NCAAs 1st rd. Cornell vs. MSU

[Beeeej]

We're playing the #2 team in the country. By polls, the #1. They're way outshooting us, but we're doing what we have to in limiting their big chances. Through two, we're only down one.

We're still in this.

I thought of a dark (and perhaps funny only to me) joke when Cornell was down 3-2 but still very much in the game, "Well, we've probably done enough to earn an at large bid to the second round."

NOT NECESSARY, said Shane and Major and Walsh and Mack...

Oh man... HAHAHA.

May I post that to Facebook please?

Hell yeah you can!! Link it when you do, haha! (if you note that I made it, would be appreciated, but I definitely didn't draw it hahaha)

Who exactly am I crediting...?

Nevermind - I see the credits at the bottom now!

[617BigRed]

Immortalized: https://barmaidblog.livejournal.com/55792.html
God damn. Absorbing this lore. The livejournal really makes it so much better.

Well just perused this for first time, instantly in love - anyone know where she is now? Lol

[ugarte]

Immortalized: https://barmaidblog.livejournal.com/55792.html
God damn. Absorbing this lore. The livejournal really makes it so much better.

Well just perused this for first time, instantly in love - anyone know where she is now? Lol

lolllllll

[ugarte]

As I mentioned last night, I missed almost all of the third period. So, with some time to kill sitting in my car during alternate-side parking, I watched the third period. That was the best period I've seen Cornell play all year. Maybe since Barron left? I got chills as soon as FFJOL got hacked, when the first golden chance on the PP got stopped, when Mack saucered the puck over to Major... it's worth reliving if you haven't relived it yet.

I am going to miss this senior class more than I expected but goddamn Major has taken huge leaps in the last month. The growth potential of the team that Casey Jones gets handed is insane. Ready for BU and whatever comes after.

[617BigRed]

Any chance Schafer unretires and comes back for a few more seasons? j/k but lets send him out with a national title win!

Maybe around like '14-15 or before the shift to more attacking style when we hadnt won much for few years was walking back from Sucks game over that bridge back towards Harvard Sq. and was about to talk with friends again about how Schafer had to go, just one FF trip we need new coach to win in modern game etc. then turned around and guess who was walking right behind us with his staff... ::bugeye::

Lesson learned and on to success in the years since! LGR

[chimpfood]

https://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2025/03/27_Michigan-State-Left-Haunted.php

Jane McNally's Cornell Daily Sun article CU-Sun

I love her. God. I'm getting chills reading that article.

Jane's CHN piece: https://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2025/03/27_The-Beat-Goes-On-For-Cornell.php

YAY Jane!

Her graduation will be a big loss for Cornell hockey fans.  Maybe she'll continue with College Hockey News.

Shes 2026 if you read her bio for the sun

[BearLover]

As I mentioned last night, I missed almost all of the third period. So, with some time to kill sitting in my car during alternate-side parking, I watched the third period. That was the best period I've seen Cornell play all year. Maybe since Barron left?

I'm surprised you say this. It was by far Cornell's best period of the game—periods one and two were really bad—but even in period three things could easily have gone south in a hurry. I will have to go back and rewatch, but I recall around four grade-A scoring chances from MSU in between the two Cornell goals. MSU played too defensively early in the period, allowing Cornell to gain traction, but Cornell didn't actually come especially close to scoring until the Walsh goal. On the other hand, MSU easily could have scored multiple goals that period. Some they missed eg. Howard back door), some Shane made a great save on, and I think at least one in the third hit the post?

[ugarte]

As I mentioned last night, I missed almost all of the third period. So, with some time to kill sitting in my car during alternate-side parking, I watched the third period. That was the best period I've seen Cornell play all year. Maybe since Barron left?

I'm surprised you say this. It was by far Cornell's best period of the game—periods one and two were really bad—but even in period three things could easily have gone south in a hurry. I will have to go back and rewatch, but I recall around four grade-A scoring chances from MSU in between the two Cornell goals. MSU played too defensively early in the period, allowing Cornell to gain traction, but Cornell didn't actually come especially close to scoring until the Walsh goal. On the other hand, MSU easily could have scored multiple goals that period. Some they missed eg. Howard back door), some Shane made a great save on, and I think at least one in the third hit the post?

