Attendance at Lynah

[upprdeck]

i dont think the games have been that boring, just not high scoring. not for lack of chances though. the 4-2 slu game could have just as easily been 6-4 cornell with all the chances CU had. would that have made it more exciting just because they scored on the breakaways?

[Jim Hyla]

I'm an die hard hockey fan for over 35 years and I don't mind watching defensive style hockey but even I get sick of losing while watching dump and chase.

Me too, and I never thought I'd say Cornell hockey was boring me.

I don't know why we keep saying we are just boring dump and chase. Our game style has openned up considerably over the years. We are not a completely free skating team, and I don't think that it'll ever happen, but it's a lot more open than 5-10 years ago.

I don't have carry in vs. dump in stats, but here are SOG, with + being we outshot the opp, - the opposite and = the same.

UNO 30 -
UNO 33 +
PU  41 +
Q   18 -( 1 shot in third per)
Clk 29 +
SLU 23 =

No, it doesn't prove anything, but most games we have decent shot totals. Now if someone wants to gather stats, such as % carry in, from all games, please do.

[MattS]

i dont think the games have been that boring, just not high scoring. not for lack of chances though. the 4-2 slu game could have just as easily been 6-4 cornell with all the chances CU had. would that have made it more exciting just because they scored on the breakaways?

I think for the novice fan (read: relatively uneducated at hockey Cornell student) yes it would have been more exciting if CU scored more. What's more fun, "oh damn" after an almost goal or cheering like crazy after an actual goal?

[Dafatone]

I'm an die hard hockey fan for over 35 years and I don't mind watching defensive style hockey but even I get sick of losing while watching dump and chase.

Me too, and I never thought I'd say Cornell hockey was boring me.

I don't know why we keep saying we are just boring dump and chase. Our game style has openned up considerably over the years. We are not a completely free skating team, and I don't think that it'll ever happen, but it's a lot more open than 5-10 years ago.

I don't have carry in vs. dump in stats, but here are SOG, with + being we outshot the opp, - the opposite and = the same.

UNO 30 -
UNO 33 +
PU  41 +
Q   18 -( 1 shot in third per)
Clk 29 +
SLU 23 =

No, it doesn't prove anything, but most games we have decent shot totals. Now if someone wants to gather stats, such as % carry in, from all games, please do.

If anything, from the games I've listened to and/or seen (not many so far this year, to be fair), it sounds like we're occasionally trying too hard to be fancy.  Too many passes on the PP trying for one timers, for instance.  I'm not one of those people that yells "shoot!" over and over (it turns out my dad is.  Augh), but working the puck down low or driving to the net are options.

And while sure, "winning" would draw more fans, it's not like the team's been losing a lot.  We've been over .500 every year but one for a long time.  How was student attendance in past times when we actually lost a lot?

[underskill]

I don't think it's losing per se, the program has just felt stuck in neutral the past few years, maybe the fourth or fifth best program in the conference since 2010.

[MattS]

I'm an die hard hockey fan for over 35 years and I don't mind watching defensive style hockey but even I get sick of losing while watching dump and chase.

Me too, and I never thought I'd say Cornell hockey was boring me.

I don't know why we keep saying we are just boring dump and chase. Our game style has openned up considerably over the years. We are not a completely free skating team, and I don't think that it'll ever happen, but it's a lot more open than 5-10 years ago.

I don't have carry in vs. dump in stats, but here are SOG, with + being we outshot the opp, - the opposite and = the same.

UNO 30 -
UNO 33 +
PU  41 +
Q   18 -( 1 shot in third per)
Clk 29 +
SLU 23 =

No, it doesn't prove anything, but most games we have decent shot totals. Now if someone wants to gather stats, such as % carry in, from all games, please do.

Ok, maybe not completely dump and chase, but compared to other teams that come into Lynah, CU is the more conservative team offensively. When CU does gain the zone via a carry-in, then the result is much the same as if it was dump and chase. Battle along the boards, tie up the opposing player, and hope the puck gets squirted out to another CU player for a shot, then retreat to the neutral zone to play defense. Yes, I am exaggerating but the point remains the same about CU's defensive style effecting student turnout.

I am going to guess, and I am confident here, that many students, who do follow hockey, follow the NHL where the game is more open than the style played by Schafer teams. Yes, its better than it was "5-10 years ago", but the students do not know that.

