PC Harvard Tonight

[oldtime17]

Should be an interesting game to see if a young PC team,7 or 8 freshmen I believe, is starting to turn the corner after a little bit of a shaky start. Not hard to understand with that much youth. Harvard on the other hand missing some experience from their team.

[GIMMEMORE]

:) I agree that this will be an interesting test.The PC team has been a little inconsistent this year so far-some very good games and one very bad weekend(SLU/Clarkson).Anyone that follows the team(PC) have any comments re: what they like, not like,freshman performances,sophomore to senior surprises or disappointments.Also if your going to the game tonight how about a game report-it would be appreciated. Thanks

[cavbim]

:) I agree that this will be an interesting test.The PC team has been a little inconsistent this year so far-some very good games and one very bad weekend(SLU/Clarkson).Anyone that follows the team(PC) have any comments re: what they like, not like,freshman performances,sophomore to senior surprises or disappointments.Also if your going to the game tonight how about a game report-it would be appreciated. Thanks

First looking at it only from a Providence perspective:

1. They need to put pretty close to a full 60 minute effort. That hasn't been done yet. They essentially played about 3 minutes vs VT in the 3rd. They had one 10 minute stretch against BU. Nothing really steady at all against Yale culminated by a very questionable open net goal. A Brown game that saw them reap the benefits of the single worst goaltending performance I've witnessed in over 40 years of watching where they got 3 early gimme goals.

2. They seem very slow especially the defense. Not sure if Smith has slowed down because she is trying to be ready to cover her younger defensive teammates problems but she's the best and she really hasn't been playing that well lately. All of the defense has taken way too many penalties--again lack of speed is one reason and flat out get getting beat and trying to recover. In recent game both Simpson and Normore have taken very bad high sticking penalties down the stretch.

3. Thatcher got a goal vs Brown where she practically carried 3 defenders on her back but in general she seems to have slumped. Personally as much as Jon had a fit about the diatribe his UNH buddy had I tend to agree the mix of Payton and Thatcher just doesn't work. Watrous doesn't seem to be bothered as much since she tends to be an opportunist but while Thatcher can play well without the puck you can't have a center who denies her the puck. Further I don't think Payton has won a face off cleanly all year. I actually like the suggestion I'd take a 4th liner and put Morris at center.

4. The surprise is the 2nd and 3rd lines have played fairly well. Keilch seems to have broken her slump, Crissey is an excellent penalty killer and makes things happen. Laffin has been playing like a senior should, she'll never be a star but she is a major piece of their puzzle. With Beach and Doolin that line doesn't stop playing hard. At times I think Deraney has even acted as if that is his number 1 line. Hendrickson also looks to have improved. On 4th line Morris hasn't scored a point yet but she seems to not be out of place when she is put out there--its why I think she is someone I'd move up if the opportunity arose.

5. Jana also seems to be a little leary of the defense. She seems to be trying to play too many pucks because she fears them misplaying them. At times though she has been very sharp and she really doesn't look like she missed a whole year.

6. Its kind of ironic this is a very young team 7 jr/sr (and one is the 3rd string goalie) but they have had a better record early on then the other teams that eventually won. Still they have lost the games against better opponents. Right now he is able to actually dress 18 skaters which he had not done since they left the ECAC. The schedule is also very favorable. Everyone owes them home games. I believe they have 20 of their 34 games at home including the odd league game and one of the league teams they play on the road twice is Vermont. Certainly a favorable schedule.

[Skate79]

We always seem to have problems with PC. I expect this to be a very tough test. PC is well-coached and plays a very good system. Harvard is going through some early season problems of figuring out who they are. Scoring, D and leadership are an issue. Katey may have to have one of her "training camps" around Christmas to get this team on track.

[HU2K4]

We always seem to have problems with PC. I expect this to be a very tough test. PC is well-coached and plays a very good system. Harvard is going through some early season problems of figuring out who they are. Scoring, D and leadership are an issue. Katey may have to have one of her "training camps" around Christmas to get this team on track.

Amen to the PC matchup. As for the issues, not exactly a surprise when you lose your top 5 scorers (only team in the country to suffer that), your top 2 defensemen, and captains the caliber of Julie Chu and Nicole Corriero.

