Colgate 2017-18

[ColSkate65]

Re: Colgate 2017-18

Dartmouth beat Clarkson and Harvard is always tough, so next weekend will be another slog. We need to double down and approach is as a challenge and - as hard as it is - put the Cornell games in the rear view mirror.

[TheGreenCoat]

Re: Colgate 2017-18

We have a good to great goaltender...we HAVE to get faster and more skilled, and the losses to Cornell are evidence of this...this is a well-coached team, but, as I have said again and again, the overall talent level needs work...the program hasn't had a set third or fourth line all year and it needs more players in the McMann mold if we are going to seriously challenge for another ECAC title...so far the new arena has helped, but the improvement is marginal...

[Magoo]

Good to hear from you again Greencoat! Your points are on the money as usual.
24 goals in 12 games. Even I can do the math on that one. 2 goals a game doesn’t cut it. As you say we just don’t have enough offensive talent to compete with the top teams in the league.

I’d be shocked if Point is back next year.

[red133883]

Re: Colgate 2017-18

A) I think point is probably too young for a goaltender to go into the pros at the moment. I am not saying from a playing standpoint just he will probably go into a system and not get a lot of playing time, I feel especially with goalies they wait for them to develop before bringing them into the system.

B) (non hockey stuff)how disappointing was it that we had no pep band at the game? Cornell’s band was right where ours should have been! Very disappointing from an atmosphere stand point. Secondly, what the heck were they doing with a truck on the ice between period 1-2, if you are going to do that you have to have someone who knows the time frame to get on and off the ice.

[TheGreenCoat]

Re: Colgate 2017-18

thanks Magoo...good to hear from you as well...Point seems to be a really good kid, but the attraction to getting an NHL deal (no "two-way" deals) may be too much to ignore...we are bringing in two goalies over the next two years, but that makes sense even if Colton stays...praying he does...and yes, 24 goals in 12 games isn't going to cut it...2.5/game would seem to be the minimum to be truly competitive. I will say the kids have bought in to DV's emphasis on taking care of business in one's own end...decent coverage, active sticks, and keeping the play to the outside...it wasn't Cornell's offense that hurt us...they out chanced us to be sure, but, having watched (in person an via the internet) the last three games I would say we've had only 10-12 scoring chances in three games...if we were simply getting stoned, if we were suffering from bad "puck luck" I would attribute the absence of scoring to forces beyond our control...THAT IS NOT THE CASE...and finally, it's been 217 minutes and 50 seconds since a Colgate forward scored a goal...

[Gate83]

Re: Colgate 2017-18

I’d be shocked if Point is back next year.

No guarantees, obviously. But I asked his dad Saturday, he thought Colton would be back next year based on the Dallas depth chart... and because he likes the team/coaching staff. So you never know, but I'd be cautiously optimistic on next year.

[ColSkate65]

Re: Colgate 2017-18

According to USCHO stats - which may not have been updated - Point is at #5 nationally with a 1.88 GAA average, but with us scoring at a 2.25 GF clip it's on the money that we need some offensive improvement.

We have dropped out of the rankings, which is understandable. Cornell jumped to #2 and Clarkson fell to #3. The ECAC looks like a two tiered league right now, with the Knights and Red firmly in control. It remains to be seen if the rest of the league - i.e. Harvard, Union - can catch them. We need some wins to hold on to a #5-#8 home game.

[sshablak]

Re: Colgate 2017-18

Where have you guys been(Magoo Greencoat), we've been talking about lack of offense all year. I've been saying all year we go as far as Point takes us, and no farther.

If Colton were to leave that would be all three goalies as Racine and Hamilton are seniors. We have TWO goalies coming next year(need a backup).

Mitchell Bensen 6 feet 2 in Brooks Bandits 2016-17 GP 41 36-3-2 SAA .929 GAA !.73

2017-18 GP 42 32-10 SAA .908 GAA 2.33

Looks to be another good one, Andrew Farrier is a smaller NE prep school goalie maybe Taft. I don't know much about him.
So next year we have two goalies and four forwards coming in per Heisenberg and College Comm.com.

Cornell #2 now has eleven skaters coming next year, the gap is widening.