[RichH]

I don't know why we keep saying we are just boring dump and chase. Our game style has openned up considerably over the years. We are not a completely free skating team, and I don't think that it'll ever happen, but it's a lot more open than 5-10 years ago.

One of my observations from watching the game at QU was that we've more or less completely abandoned that "retreat with the puck to behind our own net and regroup" strategy that drove most of us so bonkers the past few seasons. Cornell seemed to attack the neutral zone immediately upon obtaining possession and now doesn't seem to have any big problems in gaining the offensive zone quickly, which opens things up.  We've seen more chances on odd-man rushes like the 2 goals scored vs. Clarkson. I'd bet that neutral zone turnovers are way down this season. These are all Good Things (tm).

What I don't like is that most shots on offensive possessions seem to be coming from between the top of the circles and the blueline. They're all trying to score like Ryan and MacDonald. It's my opinion that this team needs to get back in the trenches and work for goals in near the crease. The 5x3 PP at Quinnipiac just stayed up near the blue line bombing away.  They were given the space, and didn't work to move the puck closer to the net.  You do have Hilbrich setting up in front of the goalie often, creating a screen and looking for deflections or an opportunistic rebound, but there needs to be more bodies down low. They have the size advantage at the Forward position most all of the time, but are only using it in the corners.

Anyway, this is an attendence thread.

[MattS]

I'm an die hard hockey fan for over 35 years and I don't mind watching defensive style hockey but even I get sick of losing while watching dump and chase.

Me too, and I never thought I'd say Cornell hockey was boring me.

I don't know why we keep saying we are just boring dump and chase. Our game style has openned up considerably over the years. We are not a completely free skating team, and I don't think that it'll ever happen, but it's a lot more open than 5-10 years ago.

I don't have carry in vs. dump in stats, but here are SOG, with + being we outshot the opp, - the opposite and = the same.

UNO 30 -
UNO 33 +
PU  41 +
Q   18 -( 1 shot in third per)
Clk 29 +
SLU 23 =

No, it doesn't prove anything, but most games we have decent shot totals. Now if someone wants to gather stats, such as % carry in, from all games, please do.

If anything, from the games I've listened to and/or seen (not many so far this year, to be fair), it sounds like we're occasionally trying too hard to be fancy.  Too many passes on the PP trying for one timers, for instance.  I'm not one of those people that yells "shoot!" over and over (it turns out my dad is.  Augh), but working the puck down low or driving to the net are options.

And while sure, "winning" would draw more fans, it's not like the team's been losing a lot.  We've been over .500 every year but one for a long time.  How was student attendance in past times when we actually lost a lot?

Since you asked, here is average attendance and season record since Lynah's expansion:

2014-15: 4103 1-4-1
2013-14: 4151 17-10-5
2012-13: 4253 15-16-3
2011-12: 4254 19-9-7
2010-11: 4235 16-15-3
2009-10: 4264 21-9-4
2008-09: 4195 22-10-4
2007-08: 4226 19-14-3
2006-07: 4232 14-13-4

Attendance is taken from USCHO box scores and I assume the numbers are for "paid" and not "turnstile".

[scoop85]

I don't know why we keep saying we are just boring dump and chase. Our game style has openned up considerably over the years. We are not a completely free skating team, and I don't think that it'll ever happen, but it's a lot more open than 5-10 years ago.

One of my observations from watching the game at QU was that we've more or less completely abandoned that "retreat with the puck to behind our own net and regroup" strategy that drove most of us so bonkers the past few seasons. Cornell seemed to attack the neutral zone immediately upon obtaining possession and now doesn't seem to have any big problems in gaining the offensive zone quickly, which opens things up.  We've seen more chances on odd-man rushes like the 2 goals scored vs. Clarkson. I'd bet that neutral zone turnovers are way down this season. These are all Good Things (tm).

What I don't like is that most shots on offensive possessions seem to be coming from between the top of the circles and the blueline. They're all trying to score like Ryan and MacDonald. It's my opinion that this team needs to get back in the trenches and work for goals in near the crease. The 5x3 PP at Quinnipiac just stayed up near the blue line bombing away.  They were given the space, and didn't work to move the puck closer to the net.  You do have Hilbrich setting up in front of the goalie often, creating a screen and looking for deflections or an opportunistic rebound, but there needs to be more bodies down low. They have the size advantage at the Forward position most all of the time, but are only using it in the corners.