2-2 after 1 tonight. Brine and Johnston for Harvard (both PPG), Beach (just after a PP) and Normore for PC. All 4 Harvard penalties by freshmen and that's definitely something I'm getting sick and tired of seeing in the box scores. Yes, there's an adjustment to the DI level, but I'd be all for giving some of them some pine time a la Vaillancourt in the playoffs last year.

[Skate79]

Amen to the PC matchup. As for the issues, not exactly a surprise when you lose your top 5 scorers (only team in the country to suffer that), your top 2 defensemen, and captains the caliber of Julie Chu and Nicole Corriero.

2-2 after 1 tonight. Brine and Johnston for Harvard (both PPG), Beach (just after a PP) and Normore for PC. All 4 Harvard penalties by freshmen and that's definitely something I'm getting sick and tired of seeing in the box scores. Yes, there's an adjustment to the DI level, but I'd be all for giving some of them some pine time a la Vaillancourt in the playoffs last year.

I would agree except they are short on depth this year. With Skinner taking the year off and Cahow on Team USA, we are forced to play the freshmen, like it or not. Pine time is not an option this year. Next year will be a different story.

[HU2K4]

I would agree except they are short on depth this year. With Skinner taking the year off and Cahow on Team USA, we are forced to play the freshmen, like it or not. Pine time is not an option this year. Next year will be a different story.

Well yes, but if you take a penalty, you can't play anyway AND the team is short-handed. If that player gets skipped for a few shifts, at least the odds are still even on the ice. Harvard has done a good job of keeping the PIMs down since 2000, but this team absolutely cannot afford to play 12-16 minutes a night short-handed. And Katey Stone has benched players for similar reasons in the past, Vaillancourt wasn't the first.

[GIMMEMORE]

In response to CAVBIM- Good points that I would like to respond to:

1. So far this season the Friars have been very inconsistent. They look like world beaters one minute and the next minute are scrambling to make a decent pass. I thought their game against Yale was one of their better efforts and the starting goalie for Brown definitely had an off night and that sure helped in the win although I still think PC were the better team in each game.

2. I have to disagree with you in regards to a slow "D". The "D" have more than contributed in the offence (Gigliotti is second in team scoring) and we have to remember that half of the "D" are freshmen. Both Simpson and Normore are playing the PP and the PK and are more than holding their own in their play. In regards to Smith, I think it is just a matter of time before she breaks out and starts using that cannon of a shot instead of trying to pass off to her "D" partner. The penalty situation in the back end in my mind is a direct correlation to some of the slower forwards not coming back hard enough and easing off the forechecking forwards.

3. Thatcher is THE player on this team. I think that her production would be even more impressive if she had a more skilled and fleet footed center. Payton's lack of success in the faceoff circle is so noticeable I can't believe that she remains their "top" center. I would like to see Laffin or another player spotted in their just to see how it works out.

4. I agree on the second and third lines. They have been fairly consistent and hard work is their forte. As long as these players realize their roles and relish in them I think they will be very effective.

5. Bugden has got to stop giving out so many rebounds. She tends to like to keep the puck in play when clearly it calls for her to freeze the puck to let her team regroup or change lines. Communication is also a problem. The "D" have to do a better job of letting her know what they want with the puck so she can make a better decision under pressure.

6. The schedule that the Friar's have this year is definitely an asset. Any time you have 8 freshmen it is always a bonus to have as many home games as possible so they can get their feet wet without the added pressure of long road trips. You can see by the result of their only road trip this year (of any length - wkend in upstate NewYork) where they were absolutely outplayed. This wakeup call was an eye opener to the freshmen who have to realize that they need to focus and be ready to play for every game.

[Skate79]

Well yes, but if you take a penalty, you can't play anyway AND the team is short-handed. If that player gets skipped for a few shifts, at least the odds are still even on the ice. Harvard has done a good job of keeping the PIMs down since 2000, but this team absolutely cannot afford to play 12-16 minutes a night short-handed. And Katey Stone has benched players for similar reasons in the past, Vaillancourt wasn't the first.

