Game 2: Cornell 1, Clarkson 4

[Trotsky]

I love the idea of MacDoanld suddenly blossoming as a two-way player since it means we can afford to give more ice time to stay at home blueliners next year.  Gotovets is going to be missed more than some think but if Jake moves up to an offensive slot similar to Ryan, we'll be able to see who we have as a solid defender besides Lewis.  Also, we won't pressure Willcox to move up on the play which sometimes has Marx Brothers complications.

Assuming we do not lose Ryan I like our D configuration, particularly with Stoick returning.  Hopefully Anderson will be strong enough to be a regular, and Bliss will work his way in.  We need an impregnable defense early while Gillam is adapting to the every night job.

Ryan, P. McCarron, MacDonald -- offensive
Lewis, Willcox, Stoick OR {Sade/Anderson} OR {Bliss/Wedman} -- defensive

has the makings of being a pretty impressive corps.

[Jim Hyla]

The point I was trying to make (badly) was while that line is not a scoring line at least the we're dominating Clarkson while they were out there which was way more than the top 2 lines were. I'm pretty sure that the chances of Ferlin, Lowry, and co scoring from the defensive zone is a heck of a lot less than the 3rd line playing hard in the offensive zone.

For most of this series it's seemed like our most powerful offensive threat has been MacDonald.

Also, did I hear right that Sexton won 14 of his 15 faceoffs?  Yikes.

MacDonald's play has been excellent. He's come a long way recently.

Wouldn't surprise me if he won that many faceoffs. We were joking in my section about how badly the play went right after CU called timeout was because Bardreau actually won a faceoff and the play Schafer drew up was based off a faceoff loss.

14/15 was for the first 2 periods. For the third he was only 3/10. Any other question why we controlled more of the play in the third? Our problem is we can't shoot and score. I'm afraid we can't train that, so hope is the only chance we have.

On another subject, I've wondered for a while if the refs are getting tired of all the complaining that Schafer does. It seems to filter down to the players. Not saying that it makes the refs out to get us, but sometimes it might be better to suck it up and get on with it.

[Trotsky]

On another subject, I've wondered for a while if the refs are getting tired of all the complaining that Schafer does. It seems to filter down to the players. Not saying that it makes the refs out to get us, but sometimes it might be better to suck it up and get on with it.

Jack Parker whined, crabbed, mewled, carped, bleated, snivelled and bitched after every whistle for 40 years, and he had the refs in his pocket.

[scoop85]

I love the idea of MacDoanld suddenly blossoming as a two-way player since it means we can afford to give more ice time to stay at home blueliners next year.  Gotovets is going to be missed more than some think but if Jake moves up to an offensive slot similar to Ryan, we'll be able to see who we have as a solid defender besides Lewis.  Also, we won't pressure Willcox to move up on the play which sometimes has Marx Brothers complications.

Assuming we do not lose Ryan I like our D configuration, particularly with Stoick returning.  Hopefully Anderson will be strong enough to be a regular, and Bliss will work his way in.  We need an impregnable defense early while Gillam is adapting to the every night job.

Ryan, P. McCarron, MacDonald -- offensive
Lewis, Willcox, Stoick OR {Sade/Anderson} OR {Bliss/Wedman} -- defensive

has the makings of being a pretty impressive corps.

Stoick is playing forward, so don't project him into any defensive pairings.

[Trotsky]

I love the idea of MacDoanld suddenly blossoming as a two-way player since it means we can afford to give more ice time to stay at home blueliners next year.  Gotovets is going to be missed more than some think but if Jake moves up to an offensive slot similar to Ryan, we'll be able to see who we have as a solid defender besides Lewis.  Also, we won't pressure Willcox to move up on the play which sometimes has Marx Brothers complications.

Assuming we do not lose Ryan I like our D configuration, particularly with Stoick returning.  Hopefully Anderson will be strong enough to be a regular, and Bliss will work his way in.  We need an impregnable defense early while Gillam is adapting to the every night job.

Ryan, P. McCarron, MacDonald -- offensive
Lewis, Willcox, Stoick OR {Sade/Anderson} OR {Bliss/Wedman} -- defensive

has the makings of being a pretty impressive corps.

Stoick is playing forward, so don't project him into any defensive pairings.

He is?  

He was a D as a frosh here.

[scoop85]

I love the idea of MacDoanld suddenly blossoming as a two-way player since it means we can afford to give more ice time to stay at home blueliners next year.  Gotovets is going to be missed more than some think but if Jake moves up to an offensive slot similar to Ryan, we'll be able to see who we have as a solid defender besides Lewis.  Also, we won't pressure Willcox to move up on the play which sometimes has Marx Brothers complications.

Assuming we do not lose Ryan I like our D configuration, particularly with Stoick returning.  Hopefully Anderson will be strong enough to be a regular, and Bliss will work his way in.  We need an impregnable defense early while Gillam is adapting to the every night job.

