Colgate 2010-2011 [Part II]

[TchrBill]

Re: Colgate 2010-2011 [Part II]

We tend to play the 4/4:30 time slot too often in these series and make an early exit. I agree we never got the lucky bounces in LP and Albany, but the fact that we are in the first tourny ever held in Atlantic City is good enough for me. We can build on this. We were the predicted 4th pick in the league and look what happened!

I thought we had our chances but looked absolutely clueless and frozen in our skates at times. Way too many turnovers. We didn't look deliberate and stopped our own flow to the game. I think had we played Cornell, the score would have been worse. They looked like a team on a mission with great poise. Dartmouth suffered the same fate we did and has a lot riding on today's game. Hopefully we will give 'em all we've got.

So many teams whose seasons are done. We're a 12th seed and live to play another day! Just seeing COLGATE on the sideboards gave me goosebumps! We actually made it!!! Union and RPI are watching from home because when it mattered, we were the better team! Maybe one or both of them can make some noise in the NCAAs instead.

Go 'Gate!
Beat Dartmouth!
Win the ECAC Consy!

 

[hockeyenthusiast]

Re: Colgate 2010-2011 [Part II]

We tend to play the 4/4:30 time slot too often in these series and make an early exit. I agree we never got the lucky bounces in LP and Albany, but the fact that we are in the first tourny ever held in Atlantic City is good enough for me. We can build on this. We were the predicted 4th pick in the league and look what happened!

I thought we had our chances but looked absolutely clueless and frozen in our skates at times. Way too many turnovers. We didn't look deliberate and stopped our own flow to the game. I think had we played Cornell, the score would have been worse. They looked like a team on a mission with great poise. Dartmouth suffered the same fate we did and has a lot riding on today's game. Hopefully we will give 'em all we've got.

So many teams whose seasons are done. We're a 12th seed and live to play another day! Just seeing COLGATE on the sideboards gave me goosebumps! We actually made it!!! Union and RPI are watching from home because when it mattered, we were the better team! Maybe one or both of them can make some noise in the NCAAs instead.

Go 'Gate!
Beat Dartmouth!
Win the ECAC Consy!

Nah. Dartmouth is in the same boat as us. They're done after today, which is too bad. They'll be the more heartbroken team and if we start Mihalik, I think we win it. We'll be better next year, I feel.

 

[REDaero91]

Re: Colgate 2010-2011 [Part II]

Go 'Gate! After what you did to RPI and Union, Dartmouth should be easy, right?

 

[sshablak]

Re: Colgate 2010-2011 [Part II]

Has to be the strangest year ever !

 

[ColSkate65]

Re: Colgate 2010-2011 [Part II]

We tend to play the 4/4:30 time slot too often in these series and make an early exit. I agree we never got the lucky bounces in LP and Albany, but the fact that we are in the first tourny ever held in Atlantic City is good enough for me. We can build on this. We were the predicted 4th pick in the league and look what happened!

I thought we had our chances but looked absolutely clueless and frozen in our skates at times. Way too many turnovers. We didn't look deliberate and stopped our own flow to the game. I think had we played Cornell, the score would have been worse. They looked like a team on a mission with great poise. Dartmouth suffered the same fate we did and has a lot riding on today's game. Hopefully we will give 'em all we've got.

So many teams whose seasons are done. We're a 12th seed and live to play another day! Just seeing COLGATE on the sideboards gave me goosebumps! We actually made it!!! Union and RPI are watching from home because when it mattered, we were the better team! Maybe one or both of them can make some noise in the NCAAs instead.

Go 'Gate!
Beat Dartmouth!
Win the ECAC Consy!

Agree with Bill mostly. I believe Dartmouth does have a shot at the NCAA's and will be out to win the consy. We can put a fork in one more top team's bubble if we can pull out a victory. The run is over, but knocking off PRI, Union, and maybe the Big Green, would be a feather in our cap considering our 12th seed and where we were back in December/January.

