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RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020: Nordic Combined

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Re: RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020: Nordic Combined

We have a young team that is still trying to figure out how to handle a strong forecheck.
I think we learned a lot in the second half of the Clarkson game. And this is that we can skate with a very good team, and we learned to deal with that forecheck.
I don't know yet if we have the talent to make it to the top four of our league, but it sure looks good so far.
Great goal tending, a good defense, and surprising amount of scoring early gives me hope.
And one more thing, I know it is still early, but this team plays the best team defense that I have seen from RPI going back to when I first started following them in "93.
And that goes to coach Smith and his staff. JMO
 
Re: RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020: Nordic Combined

engineerhockeyfan said:
We have a young team that is still trying to figure out how to handle a strong forecheck.
I think we learned a lot in the second half of the Clarkson game. And this is that we can skate with a very good team, and we learned to deal with that forecheck.
I don't know yet if we have the talent to make it to the top four of our league, but it sure looks good so far.
Great goal tending, a good defense, and surprising amount of scoring early gives me hope.
And one more thing, I know it is still early, but this team plays the best team defense that I have seen from RPI going back to when I first started following them in "93.
And that goes to coach Smith and his staff. JMO
Click to expand...

We also seemed to improve as the Clarkson game went on which never seemed to happen under SA. We were greatly outplayed in the first period, but things got more even as the game wore on. If Clarkson is indeed a top team in the country, that shows that we should at least get home ice in the first round of the ECAC playoffs and have at least an outside shot at a bye.
 
Ralph Baer said:
We also seemed to improve as the Clarkson game went on which never seemed to happen under SA. We were greatly outplayed in the first period, but things got more even as the game wore on. If Clarkson is indeed a top team in the country, that shows that we should at least get home ice in the first round of the ECAC playoffs and have at least an outside shot at a bye.
Click to expand...
I think that may be slightly optimistic Ralph although Saturday was a good effort againsta very good team. I saw a game totally controlled by Clarkson but to Our credit we pushed back several times but when we did Clarkson seemed to step back on the gas then they completely shut down the 3rd period they had 4 shots we had 5. Our fate begins and ends with goaltending but for great goaltending and a few timely goal posts that was a different game but hey I'll take a close game against an Elite team ...besides what the heck do I know
 
Re: RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020: Nordic Combined

I just noticed that both the roster and stats pages from Saturday’s program listed Cory Babichuk as a forward. I don’t think I’ve seen him play any other position besides defense. Was that a typo or was/is there a plan for him to do “a Brutlag” and move up front?
 
Re: RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020: Nordic Combined

rpi82 said:
I just noticed that both the roster and stats pages from Saturday’s program listed Cory Babichuk as a forward. I don’t think I’ve seen him play any other position besides defense. Was that a typo or was/is there a plan for him to do “a Brutlag” and move up front?
Click to expand...

He played defenseman in both games. The RPI Athletics website still lists him as a defenseman as well
 
Re: RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020: Nordic Combined

Ralph Baer said:
We also seemed to improve as the Clarkson game went on which never seemed to happen under SA. We were greatly outplayed in the first period, but things got more even as the game wore on. If Clarkson is indeed a top team in the country, that shows that we should at least get home ice in the first round of the ECAC playoffs and have at least an outside shot at a bye.
Click to expand...

At the end of the first period, I was ready to leave. They looked horrible. But by the end of the game I wanted it to go on. Clarkson is a very good team. They possess and move the puck very well. They pass well. And they are where they should be on the ice. RPI's power play looked like they had just learned it and it was like watching in slow motion. Then they decided to compete. I am sure it was an eye opener for Clarkson. Should be a very interesting game in their rink. I was very impressed with Babichuk. He reminded me of Gostisbehere. Lots of poise and confidence on the ice. Fun to watch. And if teams start to focus on him, it will open the ice for others. As I said at the end of last year being hard to play against, skating for 60 minutes, and having fun on the ice will make this team fun to watch. For the first time in a while I am encouraged and excited for what's to come.
 
Re: RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020: Nordic Combined

rpi82 said:
I just noticed that both the roster and stats pages from Saturday’s program listed Cory Babichuk as a forward. I don’t think I’ve seen him play any other position besides defense. Was that a typo or was/is there a plan for him to do “a Brutlag” and move up front?
Click to expand...

sezenack said:
He played defenseman in both games. The RPI Athletics website still lists him as a defenseman as well
Click to expand...

As sez said, the collegehockeystats box score has him as a defenseman for both games. That has historically been the best source for those things in my experience.
 
25+years said:
At the end of the first period, I was ready to leave. They looked horrible. But by the end of the game I wanted it to go on. Clarkson is a very good team. They possess and move the puck very well. They pass well. And they are where they should be on the ice. RPI's power play looked like they had just learned it and it was like watching in slow motion. Then they decided to compete. I am sure it was an eye opener for Clarkson. Should be a very interesting game in their rink. I was very impressed with Babichuk. He reminded me of Gostisbehere. Lots of poise and confidence on the ice. Fun to watch. And if teams start to focus on him, it will open the ice for others. As I said at the end of last year being hard to play against, skating for 60 minutes, and having fun on the ice will make this team fun to watch. For the first time in a while I am encouraged and excited for what's to come.
Click to expand...
Agree on Babichuck he seems to see the game well not sure he's in Gostisbehere's class yet but hopefully he'll be that guy in a couple of years.
 
