Face it: the Cornell hockey team hasn't proved much of anything this season.
Sure, they've proven that they can score goals. Lots of them. But so far all they have done is beat up on cupcake teams. Tuesday's win over Colgate was their best yet, but 'gate is having an up-and-down season with a mediocre record of 6-4-4.
Cornell has failed its two big tests this year: Yale and Quinnipiac. Mistakes by veteran players did them in at Yale, and then the team embarrassed itself against Quinnipiac with undisciplined play.
Although tonight's game at Madison Square Garden is sold out, it's not quite the marquee matchup the organizers may have wanted. Boston University, the defending national champion, has already lost more games than they lost last season. Their star goalie from last year, Kieran Millan, is quickly spending his acquired goodwill and is unlikely to start tonight. Sophomore Grant Rollheiser has played better than Millan this season, which is bad for Cornell. Millan gave up 5 goals to Harvard on Tuesday, while Rollheiser hasn't given up more than 3 in any game.
Cornell will also need to face down the demons of its last date with BU at Madison Square Garden, a 6-3 blowout two years ago. In that game, the team seemed overwhelmed by the environment and Ben Scrivens let in 5 goals. Scrivens will have the chance to make up for that poor outing tonight.
BU is unlikely to be overwhelmed. Most of this team played on the biggest stages of college hockey last season, and pulled off a dramatic comeback win in the NCAA championship game. Playing in front of 18,000 at MSG won't be much different from the 18,000 at the Verizon Center who saw them win back in April. BU is also playing against BC at Fenway Park in January, so their program is familiar with these big events.
Nerves will likely play a factor for Cornell again, especially since they will be using the Rangers' locker room.
What helps the Big Red is the simple fact that it can score goals. The top line of Colin Greening, Blake Gallagher, and Joe Devin is the best in college hockey. Whether on even strength or the powerplay, expect two goals to come from this line tonight. BU's defense is shaky so an early goal or two can decide the game.
The key, however, is Ben Scrivens. We can't win the big games when he doesn't play well. Cornell isn't one of those teams which can win a 6-5 shootout when the goalie isn't doing well. Scrivens has looked a little uncertain at times this year; on Tuesday, Colgate's second goal apparently hit him in the chest and rolled over his shoulder and into the net.
Finally, BU's Jack Parker is a successful hockey coach, and I'm sure his staff has been watching a lot of video. They will surely have noticed that Cornell has but two options on the powerplay. There is the shot from the point, which rarely makes it to the net, and there is the one-timer from Blake Gallagher along the left side, which often makes it to the net. No real other creativity. Unless the team figures out something else to do with the puck on the man advantage, this might be one of those 0-for-6 nights on the powerplay.
I'm going with 3-1 Cornell. Scrivens plays well and the defense comes through. Once the team gets the lead, Schafer turns to good ol' fashioned grind it out Cornell hockey and bores the MSG crowd, but secures the win. Gallagher, Greening, and Joe Scali with the goals. Brendon Nash with 4 penalty minutes. Scrivens with 26 saves.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
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I'm thinking that wasn't the "statement" you were looking for. You're exactly right: they have proven nothing. Stupid penalties and goaltending not up to its usual standards (disclaimer: I did not see the BU game, but there have been way too many soft goals) are two obvious problems, but I think what will really sink this team is more... cultural.
ReplyDeleteFor whatever reason, Cornell refuses to play the type of game that they should play for the team that they are: dump the puck in, hit the other teams defensemen, score ugly goals. Players like "superstar" Riley Nash try to make a play on every single rush and then don't backcheck. This is especially a problem against teams like Yale and Quinnipiac, which have players who are noticably faster than we are and burn us in transition. Colgate nearly succeeded in doing the same thing. Unless it learns to play the style of hockey that we need to, this team will continue to falter.
Thanks for the comment. I think one of the dangers of this year's team is that our offensive talent might distract us from defensive responsibility and the grind-it-out style which has worked for the last few years. After Devin scored the OT goal against Niagara, what did the players do for the next two or three games? Everyone tried to come down the left side and backhand the puck into the net. Similarly, against BU we saw a tendency to try to take a poor shot from the blue line, or run through three players to try to get to the net. Cornell would have been better served by - as you said - dumping the puck and playing a physical game.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, Schafer said after the game that he thought the team may have sat back a little too much once they had the lead. There's probably a happy medium somewhere.