Cornell vs. Princeton--ECAC Semis

[Beeeej]

Will there be a gathering in NYC to view this game?

There is none planned that I know of, though obviously you could arrange one if you wanted. I have to be at work for the semifinal. If we win, I'm tempted to try to put together a group for the final (or at least join whatever group has been put together), but I can't promise anything.

[Beeeej]

CHN feature on Princeton reaching Lake Placid:

https://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2018/03/15_Princeton-Seniors-Finally.php

[Beeeej]

Also, CHN's overall tournament preview:

https://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2018/03/15_ECAC-Tournament-Preview.php

[adamw]

We're supposed to have a Cornell feature today too. Still waiting for it. FYI.

[Trotsky]

We're supposed to have a Cornell feature today too. Still waiting for it. FYI.

Thanks, Adam.

[RichH]

As we get closer, the more I think about what a strange opponent this is. Unleashed offense, yes, but a very suspect defense. On one hand, Princeton has the number one offense in the nation over the past 2 months (according to the CHN story) at 4.53 gpg. Sure, by now we know that Veronneau and Kufner are immensely dangerous, but Princeton has 6 players with more points than our leading scorer. But their defense! It looks like Teves and Thom are their leading d-men, and they've hung +/- of 14 and 12. Ferlund in net has a GAA north of 3 and a Save % of 0.911. Cornell scored 12 goals in two against them, but that early game at Baker Rink was quite the stressful affair that required a gutty comeback. Nothing really jumps out of the advanced metric boxes, except how few shots Kufner took.  Cornell scored most of their goals from the midpoint of each game onward, so it looks like we wore them out.

I don't know. This could easily be a 7-4 game...for either side.  It's not your typical ECAC team we're facing. If Cornell plays with the same confidence, speed, and possession skill they did in the QF game 1, it's certainly a game we should win. We've got a great shut-down defense, and if the four deep lines keep coming at them, I feel good about get through their D.

Is it obvious I'm nervous and just sputtering nonsense yet?

[Chris '03]

As we get closer, the more I think about what a strange opponent this is. Unleashed offense, yes, but a very suspect defense. On one hand, Princeton has the number one offense in the nation over the past 2 months (according to the CHN story) at 4.53 gpg. Sure, by now we know that Veronneau and Kufner are immensely dangerous, but Princeton has 6 players with more points than our leading scorer. But their defense! It looks like Teves and Thom are their leading d-men, and they've hung +/- of 14 and 12. Ferlund in net has a GAA north of 3 and a Save % of 0.911. Cornell scored 12 goals in two against them, but that early game at Baker Rink was quite the stressful affair that required a gutty comeback. Nothing really jumps out of the advanced metric boxes, except how few shots Kufner took.  Cornell scored most of their goals from the midpoint of each game onward, so it looks like we wore them out.

I don't know. This could easily be a 7-4 game...for either side.  It's not your typical ECAC team we're facing. If Cornell plays with the same confidence, speed, and possession skill they did in the QF game 1, it's certainly a game we should win. We've got a great shut-down defense, and if the four deep lines keep coming at them, I feel good about get through their D.

Is it obvious I'm nervous and just sputtering nonsense yet?

One question I always have this time of year is whether there will be a bunch of media timeouts. They help the "one big line" teams and hurt the "we can roll all four" teams. It's a frustrating change in the way the game is played once the playoffs come around.

[Beeeej]

As we get closer, the more I think about what a strange opponent this is. Unleashed offense, yes, but a very suspect defense. On one hand, Princeton has the number one offense in the nation over the past 2 months (according to the CHN story) at 4.53 gpg. Sure, by now we know that Veronneau and Kufner are immensely dangerous, but Princeton has 6 players with more points than our leading scorer. But their defense! It looks like Teves and Thom are their leading d-men, and they've hung +/- of 14 and 12. Ferlund in net has a GAA north of 3 and a Save % of 0.911. Cornell scored 12 goals in two against them, but that early game at Baker Rink was quite the stressful affair that required a gutty comeback. Nothing really jumps out of the advanced metric boxes, except how few shots Kufner took.  Cornell scored most of their goals from the midpoint of each game onward, so it looks like we wore them out.