[TheGreenCoat]

Re: Colgate 2017-18

my own fault...had a problem with changing password and USCHO.com did send me several new ones, but went to my "junk" e-mail...my annoying self will now be around...frustrating, as the program simply has to raise its recruiting efforts to at least one more level...the kids play hard, they don't quit, they seemed to have absorbed the "team defense" concept, but...furthermore, as the year goes on most DI teams tend to tighten up defensively and, as we all know, ECAC goaltending is always among the best in DI hockey...how long has it been since we had four lines (even three) that were a threat to score...Coach Shaefer indicated that he was pleased with all four of his lines since he's getting production (at different times) from them all. We've got to commit to the same thing as our overall defensemen look pretty good (with depth) and the net is well protected...you can't win every game 1-0 or 2-1...

[bothman]

Re: Colgate 2017-18

According to USCHO stats - which may not have been updated - Point is at #5 nationally with a 1.88 GAA average, but with us scoring at a 2.25 GF clip it's on the money that we need some offensive improvement.

We have dropped out of the rankings, which is understandable. Cornell jumped to #2 and Clarkson fell to #3. The ECAC looks like a two tiered league right now, with the Knights and Red firmly in control. It remains to be seen if the rest of the league - i.e. Harvard, Union - can catch them. We need some wins to hold on to a #5-#8 home game.

You guys overbuy Cornell. Cornell is the most untested team in D1 hockey, having only played two teams in the Top 20 PWR (3-2 win vs Harvard @Home and a 4-0 loss to Clarkson @Home). Given its incredibly weak schedule, Cornell will fall much more readily if it incurs a bad loss relative to the other teams.

Let's not forget that Clarkson has played Minny, Lowell, Western Michigan, Providence,etc.

One could argue that Cornell's schedule could have been better if Miami and BU were better....but scheduling Alabama Huntsville, Niagara, and Canisius is really poor (both for Cornell and the ECAC).

[Scoop85]

You guys overbuy Cornell. Cornell is the most untested team in D1 hockey, having only played two teams in the Top 20 PWR (3-2 win vs Harvard @Home and a 4-0 loss to Clarkson @Home). Given its incredibly weak schedule, Cornell will fall much more readily if it incurs a bad loss relative to the other teams.

Let's not forget that Clarkson has played Minny, Lowell, Western Michigan, Providence,etc.

One could argue that Cornell's schedule could have been better if Miami and BU were better....but scheduling Alabama Huntsville, Niagara, and Canisius is really poor (both for Cornell and the ECAC).

Can’t argue that Cornell’s OOC schedule could’ve been stronger, but the fact is Cornell controlled both games over the weekend and has earned its record. With Harvard and Clarkson coming up, along with the surging Dartmouth team, we’ll see if the Red is worthy of its ranking soon enough.

[Oldtimer]

Re: Colgate 2017-18

Bad weekend in that it again exposed our inability to score. Also dropped from 19th to last of the also rans which is probably overdue but should have been more gradual starting about 3 weeks ago. The team seems to run out of gas mid game and is unable to dig out of the holes it creates for itself and since his Championship respite Colton has seemed a bit more human and we need him to be superhuman. Somebody has to light the fire whether the team itself of Don and his asst coaches. Going forward men's hockey has to emulate what Coach Fargo has done and bring some really talented kids (read scorers like we had until 2-3 yrs ago) in to play in the great new arena we have. Hopefully the turn around can be accomplished before the tournament so we get to enjoy some home ice...

[Raider Archivist]

Re: Colgate 2017-18

Going forward men's hockey has to emulate what Coach Fargo has done and bring some really talented kids (read scorers like we had until 2-3 yrs ago) in to play in the great new arena we have. Hopefully the turn around can be accomplished before the tournament so we get to enjoy some home ice...

The 'gate women ( 22-3-1 ) ECAC #1-shared, USCHO #2, PWR #3 can extend their tentative ECAC Tournament home ice entitlement via game results this weekend. 'Gate earns this current ECAC Tournament home ice advantage via a tie-breaker against co-ECAC #1, Clarkson. This weekend will likely come close to settling post-season positions as 'Gate and Cornell, ( 12-6-2 ) ECAC #4, USHO #6, PWR #6, host the North Country heavyweights in Hammy and Ithaca: Clarkson ( 21-3-1), ECAC #1 shared with ‘GATE, USCHO #3-tied with BC, PWR #2 and St. Lawrence ( 14-7-3 ), ECAC # 3, USCHO #8, #8 PWR. The potential cherry on top: 'Gate sustaining the nation's longest undefeated home ice win streak ( 14-0-1 ) this weekend on "Class of '65" ice. The relationship, symbolic or otherwise, between the "Class of '65" game experience ambience, the nation's longest undefeated home ice streak and the potential for tournament home ice within "Class of 65" shouldn't elude anybody.

