Re: Brown Hockey 2013-2014 - Climbing to the Top of the ECAC Ladder
Fine, the Pryzbek call was deserving. But you know what? 48-8. That was the final penalty minutes total. I'm sorry, but there's no universe in which that's a justly-called game. The home team (and defending national champ) doesn't get two 5x3 opportunities in the first 5 minutes of the game in a game where the officials have no bias.
I didn't necessarily think the Pryzbek call warranted five at first, but when Ward didn't return, that one appeared justifiable. It wouldn't have been necessary, though, had the hit on Harlow been called seconds earlier. Pryzbek was policing the game, and he took the call.
The interceding minutes were not the Bears' best this season. The first goal was a bad one that Steel let through the five-hole on a nice, but saveable, shot from Fallen - who was a different player at home than in the game at Brown, in my humble opinion. The second goal, though, resulted when Steel couldn't cover a puck, had a man to his left in the crease, and three players, including one of his own, converging on the puck. To add insult to injury, they took Goldberg off as well, resulting in the second 5x3, which I honestly didn't understand.
The third goal, though, resulted during the 5x3, which became a 5x2 when Robertson lost his stick. A Yale player did kick the stick away, not called. In the minutes following, Middleton was pulled down in the slot making a cut. No call. The Lamacchia penalty, a slew kick, was downright ridiculous, as he was jostling with Beattie for several seconds - watching the replay on the ILDN, it looked like Lamacchia got frustrated, turned, a swung his gloves in the direction of a guy who is 8 inches taller than him, and their legs were MAYBE tangled. That penalty was downright awful - and even Yale fans in my general area were surprised.
What surprised me was how quickly it unraveled. The game was over four minutes in. The backhander by Agostino - a brilliant goal, incidentally - really stifled any chance the Bears may have had at any kind of comeback.
To another point made here, I don't necessarily think the Bears have a reputation of being "chippy." Feisty? Sure. Punch-you-in-the-mouth hockey, when the situation warrants it? Maybe. But to consider that reputation impacts the call from a guy you haven't seen all year is disappointing. Indeed, with Lamacchia (LAMACCHIA) getting two DQ's on consecutive shifts reeks of a guy looking at a boxscore and making a judgment.
My concern is no longer in the past, but next weekend. Cornell and Colgate are good - and playing very, very well of late. Two straight losses and the Bears find themselves in the 7-9 conversation, with a roadtrip to Union and RPI ahead. I would hate to think that the team has peaked, that this loss (and that period) is a harbinger of things to come, and that the sky is falling. I think we'll know, though, very, very quickly on Friday.
My final seven:
1. Boy, do the Bears need Pfeil healthy. No disrespect to Joey D, Goldberg, or Wood, but Pfeil has logged a lot of special teams minutes, even strength minutes, crunch time minutes.
2. Boy, does this team need a second consistent center to emerge. Probably was starting to be Massimo, but, you know, he's become the Bob Probert/Tiger Williams/Stan Jonathan of the ECAC. Except Massimo is not 6'4.
3. Boy, does this team need Tyler Steel to have a short memory.
4. Boy, it would be great to have a great crowd Friday night with a hoop game next door. Can't remember the last time we had consecutive "sellouts," much less three crowds consecutive in front of a decent house.
5. Boy, I wish I could have Brendan Whittet's will power on Saturday for at least a handful of my own life experiences. How he didn't incur a bench penalty of any kind - particularly in lieu of what transpired in Albany - is beyond me.
6. Boy, am I enjoying watching Naclerio-Lappin-Lorito. Every time on the ice they have a chance - and I think they pressed a little this past weekend, to the point of almost becoming disjointed.
7. Boy, am I glad to be part of this thread. Glanced over at the RPI-Union threads just to get their takes on the events of last night, and there is just downright abhorrence for one another - and it's personal! It's amazing how tough some people get behind their keyboards. Or sad.
