Colgate 2010-11

[Aetius]

Re: Colgate 2010-11

This is kind of a random question, but does anyone have any idea what the song is that is played right before the teams get set to take the ice before the 1st?

[ColSkate65]

Re: Colgate 2010-11

Welcome aboard Aetius! Good to have some new posters.

I know what song you're thinking of, but can't come up with the name at the moment. Hope to hear it again this weekend and will try to post more info, (unless someone else comes up with an answer in the meantime).

[Gaterrooter]

Re: Colgate 2010-11

I am assuming that this weekend we will see some changes in the lineup, both in the D pairings and the lines. Do you think we'll see Mihalik this weekend in net for one of the games?

[TheGreenCoat]

Re: Colgate 2010-11

If he's ready I'd go with Mihalik...better now than later in the season...no reason not to have some actual competition in the nets...repeat, from what I gather Evin hasn't been bad and I know Don likes to stick with one horse between the pipes, but the overall body of work after six games (I know it's ONLY six games) has not been impressive. I thought the real strength of this team would be on the back line, including some decent point production. Try and switch a few things around and take two on Silver Puck weekend (I don't think a sweep has occurred on Silver Puck for 7 or 8 years).

[hockeyenthusiast]

Re: Colgate 2010-11

If he's ready I'd go with Mihalik...better now than later in the season...no reason not to have some actual competition in the nets...repeat, from what I gather Evin hasn't been bad and I know Don likes to stick with one horse between the pipes, but the overall body of work after six games (I know it's ONLY six games) has not been impressive. I thought the real strength of this team would be on the back line, including some decent point production. Try and switch a few things around and take two on Silver Puck weekend (I don't think a sweep has occurred on Silver Puck for 7 or 8 years).

Colgate 5-4 Harvard, Colgate 3-2 Dartmouth = Silver Puck sweep last year

[Rainman]

Re: Colgate 2010-11

Do you think we'll see Mihalik this weekend in net for one of the games?

If we were to lose Friday, I wouldn't be surprised to see him between the pipes on Saturday. In 2006-07, we went 0-2-1 in our first 3 league games and Dekanich allowed 6 goals in back-to-back games. As a result, Charles Long (a freshman at the time) started the fourth league game. It was also his first career start.

I thought the real strength of this team would be on the back line, including some decent point production.

Larkin has 2 goals, McPherson 2 goals. That's 4 of 18 goals scored or just over 20% of our offense so far. Three of our six games so far we've held the opposition to 2 goals or fewer. It's early in the season. Remember we only had 4 non-conference games before the league schedule kicked in, and we had the North Country trip very early in the year. That's always a tough trip and fortunately it's behind us now.

In my honest opinion, special teams has let us down a bit. Though I believe it's still a work in progress. How we play this weekend at home will be a better measuring stick of what to expect for this season.

[hockeyenthusiast]

Re: Colgate 2010-11

I agree with Rainman. The defense has been producing offense and only in 2 games has it not looked well on even-strength. Don't forget that 3 of Clarkson's goals were on the powerplay.

In terms of special teams, I think we'll be fine. In the penalty kill, the losses of Williams, Cox, and McIntyre hurt more than most people think.

In the PP, we have 2 sophomore forwards only one of which was in it last year, and a freshman. That should also improve.

I think Evin gets the start on Friday, mainly because it's too early to lose faith in him and because he played very well against Princeton last year. Stopped over 40 shots in a 5-4 OT win at home and kept them to one goal later in the year. Depending on how Friday goes, we'll see if he starts on Saturday. Don't forget though that in his one career start against Qpac, he played very well (2-0 loss). The offense simply did not produce that night.

[TheGreenCoat]

Re: Colgate 2010-11

Re: Silver Puck Weekend...when you're 60 events that transpired 5 or 7 years ago are more easily remembered than yesterday...my apologies...one a positive note, 72 shots on goal (or thereabouts) in North Country isn't bad (I remember one trip to Appleton several years ago when we were outshot something like 44-12) and, although SOG can sometimes be misleading, the gist of what I hear is that we didn't bury our second chances...despite a worry about scoring from our third and fourth lines (a concern that has existed for several years) this team does have talent...

[Gaterrooter]

Re: Colgate 2010-11

The thing that was puzzling to me this weekend was that in your 5th and 6th game of the year and on a trip to the north country none the less. The most consistent forwards were 2 sophs on the 4th line that barely played last year and the 2 freshman. These are the guys I would have thought would have taken some time to get use to the league, the speed and the physicality. Without the 4th line this year, we would be in trouble. Throw out that 5-4 loss to LSSU and the guys we need to produce have not as of yet.

