As Robb indicates, who knows?

Trotsky

#33
January 18, 2009, 09:54:50 PM
The BC, Minnesota and Wisconsin regional finals all went to overtime.  Puck luck figured in the difference in results more than anything else.

Jim Hyla

#34
January 18, 2009, 10:30:45 PM
OK, so I've got to ask it; how were the Snickers? Did he do a good job? Or did he chicken out at the last minute? After all, he was a backup.  :-D
"Cornell Fans Made the Timbers Tremble", Boston Globe, March/1970
Cornell lawyers stopped the candy throwing. Jan/2005

Will

#35
January 18, 2009, 10:54:14 PM
[quote Jim Hyla]OK, so I've got to ask it; how were the Snickers? Did he do a good job? Or did he chicken out at the last minute? After all, he was a backup.  :-D[/quote]

The "Safety Snickers" were great. Who's going to complain about free candy, though? ;)
Is next year here yet?

Beeeej

#36
January 18, 2009, 10:54:43 PM
[quote Jim Hyla]OK, so I've got to ask it; how were the Snickers? Did he do a good job? Or did he chicken out at the last minute? After all, he was a backup.  :-D[/quote]

Second-string Jim did a fine job - at least in the sense that I ended up with at least one Snickers.  :-)
Beeeej, Esq.

"Cornell isn't an organization.  It's a loose affiliation of independent fiefdoms united by a common hockey team."
   - Steve Worona

cth95

#37
January 18, 2009, 11:05:27 PM
I really appreciated the Snickers.  Jim, when I didn't see you there Friday, I thought it was going to be my first game in recent memory without the opportunity.  

I'm not sure who you are, "2nd String Jim", but thanks for taking over.

mha

#38
January 18, 2009, 11:59:45 PM
My pleasure. I figured someone had to serve as the Emergency Backup Jim! And I have to say, it was a lot easier at Union than at RPI. The Cornell fans at Houston were too spread out by their luck-of-the-draw ticket sales approach.
Mark H. Anbinder '89     http://mha.14850.com/
"Up the ice!" -- Lynah scoreboard

Beeeej

#39
January 19, 2009, 12:01:21 AM
[quote mha]My pleasure. I figured someone had to serve as the Emergency Backup Jim! And I have to say, it was a lot easier at Union than at RPI. The Cornell fans at Houston were too spread out by their luck-of-the-draw ticket sales approach.[/quote]

Who was that masked man??
Beeeej, Esq.

"Cornell isn't an organization.  It's a loose affiliation of independent fiefdoms united by a common hockey team."
   - Steve Worona

lynah80

#40
January 19, 2009, 12:51:32 AM
INCH dropped Yale from their top 20 today (1/19/09).  Funny what a one point weekend will do.

lynah80

#41
January 19, 2009, 01:20:54 AM
[quote Robb]
Yes, but...

I'm going on record today predicting that Cornell gets a #1 seed and loses its regional championship game.  

To date, we've played precisely one team in the top 10 of PWR, RPI, KRACH, KPWR, KASA, Heal, and RHEAL - Princeton.  If you reach all the way over to CHODR then you can add SCSU at #6 and NoDak at #10 (but then Princeton doesn't count at #17), and in CCHP we haven't played any top 10 teams.  IMHO, there's a BIG difference between being better than average with the discipline to show up every game versus being a truly great team.  

Cornell should get to play a fairly average team in its first NCAA game (yea, autobids!), so we can play our normal game and win that one.  The NCAA regional final will be the first time we really face a top team all season.  Are we good enough to contain Blue Chip forwards? Do we have enough scoring punch to beat a really fast defense?  Those are unanswered questions, and given our schedule, they will continue to be unanswered until our regional final.  Obviously, I hope that I'm wrong and that we ARE that good - but I just can't quite bring myself to believe it yet.[/quote]

I think a similar criticism could be made of Notre Dame.  The only decent team they've beaten is BC.  They've played some strong teams (Denver and Miami) but without success.  It will be very interesting to see how they do against Michigan in 2 weeks.

lynah80

#42
January 19, 2009, 07:41:52 PM
[quote Chris '03]Yale also takes a TON of penalties. However, given this Cornell team's propensity to turn the puck over in its own end and Backman and Arcobello's ability to find the back of the net, I'm not ready to hand it to the Red just yet. I'd be mighty impressed if Cornell shuts down the Yale offense all together. It'll probably take 3 to win either of the games with Yale.[/quote]

I think Cornell turns the puck over a lot when confronted with a two man fore check.  I'm sure Yale knows that (Colgate certainly does) and I'm sure Mike has been trying to fix it.  

Redarding the Backman, Arcobello, O'Neill line, they do score a lot (26, 21, 47), but they haven't faced Mugford, Nicholls and Scali yet.  Speaking of Scali, I hope he is ok.  He has missed a few games recently.  Has any one heard anything?

KeithK

#43
January 19, 2009, 07:45:59 PM
[quote lynah80]Speaking of Scali, I hope he is ok.  He has missed a few games recently.  Has any one heard anything?[/quote]
From what I have heard He has been a healthy scratch lately. There's good competition for the last forward spot right now so we may see guys splitting ice time.

imafrshmn

#44
January 19, 2009, 09:40:09 PM
Scali was practicing today and looked up to speed.
class of '09
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