Cornell @ Quinnipiac , 11/05/22

[BearLover]

It's only been 4 games but I guess anemic offense will be the theme of this year?

Looks very similar to last year's offense—little talent, bad execution. Benching Donaldson and Bancroft, two of the higher skill guys, was a questionable choice given the team couldn't set up anything on any of their ample man-up chances.

They both played last night.

Are Donaldson and Bancroft healthy?

[scoop85]

It's only been 4 games but I guess anemic offense will be the theme of this year?

Looks very similar to last year's offense—little talent, bad execution. Benching Donaldson and Bancroft, two of the higher skill guys, was a questionable choice given the team couldn't set up anything on any of their ample man-up chances.

They both played last night.

Are Donaldson and Bancroft healthy?

I thought the lineup choice was a bit odd too. And while Q has great defensive structure that can frustrate many teams, we were hesitant and slow to move the puck in the offensive zone, especially on the PP. I'm befuddled by Berard this year; he seems to either miss the net or have his shot blocked on every attempt. I'd like to believe he will get back to being an effective weapon, but so far it's been a slog.

[Trotsky]

Overall I do not think we played poorly.  We played good defense; we blocked tons of shots.  Shane was sharp.  We held an extremely good Q squad to 2 goals.  (Yes, I know, so did LIU).

We were overmatched (we were held shotless in the first, which is incredible) but we stayed in the game and with some puck luck we could have stolen points.  On the road against the best team in the conference that isn't an epic fail. We are not going to be getting a lot of finesse offense this season, it's going to be ground out after grinding the other team down.  2020 doesn't happen every season.

[Trotsky]

I'd be surprised if Bancroft was a true healthy scratch.  He has already been banged up in a couple games and I assumed he was not 100%.

Berard not being magical yet really hurts.  Maybe it's gelling with the new line, maybe he too isn't fully healthy yet, but yes that is a big drop off.

[Scersk '97]

Overall I do not think we played poorly.  We played good defense; we blocked tons of shots.  Shane was sharp.  We held an extremely good Q squad to 2 goals.  (Yes, I know, so did LIU).

We were overmatched (we were held shotless in the first, which is incredible) but we stayed in the game and with some puck luck we could have stolen points.  On the road against the best team in the conference that isn't an epic fail. We are not going to be getting a lot of finesse offense this season, it's going to be ground out after grinding the other team down.  2020 doesn't happen every season.

In person, that's basically what I saw. Quinnipiac came out fired up, blocking tons of shots. It's not like we didn't have shots, it's just that everything low was being blocked by a Q player and everything high was going over the net. They were setting up high against our offense, both 5-on-5 and on the power play, and our guys didn't seem able/savvy enough (yet?) to make adjustments mid-period to focus down low instead. I would've called a time out. Maybe if it got to 2–0 in the first, Syer would have. None of our forward lines had real chemistry, but it is our third game, ya know.

What I saw to work on? D-to-D passing was truly atrocious all game long. These pairings need to develop some confidence in each other and zip those passes, because every slow D-to-D pass meant the receiver had exactly zero room to breathe against a Q forecheck that was going after everything. It's been a consistent problem, but we need 5-on-5 and power play set ups that don't depend on shots from the point or umbrella, because quick, competent teams are just going to play us high, leading to dangerous turnovers and a lot of chasing. Let's not even mention how much passing it back and forth D-to-D is doing nothing to tire out the other team. If we focus low with this group, I have a feeling our grind might start to really work. Something we don't need to do vs. teams like Princeton, but something we're obviously going to need to do vs. Quinnipiac in the future.

Positives? We got stronger as the game went on and/or Quinnipiac began to tire. The third was really pretty even. The kill on the five-minute major was excellent and a complete turnaround from a first-period kill during which we didn't clear the zone once. Shane played well, and the defense is, once again, getting used to his rebound habits. Most of them were manageable, but I'm sure he's working on it. I would guess Schafer would say something about "compete level" with regard to what happened in the first. If the boys needed an education, they got one.

