Out Hit?!

[Harrier]

Hey critics of Obyrne - anyone notice that this was the first home weekend where the Big Red did not decidedly out hit both opponents??  That led to the up and down the ice pace, many of the uncommon defensive miscues, and more chances against McKee.  Aside form the Bitz Molson Hynes Combination there was no physical dominance from the other lines and without OB and Pokoluk the traffic around McKee is getting closer.

We need Obyrne (Penalties and all) and Cam Abbott back in the lineup ASAP!

[Pace]

If I may posit an explanation, I think it's because of Murphy. We all know Murphy sucks. He loves giving out penalties, most of the time without good reason. I'm sure Coach told O'Byrne and Cam to be more careful. Added up and down traffic may be bad, but being a man (or two) down is much worse.

[billhoward]

Without the enforcers, we outscored the opponents 10-1 and in the first game allowed the opponent zero power play chances. Maybe there are multiple ways to win in hockey. That said, probably better O'Byrne was out this past weekend and back (?) for Clarkson and St. Lawrence on the road than vice versa. They probably pour lead shot into their sticks.

[KeithK]

John Murphy was the ref this weekend, who I've generally thought was a good ref through the years.   From what I remember he tended to let the teams play and not call the game very tight, contrary to your assertion that he loves giving out penalties.  Friday's game was relatively light on penalties, anyway.  Maybe Mr. Murphy has changed his style lately.

[Harrier]

we outscored RPI and Union  10-1 - not teams we will see in the playoffs

[Harrier]

and if not for McKee living up to his accoulades wit would have been a different story Saturday!

[billhoward]

We may be second in the nation in penalty kill percentage at 88%, but when someone from Cornell goes off, I get nervous more than 12% of the time. We have allowed the fewest power play opportunities (though most other teams also played more games) but what if we became more disciplined and allowed one less PP per game than we do now?

Actually, looking at the team stats really does show the dominance of special teams:

1 in power play % (too bad we don't get more chances)
2 (tie) in penalty kill
7 (shorthand goals)
1 team defense
15 team offense

I'm coming around to Schafer's style of play. (It's hard not to with this kind of win streak.) The only fly in ointment, well, two actually:

1. If good teams can shut down Cornell's power play we better hope McKee stops everything
2. In low scoring games decided by a single goal, 1-0 or 2-1, one bad bounce of the puck hurts you more than a 5-3 or 4-2 game.

[Trotsky]

They really aren't *that* anemic on offense.  This is a far cry from the 2.0 GFA / 2.0 GAA days of '01.

Here are Cornell's GFA in ECAC RS play: http://www.tbrw.info/cornellHistory/cornellOBargraph.html

This year the team is at 3.1 GFA with 2 to play.

Here are Cornell's GAA in ECAC RS play: http://www.tbrw.info/cornellHistory/cornellDBargraph.html

This year the team is at 1.2 GAA with 2 to play.

[KeithK]

A more useful metric than straight GF/GA might be GF/(League Avg).  That would help in comparing teams across eras.  Not sure if the league average data is available for very far into the past, however.

[Trotsky]

[Q]KeithK Wrote:

 A more useful metric than straight GF/GA might be GF/(League Avg).  That would help in comparing teams across eras.  Not sure if the league average data is available for very far into the past, however.[/q]

Oh believe me, it is.  ;-)

[jtwcornell91]

[Q]KeithK Wrote:

 John Murphy was the ref this weekend, who I've generally thought was a good ref through the years.   From what I remember he tended to let the teams play and not call the game very tight, contrary to your assertion that he loves giving out penalties.  Friday's game was relatively light on penalties, anyway.  Maybe Mr. Murphy has changed his style lately.[/q]

Kotyra's the only ECAC ref I would call "good".  J. Murphy is in the second-tier category with Hansen and Dell, refs who are sometimes annoying, but you know where they're coming from, and they don't totally suck.  (The third tier includes D. Murphy and DuPree.)

[Facetimer]

[Q]billhoward Wrote:

2. In low scoring games decided by a single goal, 1-0 or 2-1 [/q]

Thanks Bill for explaining what "games decided by a single goal" means.  ::twak::

[Jacob '06]

I didn't particularly enjoy his style. In the beginning of Saturdays game, I could hear him yelling all kinds of stuff to the players about not using their sticks on bodies down in the corner, but thats as far as it got. If you are going to yell at the players for stuff, you need to call a penalty for it if they keep doing it. I feel that he didn't call enough this weekend.

[ursusminor]

[Q]Harrier Wrote:

 we outscored RPI and Union  10-1 - not teams we will see in the playoffs[/q]

Base 7?

 :-)

[KeithK]

[q] we outscored RPI and Union 10-1 [sic] - not teams we will see in the playoffs[/q]Who's to say we won't play either RPI or Union in the playoffs?  Yes both teams would be on the road in the first round if the season ended today (and RPI is likely to stay there).  But, if we finish first we play whichever team is lowest ranked after the first round.  It's not too hard to imagine Union getting it together and beating Clarkson (their opponent at the moment).  As for RPI, the Engineers took 3 of 4 points from Brown this season so that's not inconceivable either.