The WVBR Sports Blog:
The Voice of the Big Red
The Voice of the Big Red
Cornell Hockey- still missing something
Original Airdate: Tuesday, December 1, 2009. This is a part of the 93-Second Sports Shot series. 93-Second Sports Shots air weekday nights at 6pm.
The Cornell Men's Hockey team faced lofty expectations this season as they returned much of the team which reached the national quarterfinals a year ago. On paper, it would appear that Cornell has realized those expectations, as the Red are ranked number 7 in the country and are second in the ECAC Hockey League. However, a closer look reveals that Cornell has failed to play like an upper-echelon hockey team, and Saturday Night's game against Boston University at Madison Square Garden was the latest reinforcement of this.
The Terriers are the defending national champions, but have struggled mightily this season as the lost much of last year's nucleus. The Big Red were expected to win, and despite carrying a two-goal lead into the final period, had to settle for a tie. As it has thought the season, inconsistent play and mental lapses doomed Cornell down the stretch. The Red appeared to have the game at hand from the get-go, jumping out to a quick 2-0 lead despite being outshot during the first period. In the second, however, Cornell's play turned much more sloppy, and it finally cost the Red when they allowed a shorthanded goal to BU. The Terriers got the score only because of a careless Cornell turnover near the BU blue line which gave BU a two-on-one breakaway and relatively easy scoring opportunity which they converted. Nevertheless, the Big Red regained control of the game as they scored at the tail end of the power play to go ahead 3-1. Yet in the third, Cornell gave the game away. Another costly turnover, this time in the neutral zone, gave BU another breakaway and another goal which cut the lead to one just four minutes into the period. The turnovers were a recurring theme through the game, as they have been during the season and in this one, Ben Scrivens came up with clutch saves throughout on some very good looks by the Terriers. Despite all of this, and the fact that Cornell was outshot 13-3 in the period, it still appeared that the Red would survive with a win. The mental mistakes, however, took over. Two veterans, Brendon Nash and Patrick Kennedy, picked up silly penalties with under four minutes to go, This meant BU could pull the goaltender and enjoy a 6-on-3 and then 6-on-4 advantage to end the game. Cornell somehow survived the 6-on-3, but seconds later BU scored with just 50 seconds left on the clock to tie the game. The goal was questionable as the play probably should have been called dead before the puck slid into the net, but all of that could have been averted if the Red was at full strength. The penalties were part of a period-wide trend for Cornell as they picked up five minors during the frame. If you are trying to hold on to a lead in the third, spending several minutes down a man or even two, and getting outshot by 10 is not make that happen, no matter who is in goal.
Both players and the coaching staff are to blame for this latest debacle. Brendon Nash and Patrick Kennedy are both experienced upperclassmen who should know not to even come close to being penalized late in a one-goal game. Meanwhile, the entire team must be blamed for the sloppy play all over the ice, which led to numerous BU scoring opportunities, including two breakaway goals the Terriers had no business scoring. Finally, coach Mike Schaeffer needs to find a way to make his team play smarter, and play a consistent 60 minutes of offense and defense. In the BU game as well as their two losses, Cornell was outshot by a significant margin yet still could have won if not for a few key miscues.
The Big Red must bounce back quickly as this weekend they face two solid teams on the road in Union and RPI. If Cornell can cut down on the aforementioned mistakes and miscues, there is no reason why they can't sweep the two games, as they still have the talent and experience to live up to those expectations.
The Cornell Men's Hockey team faced lofty expectations this season as they returned much of the team which reached the national quarterfinals a year ago. On paper, it would appear that Cornell has realized those expectations, as the Red are ranked number 7 in the country and are second in the ECAC Hockey League. However, a closer look reveals that Cornell has failed to play like an upper-echelon hockey team, and Saturday Night's game against Boston University at Madison Square Garden was the latest reinforcement of this.
