Cornell @ Princeton 11/18/23

[BearLover]

I mean we were in a worse spot around now last year but Jesus that was frustrating. We have a lot of high caliber non conference games coming up but if we keep playing like we are against the bottom of the ECAC wins out of conference won't even matter.

We had a much better team last year. There were eight freshmen and one senior in the lineup tonight.

[pjd8]

My hot take is if Bancroft was available tonight we would have won.  He's our one true "natural goal scorer."  Boy did we need one.  We had so many phenomenal chances but simply did not have the right man on the puck.

But it doesn't bode well if we have to have that one guy to beat a team like Princeton, especially after we were given the gift of a 5 minute major.

[ugarte]

You'd think that when no passing seams have opened up after over a minute of passing it around on the perimeter, somebody would attempt to shoot the puck instead.

Forget shooting - change the skating pattern! Step forward, make them move differently, have someone skate through the umbrella so they have to react to him. ANYTHING but Sweet Georgia Brown for four minutes. Dean Smith is the only person who'd appreciate our power play.

[arugula]

You'd think that when no passing seams have opened up after over a minute of passing it around on the perimeter, somebody would attempt to shoot the puck instead.

Forget shooting - change the skating pattern! Step forward, make them move differently, have someone skate through the umbrella so they have to react to him. ANYTHING but Sweet Georgia Brown for four minutes. Dean Smith is the only person who'd appreciate our power play.

Moving the puck low would be a good change. We really miss Malinski's skills.
Was the pp designed by Archer?

As some of you reference, this game was a disaster.  To dominate possession like that and not be able to score is astonishing but similar to what we saw for long stretches the last two seasons.  Only worse now because we lack any  serious snipers other than maybe Bancroft.   The last few years we had Berard, Steinberg, Malone who could occasionally get us an easy one.  No easy goals for this team.

Lastly , let's not forget that we now have a problem in goal.

[marty]

You'd think that when no passing seams have opened up after over a minute of passing it around on the perimeter, somebody would attempt to shoot the puck instead.

Forget shooting - change the skating pattern! Step forward, make them move differently, have someone skate through the umbrella so they have to react to him. ANYTHING but Sweet Georgia Brown for four minutes. Dean Smith is the only person who'd appreciate our power play.

Moving the puck low would be a good change. We really miss Malinski's skills.
Was the pp designed by Archer?

As some of you reference, this game was a disaster.  To dominate possession like that and not be able to score is astonishing but similar to what we saw for long stretches the last two seasons.  Only worse now because we lack any  serious snipers other than maybe Bancroft.   The last few years we had Berard, Steinberg, Malone who could occasionally get us an easy one.  No easy goals for this team.

Lastly , let's not forget that we now have a problem in goal.

We have to pray we have snipers in training.  Needing to improve offense, defense and special teams has to be a coaching nightmare - there are only a finite number of hours to practice in a week.

[chimpfood]

You'd think that when no passing seams have opened up after over a minute of passing it around on the perimeter, somebody would attempt to shoot the puck instead.

Forget shooting - change the skating pattern! Step forward, make them move differently, have someone skate through the umbrella so they have to react to him. ANYTHING but Sweet Georgia Brown for four minutes. Dean Smith is the only person who'd appreciate our power play.

it seems like this crew is scared to get down and dirty in front of the net and get greasy goals that we have seen past Cornell teams live off of. I have no doubt that Schafer can coach these kids up in the long term but I really want to see some success this year and not just promise for the future.

[Dafatone]

You'd think that when no passing seams have opened up after over a minute of passing it around on the perimeter, somebody would attempt to shoot the puck instead.

Forget shooting - change the skating pattern! Step forward, make them move differently, have someone skate through the umbrella so they have to react to him. ANYTHING but Sweet Georgia Brown for four minutes. Dean Smith is the only person who'd appreciate our power play.

it seems like this crew is scared to get down and dirty in front of the net and get greasy goals that we have seen past Cornell teams live off of. I have no doubt that Schafer can coach these kids up in the long term but I really want to see some success this year and not just promise for the future.

I don't think it's a lack of willingness so much as a lack of knowledge. As we recruit more skilled players, we are getting players who didn't have to grind out battles down low or in the corners to be successful. So, they need to learn to play that way.

It'll come. We had a lot of chances tonight and came close repeatedly. We're not lacking in firepower.

