Cornell vs Denver, NC$$ First Round, 3/27/26

[stereax]

Casey Jones on his team's play down the stretch:

"I thought we might have peaked maybe a month too early. I'm not sure if we hit a wall a little bit with our youth. I'm not sure. ... But we were trying to find our A-game down the stretch. We were really trying."

Unlike some other coaches in our league, Casey is never going to throw our guys under the bus.

And thank God for that.

[Chris H82]

Post game observations:

There was a really nice pre-game get-together hosted by the CC of Colorado. Alumni and parents. Dr Moore was there - she spoke briefly and eloquently about what she's working on in the Athletics department. She also spoke highly of the young men on the team.

She said that the band's flight out of Rochester was delayed, and so they would end up missing their connection to get to Denver today, as somebody else had noted previously.

Between being at the pre-game event and in walking to the arena, I spoke with a couple of sets of parents. Really solid people - travel challenges over the course of the season and especially for getting to Denver by game time today.  These folks really care about their kids, and are walking that parental "fine line" of encouraging them while letting them make their own decisions about school choices (both where to start and where to continue)

My actual in-game observations probably won't add anything different from what you all saw in the broadcast. I didn't grow up with the game, and this was the first live hockey game I've been to in 25 years.
We were chasing from the gun. Couldn't get a forecheck to control the action into DU's end.  But it also seemed that we couldn't settle the puck - it just seemed to skitter on and off of our sticks much more than for DU. And boy, was DU fast (and skilled). Not obnoxiously more than us, but enough so that we couldn't turn the game in our favor.

The sound system was F#^$(@ING OBNOXIOUS. EVERY time there was a stop in play, they immediately started playing music etc. Maybe it was just as well that our band didn't make it - they would have been drowned out.  This is an AHL arena - are NHL games that bad?

I watched the Cornell guys after the final horn sounded. You could sense the disappointment. I'm pretty sure that Jack O'Brien led the handshake line - he seemed to take his time in acknowledging each player from Denver; definitely not the desultory handshakes we think of.  He and DeSantis and a few others really lingered - even though it was a loss, they (probably especially as seniors) didn't want to let go of being part of this team, of ending this season with these guys.  Alexis was also on the ice until the end, taking time to acknowledge and hug guys.

All I can take from this is that our underclassman are gonna have a bad taste in their mouths this offseason.  We'll see if they can use that for motivation for next year.

Fitting song came up on my music as I typed this - "One Step up", by Bruce.

[BearLover]

These folks really care about their kids, and are walking that parental "fine line" of encouraging them while letting them make their own decisions about school choices (both where to start and where to continue)

Can you offer some color on what this means? Particularly the part about "where to continue."

[Big Dingus]

If you want to see a Cornell team that was an actual national contender go watch 2020. The team this wasn't even close

[stereax]

These folks really care about their kids, and are walking that parental "fine line" of encouraging them while letting them make their own decisions about school choices (both where to start and where to continue)

Can you offer some color on what this means? Particularly the part about "where to continue."

Likely enough the Castagnas were around, pretty sure they go to all the games. I'd suspect "where to continue" as in, whether to turn pro or play a senior year. But also, didn't have the conversations lol.

[Jeff Hopkins '82]

This is an AHL arena - are NHL games that bad?

My experience is a few years old, but no, other than Vegas (where everything is loud and obnoxious), NHL rinks aren't like AHL rinks.

NHL rinks are about corporate support.  There's lots of money in luxury boxes and even in corporate seats in the lower bowl.  Ticket prices don't really lend themselves to family outings.

AHL rinks are more family focused.  They're all about keeping the little kids entertained.  It's all obnoxious announcers, horrible music, and "make some noise" on the big screen.  That and stupid games and throwing crap souvenirs like beer coozies or t-shirts with sponsors names into the crowd between periods.  The actual hockey is secondary.

[Chris H82]

These folks really care about their kids, and are walking that parental "fine line" of encouraging them while letting them make their own decisions about school choices (both where to start and where to continue)

Can you offer some color on what this means? Particularly the part about "where to continue."

At this point in time, no. As a parent of 2 young men myself, I have to honor these people's privacy.

I will say though, that the "where to continue" was a tiny part of a much bigger conversation.

[BearLover]

These folks really care about their kids, and are walking that parental "fine line" of encouraging them while letting them make their own decisions about school choices (both where to start and where to continue)

Can you offer some color on what this means? Particularly the part about "where to continue."

At this point in time, no. As a parent of 2 young men myself, I have to honor these people's privacy.

I will say though, that the "where to continue" was a tiny part of a much bigger conversation.

Oh I'm not asking you to reveal any names, just more like the nature of it...as in, why might these kids be looking to leave? Transfer to another school? Go pro?

[Chris H82]

These folks really care about their kids, and are walking that parental "fine line" of encouraging them while letting them make their own decisions about school choices (both where to start and where to continue)

Can you offer some color on what this means? Particularly the part about "where to continue."

(insert the sound here of radio silence)

At this point in time, no. As a parent of 2 young men myself, I have to honor these people's privacy.

I will say though, that the "where to continue" was a tiny part of a much bigger conversation.

Oh I'm not asking you to reveal any names, just more like the nature of it...as in, why might these kids be looking to leave? Transfer to another school? Go pro?

[Snowball]

Casey Jones on his team's play down the stretch:

"I thought we might have peaked maybe a month too early. I'm not sure if we hit a wall a little bit with our youth. I'm not sure. ... But we were trying to find our A-game down the stretch. We were really trying."

Unlike some other coaches in our league, Casey is never going to throw our guys under the bus.

Agree. I am disgusted at the way Rand talks about his guys when they lose.

[Trotsky]

My precedence order of the remaining teams:

Code Select Expand


 1. Quinnipiac
 2. Wisconsin
 3. Denver
 4. North Dakota
 5. Western Michigan
 6. Minnesota-Duluth
 7. Michigan State
 8. Michigan
 9. Global Thermonuclear War
10. Pedo State

[Trotsky]

UMD goes final.  The Elite 8:

1 ECAC
3 B1G
3 NCHC
1 CCHA

[stereax]

My precedence order of the remaining teams:

Code Select Expand


 1. Quinnipiac
 2. Wisconsin
 3. Denver
 4. North Dakota
 5. Western Michigan
 6. Minnesota-Duluth
 7. Michigan State
 8. Michigan
 9. Global Thermonuclear War
10. Pedo State

You want rand to win?

[stereax]

My order:

1. Denver (at least we lose to the team that wins it all)
2. UMD (again, I want good things for Kyler Kovich)
3. Mich State (have a friend who really likes the Mich State hockey team, plus I get to make more Sullivan Mack jokes which is always a win to me)
4. Mich (something something, Ben Robertson)
5. WMich (they seem like nice folks)
6. Wisconsin (have never thought about them, ever)
7. UND (racist fucks)
8. Quinnipiac (no shade to the lovely guys next to me but the Q program could fold and I'd probably hold a party)

[stereax]

So the Jane CHN article has me in tears.