Chris Datres

Yeah, some of the decisions in the last 3 1/2 minutes were a little mystifying -- winning the faceoff after the 10-10 goal and then being in some giant rush and throwing it away, the two times with the empty net where they looked to be bothered by the pressure and threw it away instead of maybe giving it one more beat and making an easier pass. But the D came up big when they needed to after Delaware took that 10-9 lead. BTW, how bad were those announcers on that TV feed? Woof.

SUCK IT CHICKENS!! Another heartstopper as Downs makes a huge save with 2:49 left in a 10-10 game on a terrific Delaware set play. Then as the shot clock was winding down, Villagomez hits Demaio with 1:31 left for the go-ahead goal. Great defense kept the Chickens from getting any big threat on their next possession (after a horrid Towson turnover following a timeout with 1:15 left) and then one more big steal on a bad pass from their goalie with :25 left so we could run out the clock. Nice to get the regular season crown but it's next Saturday that we really want. If we get them again, I hope we'll take better looks at how we shot on Ellington because he made a ton of good saves that he made look routine. Meanwhile, Downs got beat by at least 4 shots from 20 yards out and it looked like he had a decent view of 2 of them.

A 5-1 3rd quarter gives the Tigers an 8-7 lead heading to the final stanza. Biggest play of the game might end up being the hustle play by Webber after a Villagomez bad pass running the ball down at the bench area and then setting up Villagomez for the goal to get it to a 6-5 deficit. Better faceoffs in that quarter and better looks. Tigers dominated possession but the final 4 minutes have been marred by some questionable officiating, giving the Chickens a pair of power plays including one where Elijah Smith was sent off for flopping. The officials have been pretty dubious throughout this one.

Down 6-3 at half to the Chickens. Difference in my novice mind has been goaltending. We've been stuffed on two point-blank looks because we've gone high and Ellington has had the basket ready. Chickens have scored from long distance twice and Downs looked like he may have been slightly screened both times. The goal with :02 left in the half after a timeout with :09 left is a real kick in the tail.

While I'm happy to have video access to this Chickens game, the Wirecast logo fading in and out of the screen is incredibly annoying. Nice to finally dent Ellington after we've had the ball the entire 1st quarter.

Maybe this is the impetus we finally need to change the offense and get away from that plodding throw it to the post, back em down game. Nah, who am I kidding. That ain't changing.

Luke Murray would be a really good get for any school with an opening. Hurley calls him the offensive coordinator of those efficient sets and he had the scout for the Purdue game.

So clockball isn't only for the basketball team?

And now we're getting sloppy.

I just hope you're not sitting near the speaker with the goal horn, Mat.

I love that we have all this offense now. We had a number of lean years in the last few in that department.

Treating Hofstra like a baby treats a diaper.

I was looking forward to him in a Louisville uniform.

So if the conference season is spring training, do we call the non-con season the Hot Stove League?

Having the NIL all-stars won’t mean anything if they’re not developed correctly or toss up dud efforts. Supposed ‘meh’ players can be turned into all-conference players with the right development. We’ve failed with that.