[scoop85]

Psenicka and DeSantis are poster boys for the struggles we're going through as a team. Both guys have been solid contributors in the past, but neither guy can sniff a goal right now. Tonight Psenicka had several golden opportunities that he just couldn't bury. Mind boggling.

[Iceberg]

I didn't think the team created a lot of good opportunities in the game. Smith faced a lot of shots but most weren't anything particularly threatening. He had a few very good saves (e.g. near the end of the major) but the biggest failure of the game was the inability to do anything on the multiple extra-man opportunities. Princeton was content to trap the whole game and while they did actually play some good defense and block shots, this was Cornell's game to lose

[sah67]

Tonight Psenicka had several golden opportunities that he just couldn't bury. Mind boggling.

I feel like the majority of Psenicka's goals in previous seasons were tips and deflections from the slot or right in front of the net, and yet he never seems to be positioned in those spots on the PP this year.

I'm also not sold on Rego getting as much PP time as he does, let alone quarterbacking it. Robertson and Fegaras seem like the only D-men posing any sort of offensive "threat" at the moment, but Fegaras seems a bit more "raw" and prone to turnovers, whereas Robertson is more of a playmaker in the mold of Yanni Kaldis or Joakim Ryan. Without any talented goal scorers besides Bancroft, his efforts are going to waste.

[BearLover]

Tonight Psenicka had several golden opportunities that he just couldn't bury. Mind boggling.

I feel like the majority of Psenicka's goals in previous seasons were tips and deflections from the slot or right in front of the net, and yet he never seems to be positioned in those spots on the PP this year.

I'm also not sold on Rego getting as much PP time as he does, let alone quarterbacking it. Robertson and Fegaras seem like the only D-men posing any sort of offensive "threat" at the moment, but Fegaras seems a bit more "raw" and prone to turnovers, whereas Robertson is more of a playmaker in the mold of Yanni Kaldis or Joakim Ryan. Without any talented goal scorers besides Bancroft, his efforts are going to waste.

Yes. I am not seeing consistent playmaking from any D besides Robertson. I think that's why the offense is stalling. Bancroft/Castagna are offensively talented but many of their chances come from hero ball solo-efforts rather than cohesive passing plays. The lineup is 40% freshmen. Several of them would have spent another year in junior hockey or would not be in the lineup, if Cornell were allowed to retain/bring in grad transfers. Castagna is straight out of high school. The team is just too young and raw. This isn't really a knock on anybody, the freshmen could turn out to be great. That's not going to happen overnight, though.

[arugula]

Tonight Psenicka had several golden opportunities that he just couldn't bury. Mind boggling.

I feel like the majority of Psenicka's goals in previous seasons were tips and deflections from the slot or right in front of the net, and yet he never seems to be positioned in those spots on the PP this year.

I'm also not sold on Rego getting as much PP time as he does, let alone quarterbacking it. Robertson and Fegaras seem like the only D-men posing any sort of offensive "threat" at the moment, but Fegaras seems a bit more "raw" and prone to turnovers, whereas Robertson is more of a playmaker in the mold of Yanni Kaldis or Joakim Ryan. Without any talented goal scorers besides Bancroft, his efforts are going to waste.

I agree. Rego's miscast.  Suda also trying to do too much.

[BearLover]

Tonight Psenicka had several golden opportunities that he just couldn't bury. Mind boggling.

I feel like the majority of Psenicka's goals in previous seasons were tips and deflections from the slot or right in front of the net, and yet he never seems to be positioned in those spots on the PP this year.

I'm also not sold on Rego getting as much PP time as he does, let alone quarterbacking it. Robertson and Fegaras seem like the only D-men posing any sort of offensive "threat" at the moment, but Fegaras seems a bit more "raw" and prone to turnovers, whereas Robertson is more of a playmaker in the mold of Yanni Kaldis or Joakim Ryan. Without any talented goal scorers besides Bancroft, his efforts are going to waste.

I agree. Rego's miscast.  Suda also trying to do too much.

The only options besides Rego and Suda are Robertson (who already quarterbacks the top PP unit), Hank Kempf (12 career points in 70 games). Jack O'Brien (2 career games), and a bunch of freshmen.

[arugula]

Schaf may not be comfortable with it, but maybe a forward at the pp point. Castagna seems like could do it.

[upprdeck]

The lack of PP/PK output has cost them really from going 3 pts and a decent chance of 6-7 pts the last 2 weekends.

The first step on the PP is control the puck and thats been decent enough.