RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020 Part II: Moving on with 2020 Vision!

[NPC19850330]

Re: RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020 Part II: Moving on with 2020 Vision!

That was a must win if we wanted a shot at the bye, and we got the win. Bad news is that Harvard also won so that comparison is starting to get a little out of reach, but we did what we needed vs. Quinnipiac. Now going to need some help in that one.

Good news is that it's sole possession of 5th, but I think it's possible for us to still get to 9th with the Brown win (although it did help us in the middle tier if things go based on current records).

Owen Savory's new shutout streak is at 101:39 and counting.

[lugnut92]

Re: RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020 Part II: Moving on with 2020 Vision!

shrinky shrinky:

   |     3     4     5     6     7     8     9
----------------------------------------------
21 |                     0.5   4.0   1.8   0.0
22 |               0.2   1.9   4.0   0.7      
23 |               7.6  15.7   4.9   0.1      
24 |         0.0  10.9   4.9   0.6     x      
25 |   0.0   0.5  26.3   1.2                  
26 |   0.0   0.5   6.8                        
27 |   0.3   2.2   4.5

(based on results at the time of this posting)

Clarkson choking today put a big hole in our bye hopes (ignore that our bye odds actually increased). That said, we're very likely (~80%) to get SLU or Princeton in the first round.

[Waite21]

Re: RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020 Part II: Moving on with 2020 Vision!

The way I see it, RPI fans should be hoping for a Colgate victory over Yale tomorrow night - not that it will be particularly easy at Ingalls Rink.

But if Colgate beats Yale while RPI takes care of business against Princeton, that would leave RPI with 23 points and Yale with 18. In that case, Yale could not possibly catch RPI, no matter what happens the final weekend.

Colgate is scheduled to play Clarkson next Friday and will probably lose that one. If that happens, Colgate could finish with at most 23 points. Even if RPI loses to both Dartmouth and Harvard, RPI would be seeded higher than Colgate due to the tiebreaker.

And if RPI can manage a point or two against Dartmouth next Saturday, they should finish fifth and get a first-round series against St. Lawrence.

[fr. joe]

Re: RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020 Part II: Moving on with 2020 Vision!

We have the opportunity for two big points against Princeton.

Looking at the teams at our heels, there are some interesting games tomorrow night...
Dartmouth and Cornell... Yale and Colgate.

I like Waite21's take on tomorrow night's games and his look ahead to next weekend.


Princeton giving up the two goal lead and settling for the tie vs Union paves the way for the 10/11th seeding remaining the way it is now.

[rpi82]

Re: RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020 Part II: Moving on with 2020 Vision!

I would be happy if things end just the way they are right now. We'd get SLU in the first round and should be able to win even with a relatively empty FH during break. Then we'd get QU 20 miles up the road from me and it is also their break, which should put a dent in their home ice advantage. They are tough at home but, as we saw tonight, we have a chance if we play a complete game. Lake Placid (IIRC they still have a rink but it's been so long) is possible.

[engineerhockeyfan]

Re: RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020 Part II: Moving on with 2020 Vision!

To be honest, I didn't think we had a chance against Q last night.
While scoreboard watching is fun, it means nothing if we win our remaining games.
After last night, I think we have a great chance to do just that. And what ever happens with the other games is irrelevant.
Lets go red!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[DrDemento]

Re: RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020 Part II: Moving on with 2020 Vision!

A bye is just far too remote to even think about. Focus is on getting the 5th seed which was not even in the realm of possible for most of us to contemplate as recently as 2 months ago. Now, we are disappointed with anything less than a win and in most cases anything less than a shutout. Savory now has 4 this year and is among the nation's leaders (should have had 5 but for a goal in the last few seconds of a game). Defense is getting more sound by the game and if we find the offense like last night, score a power play goal or two per game, we are a team that no one would choose to play. Again, starting this season, who would have thunk it?? Give the boys a ton of credit for turning this season into one of hope and excitement but also, a lot of credit to Coach Smith who is getting this program on track again.

[DrDemento]

Re: RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020 Part II: Moving on with 2020 Vision!

shrinky shrinky:

   |     3     4     5     6     7     8     9
----------------------------------------------
21 |                     0.5   4.0   1.8   0.0
22 |               0.2   1.9   4.0   0.7      
23 |               7.6  15.7   4.9   0.1      
24 |         0.0  10.9   4.9   0.6     x      
25 |   0.0   0.5  26.3   1.2                  
26 |   0.0   0.5   6.8                        
27 |   0.3   2.2   4.5

(based on results at the time of this posting)

Clarkson choking today put a big hole in our bye hopes (ignore that our bye odds actually increased). That said, we're very likely (~80%) to get SLU or Princeton in the first round.

