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Harvard Crimson 2016-2017

Re: Harvard Crimson 2016-2017

For two periods tonight, we were unstoppable. At one point in the first period, the shots were 17-1. That's not a typo. We were so dominant that I thought SLU was going to wave the white flag and get an early start home to Canton. Hayton was under siege and really couldn't be faulted on Krushko or Kerfoot's goals. Horton, maybe. Poor kid was pulled after Ryan Donato made it 4-0 on a turnaround backhand shot on the PP after two Crimson forwards had whacks at the puck in front. SLU's D was nowhere to be seen for the first two periods.

Then came the third and almost a complete meltdown. You could see from the start of the period that the team had checked out mentally and physically. Madsen fell asleep on the last two SLU goals and had it not been for a late SLU penalty for too many men, well, I started having visions of the BU collapse last year. Sometimes I think Harvard gets bored with a big lead. It didn't happen last week against Brown but against a good team like the Saints, the Crimson simply can't play this way. Good news is that Teddy now has some ammo to use during the break to get the team refocused.

The game was chippy and at times physical. Sweetam from SLU absolutely cold cocked Victor Dumbrovsky with an elbow to the head - how he wasn't thrown out of the game was beyond me (a two minute penalty - what a joke). And at the end of the game, Ryan Donato got into it with an SLU player and got tossed for a five minute major with 8 seconds left. I don't think it will cost him a game as he wasn't asked to leave the bench but he has got to learn to keep his cool. Teams are targeting him and I think they know they can get under his skin.

Senior Night was great with the families honoring the players. As the ceremony finished up, word came down from Ithaca that Union and Cornell had tied so we had an additional celebration with the Cleary Cup. Great way to end what almost turned out to be a disaster of a finish.

Let the playoffs begin.
 
Re: Harvard Crimson 2016-2017

A lot can happen depending on where you go and who you play but this has to be the year harvard wins a tourney game. And really, should be a FF team.
 
Re: Harvard Crimson 2016-2017

I agree. H has had some nice talent the past few years and I thought they would be more in the mix a year ago. But something was missing. This year's team seems to have that something extra... killer instinct. I thought maybe it was going to be the same old, same old when they had 3 consecutive losses in January (one of them being a 8-4 drubbing by Dartmouth), but H responded well and is back on track. If they keep their heads on straight and stay focused they could do some damage.
 
Re: Harvard Crimson 2016-2017

I agree. H has had some nice talent the past few years and I thought they would be more in the mix a year ago. But something was missing. This year's team seems to have that something extra... killer instinct. I thought maybe it was going to be the same old, same old when they had 3 consecutive losses in January (one of them being a 8-4 drubbing by Dartmouth), but H responded well and is back on track. If they keep their heads on straight and stay focused they could do some damage.

I think the team felt that hiccup was actually a good thing in that it got them refocused. The same way some of last night's game will prove to be a valuable teaching moment for the coaching staff during this break.
 
Re: Harvard Crimson 2016-2017

Some leftover thoughts from last night's game.

1. Surprised that SLU came out physical and chippy at times. I've never really known the Saints to be that kind of team. Did the coaching change have something to do with it?

2. If you are a Crimson supporter, you have to be thrilled with the play of the third and fourth lines. Floodstrand was buzzing all over the ice this weekend and Horton's speed wore down the Knights and the Saints. That third line is really jelling at just the right time. This can only help the first two lines as we head into March.

3. Harvard's D structure was great to watch this weekend. Last night, especially in the first period, they took away so much ice that SLU had no where to skate and was forced to dump and chase. We pinched effectively in the neutral zone taking away the middle of the ice and turning around to head back into SLU's zone. Impressive to watch.

4. Not to go to far into the future but I'm wondering if Paul Pearl will be back next season. Someone, somewhere has to offer him a position based on the work he has done with our program. Of course I want him to stay but he deserves a chance to run his own program.
 
Re: Harvard Crimson 2016-2017

I agree. H has had some nice talent the past few years and I thought they would be more in the mix a year ago. But something was missing. This year's team seems to have that something extra... killer instinct. I thought maybe it was going to be the same old, same old when they had 3 consecutive losses in January (one of them being a 8-4 drubbing by Dartmouth), but H responded well and is back on track. If they keep their heads on straight and stay focused they could do some damage.

I think the big difference between this year and last year's team is Fox and Marino. Both can move the puck quickly to start the breakout and that was missing last year. Fox is an offensive machine and his hockey instincts are off the charts. When the D push the pace, we are close to unstoppable.
 
Re: Harvard Crimson 2016-2017

Paul Pearl was a head coach for 19 years, and as far as I know, wasn't forced out. If he wants to be one, why did he leave?
 
Some leftover thoughts from last night's game.