If memory serves, the Vaillancourt benching had to do with Sarah berating an official for a bad call whereupon she got a misconduct. Katey decided to sit her for the next game to let her think about it. I remember talking to someone at Bright who spoke directly to Vaillancourt about it and that is the way it went down according to Sarah.

[ARM]

Gametracker doesn't yet show "Final", but since it has been at 30 seconds for a while, I'm assuming that this one is over. Nice bounceback win for the Crimson.

[GIMMEMORE]

Lots of PP time for PC with not much in the way of results.Would like them to start doing a better job of screening the goalie when you have shooters from the point.To many open looks for the Crimson goalie.Bugden has got to come up with the big save whith time winding down and your team down by one. Once you have the two goal gap with less than 5 to go-fahgetaboutit.

[cavbim]

Lots of PP time for PC with not much in the way of results.Would like them to start doing a better job of screening the goalie when you have shooters from the point.To many open looks for the Crimson goalie.Bugden has got to come up with the big save whith time winding down and your team down by one. Once you have the two goal gap with less than 5 to go-fahgetaboutit.

Jana definitely should have had 2 of the goals. She didn't challenge at all tonight. I think she might have either overcompensated for wandering too much previously or she was overly concerned with Harvard's speed and ability to set up bang bang plays.

Powerplay did not work well because if he wants the Defense to be involved the price is the pucks gets out of the zone too much. If it stays down low PP stands for using a page out of the Paul Pooley play book. It breaks down to forcing too much individual effort thus losing the affect of the player advantage.

Silva was horribly inconsistent but I think Stone might have had more of the beef. You never know what they are going to call.

At the least it was a measuring stick. Thought the 2nd line played well Beach plays smarter then many of the upper classmen. After the first Harvard flat out outplayed them.

[oldtime17]

Cav I agree with you on alot of your observations.
1. At about the 15 min of the 1st Harvard looked to be hanging on a bit but the goal with 2 seconds left in the period seemed to shake the young Friar team and they never regained any mo the rest of the game. Same old needless pen. didn't help either.
2. The D. 4 did look slow and she may have been looking over her shoulder a little. Big difference from last year when she and 18 could take off any time they chose because they had the two seniors 2 and 17 who were more defensive minded back there. For the time being I think they miss those two getting the puck out of thier own end too but the two freshmen kids 6 and 26 look like they will come along fine plus add more offensive games to the mix.
3. Payton is not the player she was before her injuries. She tends to just bog the play down, they need to put somebody with the other two that can keep up.
4. Agreed Jana seemed to be fighting the puck some and was off her feet alot. As poorly as they played they might have snuck away with one with a good game from her.

All said, they are young and their coach seems to have a knack of bringing them along as the season progresses. I think we will see good things from this team before the season's end.

[camman15]

Jana definitely should have had 2 of the goals. She didn't challenge at all tonight. I think she might have either overcompensated for wandering too much previously or she was overly concerned with Harvard's speed and ability to set up bang bang plays.

Powerplay did not work well because if he wants the Defense to be involved the price is the pucks gets out of the zone too much. If it stays down low PP stands for using a page out of the Paul Pooley play book. It breaks down to forcing too much individual effort thus losing the affect of the player advantage.

At the least it was a measuring stick. Thought the 2nd line played well Beach plays smarter then many of the upper classmen. After the first Harvard flat out outplayed them.

It happens with every team (men or women), so I guess you have to say Bob Deraney teams just don't play well against certain teams with Harvard at the top of the list,.....I don't have the results of these 2 teams vs. each other, so I might be way off base,.....as far as their P/P, I for one, think it's an advantage to play down below the dots because women are just not as good defending in those areas as the men are,.....and I haven't seen PC this year, but Jana has always been a roamer, which isn't bad if you can consistantly recover, but how many goalies are good at that?,.....it was a good opportunity to pick off a team that had to regroup after last week vs. Duluth; unfortuneatly that didn't happen,.....but if this PC group is like all the rest of Bob's teams, this team will only get better as the "journey" continues,.....

[Jon]

So wait, does this mean PU just got their desevrings?