[ugarte]

What I saw to work on? D-to-D passing was truly atrocious all game long. These pairings need to develop some confidence in each other and zip those passes, because every slow D-to-D pass meant the receiver had exactly zero room to breathe against a Q forecheck that was going after everything.

I think this is a long time Schafer issue. The breakout after we get possession in the defensive zone is always so goddamn slow if the other team puts anyone out in front of the goal even if the rest of the other team is on a line change. I've never understood why we do it even when we are playing a team that doesn't really put on an aggressive forecheck. I don't have problems with Schafer generally but this one thing has always driven me nuts.

[Weder]

Interesting comment from Schafer at the end of this week's email update:

This weekend, we make a road-trip to the North Country before returning to Lynah the following weekend. Friday we play St. Lawrence (5-4 overall, 2-0 ECAC) and on Saturday we face Clarkson (3-6 overall, 1-1 ECAC), so competition continues and games aren't getting easier. I sometimes wonder how our league generates the schedules ... other Ivy schools have played their first four games against other Ivy opponents but strong competition early in season will make us better at the end.

Full update: https://www.cornellhockeyassociation.com/news/coach-schafers-notes-for-11-9-2022/

[Scersk '97]

What I saw to work on? D-to-D passing was truly atrocious all game long. These pairings need to develop some confidence in each other and zip those passes, because every slow D-to-D pass meant the receiver had exactly zero room to breathe against a Q forecheck that was going after everything.

I think this is a long time Schafer issue. The breakout after we get possession in the defensive zone is always so goddamn slow if the other team puts anyone out in front of the goal even if the rest of the other team is on a line change. I've never understood why we do it even when we are playing a team that doesn't really put on an aggressive forecheck. I don't have problems with Schafer generally but this one thing has always driven me nuts.

For what it's worth, the breakout wasn't really a problem the other night; we got out from behind the cage and made the first couple of passes just fine. It was more a tentative first pass after a retreat from the neutral zone or a defensive miscue that forced a chase. Bad breakouts are frustrating and waste time, particularly on the power play, but poor passing in the other situations I mention is, to my mind, much more dangerous since the forwards have already transitioned to offensive positioning.

[Trotsky]

If Cornell and Princeton were the travel pair then the league could rotate through the three Ivy pairs AB, AC, BC in the first three weekends and we would have have 4 Ivy opponents in our first 6 games.  That we do not have an Ivy partner leaves us playing the other singleton on the first 2 weekends and then an Ivy pair in the third.  It's really the best the league can do.

Dump Q, pick up Utica College.  CGT/UTC and COR/PRN.  Problem solved.

[Scersk '97]

Dump Q, pick up Utica College RIT.  CGT/UTC RIT and COR/PRN.  Problem solved.

FYP. It would suck to have Princeton as a travel partner, but so be it.

[Trotsky]

Dump Q, pick up Utica College RIT.  CGT/UTC RIT and COR/PRN.  Problem solved.

FYP. It would suck to have Princeton as a travel partner, but so be it.

I was thinking if RIT joined we would be their natural partner.  Utica was about the only place I could imagine being paired with Colgate.

I'm not sure if a PRN pairing would be bad.  It's an awful trip between them which would tire the opponent out.

[RichH]

Dump Q, pick up Utica College RIT.  CGT/UTC RIT and COR/PRN.  Problem solved.

FYP. It would suck to have Princeton as a travel partner, but so be it.

I was thinking if RIT joined we would be their natural partner.  Utica was about the only place I could imagine being paired with Colgate.

I'm not sure if a PRN pairing would be bad.  It's an awful trip between them which would tire the opponent out.

PU-Q takes around 4 hours with NYC traffic.
PU-CU takes about 4 hours with a route taking you through Scranton.

[Iceberg]

If Penn ever got its act together and brought back a D1 team, a lot of these problems would be solved because you could just have them as a travel partner to Princeton

[RichH]

If Penn ever got its act together and brought back a D1 team, a lot of these problems would be solved because you could just have them as a travel partner to Princeton

We all know who the problem is and will continue to be: Qorporate Qommunity Qollege.  Pitch them, and a lot of options open up.

[marty]

3 x 3 about to play out in Troy after Sucks ties the game in the 3rd.