Cornell came away with two tough points on the road this weekend with
a 4-1 win at Union and a 4-1 loss to RPI.  Boxes were already posted
but since I rarely get to go to a Big Red game I'll post some of my
admittedly biased/trying to be objective observations.
 
Friday Jan 6. Cornell 4  Union 1
Congratulations to Union for getting some real fans.  The first
time I went to Achilles rink 3 years ago for Union's inaugural ECAC
season, the fans sat on their hands all night and did no cheering.
They looked at the Cornell section (complete with band and REAL
FANS!) like we were from another planet.  This year, during the
anthem the Union fans yelled "Oh say can U! see...." and
when we yelled "...rocekts RED! glare" they yelled "SUCKS".
An excellent cheer even though it slammed us good!  Other than an
awful DJ (1980's rewind :-().  The atmosphere was good and the
rink was packed.  Good to see!
 
This game could easily have been 7-5 in favor of the Big Red for
two reasons:
 
1.  JASON ELLIOT.  Wow!  Although I felt the shot totals for Union
were inflated somewhat, Elliot came up with some incredible saves
and benefitted from a couple of posts ("part of the equipment").
Without his early effort Cornell could have been out of this
game.
 
2. Cornell's inability to execute an odd man rush!  In the second
period Tyler McManus was left all alone on at the Union blue line
as Union changed lines.  He gets a pass from the other end of the ice
which is behind him and manages to trip himself up, allowing the
Union defense to catch up and force him into a weak shot.  In the third,
another botched line change for Union leads to a 3 on 1  where it just
seemed as if these guys had NO CLUE what to do with themselves and
ended up with no shot on net at all.  Several other 2 on 1's also
botched.  Note to Coach McCutcheon: need to practice odd man rushes
this week.
 
Overall I thought the teams were evenly matched and Cornell got the better
goaltending and better bounces.  One other note.  The refs were very slow
to blow the whistle when the goalies covered up.  This meant that Elliot
and Union's Villa took quite a few slashes to the glove hand and that there
were MANY pushing and shoving matches and pileups in both goal creases.
The refs could have controlled that but chose (I guess) not to, poor form
IMO.
 
Saturday, Jan. 7  RPI 4  Cornell 1
 
S-L-O-W.  This describes Cornell to a "T".  I noticed it against
Union on Friday, but I really noticed it against the faster Engineeers.
The Big Red are not just physically slow (they are, especially the defense)
but they are also VERY slow to react to the puck.  When RPI would force
a "turnover" in the nuetral zone all 3 forwards would wheel and race down
the ice for the offensive rush.  For Cornell, the forward with the puck
would start up the ice after a turnover and find himself 1 on 3 as his
linemates and defenseman looked as if they just figured it out.  Of course
1 on 3 are not great odds, leading to RPI regaining the puck.
Note to Coach McCutcheon: Take a hint from the NFL's Dallas Cowboys - Speed
works.
 
Despite, Cornell's lack of team speed they were in this game until the
last 15 minutes.  The refs in the Union game were allowing a lot of
behing the play hooking, stick holding and holding to go on.  This helped
the Big Red slow down Union.  At RPI the refs called everything behind
the play and RPI was off to the races.  With the score 2-0 after two periods.
Cornell came out and scored a big goal on a tremendous individual effort.
However, with the score 2-1 five minutes into the third and the momentum in
favor of the Big Red, Chartrand takes a REALLY DUMB momentum killing
holding penalty behind the play (the refs have called that one all night
dummy!).  RPI scores on the ensuing power play and the Big Red fold up
for the night leaving poor Elliot to face numerous odd man rushes.
 
My opinion on the Big Red's ECAC chances this season at the halfway mark:
This team plays with more teamwork than the last two years and it keeps them
in games that last year they never had a chance to win. If Jason Elliot
stays healthy and maintains this level of play, Cornell will remain in
the middle of the pack as long as they continue with the teamwork (they
even forechecked effectively against Union ;-)).  But if the goaltending
falters and the Red revert back to the last two seasons version of teamwork,
lookout cellar here we come :-(.
 
Eric Hoffman
Cornell '88
SUNY-Albany '95 and ??
Let's GO RED!
 
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