NCAA regionals 2011

[Al DeFlorio]

I first shot down the reasoning (Yale's talent vs. Cornell's)...

You can't be serious in claiming your shallow logic accomplished this.  It was the equivalent of saying that because Cornell beat RPI 5-1 and NoDak beat them 5-0 that Cornell and NoDak are roughly equivalent teams.  Give us all a break.

[Rosey]

I first shot down the reasoning (Yale's talent vs. Cornell's)...

You can't be serious in claiming your shallow logic accomplished this.  It was the equivalent of saying that because Cornell beat RPI 5-1 and NoDak beat them 5-0 that Cornell and NoDak are roughly equivalent teams.  Give us all a break.

I wouldn't make this argument based on a single data point ("proof by example"), but there are in fact many data points in evidence, going back four seasons.

No one's claiming a mathematically-airtight proof: such a thing doesn't exist in real life. So we have to take a preponderance of evidence as our standard of proof. I have that on my side.

[Trotsky]

I thought our main contention was whether Yale's recent success against us was due to a superior system (you) or a couple dominant classes that are just passing through (me).  The critical test is how they do against us now that most of those players are gone -- if they continue to dominate us you're right, if they come back to earth against us then I'm right.  We won't know until we play them the next few times.

[Rosey]

I thought our main contention was whether Yale's recent success against us was due to a superior system (you) or a couple dominant classes that are just passing through (me).  The critical test is how they do against us now that most of those players are gone -- if they continue to dominate us you're right, if they come back to earth against us then I'm right.  We won't know until we play them the next few times.

This is only part of it. The other question I have is why Cornell has had such a problem keeping games against Yale close for the past four years, while Yale nearly loses to Air Force two days ago. As I pointed out, Air Force isn't any more talented than Cornell, so talent can't entirely account for the difference. My hypothesis is that Yale's system was created specifically to beat Cornell in ECAC conference play. How does the coaching staff respond to this? I have mostly questions, not answers.

[Trotsky]

I thought our main contention was whether Yale's recent success against us was due to a superior system (you) or a couple dominant classes that are just passing through (me).  The critical test is how they do against us now that most of those players are gone -- if they continue to dominate us you're right, if they come back to earth against us then I'm right.  We won't know until we play them the next few times.

This is only part of it. The other question I have is why Cornell has had such a problem keeping games against Yale close for the past four years, while Yale nearly loses to Air Force two days ago. As I pointed out, Air Force isn't any more talented than Cornell, so talent can't entirely account for the difference. My hypothesis is that Yale's system was created specifically to beat Cornell in ECAC conference play. How does the coaching staff respond to this? I have mostly questions, not answers.

OK, I missed that part of it.  While Allain may have designed a team specifically to get past Cornell, he did it pretty well: they were 65-25-6 in games against teams not named "Cornell" in the last 3 years.

In both talent and experience the teams should reverse directions, Cornell rising while Yale falls.  I wouldn't be at all surprised to see our places in the standings swap.  Union, as difficult as it is to wrap one's mind around, is now the team to beat.

The stat that most concerns me is shots faced per 60 minutes.  Since the admittedly Annus Mirabilis of 2003, when Cornell goaltenders faced just 20.6 shots per 60 minutes, the best in team history, the number has risen about as consistently as radiation at the Fukushima plant.  This season's 29.8 was the highest since 1999.  Note the save percentage is still excellent by historical standards and quite typical of a 2000's "System" team.  It's the sheer bulk of additional shots faced that's hurting us.

[Rosey]

OK, I missed that part of it.  While Allain may have designed a team specifically to get past Cornell, he did it pretty well: they were 65-25-6 in games against teams not named "Cornell" in the last 3 years.

I'm not contending that Yale isn't generally skilled: far from it, I recognize that they are an excellent team with an effective system. But part of what I'm saying is that Cornell is making them look better than they really are.

In both talent and experience the teams should reverse directions, Cornell rising while Yale falls.  I wouldn't be at all surprised to see our places in the standings swap.

True as this may turn out, it doesn't give me warm fuzzies: Cornell can have a better conference record and still not solve the Yale puzzle.

I'll try to respond to the rest later: ELynah's editor thoroughly confuses the Android browser, making composing responses irritating at best.

[Rosey]

Union, as difficult as it is to wrap one's mind around, is now the team to beat.

We'll see. At this point Yale seems to execute better, but it won't be clear until next year whether this continues to be true without their stellar senior class.

The stat that most concerns me is shots faced per 60 minutes.  Since the admittedly Annus Mirabilis of 2003, when Cornell goaltenders faced just 20.6 shots per 60 minutes, the best in team history, the number has risen about as consistently as radiation at the Fukushima plant.  This season's 29.8 was the highest since 1999.  Note the save percentage is still excellent by historical standards and quite typical of a 2000's "System" team.  It's the sheer bulk of additional shots faced that's hurting us.

The problem here is almost certainly that the officiating has changed: the board-grinding teams of the late-90's/early-00's would take too many PIM to be effective now. As a result, you're going to see more shots. What's the response to this? I don't know: "score more" seems a bit too glib. :-)

[Rita]

Interesting side note from the east regionals in Bridgeport.

Sunday's Bridgeport-Syracuse AHL game was postponed due to unsafe ice conditions. I wonder if it was due to that pane of glass that was causing problems Friday and Saturday in the regional games.

From the team's website

[Jim Hyla]

Interesting side note from the east regionals in Bridgeport.

Sunday's Bridgeport-Syracuse AHL game was postponed due to unsafe ice conditions. I wonder if it was due to that pane of glass that was causing problems Friday and Saturday in the regional games.

From the team's website

I think it was the 7000 Yale fans crying, or the crap they threw on the ice.

[billhoward]

Interesting side note from the east regionals in Bridgeport.

Sunday's Bridgeport-Syracuse AHL game was postponed due to unsafe ice conditions. I wonder if it was due to that pane of glass that was causing problems Friday and Saturday in the regional games.

From the team's website

Move it to Atlantic City where the ice conditions are a constant.

[Jeff Hopkins '82]

Interesting side note from the east regionals in Bridgeport.

Sunday's Bridgeport-Syracuse AHL game was postponed due to unsafe ice conditions. I wonder if it was due to that pane of glass that was causing problems Friday and Saturday in the regional games.

From the team's website

Move it to Atlantic City where the ice conditions are a constant.

Constantly crap, but constant.

[Trotsky]

Interesting side note from the east regionals in Bridgeport.

Sunday's Bridgeport-Syracuse AHL game was postponed due to unsafe ice conditions. I wonder if it was due to that pane of glass that was causing problems Friday and Saturday in the regional games.

From the team's website

Move it to Atlantic City where the ice conditions are a constant.

Constantly crap, but constant.

AC sucks.  But It could always be worse.