Harvard Crimson Women 09-10

[ARM]

Re: Harvard Crimson Women 09-10

Too bad, as a later start time would likely have added quite a few more fannies in the seats, particularly among the youth hockey crowd. the Crimson men are not playing this weekend, so it should not have been a problem to have a 7PM game on Saturday night as well.

I assume that the reason teams do an early start on day #2 of a series is to accommodate the team that has to fly home.

 

[DC78-82]

Re: Harvard Crimson Women 09-10

I assume that the reason teams do an early start on day #2 of a series is to accommodate the team that has to fly home.

That's what I said, and I'm always right, huh Hux

Bummer is that I can't be at UNH from 2 - post game reception and then get to Bright by 4. Hopefully Hux, McD's, and Boz's will leave bread crumbs so I can catch up although I know better than expecting food surplus / waste from Hux

 

[Hux]

Re: Harvard Crimson Women 09-10

I assume that the reason teams do an early start on day #2 of a series is to accommodate the team that has to fly home.

Yeah, I suppose in a tight economy it helps to only have one night of hotel and meals to contend with. (assuming they fly out post-game)

 

[alslammerz]

Re: Harvard Crimson Women 09-10

I assume that the reason teams do an early start on day #2 of a series is to accommodate the team that has to fly home.

And actually it has become a more and more common thing in the ECAC- I think almost all Saturday women's games are at 4pm (and were last year as well), and there's been an increase in 4pm men's games as well. So I think both travel and budget concerns fit in.

 

[GHF]

Re: Harvard Crimson Women 09-10

Too bad, as a later start time would likely have added quite a few more fannies in the seats, particularly among the youth hockey crowd.

I know of at least one JWHL team that has an interest in both Harvard & Minnesota that, due to thier game schedule, will most likely not be able to see either game. Disappointing.

 

[Hux]

Re: Harvard Crimson Women 09-10

I know of at least one JWHL team that has an interest in both Harvard & Minnesota that, due to their game schedule, will most likely not be able to see either game. Disappointing.

Yeah, same thing happened this past weekend in Providence, and has happened on other trips too. Apparently it can be a real fight to get ice at the college rinks and the league is left having to find ice at other venues when the planned ice falls through.

 

[alslammerz]

Re: Harvard Crimson Women 09-10

Good game tonight- was amazed by both teams speed (even though I shouldn't be by now)

This was the first time I got to see Minnesota live (watched Harvard at Minnesota last year on USCHO) and I'm impressed- they are a very fast team but we kept up with them.

I think Minnesota was the better 5 on 5 hockey team for most of the game while the Crimson did better on the PP and in 4 on 4 situations. Great goal for the Crimson- I'm very impressed by the way Dempsey played and now I know why someone jumped down my throat in the summer when I said I was hopeful she could contribute. It's too early to start comparing her to the stars of years past, but you can see that she might get there. Kessler played lights out when she was called on, although a lot of Minnesota's shots were long range and without traffic in front (by a lot, I mean like 6 or 8- only 24 shots for them in the game).

Raty, Minny's goalie, also played fantastic tonight. Can't fault her for the one goal, Ryabkina just got a poke off the one time opportunity and slid it past her. The blocker save on Buesser's breakaway in the third was spectacular.

Thought Minny played a little sloppy in the third- maybe some fatigue from the long trip or momentum from Harvard's goal- either way Harvard jumped on them. Plenty of turnovers, they were taking a lot of icings, and were doing a bit more grabbing and interfering and all that- and it cost them 30 secs of their final PP opportunity. I expect they'll be ready to go a full 60 tomorrow, maybe even 65.

Both of these teams are great, and this was a big win for Harvard. Should help us in the national rankings come tournament selection time. Can't say enough good things- always so glad when I get to see the women play, and the two games I caught haven't disappointed- the 1-1 tie with UNH being the other.

 

[Skate79]

Re: Harvard Crimson Women 09-10

I just got home from a business trip and I'm sorry I missed tonight's game. I'll definitely be there tomorrow afternoon. Great win for the Crimson. This should definitely boost them into the top 5 in the national rankings. Who knew given the injuries and squad losses from graduation et al...?

Hope for more of the same tomorrow with the same result or better!

