Cornell was defeated by BC at Conte Forum on Sunday afternoon. The Red
turned in a very disappointing effort one day after a 5-4 overtime loss
at Providence which hopefully was a better indicator of the team's
heart and talent. The unimpressive BC squad earned a 41-22 shot advantage.
 
Cornell goaltender Parris Duffus played an excellent game, holding down
what could easily have been a 7 or 8 goal Eagle performance. He also
got a little help from his friends - BC rang the posts twice on rebound
shots late in the third.
 
The officiating in the game was a complete disaster. The Hockey East
referee (McBride) showed no sign of cerebral activity. Cornell was kept
entirely out of the game by a string of borderline-to-phantom calls,
while BC's players continually bludgeoned, cross-checked, and slashed
with impunity. I doubt that BC has suddenly been transformed into an
entire team of Chris Nilans but, hey, if you're not going to be called
on it and it's helping your team, what the hell...? There was however
one gentleman, Jason Rathbone, who I am nominating as the early
favorite for the Kevin Melrose Trophy (awarded annually to the most
pathetic goon in college hockey). It actually became pretty funny -
midway through the third period I was almost missing Pierre.
 
Cornell's power-play was deafening in its silence. The Red suffered the
ultimate indignity of being outscored on their own power-play, courtesy
of a pretty breakaway by David Franzosa. Franzosa also scored the
second goal - he was one of the few skaters who seemed interested in
the game's outcome. Shaun Hannah was notable as the only Cornell
forward who was at all threatening. The team's few serious
opportunities seemed to coincide with his ice time.
 
On their last man advantage, McCutcheon atypically skated four forwards
- Hannah centering for Alex Nikolic and Joe Dragon with Ryan Hughes on
the point and Paul Dukovac as the lone defenseman. The combination
clicked better than any other of the afternoon, and I would like to see
it given a chance.
 
Maybe it was my own wishful imagination, but McCutcheon also seemed to
give more time to his third and fourth lines in the final period than
he has in the team's other games. Not that it helped or anything, but
you've got to believe that continually double-shifting Dragon and
Hughes is going to degrade their performance in the long run.
 
Cornell hosts Brown and Harvard next weekend. I am happy to report that
Rent-a-Car rates out of Boston are still dirt cheap. Man, I just *love*
a recession... four more years!
 
Greg
Let's Go Red!