1. Surprised that SLU came out physical and chippy at times. I've never really known the Saints to be that kind of team. Did the coaching change have something to do with it?

I didn't watch or listen to the game, so I can't really speculate on if it may have been frustration, "setting a tone", so to speak, or if it really is a trait of a Mark Morris coached team. I'm sure you remember the Clarkson teams when MM lead that program, atleast they always seemed to be pretty big, physical teams which seemed to lead to some chippy play. Of course, that was also kind of the way that era was.

SLU has had more than a handful of games this year where they have seemed to muck it up more than I'm used to seeing. It usually hasn't worked too well (thinking of the Friendship Four game against ZooMASS in particular.
 
Re: Harvard Crimson 2016-2017

Paul Pearl was a head coach for 19 years, and as far as I know, wasn't forced out. If he wants to be one, why did he leave?

I think (and I'm not positive about this) that he wanted to be closer to his home in Wakefield. Again, I'm not positive. He may also have viewed Harvard as a stepping stone to a better HC job down the road. I'm pretty sure Holy Cross wanted him to stay.
 
Re: Harvard Crimson 2016-2017

I didn't watch or listen to the game, so I can't really speculate on if it may have been frustration, "setting a tone", so to speak, or if it really is a trait of a Mark Morris coached team. I'm sure you remember the Clarkson teams when MM lead that program, atleast they always seemed to be pretty big, physical teams which seemed to lead to some chippy play. Of course, that was also kind of the way that era was.

SLU has had more than a handful of games this year where they have seemed to muck it up more than I'm used to seeing. It usually hasn't worked too well (thinking of the Friendship Four game against ZooMASS in particular.

I do remember the Clarkson teams when Morris coached there which is why I was wondering if it had something to do with his imprint on the program. I was also thinking that once we got out to a big lead, SLU may have decided they had enough and wanted to rough us up a bit. We were somewhat complicit so I'm not giving Harvard a free pass. Especially Ryan Donato who has to learn to keep his emotions in check.

There wasn't much in the way of 'friendship' during that tournament was there? At least from what I could see with SLU-Quinny.
 
I do remember the Clarkson teams when Morris coached there which is why I was wondering if it had something to do with his imprint on the program. I was also thinking that once we got out to a big lead, SLU may have decided they had enough and wanted to rough us up a bit. We were somewhat complicit so I'm not giving Harvard a free pass. Especially Ryan Donato who has to learn to keep his emotions in check.

There wasn't much in the way of 'friendship' during that tournament was there? At least from what I could see with SLU-Quinny.

Ya, I haven't been able to watch every SLU game this year, maybe half at best, but I've certainly noticed a trend towards playing on the edge this season. Particularly early this season, with the annual "crackdown" by our esteemed officials, that didn't help our cause. Well, more PK practice, I suppose. ;)

It's really tough to say. It's been a frustrating handful of weeks for the SLU guys, particularly on the offensive side of the puck, so it could just be a few factors adding up at the same time.

And yes, the 'Friendship Four' had a little bit more Frienemy than Friendship. Clarkson and RPI could well add to that next year (BU and Maine, eh maybe they'll behave).
 
Re: Harvard Crimson 2016-2017

Yikes, just saw the new polls. I am glad we have Denver out there to keep the Crimson from getting complacent during their well-earned week off.
 
Re: Harvard Crimson 2016-2017

You have until 7PM tonight to get your 1st round picks into the ECAC Pick the Playoffs 2017 Contest
 
Re: Harvard Crimson 2016-2017

Yikes, just saw the new polls. I am glad we have Denver out there to keep the Crimson from getting complacent during their well-earned week off.

Me too. While it is great to be ranked this high, I'll be overjoyed if our final ranking is higher after the Championship game. :)
 
Re: Harvard Crimson 2016-2017

Wondering if the team has any scrimmages planned during this break. Difficult to strategize because we don't know our opponent next week. I'm hoping that we get in at least one or two 'games' before formal game planning starts next Monday.

Last year's break didn't hurt us against RPI so here's hoping we can carry the momentum forward without any hiccups.
 
Re: Harvard Crimson 2016-2017

Difficult to strategize because we don't know our opponent next week.

I thought it would most likely be Yale or Dartmouth, though Colgate hanging in there tonight. I also note that Duluth is losing, though I don't have a good sense for what is would take to see a PWR shift. And Denver is on national television again tonight.
 
Re: Harvard Crimson 2016-2017

Anyone else hoping for an upset in the first round of the playoffs? I know that "on paper" we should be able to get by Yale, but to be honest I don't want to see them next weekend. I was at their 1-1 draw at Bright in January and that was a great game and there wasn't much between them. They seem to up their game when playing the Crimson. I know we then beat them at the Whale, but I, for one, was happy to see Colgate win last night.
 
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