 

[Crimson Hockey Fan]

Re: Harvard Crimson Women 09-10

that was a really fun game to watch, and not just because Harvard won (although that helped!). As aj said, the speed was great to watch, and I thought Harvard had a good strategy to do a lot of poking at the sticks to get the puck away from them.

The freshmen played really well tonight, and were so much fun to watch. And - I said it last week for the Dartmouth game, and I'll say it again - Lisa R. is such a difference maker. She looked great out there. And Kessler kept her cool when she needed to on a couple of scrambles.

One other thing I thought Harvard did well was to muscle the puck away - a lot, it seemed to me. Not sure if that if they are actually stronger than the Minnesota ladies, we'll see tomorrow.

Oh, and one more thing - what was so impressive was that Harvard played to WIN after they scored - they didn't start playing things safe - LOVED IT!

 

[dave1381]

Re: Harvard Crimson Women 09-10

This should definitely boost them into the top 5 in the national rankings.

Not quite... Harvard in 9th in the USCHO poll right now, and the weekend isn't over yet. Probably Harvard jumps Northeastern and Cornell no matter what. If Wisconsin sweeps UMD, I don't see Harvard jumping Wisconsin in the poll. If UMD and Wisconsin split and Harvard sweeps Minnesota, I could see Harvard at 5, maybe even 4 over Clarkson.

 

[BozIce99]

Re: Harvard Crimson Women 09-10

A very exciting end-to-end game. Congrats to Harvard.

I distinctly remember a toe save that Kessler made late in the 3rd on a rebound that popped into the slot as she kicked/slid to her left....I thought for sure we had tied it up.

As a women's hockey fan, a treat to be here. Expect another good game today.

 

[Crimson Hockey Fan]

Re: Harvard Crimson Women 09-10

A very exciting end-to-end game. Congrats to Harvard.

I distinctly remember a toe save that Kessler made late in the 3rd on a rebound that popped into the slot as she kicked/slid to her left....I thought for sure we had tied it up.

As a women's hockey fan, a treat to be here. Expect another good game today.

Welcome, BozIce - hope you enjoy Cambridge and environs when you're not at the game!

 

[Skate79]

Re: Harvard Crimson Women 09-10

Not quite... Harvard in 9th in the USCHO poll right now, and the weekend isn't over yet. Probably Harvard jumps Northeastern and Cornell no matter what. If Wisconsin sweeps UMD, I don't see Harvard jumping Wisconsin in the poll. If UMD and Wisconsin split and Harvard sweeps Minnesota, I could see Harvard at 5, maybe even 4 over Clarkson.

Actually I was thinking that they would reach that ranking if they did indeed sweep Minnesota. A split probably bumps them up a couple of notches depending upon results from other games. So yes, I was jumping the gun a bit but hey, did anyone think Harvard really had a chance this weekend given their youth and lack of depth?

 

[Watson Rink]

Re: Harvard Crimson Women 09-10

This team has been developing by leaps and bounds and, as I've been predicting on these pages, they have a big future.

One key to yesterday's outcome definitely was their playing all out to win. They had to crawl out of an enormous hole when Minnesota was dominating completely in the early going and the most H could hope to do was lob the puck out of the zone. It looked like the whole game might be a complete mismatch. But H gradually got to skating more evenly, pushing their attack rather than remaining turtled up in their own zone, and when presented with offensive opportunities on the power play, took advantage and then kept skating and keeping the puck in Minnesota's end.

Today's challenge will be to sweep, so as to match Minnesota's sweep last year. It won't be easy -- it's one thing to get up for a match against a higher ranked team and play with abandon (even desperation at times!) but a harder thing to sustain that passion over 120 (or 125) minutes. They will have to keep on diving to the ice to block shots, racing back to backcheck, constantly moving without the puck, stuff that you can't be expected to do all season long. Thank goodness all their opponents aren't of the calibre of Minnesota and UNH!

BTW, with the large numbers of Minnesotans now playing for H, it looked like a Minnesota civil war out there at times! I suggest they put in Bellamy for a few minutes so there can be twelve Minnesotans on the ice .

 

[ARM]

Re: Harvard Crimson Women 09-10

Congrats on your win. Minnesota is now 0-3 against teams ranked #9.

They had to crawl out of an enormous hole when Minnesota was dominating completely in the early going and the most H could hope to do was lob the puck out of the zone.