Agree with your analysis but think there cold be a world of difference between getting SLU (who we looked very good against and a team with only 3 total wins all season) versus getting Princeton (who we were only able to get a tie against earlier this season and has managed 7 total victories this year). Besides, a 5th seed, if we manage to get through the first round, gets us the 4th seed on the road as opposed to a 3rd seed which may also make a bit of difference in match up.

Just hoping that we can get a trip to lake Placid out of this season. Anything else that would happen up there is pure gravy! it has been a long time since we were at an RPI playoff game up there and we are keeping fingers crossed for that to happen this year and then become an annual affair. We do not have a very long commute to the games there from our home in the Adirondacks and as many well know, there are some super restaurants and pubs in the area.

[NPC19850330]

Re: RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020 Part II: Moving on with 2020 Vision!

Agree with your analysis but think there cold be a world of difference between getting SLU (who we looked very good against and a team with only 3 total wins all season) versus getting Princeton (who we were only able to get a tie against earlier this season and has managed 7 total victories this year). Besides, a 5th seed, if we manage to get through the first round, gets us the 4th seed on the road as opposed to a 3rd seed which may also make a bit of difference in match up.

Just hoping that we can get a trip to lake Placid out of this season. Anything else that would happen up there is pure gravy! it has been a long time since we were at an RPI playoff game up there and we are keeping fingers crossed for that to happen this year and then become an annual affair. We do not have a very long commute to the games there from our home in the Adirondacks and as many well know, there are some super restaurants and pubs in the area.

Don't get too confident if we have to face SLU, or any team for that matter. Disrespect through complacency is one of the worst things you can do in any sport, and they can sneak up on you by surprise. Even with the game at Canton, SLU caught us off guard with their home run pass strategy in the first couple of periods. Savory doesn't stop those breaks, and we're having a completely different conversation today.

Today's focus must be the game vs. Princeton. Sure, the speculation is fun, but it's all for naught if we can't get the job done. Desperate teams at the bottom will try anything to eek out a win, so we have to be prepared, and be ready to play a hard 60 minutes. Coach Smith does comparatively well with in-game adjustments (of course it's not difficult given what we had previously); I trust we'll be able to handle whatever Princeton throws at us, but hopefully we can dictate the tempo of the game from the first drop.

[vicious]

Re: RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020 Part II: Moving on with 2020 Vision!

A bye is just far too remote to even think about. Focus is on getting the 5th seed which was not even in the realm of possible for most of us to contemplate as recently as 2 months ago. Now, we are disappointed with anything less than a win and in most cases anything less than a shutout. Savory now has 4 this year and is among the nation's leaders (should have had 5 but for a goal in the last few seconds of a game). Defense is getting more sound by the game and if we find the offense like last night, score a power play goal or two per game, we are a team that no one would choose to play. Again, starting this season, who would have thunk it?? Give the boys a ton of credit for turning this season into one of hope and excitement but also, a lot of credit to Coach Smith who is getting this program on track again.

while the bye would have been nice, this team is riding a lot of momentum and with the way they're playing now, I actually like the idea of playing every weekend and not waiting a weekend to host a very high second round seed (i.e. get the bye for finishing 4th and then host winner of the 5 vs 12 first round series) that we're most likely to face anyway. I'll take hosting #12 (or 11) in first round and then going on the road to face #3 or #4 in second round and two consecutive weeks of play vs waiting a week to most likely host a #5 or #6. The first-week bye might be great if you're #1 or #2 and sitting well ahead of the pack. But if you're middle of the pack, I'd rather play hockey every weekend, especially when you play as well on the road as you do at home.

The pieces are falling into place now and this is a team that is starting to look like it can make a real run. There is a dynamic playmaking and hustle and hunger to win in this team now that I have not seen in several seasons. Add in the nation's best goalie between the pipes and I don't think anyone seeded higher will relish the chance to play us in the postseason, home or away.

[DrDemento]

Re: RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020 Part II: Moving on with 2020 Vision!

Don't get too confident if we have to face SLU, or any team for that matter. Disrespect through complacency is one of the worst things you can do in any sport, and they can sneak up on you by surprise. Even with the game at Canton, SLU caught us off guard with their home run pass strategy in the first couple of periods. Savory doesn't stop those breaks, and we're having a completely different conversation today.

Today's focus must be the game vs. Princeton. Sure, the speculation is fun, but it's all for naught if we can't get the job done. Desperate teams at the bottom will try anything to eek out a win, so we have to be prepared, and be ready to play a hard 60 minutes. Coach Smith does comparatively well with in-game adjustments (of course it's not difficult given what we had previously); I trust we'll be able to handle whatever Princeton throws at us, but hopefully we can dictate the tempo of the game from the first drop.

