PU @ CU

[css228]

We dominated.  I have no idea how we failed to score 4 or 5, let alone the 2 that were needed.

This weekend was not the self-sabotage of the prior weekend, nor the apathy of the Brown loss.  Obviously with time slipping away the situation is terrible, but this weekend at least the effort and execution were not -- only the finishing.

I think it's 60/40 that this squad can get its act together in time to be a real pain in somebody's ass in the tournament.  If we really are heading for a 9-12 finish, as the cold equations are starting to indicate, perhaps we can make some history as an underdog.

Two things did worry me this weekend.  (1) Ferlin has lost speed and agility.  He's still strong, but the parallels wtih Vinnie Auger are ominous.  (2) What is wrong with Axell?  Tonight in particular he played like a guy with food poisoning, the flu, and a urinary tract infection.  He was awful, and I am used to him being splendid.  If he had a history of being a headcase I would worry he had checked out.  But he doesn't, and I worry there is something physically wrong.

Given that every shot was straight to Condon's chest protector, its not schoking we couldn't score.

[ScrewBU]

This is actually not a terrible showing by Cornell. They look like 06-07. A team I hated but much better than the last few months.

They dominate the puck, don't give up any good chances, get a few chances per game, and we just hope they get one in. Cornell hockey!

It sure did seem like 06-07. Same strategy (loads of shots, bodies in front, responsible defense, impotent PP), same result (no goals and no W,)  same comments on the forums (we won in every category but the end result.  the refs screwed us.)  That "system" stopped working (I don't think it ever really did, at least against the better teams) why did the coaching staff think it would magically start working again?  It won't.  Need new coaches.  Could not be any clearer.

[ScrewBU]

We dominated.  I have no idea how we failed to score 4 or 5, let alone the 2 that were needed.

This weekend was not the self-sabotage of the prior weekend, nor the apathy of the Brown loss.  Obviously with time slipping away the situation is terrible, but this weekend at least the effort and execution were not -- only the finishing.

I think it's 60/40 that this squad can get its act together in time to be a real pain in somebody's ass in the tournament.  If we really are heading for a 9-12 finish, as the cold equations are starting to indicate, perhaps we can make some history as an underdog.

Two things did worry me this weekend.  (1) Ferlin has lost speed and agility.  He's still strong, but the parallels wtih Vinnie Auger are ominous.  (2) What is wrong with Axell?  Tonight in particular he played like a guy with food poisoning, the flu, and a urinary tract infection.  He was awful, and I am used to him being splendid.  If he had a history of being a headcase I would worry he had checked out.  But he doesn't, and I worry there is something physically wrong.

Given that every shot was straight to Condon's chest protector, its not schoking we could score.

It seems like they can only either shoot the puck 2 feet wide or directly into the goalie's chest.  And what kind of shot did Princeton score on?

[Scersk '97]

Given that every shot was straight to Condon's chest protector, its not schoking we couldn't score.

However much I appreciate your creative portmanteau (I can only assume) of "shocking" and "choking," I can't agree.

Take off your jaundiced glasses and watch the game.  Great game; poor result.

[imafrshmn]

What I wouldn't give for a great garbageman; indeed, with all the constant hand wringing over lacking snipers, I think we've had more snipers than garbagemen.  To my mind, no point in the big slappah when there's no one there to pick up the rebound.

Better yet, it'd be wonderful to have a great sniper who's also a great garbageman... Matt Moulson is the name that comes to mind.

[Ben]

Given that every shot was straight to Condon's chest protector, its not schoking we couldn't score.

However much I appreciate your creative portmanteau (I can only assume) of "shocking" and "choking," I can't agree.

Take off your jaundiced glasses and watch the game.  Great game; poor result.

They're just trying to keep us entertained by finding many different ways to lose games.

[Trotsky]

We dominated.  I have no idea how we failed to score 4 or 5, let alone the 2 that were needed.

This weekend was not the self-sabotage of the prior weekend, nor the apathy of the Brown loss.  Obviously with time slipping away the situation is terrible, but this weekend at least the effort and execution were not -- only the finishing.

I think it's 60/40 that this squad can get its act together in time to be a real pain in somebody's ass in the tournament.  If we really are heading for a 9-12 finish, as the cold equations are starting to indicate, perhaps we can make some history as an underdog.