It sure has been a head-scratching year. It will take some time to put thoughts together and come up with a summary of this season - but that's for a later post. (I'm sure you're all waiting breathlessly for my thoughts

 

[NYhockeyguy]

Re: Colgate 2010-2011 [Part II]

Agree with Bill mostly. I believe Dartmouth does have a shot at the NCAA's and will be out to win the consy. We can put a fork in one more top team's bubble if we can pull out a victory. The run is over, but knocking off PRI, Union, and maybe the Big Green, would be a feather in our cap considering our 12th seed and where we were back in December/January.

It sure has been a head-scratching year. It will take some time to put thoughts together and come up with a summary of this season - but that's for a later post. (I'm sure you're all waiting breathlessly for my thoughts

Not to burst your bubble but Dartmouth's season is over after tonights game (may help colgates chances actually as DC has little to play for). Although it kills me to do it after the events at HFH a few weeks ago, you have the RPI Faithful pulling for you tonight.
Congrats on your Playoff run though, I was certainly impressed

 

[doghok]

Re: Colgate 2010-2011 [Part II]

Has to be the strangest year ever !

Shabby, " Where did the lynch mob disappear too " !

Great finish to the year. Has lots of potential for a few years with the returning players.

Best of luck to Dayser, Pops, and Brissy.

Good luck tonight.

 

[ColSkate65]

Re: Colgate 2010-2011 [Part II]

Not to burst your bubble but Dartmouth's season is over after tonights game (may help colgates chances actually as DC has little to play for). Although it kills me to do it after the events at HFH a few weeks ago, you have the RPI Faithful pulling for you tonight.
Congrats on your Playoff run though, I was certainly impressed

Sorry: my error about Dartmouth. Thanks for the compliments NYguy

Hope you guys do make it to the Big Dance It would be good for both our teams!

 

[TchrBill]

Re: Colgate 2010-2011 [Part II]

Congrats, Colgate

Final coaches' show April 12th. Thanks for the inspiring, unbiased broadcasts and for supporting our beloved Red Raiders all season.

Maverick Stampede, here we come!
Relentless Raiders in 2012

 

[vicb]

Re: Colgate 2010-2011 [Part II]

So when do the fans start up once again the fire Don Vaughn posts???? Or in the minds of the Colgate detractors did this playoff run garner your wish to keep him. Just curious.

And congrats to the Raiders. A really great post season. The team and coaches should be commended.

 

[TheValleyRaider]

Re: Colgate 2010-2011 [Part II]

Heck of a run. Losing in the semis again is incredibly frustrating, though being there after this season was pretty special. Fun to watch the game on TV like that, but would much preferred to have been there. Just logged on to see the score of the Consolation game, but we can say we finished in 4th, just like we were supposed to

Worst part of the whole thing is that now we wait until October for hockey

 

[NYhockeyguy]

Re: Colgate 2010-2011 [Part II]

Congrats once again Gate, you guys showed why you were picked so high in the standings, I highly doubt anyones gonna look forward to seeing you guys next season! Heres to hoping RPI has their chance at a Playoff run next week!

 

[Rainman]

Re: Colgate 2010-2011 [Part II]

Sigh...always sad to see the season come to an end, but we had a great run. Went to the CBS Scene in Foxboro, MA (next to Gillette Stadium) and got my own table -- at this sports bar there are televisions at each table where the patron can choose the channel they want to watch. Fortunately being a bar with the CBS moniker they had the channel I was in search of and was able to watch us play Yale despite almost all the other televisions tuned into that "other tournament" involving an orange ball with black stripes that has to be dribbled.

