Cornell 3 Nebraska-Omaha 2, 1/3/26

[scoop85]

Cartagna had a rough season last year but that was probably due to bad luck more than anything. Last year his shooting % was a paltry 8.2, this year it is an astronomical 19.4 and he leads the team in goals with 7. As usual, the truth is somewhere in between.

Weren't both his shoulders fucked?

Yeah, he played through injury too.

Could be, idk. I usually prefer to have an actual source (which maybe you have) that this happened, otherwise I don't think speculating about injuries (his shoulders were taped etc.) is that helpful.

I understand your skepticism, but I do have a reliable source

[stereax]

Cartagna had a rough season last year but that was probably due to bad luck more than anything. Last year his shooting % was a paltry 8.2, this year it is an astronomical 19.4 and he leads the team in goals with 7. As usual, the truth is somewhere in between.

Weren't both his shoulders fucked?

Yeah, he played through injury too.

Could be, idk. I usually prefer to have an actual source (which maybe you have) that this happened, otherwise I don't think speculating about injuries (his shoulders were taped etc.) is that helpful.

I understand your skepticism, but I do have a reliable source

+1 here, outside of my own observations of him in the tunnel.

[stereax]

This sweep helps our at large chances a lot. I miss the band and other students. I love going to Cornell hockey games no matter what but they really aren't the same without them.

The crowd was fine, I think, but missing the band is a big deal for the atmosphere. Especially because whoever is in charge of the music is downright bad at the timing. (Pretty sure half of our post-goal heckles were played over, for one.)

[The Rancor]

Keopple first on the ice for warmies. Hope that doesn't mean he's starting.

He needs some game reps, and there is less tape on him. He's my go to if Corn gives up 4. The result was good. He's a solid dude, but not our number 1.

[JasonN95]

Speaking of [Castagna], 14-5 on faceoffs today. Up to 64.5 fo%.

Jason called the last faceoff as being won by Castagna, and I do think Castagna got the result he wanted, which was to fire the puck forward rather than try to draw it back. That however has me wondering what is the criteria for deciding who won/lost a faceoff. Did Castagna technically win that faceoff for statistical purposes even though he/his team did not come away with control of the puck? Perhaps the scorekeepers are given a lot of latitude to decide who exerted their will more.

[stereax]

Keopple first on the ice for warmies. Hope that doesn't mean he's starting.

He needs some game reps, and there is less tape on him. He's my go to if Corn gives up 4. The result was good. He's a solid dude, but not our number 1.

I mean, yeah, better than ice cold Roest or Katz (is he still alive?). I don't mind Keopple pinch hitting, but at the same time I'm hard pressed to say Courns had a bad night on Friday despite giving up four. Feels like Keopple just doesn't see the puck all the well, to me.

Mostly I think Cournoyer has a tendency to calm down the net, at least to me? Versus Keopple where I'm watching cross crease passes with 15 seconds left.

At the end of the day though, results are results and Keopple gets the W, which is all that's really important.

[BearLover]

It seems to me that any skater in the lineup who doesn't add much offensively is a low-value lineup spot. There is the possible exception of stay-at-home D, but even that I'm not sure of—-Jacob Slavin, the best defensive defenseman in the NHL, still contributes around 35 points a year. You can be strong defensively and contribute offensively.

A sign of a great team is four lines that can score. Look at Cornell's 2019-20 team (#1 in the country when the season ended): four lines that all scored a lot, and the "physical" or "checking" forwards were players like Mullin, Malott, Betts, each of them strong offensive contributors.

When an opposing team doesn't have to worry about four lines or six D who are able to score, it makes their life a lot easier and we give up a large chunk of the 60 minutes when we could be threatening to score.

My point is: scoring depth makes a team great, and this year's team has a lot of room to improve in that regard. A "checking line" is a bug, not a feature. I count only 7 forwards on our current roster who are contributing offensively. Really need to get Devlin, Kraft, DeSantis going, but even that only gets us to three full lines who can score. Pirtle scored a lot in junior hockey, would be nice to see more of him.

