Harvard Crimson Women 2012-2013

[dave1381]

Re: Harvard Crimson Women 2012-2013

Me thinks that might be a key observation. Don't underestimate the power of chemistry on a line combination. Losing a strong player on a top line can often upset the chemistry on other lines as well. Seen it happen with other teams then they lose a key player.

Agreed, but if we mention such a thing in this thread, then we're just making excuses for the coach.

 

[dave1381]

Re: Harvard Crimson Women 2012-2013

Ok, it's official, 15th straight ECAC semifinal for the program, 27-1 record in those games, the only loss to Clarkson in OT in 2006.

In this 1999-2013 run, sure there were some QF cakewalks along the way, especially 2003, but there were plenty that people here were predicting would go 3, and just didn't. The one exception was that 2006 Clarkson series, which was just epic.

So what's there left to complain about? Dempsey still being held to an assist for the weekend?

We may lament that the team hasn't matched the success of 2008 in the last five years, but look at where two of the other four Frozen Four programs from 2008 are right now -- season over, league quarterfinal defeats, and losing overall records.

 

[OnMAA]

Re: Harvard Crimson Women 2012-2013

Excerpt from other thread.

After all the lamenting by their fans, they made it look easy on the score board this weekend with 3-0 and 4-0 wins.

When they do well there are few comments. When they struggle the discussions are on.

 

[dave1381]

Re: Harvard Crimson Women 2012-2013

True to some extent, but I don't think there was widespread lamentation among Harvard fans. Surely Skate79 was pessimistic and I expressed maybe a sentence or two of disappointment with last weekend's outcome, but most of the criticism was coming from the usual anti-Katey crowd.

 

[Skate79]

Re: Harvard Crimson Women 2012-2013

You're making excuses again.

Harvard has had at least as much or more depth available as any other team in recent years. It has been her choice not to use it or develop it. And infinitely more depth to be able to rotate three or four lines since 2007 than in those glory years, if you believe Stone at her own word. But she still coaches no differently.

Perhaps you need to be reminded Bellamy and Maschmeyer were both All-Ivy 1st team! No human, in net or otherwise, can ever be expected not to make the occasional mistake.

As I tried to suggest previously, it is the prevalent attitude amongst Harvard's associates that if they lose it's only because some player(s) was deficient in quality or number, or screwed up on the ice, that actually plays a role in the team's demise. The pressure for perfection is not helpful.

If you were allowed to create a fantasy team, you probably wouldn't even need a coach at all to win.

Uh, no I am not making excuses. I'm pointing out what I see on the ice and it's there for everyone to see. Read my post. I said "in looking at the Crimson today..." not 08'-09' when they had as much or more depth than any squad save for the 02'-03' team. Nothing in that post suggested anything that you then replied to in your post. Did I say that Maschmeyer and Bellamy were not award worthy? No. I did say that when Harvard needed a big save, they aren't getting it. Plenty of games and proof to back up that statement. I didn't say that they aren't very good goalies. This is about looking at games that the Crimson are losing that aren't taking them to an ECAC championship or the NCAAs. Or the Beanpot for that matter. Obviously they are doing very well against the bottom rung of the league. And that is a credit to them for not looking past those squads. I'm just concerned about when they have to go up against top squads and not being able to get past those teams during the past few years. Building depth would help. So would getting a few key stops at critical junctures. Yeah, they're human and everyone is prone to mistakes. And it is a mindset and attitude despite what you say. Are there more players today than 10 years ago? Well, of course. Programs are springing up all over the place and girls are getting better coaching and opportunities to play all year 'round. So naturally it gets harder to recruit the best players every year including Olympians. BTW, the above sentence constitutes an excuse in case you were wondering...

 

[Skate79]

Re: Harvard Crimson Women 2012-2013

True to some extent, but I don't think there was widespread lamentation among Harvard fans. Surely Skate79 was pessimistic and I expressed maybe a sentence or two of disappointment with last weekend's outcome, but most of the criticism was coming from the usual anti-Katey crowd.

Okay, so let me state for the record that the one criticism of Coach Stone that I brought up was her inability or unwillingness to build depth by playing the back end of her roster. I didn't go after her coaching or her relationship with players. I'm not privy to either and clearly by winning 401 games, she is doing something right. A lot right.