Re: RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020: Nordic Combined

lugnut92 said:
As sez said, the collegehockeystats box score has him as a defenseman for both games. That has historically been the best source for those things in my experience.
Click to expand...

Not only was he playing defense, but it was telling that Smith had him at the point when we were trying for a tie in the closing seconds on Saturday. That’s why the twin listings of him as a forward seemed surprising. Brutlag was a good player, but I’m really hoping that Babichuk becomes more of a Bailen.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Re: RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020: Nordic Combined

Smith must have seen something in Babichuk since he kept him and he was an Appert recruit. He got rid of many others. I too doubt that he will be in Gostisbehere's class, but even close to that will still be very useful.

Edit: Considering that he was a teammate of Foo2 several years ago, it is a bit surprising that Union did not get them.
 
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Re: RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020: Nordic Combined

troyboy said:
I think that may be slightly optimistic Ralph although Saturday was a good effort againsta very good team. I saw a game totally controlled by Clarkson but to Our credit we pushed back several times but when we did Clarkson seemed to step back on the gas then they completely shut down the 3rd period they had 4 shots we had 5. Our fate begins and ends with goaltending but for great goaltending and a few timely goal posts that was a different game but hey I'll take a close game against an Elite team ...besides what the heck do I know
Click to expand...

I agree with this viewpoint. Some great goaltending and a few friendly pipes kept it from being a blow out. We allowed way to much free skating and never registered a worthwhile body check until at least the 2nd period. Skilled teams like CCT, Harvard, Cornell, etc. will run roughshod over us if we don't disrupt their movements entering our zone. We were easy to play against on Saturday night because CCT knew they weren't going to get to get hit...very similar to the Saturday night home effort vs. Union.

Babichuk is certainly an offensive talent, but I'm old school and like my defensemen to play defense first....and he needs some work to be competent on the back end.
 
Re: RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020: Nordic Combined

Wicked Slappaahs said:
I agree with this viewpoint. Some great goaltending and a few friendly pipes kept it from being a blow out. We allowed way to much free skating and never registered a worthwhile body check until at least the 2nd period. Skilled teams like CCT, Harvard, Cornell, etc. will run roughshod over us if we don't disrupt their movements entering our zone. We were easy to play against on Saturday night because CCT knew they weren't going to get to get hit...very similar to the Saturday night home effort vs. Union.

Babichuk is certainly an offensive talent, but I'm old school and like my defensemen to play defense first....and he needs some work to be competent on the back end.
Click to expand...

Perceptive as usual. Early it certainly seemed like we were almost afraid to hit. Perhaps the way officials are calling these early season games, or perhaps not. We certainly are taking among the fewest penalties in the nation and that is most definitely not RPI hatchet hockey from the past. As you say, though, you can get away with that against teams you can out skate and maneuver against but you cannot against those big squads who just hit and push you off the puck (CCT for sure, UMass for sure, Cornell and Harvard most likely). As the game went on I do think we started to push back a bit more but it might only have been my imagination and it could have been Clarkson playing a bit more defensive with a 2-0 lead late. In any case, you have it spot on. If we do not develop a more aggressive philosophy we could be toast against the top ECAC teams we have yet to face.
 
Re: RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020: Nordic Combined

Ralph Baer said:
We also seemed to improve as the Clarkson game went on which never seemed to happen under SA. We were greatly outplayed in the first period, but things got more even as the game wore on. If Clarkson is indeed a top team in the country, that shows that we should at least get home ice in the first round of the ECAC playoffs and have at least an outside shot at a bye.
Click to expand...

There is no question that even when we have played poorly over the past couple years, this coach tries to make adaptations during the game. Both on the fly and between periods he seems to recognize what is happening and tries to make whatever changes he can at the time. Not always do these work but that is a function of not having the personnel to make those on ice changes. We are a .500 team right now overall and in the ECAC. Not something to do cartwheels over but still an improvement worth noting and after the past 2 season, something many of us would take for the season leading to a hope for a better future.
 
Re: RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020: Nordic Combined

ServinisScores said:
Jeff Prendergast on D? I think that's a net zero over your current score. How do you score Jacques de St. Phalle?
Click to expand...

There are a lot of ties. I did mention de St. Phalle and asked for the a judgment. I never saw St spelled out, but it would be 13 if it were.
Did any of our Lees play D?

BTW, de St. Phalle's son is a Wisconsin recruit which is where he went for his senior year.
 
DrDemento said:
There is no question that even when we have played poorly over the past couple years, this coach tries to make adaptations during the game. Both on the fly and between periods he seems to recognize what is happening and tries to make whatever changes he can at the time. Not always do these work but that is a function of not having the personnel to make those on ice changes. We are a .500 team right no overall and in the ECAC. Not something to do cartwheels over but still an improvement worth noting and after the past 2 season, something many of us would take for the season leading to a hope for a better future.
Click to expand...
Doc I believe the League is weak this year there are 3 Elite teams cocked & loaded the rest of the league is a crap shoot that presents opportunity for a couple of teams to step up and seperate from the pack one of the ways do do that is have your goalie steal a couple of games so if we can overachieve and ride Savory good things could happen but that's why they play the games.
 
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