Preview: RPI vs Cornell
The Engineers take on the Big Red in the Saturday matchup this weekend
RPI will cap off the weekend on Saturday with a game against Cornell. Last year, RPI beat Cornell 6-2 in their matchup at the Houston Field House, and they’ll be hoping to recreate that magic on Saturday.
Cornell Team Outlook
Cornell is a great team as usual this season. They’re 17th in the pairwise at the time of writing this and 18th in the USCHO poll. Cornell had a bit of a rough start to the season with a 2-4 record, but since then, they have gone 6-1-1. They have lost once in the past month and a half and look to be the formidable opponent that we’re accustomed to seeing from Cornell.
The metrics back that up, and all are extremely positive for the Big Red. They score 3.1 goals per game and only allow exactly 2 goals per game. These are outstanding numbers, and they are not luck-driven as Cornell is truly dominant at controlling play. Cornell averages 29.3 shots on goal per game and allows only 20.7 shots on goal per game. The latter number is particularly impressive since it is almost 10 shots on goal below average, which shows how stingy Cornell is on defense. The corsi looks just as strong at 55.5%, making Cornell a well-rounded team.
The power play might be the only area where Cornell has not excelled. The PP operates at 19.3%, which is solid, but it’s not great. However, the penalty kill is like a well-oiled machine to counter that. Cornell’s PK is currently 89.6%, which is 3rd in the country.
Biggest Threats
Gabriel Seger (#16, C) leads the team in scoring after transferring from Union over the summer. Seger is a big power forward with skill who can put the puck in the net. Expect him to be a top threat on the ice.
Ian Shane (#30, G) has built off of his excellent rookie season and been a rock in the net as the unquestioned starter. He has a 0.926 SV% and 2 shutouts on the season in only 12 starts since the Ivies started their season late. RPI will need to test him early and often.
What to Watch For
Can RPI keep up in puck possession?
With how good Cornell is at controlling play, RPI must step up their game to match Cornell in order to have a shot at winning. They were able to do this when they played Harvard and should have won that game. Against Quinnipiac, they couldn’t do it, and it was never even close.
Can the offense get going?
RPI has had various stretches of good play throughout the season, but outside of the first 4 games of the season, they have had a lot of trouble offensively. The Engineers played fine against Bowling Green and generated chances, but they still struggled to actually score. Against a stingy and defensive team, goals will be at a premium, and now would be a great time to rediscover their offensive touch.