I don't know. This could easily be a 7-4 game...for either side.  It's not your typical ECAC team we're facing. If Cornell plays with the same confidence, speed, and possession skill they did in the QF game 1, it's certainly a game we should win. We've got a great shut-down defense, and if the four deep lines keep coming at them, I feel good about get through their D.

Is it obvious I'm nervous and just sputtering nonsense yet?

One question I always have this time of year is whether there will be a bunch of media timeouts. They help the "one big line" teams and hurt the "we can roll all four" teams. It's a frustrating change in the way the game is played once the playoffs come around.

Yes and no. The "one big line" team gets to rest their big line a little longer before their next shift and give them more ice time that way, but more ice time is still going to wear them out over the course of three periods. Maybe that's the "wearing out" RichH spoke of, and it wouldn't be quite as helpful with the media timeouts, but if they rely too heavily on that I think it'll come back to bite them badly.

[Trotsky]

I don't have time to get nervous about the game while I'm still nervous about getting there.

[BigRedHockeyFan]

Comparing Princeton and Cornell with results against weak opponents excluded (Brown, St. Lawrence, RPI), last 13 games.


Princeton   
GF   GA         
3   -3    ot    St. Cloud State (nc)   
2   -2    ot    St. Cloud State (nc)   
1   -7        at Cornell   
0   -4        at Colgate   
1   -3        at Harvard   
6   -3        at Dartmouth   
5   -3        at Quinnipiac   
4   -3        Clarkson   
2   -7        at Yale   
1   -4        Union   
3   -3    ot    at Clarkson   
5   -3        at Union (nc)   
3   -2        at Union (nc)   
                  
36   -47      Total, no shutouts   
                  
      
Cornell                  
GF   GA   
1   -2        at Miami (nc)   
4   -0        at Miami (nc)   
6   -2        Canisius (nc)   
7   -1        Princeton   
1   -0        Quinnipiac   
3   -3    ot    at Yale   
2   -0        Colgate   
2   -0        at Colgate   
3   -0        at Harvard   
3   -1        at Dartmouth   
4   -3        Union   
0   -0    ot    at Clarkson   
3   -2        Yale   
3   -4        at Union   
9   -1        Quinnipiac (nc)   
2   -0        Quinnipiac (nc)   
                  
53   -15             Total, 6 shutouts

[Jim Hyla]

I don't have time to get nervous about the game while I'm still nervous about getting there.

Weather nervous? Road condition nervous?

Don't be, at least so far. The roads here in CNY are clear and dry, with a few areas of wetness.

We may get an inch or two of snow overnight and it's supposed to be less than an inch in LP.

I don't know which way you're going, but if it's thru Albany, they're not supposed to have snow.

So get in your car and fly.

[Trotsky]

I don't have time to get nervous about the game while I'm still nervous about getting there.

Weather nervous? Road condition nervous?

Don't be, at least so far. The roads here in CNY are clear and dry, with a few areas of wetness.

We may get an inch or two of snow overnight and it's supposed to be less than an inch in LP.

I don't know which way you're going, but if it's thru Albany, they're not supposed to have snow.

So get in your car and fly.

Fly DC --> Boston; drive Boston --> LP.  Don't ask, it just worked out easier that way.

But I hate logistics.

[Jim Hyla]

I don't have time to get nervous about the game while I'm still nervous about getting there.

Weather nervous? Road condition nervous?

Don't be, at least so far. The roads here in CNY are clear and dry, with a few areas of wetness.

We may get an inch or two of snow overnight and it's supposed to be less than an inch in LP.

I don't know which way you're going, but if it's thru Albany, they're not supposed to have snow.

So get in your car and fly.

Fly DC --> Boston; drive Boston --> LP.  Don't ask, it just worked out easier that way.

But I hate logistics.

So I was almost right, fly and get in your car.

I assume you'll go thru Albany, so once you get out of Boston, no problem.

But it is funny that you're going thru your favorite city.::whistle::

[Trotsky]

But it is funny that you're going thru your favorite city.::whistle::

Anne's birth defect is trying but I still love her.

[Beeeej]

The aforementioned Cornell feature on CHN:

https://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2018/03/15_Older,-Faster-Cornell-Stronger.php