As a former 'Gate student-athlete with a perspective stretching from the 1960's to 2018, I consider what the women are achieving to be among 'Gate Athletics' most significant accomplishments and one of its proudest moments.( Keep in mind this was a dramatic team turnaround from its dismal performance base and spiritless identity. ) This team represents an extraordinary effort by Greg Fargo & Co. to build a vision that accompanied the building of the new arena, and to creatively leverage that vision into an operating program unburdened by the past. It has attracted four years worth of adventurous elite talent wanting to do something special at Colgate. This is no fluke-- the talent pipeline is full for the foreseeable future. And the cachet of the program is growing every week. This success can't help but inform the entire M's and W's Colgate Hockey Program and its fans to what is possible. The contrast of 'what is' and 'what can be' stands out in bold relief.

[sgt12]

Re: Colgate 2017-18

The problem with Cornell's schedule this year was a result of the Florida tournament being cancelled late in the process and the fact the ECAC overall is down this year. There were not many viable scenarios in which to fill the void of non conference games, as most teams had their schedules finalized.

I'm okay with Cornell kinda flying under the radar on the national scene. This is a team that has no superstar and gets production up and down the lineup. I've been watching Cornell hockey for 30 years, and sometimes, like 2002-2003, you just get a team that has the "it" factor. This team has the potential to do great things, but we all know it only takes a rash injuries to ruin a great start. Never like to predict what might happen so I'll just watch the rest of the season unfold and enjoy , what up to this point, has been an incredible season and know that it is a relatively young team which bodes well for the future.

[ColSkate65]

Re: Colgate 2017-18

The 'gate women ( 22-3-1 ) ECAC #1-shared, USCHO #2, PWR #3 can extend their tentative ECAC Tournament home ice entitlement via game results this weekend. 'Gate earns this current ECAC Tournament home ice advantage via a tie-breaker against co-ECAC #1, Clarkson. This weekend will likely come close to settling post-season positions as 'Gate and Cornell, ( 12-6-2 ) ECAC #4, USHO #6, PWR #6, host the North Country heavyweights in Hammy and Ithaca: Clarkson ( 21-3-1), ECAC #1 shared with ‘GATE, USCHO #3-tied with BC, PWR #2 and St. Lawrence ( 14-7-3 ), ECAC # 3, USCHO #8, #8 PWR. The potential cherry on top: 'Gate sustaining the nation's longest undefeated home ice win streak ( 14-0-1 ) this weekend on "Class of '65" ice. The relationship, symbolic or otherwise, between the "Class of '65" game experience ambience, the nation's longest undefeated home ice streak and the potential for tournament home ice shouldn't elude anybody.

As a former 'Gate student-athlete with a perspective stretching from the 1960's to 2018, I consider what the women are achieving to be among 'Gate Athletics' most significant accomplishments and one of its proudest moments.( Keep in mind this was a dramatic team turnaround from its dismal performance base. ) This team represents an extraordinary effort by Greg Fargo & Co. to build a vision that accompanied the building of the new arena, and to leverage it creatively. It has attracted four years worth of adventurous elite talent wanting to do something special at Colgate. This is no fluke-- the talent pipeline is full for the foreseeable future. And the cachet of the program is growing every week. This success can't help but inform the entire M's and W's Colgate Hockey Program and its fans to what is possible. The contrast of 'what is' and 'what can be' stands out in bold relief.

Archivist, we appreciate the summary of the WIH program. We do indeed hope the mens program can imitate what's happening with the women. To this date there seems to be no movement in that direction. Greg Fargo has worked wonders with a program that was moribund before he arrived. I'd love to see a turnaround like that with the men. It is fantastic what Fargo has brought to the womens program. Having the pipeline full of great recruits - and more to come - is awesome. I only wish DV and the powers that be could use that template to improve - upward - our mens results. We need to be competitive with the other ECAC teams; this will take some doing, but if we don't get our act together...well...what can I say. The guys on this team play their hearts out; they shouldn't be doubted. Hopefully we can produce some wins in the remaining games and climb the ladder...