Colgate 2021-22

[Marmot]

Plunging toward our inevitable destiny of a fifth straight losing season with our last winning record being EIGHT years ago. This is utter madness.

[Marmot]

With that in mind, I salute IBT for his dedication. His support of our moribund program is unflagging.

[iowabasedtraveler]

Mitch Benson, Andrew Farrier and Will Friend led the team out onto the ice tonight (in that order).
Dartmouth #5 out for five minutes (and possible game misconduct) for putting a high stick to Arnaud Vachon.
2 SOG in 5-minute PP.
Another PP for ‘Gate and no goal.
Shots are 12-1 Colgate and no score.

Colgate 15, Dartmouth 10, SOG after one.
Colgate 0, Dartmouth 0, score after one.

Another ‘Gate PP… pinged it off the pipe.
Both teams like to put it out in front of their own goalie without looking first.
Well-set-up PPG for Dartmouth.

5-minute major and game misconduct for kneeing to Colgate’s McKechney near period end.

Colgate 22, Dartmouth 21, SOG after two.
Dartmouth 1, Colgate 0, score after two.

Terrible hockey at end of second. Whack-a-Mole at the Carnival is equally entertaining.

Tremendous shot and PPG by Alex Young.

Dartmouth 33, Colgate 30, SOG after three.
Colgate 1, Dartmouth 1, score after three.
OT up next.

McDermott with OT winner.

[TheGreenCoat]

In all honesty I think I just witnessed the worst 5-minute PP in all my years of watching hockey...a suggestion for our players? Yes, shoot the puck when it hits your stick, not seconds later compromising time and space...this is really basic stuff...BTW, their best forward - Mark Gallant - is a Colgate decommit...

[iowabasedtraveler]

Well, a win is a win, I guess.
I thought last night’s game was excellent college hockey and we lost.
I thought tonight’s game was crappy hockey and we won.
One thing I think I know for sure… if we play next weekend like we did tonight, it will be a Big Red Blood-letting.
And, GreenCoat, I totally agree… why do we wait for the perfect shot, giving the goalie time to re-position himself. Sheesh!!

[Rainman]

Last night had the potential to be the most frustrating loss in recent memory. We had 9 minutes of PP time in the 1st period with 0 goals, and the Dartmouth goalie had a highlight-reel glove save when one of our players shot the puck at an open net. Then Dartmouth went up 1-0 in the 2nd and I got that sinking feeling…

Then in the final 7 minutes of the 3rd and OT we pulled a win out of the hat!

They say winning breeds confidence. In the 2010-2011 season everything was going wrong for us then we finally got a win against Clarkson, and we all know what happened after that. Here’s hoping that last night’s win was the turning point for this season.

[sshablak]

Attaboy Rain, we needed that win badly. The powerplay definitely needs work, Bensen played very well in net.

[TheGreenCoat]

Benson did play well as silly turnovers in our own zone continue to plague this team...and Vachon has been our best forward over the last several weeks...the overall passing of this team is sometimes so bad that I wonder (seriously) if the ice at the Class of 65 is imperfect...four of our last 9 games are against Cornell (2), Q-Pac and Clarkson...we tend to play Clarkson tough, but hard to imagine a win against Cornell or Q-Pac...4 points out of 12 against these teams would be good...a continuation of the performance Mitch displayed last night would be huge...BTW, give Dartmouth a lot of credit for their effort last night: 3 games in 4 days with their top three centers absent against us...they are well coached by a Pecknold disciple and I expect Dartmouth to become a very competitive program in 2-3 years...

[ColSkate65]

As we turn the page to a new month, and the Groundhog sees his shadow, I see the fortunes of 'Gate hockey changing radically. That OT win over Dartmouth will propel us to a higher standard of play. I see us taking 1 out of 2 against Cornell and an upset win over QU, plus an OT tie vs Clarkson. Call me an optimist - ya gotta keep the faith. The kids are playing their hearts out. It's gonna be a new day, a new month, and a new series of positive results on the ice.

[sshablak]

I hope you're right ! I think you just stirred up the "naysayers", get ready. Big storm coming thurs-friday...ice then 18-24 inches of snow being forecasted. Might be a good move to move the games to Sat-Sunday.

[iowabasedtraveler]

I know Cornell can be beaten, but mark me down as a ‘naysayer’ for this weekend’s games (in this roller-coaster of a season). I just don’t see how our defense is going to hold them at bay. I have faith in our goaltending, but we can’t ask them to do everything. They need support and smart play in front of them.
As for the timing of the games, I leave at 6 ayem Sunday for Lorton, Va., and the Amtrak AutoTrain to Sanford, Fla. I will get home just in time for Clarkson at Colgate, if all goes well.
Go ‘Gate!!

[Marmot]

I just don’t see what tangible evidence there is to think we are somehow going to beat Quinnipiac and Cornell. We haven’t won a game in regulation since December. We haven’t beaten a team with a winning record since October (and those teams [RIT, Merrimack and Arizona State] are each barely over .500). Don’t even get me started on our record versus quality opponents over the past decade or so. Sure, it’s the ECAC and anything can happen on any given night, but all the signs trend negative for us.

[Marmot]

And let’s for argument’s sake suppose somehow we DO manage to win those games. What would that mean, really? The program is magically on solid footing? I don’t think so. Even winning those games would be an upset against the grain. Outliers .

So although it would be supremely satisfying to beat the Quinnipiacs and Cornells of the world, in my opinion unless we get to the point where that is the expectation rather than a Hail Mary, it simply isn’t good enough.

Quinnipiac created a program out of whole cloth. Union won a national title. Yale won a National title. We just keep trucking along hoping to be good enough to be in the middle four. Talk about low expectations.

[Marmot]

But we turned a corner!

True, we were twenty minutes from being all alone in 12th place, and little late game magic helped us defeat the last place team in the league down its top 3 centers at home in overtime. As I read that, I am trying to get excited about what this portends for the future, but I just can’t get there.

Maybe the corner is the same one the band turned down in “Animal House”.

[Marmot]

Sorry to be so grumpy; if anyone has tangible reason for hope, please let me know.

Lastly, I think it was Rainman who mentioned the Jacob Panetta incident in the ECHL. I am not going to wade into those waters, but after doing a deep dive on it last week, I will simply say that I found the whole thing to be utterly fascinating.