Second, while I didn't see today's game, I was at Friday's game and it was one of the best that Harvard has played in a long time. Kaitlin Spurling played like a woman possessed. She was everywhere, skating hard, going to the boards, backchecking and finally rewarded with a PP goal. Easily the best game I've seen her play during her Harvard years. She is on a real roll and that can only help the team. Maschmeyer (hey Trill, are you reading this?), looked confident and was solid in goal. She made all the stops including a couple of key close in bids when the score was still 1-0 early in the third. Hopefully she can build on this weekend as a carryover to next weekend.

Having Kalley Armstrong back was HUGE. The lines were settled and consistent and everyone got to play meaningful minutes. Still some over reliance on Edney, Picard and Romatoski but I guess that won't change any time soon. It is what it is.

The results this weekend from the first round showed that it is tough even when you are playing a team you are supposed to beat without breaking a sweat. I thought Harvard would have a difficult go of it given the rivalry with Dartmouth and the fact that they didn't look great the past three games. I was wrong and I'll admit it. I had a chance to speak to some of the players after the game on Friday, notably Jillian Dempsey, and they were all feeling very good about their chances. Dempsey in particular liked how the team responded after last weekend.

So we'll see what happens now. If Harvard really wants to make the same kind of statement SLU made last year, it is right there for the taking next weekend. No excuses. Just take it and make me look silly. I will happily come back to this board and admit my foolishness.

 

[ARM]

Re: Harvard Crimson Women 2012-2013

If Harvard really wants to make the same kind of statement SLU made last year, it is right there for the taking next weekend. No excuses. Just take it and make me look silly. I will happily come back to this board and admit my foolishness.

Yes, I'd say most fans are happy to have their team do better than they are expecting. It is only the "Fire Coach {scapegoat's name here}" crowd that seems disappointed when winning.

 

[D2D]

Re: Harvard Crimson Women 2012-2013

It is only the "Fire Coach {scapegoat's name here}" crowd that seems disappointed when winning.

But as soon as things start to go right it's inevitable that so many in that crowd are quick to jump back onto the bandwagon...

 

[Watson Rink]

Re: Harvard Crimson Women 2012-2013

There's a fine, fine line between an excuse and an explanation, so let's all cut each other some slack.

No posts, smoke signals or other activity over at the Dmth board, but to be fair they could be citing the loss of Nanji if it occasioned them the same kind of problemsthis weekend that the loss of Armstrong did to Hvd last weekend. Both All-Ivy second teamers.

Thank goodness Hvd cut back on the forehand shots into Holdcroft's chest and paid her the respect of realizing that you're more likely to solve her with tic-tac-toe passing with the final shot coming from the opposite side. Good work by the Hvd Fs getting free of their checks and also being able to go strong to the net on their backhands, which also produced a few goals. A hockey stick blade does have two sides, after all.

 

[Skate79]

Re: Harvard Crimson Women 2012-2013

But as soon as things start to go right it's inevitable that so many in that crowd are quick to jump back onto the bandwagon...

Very true. But I don't think that anyone who follows the Crimson and is a fan of the team wants to see Stone go. It is more a matter of hoping that she adjusts her coaching style to better utilize all of her roster rather than overusing a few key players. Believe me, I will not abandon ship if they lose next weekend. What kind of an alum does that to their school?

 

[Skate79]

Re: Harvard Crimson Women 2012-2013

No posts, smoke signals or other activity over at the Dmth board, but to be fair they could be citing the loss ofNanji if it occasioned them the same kind of problemsthis weekend that the loss of Armstrong did to Hvd last weekend. Both All-Ivy second teamers.

No question that Nanji was the heart and soul of the Big Green squad. She gave us fits during her four years in Hanover. Her loss had to be felt by their squad. She is a catalyst for their offense in addition to being rock solid on the backline. Not having her had to hurt them.

And it is a fair comparison to look at the loss of Armstrong during the lost weekend against Clarkson and SLU and make the same statement. Armstrong isn't quite the same catalyst but her presence allows for all three lines to have some scoring punch. That's huge at this time of year. Hopefully it will make a difference next weekend.

 

[OnMAA]

Re: Harvard Crimson Women 2012-2013

....And it is a fair comparison to look at the loss of Armstrong during the lost weekend against Clarkson and SLU and make the same statement. Armstrong isn't quite the same catalyst but her presence allows for all three lines to have some scoring punch. That's huge at this time of year. Hopefully it will make a difference next weekend.

