Union & RPI Weekend News

Jim Hyla · February 14, 2020, 08:12:02 AM

CBR: Stretch Drive Continues For #2 Cornell With Union, RPI Visiting

And CBR: Off The Crossbar: Learning How To 'Finish It'

Sun: With Race Heating Up, No. 2 Men's Hockey Preps for Tilts Against Union and RPI.

Union: Cornell and Colgate up next for Dutchmen

Daily Gazette: Union hits the road for pivotal final stretch

Times-Union on Union:Union Hockey not focused on standings

RPI: Men's Hockey Travels to Colgate and Cornell

The Polytechnic: Behind the mask of Owen Savory

Troy Record: RPI hockey back to ECAC play after last week's Michigan trip

Times Union on RPI: RPI hockey team sets sights on home ice for first round of playoffs

Jim Hyla · February 15, 2020, 09:24:39 AM

CBR: Barron, Kaldis Each Score Twice As #2 Men's Hockey Fends Off Union, 5-2

Sun:Barron and Kaldis Each Score Twice As No. 2 Men's Hockey Edges Out Union

Union: Cornell skates away with win over Union

Times Union: Union wastes opportunities in 5-2 men's hockey defeat at Cornell

Jim Hyla · February 16, 2020, 02:59:23 PM

CBR: Locke's Three-Point Effort Helps #2 Men's Hockey To 4-2 Win Over RPI

RPI: No. 2 Cornell Holds Off Men's Hockey, 4-2

Sun: No. 2 Men's Hockey Survives Late Push by RPI, Earns 5th Straight Win

TU: Engineers can't pull off rally

I sure wish we had some tougher teams to play.

And I hope we can win in LP, as I'm losing enthusiasm about our chances in the NCAAs.

Yes, we could win it all, if we were to put together multipe games where we played for a full 60 min.

But they just don't give me confidence. Shouldn't have to have nail biters against teams down in the rankings.

It's not likely that we're going to be able to come out strong against the top teams and then fade and just hold on for a win.

I'm glad that Schafer thought Saturday was better,

Quote from: Sun"We obviously got off to a quick start, but I really didn't think we let up that much tonight," Schafer said. "We didn't give up that many scoring chances throughout the course of the game — I thought our energy was good.

"They came back and made it a game," Schafer continued, "but it was much different from last night's game where I didn't think we were alert on the bench."

But we were still too close to a loss.

3 more weeks to further right the ship.

Which brings up, isn't it time for John to chime in and give his annual playoff calculator? Here's hoping he gets the message.

redice · February 16, 2020, 03:47:24 PM

Quote from: Jim HylaAnd I hope we can win in LP, as I'm losing enthusiasm about our chances in the NCAAs.

Yes, we could win it all, if we were to put together multipe games where we played for a full 60 min.

But they just don't give me confidence. Shouldn't have to have nail biters against teams down in the rankings.

On the drive home Saturday evening, it was the first time all season, I said to my wife: "We're not going to win the Nat'l Championship this year. Because we can't put away these lousy teams. What are we going to do with the North Dakota's, Minnesota State's of the world, when we get to the NCAA's?" Until that moment in time, I've been predicting a NC, ALL YEAR for us!!! I've been that confident, until now.

abmarks · February 16, 2020, 04:07:37 PM

Quote from: redice
Quote from: Jim HylaAnd I hope we can win in LP, as I'm losing enthusiasm about our chances in the NCAAs.

Yes, we could win it all, if we were to put together multipe games where we played for a full 60 min.

But they just don't give me confidence. Shouldn't have to have nail biters against teams down in the rankings.

On the drive home Saturday evening, it was the first time all season, I said to my wife: "We're not going to win the Nat'l Championship this year. Because we can't put away these lousy teams. What are we going to do with the North Dakota's, Minnesota State's of the world, when we get to the NCAA's?" Until that moment in time, I've been predicting a NC, ALL YEAR for us!!! I've been that confident, until now.

I wonder If we're just one of those teams that tends to play up or down to the level of it's competition. If so, I don't feel as bad about the NCAA at this point as some here. Will be interesting in a small sample to see how we play. Against Clarkson.

redice · February 16, 2020, 04:15:57 PM

That will be a real benchmark. abmarks.

Tcl123 · February 16, 2020, 08:41:34 PM

I couldn't agree more with the above statements. What's even more concerning is our recent game with Quinnipiac, which is a bubble team at best.

ugarte · February 16, 2020, 11:06:31 PM

I see two problems.
1) Galajda is off. We are giving up so few shots that if we score 3, we should not be sweating.
2) We are getting surprisingly unlucky on our own shots. Maybe the team is collectively not good at shooting but tbh I feel like we've been clanging them off the post a lot. Early in the season we were getting VERY lucky and I think it spoiled us. We came back down to Earth but aren't doing anything all that different.

1 worries me more than 2 because 2 should work itself out when we regress back to a normal amount of "luck" that won't look like the early season sniping.

Trotsky · February 17, 2020, 03:15:14 AM

Quote from: ugarteGalajda is off. We are giving up so few shots

These may be related.

upprdeck · February 17, 2020, 07:31:19 AM

Its one of the hard things to quantify in hockey though. You could give up 5 shots a game and they could all be breakaway attempts.

All the team can do is try to maximize the amount of quality chances and limit the amount it gives up. Friday nights game we led 3-0 but probably had 5 other moments the puck was poised to go in but didnt in the first period alone.

The games at the start of the yr we out shot/chanced teams and struggled to win a few times . Now the last few weeks we have gotten off to good starts and then hung on. The one thing is that we really have only played one kind bad period in all of these, and its just that playing even periods we have been outscored. If we are dominant and score its a much better situation to be in.

The Rancor · February 17, 2020, 10:40:34 AM

Only Cornell fans can go 19-2-4 (and be a puck width from 24-1) in February, mostly healthy and feel the doom and gloom set in. Y'all need some sunshine and vitamin D! (says guy who escaped Ithaca to Florida/California) Sorry to tempt the Hockey Gods!!**]

upprdeck · February 17, 2020, 10:51:11 AM

we do act like every other good team has not had any stinkers too.

Jim Hyla · February 17, 2020, 12:35:50 PM

I'm enjoying every minute (well not really every minute) of the season, but I stick by my concern.

We've been fortunate to not have a number of other losses.

Not having an ECAC title for so long makes one more anxious with every little failure.

Jim Hyla · February 17, 2020, 01:05:25 PM

Some interesting news.

Beyond The Box Scores: The Union/Rensselaer Games

Quote• With Saturday's win, the Big Red's seniors have now swept the regular-season series against nine of ECAC Hockey's 11 teams at least once over their collegiate careers. There's still a chance to check off the other two if Cornell can win Friday at Yale and Feb. 29 vs. visiting Clarkson.

• The Big Red leads the nation with nine power-play goals and 23 total goals so far in February.

• For the first time in Schafer's coaching era, the Big Red has scored four or more goals in five consecutive games twice in the same season (discontinuously). The last time Cornell has accomplished the feat was during the 1983-84 season, when Schafer was a sophomore defenseman.

KenP · February 17, 2020, 02:42:11 PM

My impression (and concern) is that we are letting teams back in the game because we start losing the one-on-one battles and end up with odd man rushes and general majority of play in our defensive zone. That sounds to me like hallmarks of losing focus, fatigue/lack of conditioning, or some related issue.

Please correct me if I am wrong.