Ed writes:

> The answer is to Eric's query is none of the above.  Cornell's
> membership in the Ivy League limits their number of games per year.  The
> Ivies start play weeks after everyone else, including non-Ivy members of
> the ECAC.  This rule was the catalyst for the breaking away of the
> Hockey East schools back in the 1980's.  I'm sure Cornell would have no
> trouble attracting big name programs to Lynah if they chose to add a
> certain number of games to its schedule, nor would they be adverse to
> traveling to the Mariuccis and Yosts of the world.  They certainly have
> the money to do so.  It's simply the university's decision to limit
> their games so that their student-athletes can concentrate on academics
> (insert your own snide remark here).
>
> This is also why I largely dismiss silly comments regarding the ECAC
> when people ask of the Ivies, "who have they played?"  The answer is
> they've played each other.  It isn't that they choose not to play anyone
> else; it's that they choose not to play any more.

I don't want to sound snide, but Cornell played Army, Sacred Heart, and
Canisius this year.  It's good for the CHA and Atlantic Hockey to get games
against the more powerful leagues, so I don't want to criticize that.
Minnesota plays the occasional game against Bemidji State for the same reason.
   Cornell could have helped itself, however, by scheduling one of their
non-conference games against a WCHA team if possible.

Cornell certainly had the misfortune of catching Michigan State in a down year.
  Sometimes the crystal ball doesn't work so well.

-- Erik

P.S. Please be careful not to get your Erics and Eriks and (and even Ariks)
confused.  :-)