Beyond our forwards, we need to get more offense out of our defensemen beyond Veilleux and Fegaras.

A realistic goal is getting up to 3 lines full of offensive threats by the end of the season. And maybe one of the four of Stanley, Fisher, Ashton, O'Brien can start chipping in offensively. Longer term, we need to find more offensive depth and recruit players who are dominating offensively at their current level, with the ultimate goal of rolling four lines who can score.

[ugarte]

... with the ultimate goal of rolling four lines who can score.

Realistically, does anyone, anywhere have this? Yes, better is better but it's also tautological.

[stereax]

... with the ultimate goal of rolling four lines who can score.

Realistically, does anyone, anywhere have this? Yes, better is better but it's also tautological.

I don't think even the heavyweight programs this year have four scoring lines. Besides, you do kinda want a shutdown/checking line, if only to match up against harder competition and give your other guys a break.

If you can have 7 or so forwards that are a scoring threat, and even 2 D, you're in a good spot. Part of the game involves not being scored on.

[Al DeFlorio]

I'd be happy to have a Hornby\Abbott\Abbott fourth line anytime.  Their mission was to shut down the opponent's top line...and they did.  Knocked 'em around a bit while doing it, too.

[BearLover]

... with the ultimate goal of rolling four lines who can score.

Realistically, does anyone, anywhere have this? Yes, better is better but it's also tautological.

I'm not familiar enough with other teams to say. But Cornell itself had this in 2019-20 as noted above.

[BearLover]

... with the ultimate goal of rolling four lines who can score.

Realistically, does anyone, anywhere have this? Yes, better is better but it's also tautological.

I don't think even the heavyweight programs this year have four scoring lines. Besides, you do kinda want a shutdown/checking line, if only to match up against harder competition and give your other guys a break.

If you can have 7 or so forwards that are a scoring threat, and even 2 D, you're in a good spot. Part of the game involves not being scored on.

7 and 2 is much too low IMO. Really need at least 9 and 3, and that's not even counting guys out to injury (of which we currently have none). That way, we can roll 3 full lines that can score and 3 D pairings with one major threat to score. We can also have one checking line and complement each offensive D with a defensive D.

The best way to not be scored on is to possess the puck in the other team's offensive zone.

[ugarte]

... with the ultimate goal of rolling four lines who can score.

Realistically, does anyone, anywhere have this? Yes, better is better but it's also tautological.

I'm not familiar enough with other teams to say. But Cornell itself had this in 2019-20 as noted above.

again, somewhat tautological that the #1 team in the country will have outlier features. I agree that Cornell should take your advice to "be great".

[BearLover]

... with the ultimate goal of rolling four lines who can score.

Realistically, does anyone, anywhere have this? Yes, better is better but it's also tautological.

I'm not familiar enough with other teams to say. But Cornell itself had this in 2019-20 as noted above.

again, somewhat tautological that the #1 team in the country will have outlier features. I agree that Cornell should take your advice to "be great".

I'm viewing 4 lines of scoring threats as an aspirational goal and 3 lines as a realistic goal. I'd say
4 lines=national champion caliber
3 lines=NCAA tournament caliber

Also I see the biggest weakness of the current team as its lack of scoring threats. It is where we have the most room for improvement.

[fastforward]

My point is: scoring depth makes a team great, and this year's team has a lot of room to improve in that regard. A "checking line" is a bug, not a feature. I count only 7 forwards on our current roster who are contributing offensively. Really need to get Devlin, Kraft, DeSantis going, but even that only gets us to three full lines who can score. Pirtle scored a lot in junior hockey, would be nice to see more of him.


I agree to a point on this - IMO, Kraft's contribution to the team goes well beyond scoring and is often underrated due to the lack of scoring. He does the dirty work, battles for the puck and sets up plays. Feisty bugger

Devlin has greatly improved, especially since he hadn't played last year but hasn't scored much, I agree

DeSantis has ups and downs and is due for a scoring run, hopefully sooner rather than later