Sandy posted:
 
>...I'd like to nominate Tripp Tracy for some sort of
>ecac recognition. Before you shake your head consider the following ...
 
>1) he was the top ECAC goalie ... for virtually the entire
>season, and helped keep Harvard as the lowest GAA in the
>league ... until the last two weekends.
 
>2) ... of the seven defensemen... there were 3
>freshman; of the upperclassman only one was a
>"natural" (i.e. from childhood) defenseman ... My point is that this was
>not the tight ... defense seen the last two or three seasons, and ...
>accounted for more of the bad goals,
>lopsided games, etc. than Tracy.... There were definitely games that
>Tracy kept Harvard in. (I'm thinking of the home
>game vs. Brown as one example.)
 
>Finely, correct me if I'm wrong, but Harvard  has had the top ECAC
>goalie, at least stats-wise, but I'd argue beyond that, for the last
>three years ...
 
A) Tracy: Through 20 ECAC games, he faced 26.2 shots on goal per game.
Although his defense was hardly up to past editions, the overall team
defense was still exemplary - and probably cost the Crimson some offense
as a result. Tripp definitely was in fine form against Brown at home,
but would probably take responsibility for the B.C. loss in the Beanpot
and generally gave up a bad goal in each game I saw him play (7). His
style - very aggressive- requires better timing than a more traditional
goalkeeper and I think he struggles in games where he doesn't get much
work. Patient teams also seem to give him problems.
 
That being said, I think he is still in the mix for all-star consideration.
Todd Sullivan is the league's best, IMO, and Thomas has the combination
of consistency & numbers to back up a claim that he is the best. I think
Tracy, James Konte, Jason Elliott, Mike Tamburro, Mike Parsons and
Trevor Koenig all showed enough to be considered but also had some
off-nights. I didn't see Dan Murphy enough (or see him face enough
shots) to judge. Personally, I would take Konte of the second tier
group because, all things being equal, I like a big goalie better
than a small one - but any of the above seems capable of winning a big game.
 
B) Harvard goalies in general
 
A Harvard goalie has led the ECAC in goals-against average in 7 of the 11
seasons since the HE schools split. Only one of those goalies (Grant
Blair in 1984-85 was second team all-ECAC) has earned more than an
honorable mention nod from the league coaches. Sure, sharing the job
was a factor for Roy (although he wasn't going to beat Mike O'Neill in
'89 or Christian Soucy in '92 even if he played 100 games) and probably
more so for Israel last year (although Geoff Finch was tough). On the
other hand, look at where the goalies have gone - has anyone outside
of the ECAC ever heard of Blair, Dickie McEvoy, or John Devin? Chuckie
Hughes never made it out of the ECHL. Roy hasn't been given a chance,
really, although he was drafted and did spend some time with the Canadian
national team, and Israel is still trying to win a permanent job with
Hershey against Neil Little and Les Kuntar. I think Harvard has always
received good goaltending, but I don't think it's had one of the best two
goalies in the league in the time span in question. Roy was very good,
Israel was very good, Tracy is good.
 
Geoff Howell
The Trenton Times
Drop the Puck