Cornell at St. Lawrence post-game thread (2/11/06)

[billhoward]

Happy with a 1-point weekend? In the wake of Friday's bad showing against Clarkson and falling behind 3-0 Saturday at St. Lawrence, 1 point out of 4 ain't bad. And yet once we got it back to 3-3 it seemed as if we could have won.

As opposed to recalling the final scores, not many people will remember how sick David McKee was this weekend, if reports of the stomach flu were accurate. (I remember wondering Friday night when WHCU announcer Ted Baker repeatedly talked about McKee getting "yanked" that being down 2-0 wasn't really reason to yank a goaltender unless there was something else at play.)

So Cornell's PP looked good, or the results were good (3 of the 4 goals). And on the other hand penalties against us kept the impossible miracle, a 5-4 win, from happening.

From those who were there: Did we have more great breakaways and hit-the-post and coulda-woulda-shoulda chances than St. Lawrence, or that's just our announcer getting excited and needing a cold shower?

Well, we're still up by a point in the ECAC, 25-24-24 over Dartmouth and Colgate.

[edit add] The weekend is more proof that when the definition of MVP means "guy without whom we're hosed," then it's David McKee.

Ryan O'Byrne comes and goes from the lineup. Let's hope he mends by the time playoffs roll around. Better he's in uniform on D than an inspiration for Cornell to take up the slack when he's in civilian clothes.

And Chabot didn't do all that badly. If Troy Davenport hadn't decamped after one semester last year, I wonder if he would have gotten the start Friday night.

[Give My Regards]

For what it's worth, this is the first time Cornell has successfully come back from a three-goal deficit (I know it was a tie, but that still beats a loss) since the first game of the 1999 ECAC playoffs at Princeton, also a 4-4 tie.  Hopefully history won't repeat itself, as back then the Big Red proceeded to blow a three-goal lead of its own the following night, losing the series.

And once and for all, what the hey is it with the "stomach flu" and the North Country trip?  Does the team have to look into bringing its own food up there now?

[Trotsky]

If, in September, you gave me Cornell alone in first place after 18 games, I'd have bought.

Onwards to Fish N Fowl.

[billhoward]

Jason called it stomach flu but maybe that's just the flu and your stomach is one of the more visibly affected organs.

That would be something: The players getting warned not to toss on the ice.

[jy3]

well, most patients/people call a gastroenteritis the stomach flu. belly pain, +- diarrhea +- vomiting +- nausea. fatigue, muscle aches, feeling crappy... those last three happen in the real flu as well so hence the name.
Unlike Trotsky, I had higher hopes for the point total at this point in the season. but i will take up one point now

[Give My Regards]

[quote Trotsky]If, in September, you gave me Cornell alone in first place after 18 games, I'd have bought.[/quote]

I s'pose I can't argue with that.  Then again, if you had said in September that it would take Cornell 16 games to get there, I'm not sure anyone would have believed you.

Onwards to Fish N Fowl.

It's probably sacrilegious to even suggest this, but the Harvard game is only the second-most important one of the coming weekend.  With Dartmouth a mere point behind the Big Red and currently holding the tiebreaker edge thanks to a head-to-head victory, Friday night's game is monstrously huge, in ECAC terms at least (haven't done the math, but it might be a bigger deal PWR-wise as well).

[ebilmes]

I think we just have to face the fact that this team is a lot different from last year's. We're just not going to have 19-game (or so) unbeaten streaks down the stretch. I can definitely see us losing First Place in the next two weekends. At this point all I'm hoping for is the ECAC tournament title (which we've played well enough to win). When this team plays its best, I like its chances against most any team we face after that in the NCAA.

[min]

[quote billhoward]Happy with a 1-point weekend? In the wake of Friday's bad showing against Clarkson and falling behind 3-0 Saturday at St. Lawrence, 1 point out of 4 ain't bad. And yet once we got it back to 3-3 it seemed as if we could have won.
[/quote]

If you look at all the ECAC games this weekend, the home teams did amazingly well: nine wins, two ties, and no losses. In fact, all six home teams won their games on Friday night.

Of course, this does not excuse Cornell's poor/average play at key moments of the last two games. What is hard to stomach (pun intended) was that three SLU goals came at the beginning/end of periods. This is out of character for a Schafer-coached team.

Let's go red.

[calgARI '07]

Really impressive comeback tonight.  These guys could have easily packed it in after 3-0 on a Saturday night in Canton after last night's game.  They really showed a lot playing through the very difficult circumstnaces surrounding the game.  Cornell should have won and definitely would have if not for the most disgraceful officiating I've ever seen.

[Dafatone]

The officiating was that bad?  I couldn't tell from the webcast, but the St. Lawrence announcers were worthless.

[billhoward]

[quote calgARI '07]They really showed a lot playing through the very difficult circumstnaces surrounding the game.  Cornell should have won and definitely would have if not for the most disgraceful officiating I've ever seen.[/quote]
Difficult circumstances as in McKee's health and O'Bryne's injury, or the officiating, or some other factor?

[bothman]

Do a little research on how Cornell scored its 4th goal before complaining about officiating.  Go to the game recap which  basically says that Cornell got away with a blatant hook / trip.  Then go to USCHO.com and see how everyone that was at the game can't believe the call was not made which gave Cornell its 4th goal instead of being a man down.

An absolute travesty and horrendously blown call...

[Jordan 04]

[quote bothman]Do a little research on how Cornell scored its 4th goal before complaining about officiating.  Go to the game recap which  basically says that Cornell got away with a blatant hook / trip.  Then go to USCHO.com and see how everyone that was at the game can't believe the call was not made which gave Cornell its 4th goal instead of being a man down.

An absolute travesty and horrendously blown call...[/quote]

[violin] :`( [/violin]

[oceanst41]

Yeah because I've never seen SLU fans complain about officiating over at USCHO  ::screwy::

Blatant non calls went both ways last night

[bothman]

Totally agreed on the SLU fans, but my point was that the officiating went both ways, and given the way the 4th Cornell goal was directly impacted by a fairly blatant non-call, probably benefited Cornell more than SLU