ESPN's Coverage of this weekend's NCAA championship

[StrykerFSU]

Peyser was also allowed to push off with his free hand on every faceoff. I also thought the refs of the second game were much more reluctant to issue the stall warning than those in the first, and that definitely played to JHU's advantage.

Duke has better players but Hopkins had a better game plan. Duke seemed to be playing tight the whole game with turnovers. I don't know who is necessarily the better coach but right now it looks like Danowski needs to figure out how to win the big one. That said, I really like his style more than Petro's screaming tirades. There was a nice shot of Danowski calmly telling Ross (I think) to shoot the ball rather than make the extra pass. Juxtapose that with Petro losing his stuff at Peyser for not moving his freaking feet...or something to that effect. Just an issue with style. Clearly Petro has got Danowski's number.

[swampthing]

Peyser was also allowed to push off with his free hand on every faceoff. I also thought the refs of the second game were much more reluctant to issue the stall warning than those in the first, and that definitely played to JHU's advantage.

Duke has better players but Hopkins had a better game plan. Duke seemed to be playing tight the whole game with turnovers. I don't know who is necessarily the better coach but right now it looks like Danowski needs to figure out how to win the big one. That said, I really like his style more than Petro's screaming tirades. There was a nice shot of Danowski calmly telling Ross (I think) to shoot the ball rather than make the extra pass. Juxtapose that with Petro losing his stuff at Peyser for not moving his freaking feet...or something to that effect. Just an issue with style. Clearly Petro has got Danowski's number.

I was wondering the same thing about the wards, everytime Rabil swims he pushes the hell out of his defender and I saw Peyser giving the business with his free hand especially on the last few clutch faceoffs. I dunno if Duke has better players though, I just don't feel like Peyser or Rabil have anyone that can match their line this year and I thought Duke's attack was unstoppable until I saw this game (where I think the standout was Quinzani).

I can see why some people might not have liked it because of the slower pace at the beginning, but I thought it was an awesome game, and it had a bunch of goals that brought me to my feet even from the couch (o'hara's dpole goal, that hopkins d middie's rip, huntley's behind the back and halftime buzzer beater, and then quinzani hitting pipe and the resulting hopkins fast break game sealer). Can't wait for tomorrow...

[Tim Gray]

I was at the games yesterday, so we couldn't see any type of breakdown or replay. What did everyone think of Hopkin's last second goal. Was it a good goal or was it after time expired?

[StickSideHigh]

The time expired before the shot. Hopkins had a great game plan of just packing it in close. Hopkins was constantly picking off or knocking down passes that were thrown to the middle by Duke. Petro figured them out. Kevin Huntley may be the most under appreciated player, he can stick it from anywhere. Overall two great games and Monday should be a great matchup. The freshman goalie for Cuse is unreal even though he got help from the pipes but he was making UVA shoot perfect.
And as to the coaching style of Petro yelling, his kids can handle it unlike many others in this game who feel bad when yelled at.

[swampthing]

i dunno the shot might have gone in on time b/c they showed the instant replay and the espn2 clock had just gone to zero when he fired, but they emphasized that it wasn't the official clock. It definitely went in after the horn at least.

[laxfan25]

I was at the games yesterday, so we couldn't see any type of breakdown or replay. What did everyone think of Hopkin's last second goal. Was it a good goal or was it after time expired?

The only replay they showed didn't have the game clock superimposed, like they showed at the end of the game - it just had the ESPN clock. Based on that , it looked like it very well might have been late.
As far as the warding, there were a couple times where I thought it could have been called, but I also feel that warding is the one call that EVERYONE thinks they know and that should be called every time, and I don't understand that. If they're going to let the defense get away with slashing and holding (i.e. crosscheck holds) because it is part of the modern game now, why get so extremely picky on wards. It drives me crazy, especially when people holler "WARD" when it isn't even occurring (like when the D gets their stick under the attacker's arm and the attacker lifts his arm off the stick).
Two calls that I wondered about though - 1) in the 2nd OT there was a whack square on the head, and a push call was made. 2) In the Duke/JHU game there was an obvious trip and the ref called a 30 sec push, and was heard telling the coach "I was waiting to see if an advantage was gained" before calling it. On replay you saw that his hands never touched the player, but he definitely tripped his legs out. I thought that was leaning a bit too much towards "calling the lesser foul".

[Jester]

It might be my completely irrational hatred of Hopkins coming in here, but did Peyser jump the whistle on every faceoff? It looked like Duke's guy got a little cautious when he was called for procedure early, and then Peyser seemed to do it over and over.

I remember seeing video on e-lacrosse from when Huntley was playing at Calvert Hall, and in a playoff game he went full speed down the left alley and threw an around the world shot into the opposite upper corner.

Also, in those two games, were any slashes called? At all? Looked to me like Clausen was the only player who wasn't just hacking at kidneys. I guess they were letting them play, and the middies/attack didn't seem to be complaining about it, but I still had to wince on some of Bocklet's checks.

[StrykerFSU]

It might be my completely irrational hatred of Hopkins coming in here, but did Peyser jump the whistle on every faceoff?

Yes, but I chalked it up to a slight delay in the audio feed.

[Zeuslax]

And as to the coaching style of Petro yelling, his kids can handle it unlike many others in this game who feel bad when yelled at.

Agreed!

[TheBearcatHimself]

Also, in those two games, were any slashes called? At all? Looked to me like Clausen was the only player who wasn't just hacking at kidneys. I guess they were letting them play, and the middies/attack didn't seem to be complaining about it, but I still had to wince on some of Bocklet's checks.

I think this crazy amount of vicious checking is what has directly led to the changes in stick specifications for 2010. I had only watched one D1 NCAA game in March before this weekend's final four, and I was definitely taken aback by the brutish nature of the games and all-too-present full swing checks. It will be interesting to see the changes the new heads make, I for one am all for it, I think it will put a premium on solid cradling and stick protection instead of rewarding the most absolute physical specimens who can fly and bowl through anyone.

[OAKS]

I'm amazed at the shooting power Rabil has without even extending his hands. I think I could maybe get it up to 60 mph with my hands in tight next to my body like that. Must be a lot harder for the goalie to anticipate as well.

[Steno]

'Cuse v Hopkins is a weird game. Seems like JHU is playing the game Duke wanted to on Saturday - all run-and-gun.

[bste_lax]

Wow, what a save by JHU's goalie.

[Gvlax]

Wow, what a save by JHU's goalie.

never seen a better save than that one.

[Timbalaned]

Rabil is hella good even though his swim move that he continually does makes him look like a d bag