Re: Colgate...Postseason Thread...Youth Is Served
Okay, now that I've gotten some rest, it's time for my analysis of both games this weekend:
Friday
Nothing much to say about the first period of this game. I thought both teams (Colgate and Quinnipiac) were getting a feel for the wider sheet of ice and maybe waiting for one team to make a mistake. Then the second period. The dreaded second period. Maybe it was the long change, but even with our success in 2014, we seem to struggle during second periods. Quinnipiac gets a mini-breakaway during 4-on-4 play and scores. Then they score a PPG and it's 2-0, and I'm starting to think "here we go again". But then we get a garbage goal to make it 2-1 and we're back in the game! And immediately after that, the refs call a penalty on us! Part of me thought they were trying to screw us over! Quinnipiac got 6 power play opportunities while we only got 3, and one of them wasn't even a full two minutes!
Not going to talk much about the 3rd period and the overtimes. We all know what happened. I will say that we did have more of the scoring opportunities in the first OT though. Other posters mentioned on this thread that we were rolling four lines but Quinnpiac wasn't. Maybe that's why we eventually won the game! But watching the bonus sessions ... I was so dizzy and my heart was pounding, wondering if we would win or lose. Then in the second OT, I see the puck hit the back of the twine and I start jumping up and down. I've seen double OT wins in 2008, 2011, and now 2014. Perhaps I'm a good-luck charm?
Saturday
It was uncharted territory, not only for the team, but for head coach Don Vaughan. And I'm just going to say it right now, the dreaded 2nd period torched us. It was our worst 20 minutes since the Jan. 31 game at Brown. We skated with the Dutchmen in the 1st and 3rd periods. In fact, we outshot them 16-5 in the first period but couldn't score! Then in the 2nd period we're outshot 18-8, and go down 3-0. We did a better job staying out of the box, taking only 2 penalties, but Union scores on one of them just 9 seconds into the power play! Perhaps the OT sessions last night caught up to us in the 2nd period. At least the team didn't quit. We scored twice in the 3rd and hopefully it's positive momentum going into our NCAA Tournament game. Stuck around to see the trophy presentation, and noticed that our team stayed on the ice for it, showing that they're not sore losers. But of course, I would have preferred to see us win. Both games combined, we went 0 for 7 on the power play and only killed 6 of 8 penalties. Maybe it was the wider sheet of ice, but we'll need to have special teams success if we're going to have NCAA Tournament success.
I never went to any of the Atlantic City championship games, but I gotta say, I really enjoyed the trip up to Lake Placid. It felt like a vacation getaway. There were signs all over the village that said "Welcome ECAC Hockey Fans". The ECAC tournament belongs here. Not in Albany or Atlantic City. Yes, it wasn't easy getting there. In fact, it snowed sporadically during the day on Saturday! But we traveled well. In both of our games, I think we had just as many fans in attendance as Cornell did on Friday night. In fact, we outnumbered the Quinnipiac fans on Friday! Saturday it was more 50-50. But seeing that we didn't win it all this year, it gives me an excuse to go back there next year!
NCAA Selection Show is at noon on ESPNU. I will be watching. Will you?