From a Minnesota perspective, we've seen this pattern before on the road -- an early advantage negated by a parade to the box in the 2nd period, costing momentum and eventually the gamewinner.

They will have to keep on diving to the ice to block shots, racing back to backcheck, constantly moving without the puck, stuff that you can't be expected to do all season long.

With the improvement of the lower teams, it seems the top teams do have to do the little things in every game or suffer the consequences. Any of the teams in our league are good enough to beat us if we show up thinking we don't have to work.

I suggest they put in Bellamy for a few minutes so there can be twelve Minnesotans on the ice .

If it would mean that the Gophers can finally score a goal, I'd be all for it.

 

[dave1381]

Re: Harvard Crimson Women 09-10

Actually I was thinking that they would reach that ranking if they did indeed sweep Minnesota. A split probably bumps them up a couple of notches depending upon results from other games. So yes, I was jumping the gun a bit but hey, did anyone think Harvard really had a chance this weekend given their youth and lack of depth?

Also, turns out that Harvard did move up to fifth in Rutter's calculation of the RPI, which is pretty close to the NCAA's. So Harvard may well be No. 5 in the rankings that matter.

 

[ARM]

Re: Harvard Crimson Women 09-10

Did Minnesota generate enough shots to clinch DPotW in the ECAC for Ms. Kessler?

 

[dave1381]

Re: Harvard Crimson Women 09-10

Did Minnesota generate enough shots to clinch DPotW in the ECAC for Ms. Kessler?

Goalies have earned DPOTW for facing fewer shots against far worse opponents. But Yale's goalie Jackee Snikeris stopped 38 of 40 in a 2-2 draw against Cornell, and then a 43 save shutout of Colgate. So hard to say.

 

[Skate79]

Re: Harvard Crimson Women 09-10

Did Minnesota generate enough shots to clinch DPotW in the ECAC for Ms. Kessler?

Christina was superb as was the Minnesota goalie. I think the total saves for Kessler was around 30. She didn't have to make many tough saves but had a few gems when Minnesota generated some close in chances.

It was a great game this afternoon between two very good teams. Harvard skated with Minnesota for the better part of the game until late in the third when Katey Stone inexplicably went with two lines. I say inexplicably because Harvard's third line caused Minnesota fits all afternoon and should have had a goal when Kaitlin Spurling missed a wide open net. Why they were benched in the late going is beyond me. This is a coaching flaw of Stone's that for some reason she cannot get past. It will cost Harvard eventually.

Minnesota is a BIG team physically. Never seen so many physically imposing women. They are well coached positionally and play the boards exceptionally well. However, I'm not crazy about the cheap shots including hitting after the whistle. It took a couple of stupid penalties to change their tune but the nonsense that they engage in after the whistle is really classless. They don't need to do it. Even their goalie took a swipe at one of the Crimson when all she did was skate by her after the whistle. Total garbage and it detracted from a hard skating, exciting game.

For Harvard, this series should give them the confidence that they belong in the NCAA tournament discussion and they should be at least 5th in the rankings and at worst sixth. Shutting out Minnesota back to back is an amazing accomplishment and should open some eyes around women's hockey.

That said, Harvard needs to work on a couple of areas. First, the power play which was atrocious. REALLY BAD. Also, the Crimson are very poor finishers. I lost count of how many times they whiffed on golden chances to score. Perhaps they were pressing because of Minnesota's goalie but unless they can work the puck down low quickly and create space, they'll have a hard time beating the really good teams.

I wasn't all that impressed with the freshmen except for Romatoski. She is a real firebug out there and has no fear. Tremendous confidence with or without the puck. She is a definite all-ECAC in the making.

Pucci missed the game. Someone at the rink said she may have suffered a concussion in Friday night's game. If that's the case, we won't see her Tuesday and probably not until the first or second week of January depending upon the severity.

Bring on the Lady Huskies!

 

[D2D]

Re: Harvard Crimson Women 09-10

I wasn't all that impressed with the freshmen except for Romatoski. She is a real firebug out there and has no fear. Tremendous confidence with or without the puck. She is a definite all-ECAC in the making.

Good to hear she is adopting quickly to the college game. Having watched her play for 3 years in high school, I'm not at all surprised.