Anyway, this is an attendence thread.

What I've noticed the past few seasons is that we never score on a deflection, and rarely (if ever) off of a screen.  The last guy who I recall scoring on a deflection was Joe Devin, and I don't understand why none of the forwards seem to have that essential skill.

[Rosey]

Attendance is taken from USCHO box scores and I assume the numbers are for "paid" and not "turnstile".

Making this almost useless for purposes of judging crowd enthusiasm.

[French Rage]

They still seem to want to speed up clapping during the cowbell, but it's probably because they can't actually hear the cowbell--they just hear people clapping, and start clapping along and then start clapping faster.

That seems to be an issue at every sport in every arena.  The usual "Defense! *clap* *clap*" cheer somehow turns into a speed-clapping contest, which of course makes the cheer peter out in 10 seconds when it could last minutes if people kept a constant rhythm.

[KeithK]

Since you asked, here is average attendance and season record since Lynah's expansion:

2014-15: 4103 1-4-1
2013-14: 4151 17-10-5
2012-13: 4253 15-16-3
2011-12: 4254 19-9-7
2010-11: 4235 16-15-3
2009-10: 4264 21-9-4
2008-09: 4195 22-10-4
2007-08: 4226 19-14-3
2006-07: 4232 14-13-4

Attendance is taken from USCHO box scores and I assume the numbers are for "paid" and not "turnstile".

In case this wasn't obvious by inspection, there is essentially no correlation there between winning percentage and paid attendance.  If I throw out this year's numbers (small sample and all) there's actually a slight negative trend in the data (winning more results in fewer tickets sold) but with an R2 of 0.024.

This all makessense to me.  We're good enough and have a strong enough history of success that the tickets are going to be sold.  Now if someone could make a reliable count of people in the building at the start of the first and second periods that would be a useful piece of information and might actually correlate with success.

[Dafatone]

Since you asked, here is average attendance and season record since Lynah's expansion:

2014-15: 4103 1-4-1
2013-14: 4151 17-10-5
2012-13: 4253 15-16-3
2011-12: 4254 19-9-7
2010-11: 4235 16-15-3
2009-10: 4264 21-9-4
2008-09: 4195 22-10-4
2007-08: 4226 19-14-3
2006-07: 4232 14-13-4

Attendance is taken from USCHO box scores and I assume the numbers are for "paid" and not "turnstile".

In case this wasn't obvious by inspection, there is essentially no correlation there between winning percentage and paid attendance.  If I throw out this year's numbers (small sample and all) there's actually a slight negative trend in the data (winning more results in fewer tickets sold) but with an R2 of 0.024.

This all makessense to me.  We're good enough and have a strong enough history of success that the tickets are going to be sold.  Now if someone could make a reliable count of people in the building at the start of the first and second periods that would be a useful piece of information and might actually correlate with success.

Well, tickets sold being that much greater than attendance lends some credit to the theory that the "real" fans (as in, more dedicated) are somehow not getting their hands on tickets, perhaps because they are so pricey.  Not sure I agree with that fan quality distinction, but it's not like tickets aren't being sold.  Kids just aren't AS interested in going, once they have tickets in hand.

I wonder which kids those are, demographically.

[Trotsky]

I don't think it's losing per se, the program has just felt stuck in neutral the past few years, maybe the fourth or fifth best program in the conference since 2010.

We have been.

RS Pct, 2011-14:

.733 Union
.608 Quinnipiac
.602 Yale
.551 Cornell
.506 RPI

Everybody else is under .500

[andyw2100]

They still seem to want to speed up clapping during the cowbell, but it's probably because they can't actually hear the cowbell--they just hear people clapping, and start clapping along and then start clapping faster.

That seems to be an issue at every sport in every arena.  The usual "Defense! *clap* *clap*" cheer somehow turns into a speed-clapping contest, which of course makes the cheer peter out in 10 seconds when it could last minutes if people kept a constant rhythm.

I'm not disagreeing, but historically that hasn't been much of a problem with the Cowbell cheer at Lynah. I expect as the fans in Section D attend more games they will get the hang of things. The "Go, Red, Go" during penalty kills seems, at least for now, to be gone.