Now IMO this is an encouraging sign. If the young guys have come around this quickly we can assume the older guys will start to get back into the groove very soon and when they do the offense will start filling the net. Our PP can not stay this inept for much longer. IMO if we decide to shoot the PP and crash the net we will have a much better chance of being productive.

[sshablak]

Re: Colgate 2010-11

Seems like forever...I've seen one game and it's mid November. Well we now get to see four games in nine days. Finally get some idea on what to expect from our team.

So far, PP poor and PK really bad, we need to stay outta the box.(heard this before). Need Evin to get larger and win games at Starr. The offense seems ok, should be a good crowd for Silver Puck, hope to see you guys there.

[ColSkate65]

Re: Colgate 2010-11

No games for me yet. Maybe see you tonite Shabby. I need to see the frosh and how they're doing. Want to see Yale, so have to ponder making the trip 2x in 9 days.

[Rainman]

Re: Colgate 2010-11

OUCH. Nice to erase a 3-0 deficit and tie the game, but if we didn't get off to such an atrocious start, we probably would have had a different result. 0 for 5 on the power-play isn't going to help us. Only hurt us.

Tomorrow's contest won't be easy either: Quinnipiac is also 0-2-1 after three league games. Whoever is hungrier tomorrow will emerge victorious. Wonder if we'll see a different goalie between the pipes tomorrow? I'm hoping this isn't another 2006-07 or 2007-08 kinda season...

[TchrBill]

Re: Colgate 2010-11

In my honest opinion, special teams has let us down a bit. Though I believe it's still a work in progress. How we play this weekend at home will be a better measuring stick of what to expect for this season.

Sounded like we needed to shoot more on the pp. Those deflections could work wonders in traffic but it's more of the same - pass, pass, pass. We had our late chances, which is rare - usually we're the undisciplined team that takes late penalties, but this time it was Princeton. We've scored 5 pp goals this season and given up 7; not bad. What concerns me is our 2 wins are against Army (2-5) and Sacred Heart (2-5-2) and our losses to Lake State (4-5-2). We have given up 5 goals within the first 4 minutes of the 1st/2nd periods and seem to come out shaky. Still not sold on Evin but glad the team could tie it and make a game of it for the fans.

I hope the women can right the ship, too.

[ColSkate65]

Re: Colgate 2010-11

Evan was not to blame for some of those goals; he was the victim of numerous scrums in the paint. GA 16 seconds in - wonder if that sets a new record? Being 2 goals down in under 4 minutes doesn't do much for your team psyche! Coming back to tie was great, but 0-6 on the PP really hurt. We seem to pass, pass, pass instead of putting rubber on the net. When we have the puck down low and send it back to the point, IMHO, the player should shoot if he has any kind of clear lane - not pass over to the other point. I know they're trying their best but all this passing is getting us nowhere.

I watched the frosh last night and was every impressed by Wagner - think he's going to be good for a long time. Has good body position on corner work and doesn't take any crap. McCann also played well I thought; left a nice drop pass for someone that almost turned into a suprise goal.

We need to knock out Qpac today and get some league points. This season is not starting out as I envisioned. FWIW, despite GR's comment that it was a decent crowd, I was dissapointed there were not more folks out for a Silver Puck game. Starr looked half empty to me.

[TheGreenCoat]

Re: Colgate 2010-11

Starr Rink being half-empty is now the norm...the benefit of tuning in 30 seconds after the game begins is that these days at least you miss an opponent's first goal...we simply don't have enough scoring talent to give up goals in the first 16 or 18 seconds of play (let alone all fall behind 3-0) and hope to win a majority of these games...BTW, since tying us 4-4 last week Clarkson has been outscored 13-2 at home...same bull**** on the PP, a problem that has persisted for several years. Although it's early a loss today probably sends us to 1-4-1 (at best) going into Thanksgiving. Overall, we incurred fewer senior losses than most other ECAC teams so this start is even more puzzling...first line is quick simply not getting it done period. Also seems like we received some help from the refs last night and still couldn't gain at least a tie. Hoping desperately that Smith and Day come out of their funks today. The romantic in me still thinks that at some point the Colgate Hockey program can win a semi-final game in Albany, something that hasn't been accomplished since, yes, 1990.