Agreed. Check this

.

for similar observations.

 

[HockeyEast33]

Re: Harvard Crimson Women 2012-2013

You're right, but (1) schools have different average AIs, and (2) I assume Trillium is saying the Yale admissions office has chosen to self-impose this constraint on athletics. And that's Yale's right to do so.

I checked with a couple of players that were recruited by Yale in the last 2-3 years (they don't know each other by the way). One of them specifically was told by the current Yale staff that she was only being considered because she was a very high AI kid and might be able get an unspecified lower, more talented AI kid in (didn't work out in the end and they dropped her). The other (different year) was told that given her lower AI that they would have to evaluate the AIs of some other kids they were pursuing to see if the met the target as a group - also didn't work out. These two stories (again - totally unconnected) does not sound like there is a universal standard at Yale for women's hockey players and that they are playing the same AI games that the other Ivies do.

 

[Watson Rink]

Funny trivia question

Funny trivia question

Any takers on my earlier question:

"You all know who gave the Bruins' grizzly mascot, Blades, his name, right? (Hint: this is a Harvard women's hockey forum, and that question ain't off-topic!)"

I'll wager this is an NCAA record that will not be broken, or tied, in the modern era: most NHL mascots named (lifetime)

 

[Skate79]

Re: Funny trivia question

Re: Funny trivia question

Any takers on my earlier question:

"You all know who gave the Bruins' grizzly mascot, Blades, his name, right? (Hint: this is a Harvard women's hockey forum, and that question ain't off-topic!)"

I'll wager this is an NCAA record that will not be broken, or tied, in the modern era: most NHL mascots named (lifetime)

Okay, I'll take a stab. Rugger? She's pretty high profile and has a brother who played minor hockey. AJ? Hmm, on second thought, no I don't think so. Okay, I give up. What's the answer?

 

[alslammerz]

Re: Funny trivia question

Re: Funny trivia question

Any takers on my earlier question:

"You all know who gave the Bruins' grizzly mascot, Blades, his name, right? (Hint: this is a Harvard women's hockey forum, and that question ain't off-topic!)"

I'll wager this is an NCAA record that will not be broken, or tied, in the modern era: most NHL mascots named (lifetime)

Before I look this up, I'll go with Coach Joe B.

Edit: Wow. Nope. Not even close.

 

[Hux]

Re: Funny trivia question

Re: Funny trivia question

Before I look this up, I'll go with Coach Joe B.

Edit: Wow. Nope. Not even close.

Probably Miss Ruggiero as part of her marketing assignment with that dope's reality show. Or Jillian Dempsey as a child

 

[Watson Rink]

Re: Harvard Crimson Women 2012-2013

You got it right!

From a press release on the nhl.com site in 2001:

"Last season's rookie mascot came onto the scene and immediately became a fan-favorite, as his name was chosen in a special mascot naming ceremony at the home of the Bruins on October 28, 2000.

"Jillian Dempsey, a nine-year old from Winthrop, Massachusetts, was announced as the Grand Prize winner of the "Name the Mascot" contest as the ten finalists were guests of the Bruins at the Boston-Toronto Maple Leafs game on that special night in October."



You can look it up at http://www.nhl.com/intheslot/read/mascots/boston.shtml

 

[OnMAA]

Re: Harvard Crimson Women 2012-2013

You got it right!

From a press release on the nhl.com site in 2001:

"Last season's rookie mascot came onto the scene and immediately became a fan-favorite, as his name was chosen in a special mascot naming ceremony at the home of the Bruins on October 28, 2000.

"Jillian Dempsey, a nine-year old from Winthrop, Massachusetts, was announced as the Grand Prize winner of the "Name the Mascot" contest as the ten finalists were guests of the Bruins at the Boston-Toronto Maple Leafs game on that special night in October."



You can look it up at http://www.nhl.com/intheslot/read/mascots/boston.shtml

Cool.....Hux win's the grand prize !....Now she will make the team for sure next year, cause I'm smelling a NBC vignette piece during next years Olympics.

 

[Watson Rink]

Re: Harvard Crimson Women 2012-2013

If she makes it, will Blades take a leave of absence from the NHL to travel with the national team?