Ryan, P. McCarron, MacDonald -- offensive
Lewis, Willcox, Stoick OR {Sade/Anderson} OR {Bliss/Wedman} -- defensive

has the makings of being a pretty impressive corps.

Stoick is playing forward, so don't project him into any defensive pairings.

He is?  

He was a D as a frosh here.

My understanding his that He was converted to D at the USNDTP, but did not like playing there; the decision to go back to the USHL was made so that he could gain experience at forward before returning to Cornell

[ithacat]

I think Stoick grew up playing forward and was converted to defense in Ann Arbor. Sounds like he wanted to move back to forward so went to juniors for a year.

[Trotsky]

I think Stoick grew up playing forward and was converted to defense in Ann Arbor. Sounds like he wanted to move back to forward so went to juniors for a year.

Thanks to everybody who cleared this up..

I imagine Mike considers a forward with defensive training to be a Very Good Thing.

[redice]

On another subject, I've wondered for a while if the refs are getting tired of all the complaining that Schafer does. It seems to filter down to the players. Not saying that it makes the refs out to get us, but sometimes it might be better to suck it up and get on with it.

You nailed it, Jim!!

During my working days, I was in the position of making judgement calls every day.     It was hard to cut ANY  slack to the infantile ones who found it appropriate, in an adult world, to get in my face & holler......      I know things are bit different in the sports world but I'm not sure those officials appreciate such disrespectful behavior coming from Mike.       It would be very easy for "human nature" to engage & have an official put the screws to CU to get back at Mike.

[Jordan 04]

This is playing out (quarterfinal series + PWR implications) quite similarly to 10 years ago.

[TimV]

Our problem is we can't shoot and score. I'm afraid we can't train that...
 

Am I the only one who believes you CAN train/coach/practice that?  In lacrosse, you can aim for the spaces, follow through with the stick head pointing at the aiming point, practice with goal cutouts etc etc.  Why can't they use the skating treadmill and a goal set-up  to practice shooting on the move and breakaway techniques?  I'm so tired of ten years of no  shooting skills and feeling like trailing by 2 goals any time after the first intermission will require a miracle to pull the game out.  C'mon, man!::bang::

[Al DeFlorio]

Our problem is we can't shoot and score. I'm afraid we can't train that...
 

Am I the only one who believes you CAN train/coach/practice that?  In lacrosse, you can aim for the spaces, follow through with the stick head pointing at the aiming point, practice with goal cutouts etc etc.  Why can't they use the skating treadmill and a goal set-up  to practice shooting on the move and breakaway techniques?  I'm so tired of ten years of no  shooting skills and feeling like trailing by 2 goals any time after the first intermission will require a miracle to pull the game out.  C'mon, man!::bang::

I don't have enough hockey smarts to know if it can be taught or not, but I do know that I couldn't agree more with your last sentence.  Frankly, it's causing me to lose interest.

[Towerroad]

Our problem is we can't shoot and score. I'm afraid we can't train that...
 

Am I the only one who believes you CAN train/coach/practice that?  In lacrosse, you can aim for the spaces, follow through with the stick head pointing at the aiming point, practice with goal cutouts etc etc.  Why can't they use the skating treadmill and a goal set-up  to practice shooting on the move and breakaway techniques?  I'm so tired of ten years of no  shooting skills and feeling like trailing by 2 goals any time after the first intermission will require a miracle to pull the game out.  C'mon, man!::bang::

I don't have enough hockey smarts to know if it can be taught or not, but I do know that I couldn't agree more with your last sentence.  Frankly, it's causing me to lose interest.

If we can't train the skill then we have to recruit it. If we can then we need to do it. Either way there is only one person responsible.

[scoop85]

Our problem is we can't shoot and score. I'm afraid we can't train that...
 

Am I the only one who believes you CAN train/coach/practice that?  In lacrosse, you can aim for the spaces, follow through with the stick head pointing at the aiming point, practice with goal cutouts etc etc.  Why can't they use the skating treadmill and a goal set-up  to practice shooting on the move and breakaway techniques?  I'm so tired of ten years of no  shooting skills and feeling like trailing by 2 goals any time after the first intermission will require a miracle to pull the game out.  C'mon, man!::bang::

I know what your saying, but we did come back from two down against both Clarkson and Harvard this season.

That being said, it's about time we got comfortably in front for a change.

[scoop85]

I think Stoick grew up playing forward and was converted to defense in Ann Arbor. Sounds like he wanted to move back to forward so went to juniors for a year.

Thanks to everybody who cleared this up..

I imagine Mike considers a forward with defensive training to be a Very Good Thing.

We have plenty of defensive-minded forwards, which are certainly valuable.  I would consider it a Very Good Thing to have a couple of snipers!