Ahead: Islanders prospects in NCAA weekend

gracias domingo

i was too busy planning a kegger to look up the schedule ;-)

Note to self: Try not to botch the BU-BC thing, ’kay?

As the chant goes: Sucks to B U!

For anyone with access to ESPN 360, they’ll have some of the games there, including the North Dakota – Yale game.

Anyone watching DEN/RIT? Rhett Rakhshani gave the second intermission interview and they did a little human interest segment on him. Seems like an entertaining guy so hopefully he makes it to the NHL.

Terrible. This is a problem with Albany, where people can’t get out to see some great events in this city. I couldn’t have predicted this, there goes part of my bracket! Hope Cornell wins it all yet..

Let our opponents outshoot us, we’ll be well on our way to a win gentleman! Let them tire!

Albany, like Saratoga, has become the graveyard of favorites.

This is my first NCAA regionals, and to be honest, not what I was expecting. In hindsight, I thought Rakhshani played a fairly great game. The amount of chances in front of the net was incredible with only being able to put the puck in the net once for Denver. He looked the part, and I can see why he is in contention for the Hobey because the kid can play. I’m not sure any one aspect of his surprised me (in the limited time I was able to see him this is not really an evaluation), but Rakhshani did not lack ability in any area either. He skated well, created chances, and shot the puck until his arms were ready to fall I’m sure, to no avail. Unfortunately for Denver, RIT jumped on the opportunities presented to them, and made the most of it. The first goal came off an attempted clear out of the zone by Denver, and the faux-Flyers intercepted the clear at the blueline and put it in the net. It went much the same the rest of the way for the Tigers, and they closed it out with a solid defensive performance that just shut down the Denver opportunities. For a first time tourney team, they brought their “A” game and some really raucous fans for the occasion, and if I was anything less than impressed, I’d be lying.

With that said, the 6:30 game was the one I reallllllllyyyyy wanted to see. I had anticipated a Cornell – Miami championship game, expecting the experience and prowess of Miami, Ohio and the sweet, sweet goaltending of Ben Scrivens. But, in a day where everything seemed upside down, the Big Red took to the exit sign in the first round for the first time since 1996. Six goals were given up, five by Scrivens as the wheels came off. This is a man who had a 1.87 GAA in 34 games this season, and a .934 Save % (three years straight with a .930+), and a shutout streak spanning over 260 minutes before the second period. Kessel looked pretty well on the ice, and picked up a belated assist when UNH retook the lead at 2-1. I think the greatest part of that performance however was how well that team banded together throughout the game. They didn’t play afraid, and they just kept pouring it on Cornell, which I imagine just was not ready for this Wildcats team (where has Cornell heard that in the past two days?). Cornell couldn’t keep the puck on their own sticks, and New Hampshire gladly took the gifts that kept on coming the other way.

I’m not sure I’m going to go tonight, I’m so tired (and you know, first round games played at the same time as second round games? uhh), but if the UNH-RIT tilt (which is about equidistant for both schools from Albany) is even close to the first two games out of the East, this is a game I suggest no one miss, be it live or on tv.