In the 2nd period it looked like we had scored to take a 1-0 lead but alas, the refs had to review it and then wave it off. I want to say that deflated us a bit, as a few minutes later Yale scored off a faceoff draw. But we didn't pack it in. It was still 1-0 for a good part of the 3rd. Then Yale turned it up a notch and in a flash, that would spell the sunset on 'Gate's 2010-11 season. But hey--we can still skate with Yale and we didn't let them dictate the game. I believe one of the announcers on CBS College Sports said we are one of the few teams in the nation that can skate with Yale. That's really positive news for our hockey program, especially with all the national attention the Bulldogs have garnered this year. Still disappointed that we've gone 3 consecutive ECAC Semifinal games with a goose-egg loss. I honestly thought Albany was cursed -- but maybe it was us? Still this was the 1st year the semis were in AC, plus we were up against a really good Yale team that dismantled Cornell tonight. We were only down 1-0 in the 3rd, but the Big Red were down 4-0 in the 2nd. Mihalik once again made some great saves -- keep in mind he once again faced at least 40 shots and made the big plays when he needed to.

I am proud of the way the team played down the stretch. We were picked to finish 4th/5th, have a horrific winless slide, don't get our 1st league win until February 5th, and go 4-2-1 in the last 7 games of the regular season. But we finish last in the conference, something that (to me) just felt awful.

But then the playoffs roll around and lo and behold, we upend RPI in 3 games with a double OT victory to clinch it. Then we go back to the Capital District to face top-seeded Union and also win in 3 games. This time we're down 2-0 in the 3rd period of Game 2 and score 4 unanswered. We're down 3-2 late in the 3rd of Game 3 and tie it, then win it in OT. The players never quit. We played like a 4th place team down the stretch. Next year we return (not including goaltenders) 18 skaters -- 12 forwards and 6 defensemen. That's what teams typically dress for a game. And we've got 5 incoming freshman -- 3 forwards and 2 defensemen -- that should hopefully get some playing time and add depth to the roster. And let's not forget that Eric Mihalik was only a freshman this year. He'll most definitely improve and I can't wait for the day he becomes as well known to 'Gate fans as Mark Dekanich.

Best of luck to Brian Day, Francois Brisebois, and Wade Poplawski. These 3 players contributed greatly to the hockey program at Colgate, and they will be missed. And who'da thunk both RPI and Union would be playing next weekend -- don't forget we defeated BOTH teams TWICE on their respective home ice surfaces.

 

[MarkEagleUSA]

Re: Colgate 2010-2011 [Part II]

Congrats on a respectable finish to your season 'gate! It was a pleasure watching the Raiders this weekend in Atlantic City, and I was secretly rooting for you guys to take the tourney!

 

[TchrBill]

Re: Colgate 2010-2011 [Part II]

Was wondering the same about Coach V, vic...like Emmett Davis, a great guy, but...

The 'real' consolation was watching Cornell get drubbed even worse by the same opponent we played Knowing we bounced Union & RPI, who are both in the NCAAs, is also some good consolation. But I'm guessing we finished exactly where everyone thought we would in the tournament; just couldn't make that magic last another day. I don't care. Nothing like watching the maroon and white skate one last time against our 3 Ivy League brethren. And we did finish 4th, not too bad!

To those of you who attended the games, what are your thoughts about AC? Colgate will be locked in there for 2 more years

 

[ColSkate65]

Re: Colgate 2010-2011 [Part II]

Was wondering the same about Coach V, vic...like Emmett Davis, a great guy, but...

The 'real' consolation was watching Cornell get drubbed even worse by the same opponent we played Knowing we bounced Union & RPI, who are both in the NCAAs, is also some good consolation. But I'm guessing we finished exactly where everyone thought we would in the tournament; just couldn't make that magic last another day. I don't care. Nothing like watching the maroon and white skate one last time against our 3 Ivy League brethren. And we did finish 4th, not too bad!

To those of you who attended the games, what are your thoughts about AC? Colgate will be locked in there for 2 more years

Not hearing much good about AC. Already movements afoot to bring it back to Albany, or elsewhere.