After 57+ years i am never confident about our chances. You must always think about Kepler's 3 rules when you talk about our team. We have always seemed to play to the competition and the games against opponents with poorer records are often kept far too close and decided late in games by a penalty call or a fluke play. But you must admit, it is a bit more reassuring to play a team with only 3 victories all season than one with more than double that.

[DrDemento]

Re: RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020 Part II: Moving on with 2020 Vision!

while the bye would have been nice, this team is riding a lot of momentum and with the way they're playing now, I actually like the idea of playing every weekend and not waiting a weekend to host a very high second round seed (i.e. get the bye for finishing 4th and then host winner of the 5 vs 12 first round series) that we're most likely to face anyway. I'll take hosting #12 (or 11) in first round and then going on the road to face #3 or #4 in second round and two consecutive weeks of play vs waiting a week to most likely host a #5 or #6. The first-week bye might be great if you're #1 or #2 and sitting well ahead of the pack. But if you're middle of the pack, I'd rather play hockey every weekend, especially when you play as well on the road as you do at home.

The pieces are falling into place now and this is a team that is starting to look like it can make a real run. There is a dynamic playmaking and hustle and hunger to win in this team now that I have not seen in several seasons. Add in the nation's best goalie between the pipes and I don't think anyone seeded higher will relish the chance to play us in the postseason, home or away.

Yup to your entire post. A bye is far more important as the #1 or #2 seed. The 3-6 seeds are just all too close to offer anything more than the home ice advantage (which seems much more to some teams than others). I do feel that having last change is an advantage that most sports do not offer and can play a role in hockey, but our boys have been OK on the road with a few exceptions that I do not think that advantage would have made any difference.

[engineerhockeyfan]

Re: RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020 Part II: Moving on with 2020 Vision!

After 57+ years i am never confident about our chances. You must always think about Kepler's 3 rules when you talk about our team. We have always seemed to play to the competition and the games against opponents with poorer records are often kept far too close and decided late in games by a penalty call or a fluke play. But you must admit, it is a bit more reassuring to play a team with only 3 victories all season than one with more than double that.

I totally agree with that. Too many times in the last decade, we have played a great game only to be followed by a let down.
Not so much this year. Smith seems to have this team ready most nights.
The team defense has gotten much better since January 1st. Even Hallbauer and Kjellberg have stopped passing to the opposition.
I still have no expectations for this team and I love the surprises.
I could not see a performance like last night coming against a team like Quinnipiac.

Lets go red!!!!!!!!!!!!

[vicious]

Re: RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020 Part II: Moving on with 2020 Vision!

After 57+ years i am never confident about our chances. You must always think about Kepler's 3 rules when you talk about our team. We have always seemed to play to the competition and the games against opponents with poorer records are often kept far too close and decided late in games by a penalty call or a fluke play. But you must admit, it is a bit more reassuring to play a team with only 3 victories all season than one with more than double that.

Earlier in this thread we discussed the 1992 ECAC semifinals where we led SLU 5-2 entering the 3rd period. A couple of very friendly Cornell fans (I did not know there was/is such a thing) sitting next to me told me RPI had it in the bag. I told them I certainly hoped so but that you could never be too sure. And we all know the rest of the story. One of the toughest RPI losses I can remember.

Right now, this team seems less susceptible to the "play to the level of your opponent" style that has so typified RPI teams of the past. But I am still wary of it. Just because SLU hasn't (as of today) won a game since November 7 doesn't mean they couldn't win their first round series. About 10 years ago I remember a post-season where Colgate came in as a very low seed (somewhere in the 10-12 range) and caught fire and took 2 of 3 in Troy and went all the way to Atlantic City. It has been a long, tough season in Canton but I would not look past those guys (or Princeton) in the event they are the first round opponent. But again, as others have pointed out, Smith seems to have this team pretty well prepped for most opponents, and they are playing hungry - for now.

[rpi82]

Re: RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020 Part II: Moving on with 2020 Vision!

I usually get to the FH for Senior Night but I just can't do it this year. Are the ceremonies covered by RPI TV?

The boys have done a great job of playing one game at a time and improving steadily as the season goes on. If they stick to that approach over the next few weeks things will take care of themselves. I really want tonight's points because it guarantees a winning record in conference heading into a tough final weekend road challenge.

That certainly didn't seem possible as we headed into the final seconds of an apparent loss to Brown back in December. Have we had a season with such a clear cut turning point (at least a positive one) as those magical 30 seconds against the Bears?