Two things did worry me this weekend.  (1) Ferlin has lost speed and agility.  He's still strong, but the parallels wtih Vinnie Auger are ominous.  (2) What is wrong with Axell?  Tonight in particular he played like a guy with food poisoning, the flu, and a urinary tract infection.  He was awful, and I am used to him being splendid.  If he had a history of being a headcase I would worry he had checked out.  But he doesn't, and I worry there is something physically wrong.

Given that every shot was straight to Condon's chest protector, its not schoking we couldn't score.

That wasn't true of the PU game.  There were a lot of those shots, sure, but our best chances were the many, many situations where the goalie was down and out and the puck was sitting in the crease between four sets of skates while the players all battled to get a stick down.  We *never* managed to come up with the little wrist flick in that situation.  That was what really doomed us.

[Jim Hyla]

So, we're not different than years ago? When did we outshhot our opponent 39-12? Hmmm. When did we have as free-wheeling offensive strategy as was seen? Did you see our defensemen going deep into the corners? All teams do, and did, that somewhat, but coach has asked them to specifically do it and they are aggressive about it. That is different than how we used to play.

All shots into the chest protector? What about the 3 that clanged off iron? Sure they don't count in the stats as shots, but... Princeton scored on one great shot, just inside the post and just below the crossbar. I'd take our effort and game plan before PU's any evening. If we can play like that every game, I'll enjoy watching and take our chances. If we lose every game but have that type of effort, I'll be unhappy but still proud. PU must have felt they had the right gods on their side and I'm sure they all felt they stole a game.

Hopefully the way the team is responding, after coach sat players down for dumb penalties, will silence those who thought he was too blame.

I'm always the optimist, but I do think we have a lot of good hockey left. My only concern is the team losing mental focus after so many lost games. They certainly didn't last night and played three solid periods. If we're on the road for the playoffs, do you think that PU wants us to be their opponent?

[billhoward]

Losing to Princeton, we flipped the Tigers from T-8 in the ECAC to T-3. Cornell also needs to sweep Union and RPI to avoid a losing RS record at home (now 4-5-2). (A win and tie would do it, too.) We win out the last four games, we'd have 18 points, which would call for an amazing collapse by RPI or Princeton to keep us from playing in week one.

Code Select Expand


Schools   Pts Conf All
Quinnipiac 30 14-0-2 21-3-4
Yale     19 9-5-1 13-6-3
Princeton 17 7-6-3 9-10-4
Rensselaer 17 7-6-3 12-11-5
St. Lawrence 16 6-6-4 13-11-4
Dartmouth 16 7-6-2 11-8-3
Union   16 6-6-4 13-10-5
Clarkson 15 6-7-3 7-14-7
Colgate 13 5-8-3 13-11-4
Brown   13 4-6-5 8-9-5
Cornell   10 4-10-2 8-13-2
Harvard 6 3-12 5-15-1


[Trotsky]

Looks like the quest for the program record consecutive losses continues. 5 more to go.

Not even close.  The record is 19 (1960).

[Ben]

I see no reason to expect that this team will put together anything resembling a consistent run for the rest of the season. Even if you assume that last night's effort was sufficient to accumulate the 8-10 points* needed to secure home ice in the first round, this team has been anything but consistent. The most consistent run of the season so far was between Dartmouth and SLU at home, but three of those games were at home and both Michigan and Clarkson were in bad patches.

*Looking at the standings listed on the ECAC site from the last few years, the 8th-placed team has finished the regular season with between 18 and 21 points.

[css228]

This is what I feel like the optimists are saying to me[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZnYloe5rhw[/video]

[jtn27]

Looks like the quest for the program record consecutive losses continues. 5 more to go.

Not even close.  The record is 19 (1960).

I looked at that exact chart. I'm not sure how I missed that long black streak. I was thinking 92-93's 11 straight was the record.

[Trotsky]

*Looking at the standings listed on the ECAC site from the last few years, the 8th-placed team has finished the regular season with between 18 and 21 points.

Mean for 8th place is 19.0.

A this point I'm not assuming home ice in the first round, and playing at Lynah doesn't seem to particularly matter this year.  I think we will go into the playoffs wanting to atone for a terrible RS, and whoever we wind up playing will not enjoy the experience.

[Trotsky]

Looks like the quest for the program record consecutive losses continues. 5 more to go.

Not even close.  The record is 19 (1960).

I looked at that exact chart. I'm not sure how I missed that long black streak. I was thinking 92-93's 11 straight was the record.

Nah, I just added 1901-1963.