Kind of numb today; hard to accept there is no more hockey 'till October. It will take some time to think this season out. Guess you could call it a "Jeckell & Hyde" (sp?) year, but not really. The guys tried every game and hung in there - mentally and physically - to finish up with a great post-season run. Just not clicking until around the Clarkson/Dartmouth games hurt us big time. If only we'd gotten more good bounces....But there is a lot to build on for next season.

 

[Gotter]

Re: Colgate 2010-2011 [Part II]

I can't add much to this thread that hasn't been said. Maybe we bounce out of tourneys so easily due to some subconscious block when there's more attention paid (vs. being big fish in our small Hamiltucky pond)? I know the guys have been able to play inspired hockey as underdogs against ranked opponents. Once the expectations are raised, we seem to lose something. I dunno. I'm not in the locker room so just grasping at straws.

This season was tough. Loved that gutsy run at the end. Just wish we could capture and keep that rare champion confidence. "High flat plane" is a great motto to aspire to.

Anyway, onto baseball for the next seven months. Thanks to the team, coaches, pep band, fans, fellow posters, and everyone who cherishes Colgate hockey. See y'all on Shabby's next thread.

 

[Rjm7272]

Re: Colgate 2010-2011 [Part II]

Tough way to end the season, but it is what it is. In the end, we lived up to the preseason expectations, finishing in the top four, which is tough to argue with after the stretches we had this year. The team certainly didn't give up this weekend, which hopefully shows good signs for next year, and we can play that way for an entire season instead of just a month or so. Day, Brisebois, and Poplawski will certainly be missed, but we definitely have enough talent behind them to keep it going.

As for Atlantic City, as one who has been to our last few trips to Albany and now the first to AC, I will say that this might be the first time that we didn't just go straight back to the hotel after the game ended, heading to the beach and the Boardwalk for a little while. I was kinda disappointed that there was no "fan-fest" like they had in front of the Times-Union in Albany, though I'm not sure where it would have been here unless they blocked off part of the Boardwalk. And while the arena was alright, the crowd was fairly sparce (mainly consisting of Cornell fans at our game....). Though, the wide open spaces did make it fairly easy to echo throughout the entire building (either with your voice or a drum...). If the league could find a way to get more people there, it certainly has some potential, but there is always that "if."

Oh well, on to next year, and hopefully another trip to AC!

 

[Rainman]

Re: Colgate 2010-2011 [Part II]

For those who are interested, this is what next years league schedule looks like (home games in CAPS):

November 4 @Brown
November 5 @Yale
November 11 @Dartmouth
November 12 @Harvard
November 18 QUINNIPIAC
November 19 PRINCETON

December 2 CLARKSON
December 3 ST. LAWRENCE

January 13 @Princeton
January 14 @Quinnipiac
January 20 HARVARD
January 21 DARTMOUTH

February 3 @Union
February 4 @Rensselaer
February 10 YALE
February 11 BROWN
February 17 @St. Lawrence
February 18 @Clarkson
February 24 RENSSELAER
February 25 UNION

Other mumbo jumbo:
-We open the season at the Maverick Stampede (1 of those games most likely against UNO)
-Two home games against Miami
-Most likely a home-and-home with Niagara
-Colorado College is still due to make a trip to Starr Rink, reciprocating the trip we made out there in the 2008-09 season. Don't know if it will be in 2011-12 or 2012-13.
-The first four league games are on the road. That's good as it'll give us a measuring stick of how we'll fare in the conference. It doesn't hurt that they're all against Ivy League teams. Since they'll be just starting their seasons, playing 4 of 6 Ivies all on the road in November is an advantage for us.

This will probably be my last post until at least September. Have a great spring/summer, everyone!

 

[TheValleyRaider]

Re: Colgate 2010-2011 [Part II]

I like the way this schedule shapes up so far, especially the OOC games. Wonder if we're looking at a holiday tournament to go along with the Stampede

I would guess the Cornell series is January 27-28 (or at least I'm hoping), and it would appear Qpac/Princeton is SilverPuck Weekend