The Terriers are the defending national champions, but have struggled mightily this season as the lost much of last year's nucleus. The Big Red were expected to win, and despite carrying a two-goal lead into the final period, had to settle for a tie. As it has thought the season, inconsistent play and mental lapses doomed Cornell down the stretch. The Red appeared to have the game at hand from the get-go, jumping out to a quick 2-0 lead despite being outshot during the first period. In the second, however, Cornell's play turned much more sloppy, and it finally cost the Red when they allowed a shorthanded goal to BU. The Terriers got the score only because of a careless Cornell turnover near the BU blue line which gave BU a two-on-one breakaway and relatively easy scoring opportunity which they converted. Nevertheless, the Big Red regained control of the game as they scored at the tail end of the power play to go ahead 3-1. Yet in the third, Cornell gave the game away. Another costly turnover, this time in the neutral zone, gave BU another breakaway and another goal which cut the lead to one just four minutes into the period. The turnovers were a recurring theme through the game, as they have been during the season and in this one, Ben Scrivens came up with clutch saves throughout on some very good looks by the Terriers. Despite all of this, and the fact that Cornell was outshot 13-3 in the period, it still appeared that the Red would survive with a win. The mental mistakes, however, took over. Two veterans, Brendon Nash and Patrick Kennedy, picked up silly penalties with under four minutes to go, This meant BU could pull the goaltender and enjoy a 6-on-3 and then 6-on-4 advantage to end the game. Cornell somehow survived the 6-on-3, but seconds later BU scored with just 50 seconds left on the clock to tie the game. The goal was questionable as the play probably should have been called dead before the puck slid into the net, but all of that could have been averted if the Red was at full strength. The penalties were part of a period-wide trend for Cornell as they picked up five minors during the frame. If you are trying to hold on to a lead in the third, spending several minutes down a man or even two, and getting outshot by 10 is not make that happen, no matter who is in goal.
Both players and the coaching staff are to blame for this latest debacle. Brendon Nash and Patrick Kennedy are both experienced upperclassmen who should know not to even come close to being penalized late in a one-goal game. Meanwhile, the entire team must be blamed for the sloppy play all over the ice, which led to numerous BU scoring opportunities, including two breakaway goals the Terriers had no business scoring. Finally, coach Mike Schaeffer needs to find a way to make his team play smarter, and play a consistent 60 minutes of offense and defense. In the BU game as well as their two losses, Cornell was outshot by a significant margin yet still could have won if not for a few key miscues.
The Big Red must bounce back quickly as this weekend they face two solid teams on the road in Union and RPI. If Cornell can cut down on the aforementioned mistakes and miscues, there is no reason why they can't sweep the two games, as they still have the talent and experience to live up to those expectations.
WVBR SPORTS BLOG ARCHIVE
~Rewarding Poor Play (Tue 8/31)
~No Surprise Here for Stephen Strasburg (Mon 8/30) 2 Comments
~Auburn All Star (Mon 8/16)
~World Cup - Lego Reenactment (Sun 8/15)
~Walters Injured (Mon 8/9)
~Amazing Catch (Thu 8/5)
~A-Rod* (Wed 8/4) 1 Comment
~The Quarterback who Cried Wolf (Tue 8/3)
~New York Jets Training Camp: Day 1 (Mon 8/2)
~New York Jets Training Camp Questions and Storylines (Mon 8/2)
~Greatest Baseball Injuries (Fri 7/30)
~Is the Evil Empire not that Evil? (Tue 7/27) 1 Comment
~Another No-Hitter (Mon 7/26)
~New York Jets Training Camp Questions (Thu 7/22)
~Ithacan Wins 25K Swimming World Championship (Thu 7/22)
~Do Sports Tell Us Who's Best? (Wed 7/21) 1 Comment
~Worst Sports Injury? (Wed 7/21)
~Last Thought on Lebron-Wade-Bosh (Tue 7/20) 2 Comments
~Riley Nash signs pro contract, leaves Cornell (Mon 7/19)
~Cornell Hockey adds six new players (Thu 7/15)
~No Surprise Here for Stephen Strasburg (Mon 8/30) 2 Comments
~Auburn All Star (Mon 8/16)
~World Cup - Lego Reenactment (Sun 8/15)
~Walters Injured (Mon 8/9)
~Amazing Catch (Thu 8/5)
~A-Rod* (Wed 8/4) 1 Comment
~The Quarterback who Cried Wolf (Tue 8/3)
~New York Jets Training Camp: Day 1 (Mon 8/2)
~New York Jets Training Camp Questions and Storylines (Mon 8/2)
~Greatest Baseball Injuries (Fri 7/30)
~Is the Evil Empire not that Evil? (Tue 7/27) 1 Comment
~Another No-Hitter (Mon 7/26)
~New York Jets Training Camp Questions (Thu 7/22)
~Ithacan Wins 25K Swimming World Championship (Thu 7/22)
~Do Sports Tell Us Who's Best? (Wed 7/21) 1 Comment
~Worst Sports Injury? (Wed 7/21)
~Last Thought on Lebron-Wade-Bosh (Tue 7/20) 2 Comments
~Riley Nash signs pro contract, leaves Cornell (Mon 7/19)
~Cornell Hockey adds six new players (Thu 7/15)