First, we had a few great scoring chances before the walsh goal. We were swarming in that end. It was different from the many times this season when we've had long possessions that consisted of fecklessly passing the puck back and forth along the blue line. We were attacking. Second, the Howard goal was not as close as it looked; his positioning was great but the entry pass sucked.

The four grade-A chances that you are attributing to MSU were no different than our missed opportunities in the third period. Yes, things could have gone south but they didn't because we were dispossessing Spartans with hard hits and active sticks. The most important thing to remember, though, is that we didn't play the third period against St. Lawrence. We did what we did against Michigan State. Of course they had opportunities to break it open: they are, based on the body of work across the season, a much better team than we are! They are faster than we are, with a more creative vision. I don't see us making the pass for their second goal once if the season was 200 games.

And still, we had a period where we flat outplayed them. Maybe they were coached into a defensive crouch, but that isn't our problem. We took the punches for two periods and emerged down by a single goal because of Shane. In the third, we played great hockey.

[upprdeck]

MUS had more team speed. And there were times they just knew where the teammate would be and made that blind pass.  That is tough to defend.

[Dafatone]

That was one of the best games I've EVER seen.

But I really thought, based on the chances each team had, that was a game Cornell loses at least 8 times out of 10. Shane was great other than the giveaway, some guys had unbelievable individual efforts (Walsh, Robertson, Major, ...). But other than that...Cornell is going to need to play MUCH better as a full unit to beat BU.

That's not to take anything away from this win. It was an extremely gutsy win that will never be forgotten by any of us who watched.

MSU wins that more often than not, but I thought we played extremely well. When given the opportunity, MSU scored practically at will, such as a weird bounce off the zamboni door or their one PP. They had other high danger chances and Shane had a great game, but we kept MSU from having chances good enough that they could score easily with their massive talent.

On the other end, we attacked well and converted the big opportunities we got. Augustine's save percentage on the day was awful, but none of the goals were the least bit soft other than giving up a big rebound leading to the tying goal.

Save for a could've-been-backbreaking-but-wasn't third goal against, we played almost exactly how you'd deaw up a win for us.

[marty]

This clip of the GWG includes the penalty drawn by Jack O'Leary.

[Dafatone]

This clip of the GWG includes the penalty drawn by Jack O'Leary.

One of our PP issues all year has been the bumper position not moving enough. Usually we have a guy camped in the center slot, allowing defenders to stick to him and clogging up the ice.

Here, Mack made the first pass above the bumper, then recognizing what was up, Psenicka drops down to screen the goalie, opening up the center of the ice for the feed back to Mack.

[stereax]

This clip of the GWG includes the penalty drawn by Jack O'Leary.

One of our PP issues all year has been the bumper position not moving enough. Usually we have a guy camped in the center slot, allowing defenders to stick to him and clogging up the ice.

Here, Mack made the first pass above the bumper, then recognizing what was up, Psenicka drops down to screen the goalie, opening up the center of the ice for the feed back to Mack.

Ondrej Psenicka, doing the little things right. On the goal cam from above, you also see him lock up the stick of the defender closest to the puck.

[Scersk '97]

This clip of the GWG includes the penalty drawn by Jack O'Leary.

One of our PP issues all year has been the bumper position not moving enough. Usually we have a guy camped in the center slot, allowing defenders to stick to him and clogging up the ice.

Here, Mack made the first pass above the bumper, then recognizing what was up, Psenicka drops down to screen the goalie, opening up the center of the ice for the feed back to Mack.

Ondrej Psenicka, doing the little things right. On the goal cam from above, you also see him lock up the stick of the defender closest to the puck.

Watching it again (and again, and again), I'm starting to see a set play there. Boy, it looks like someone saw something in how MSU was setting up its kill, whether on tape or in the moment. Yes, I think Psenicka has great sense, but he moves almost before the play has a chance to develop.

Amazing, amazing, amazing.

[andyw2100]

I don't see us making the pass for their second goal once if the season was 200 games.

I guess I am less impressed with that pass than most.

Yes, it was absolutely beautiful. But it was also incredibly lucky. I think it was more of a "throw the puck in that direction and hope someone is there" kind of play than an actual intended pass. 49 out of 50 times it doesn't connect. The 1 in 50 that it does, they look like gods.