Two well-played (in parts) hockey games, one win, and the third
of Mike Schafer's three goals accomplished.
 
Cornell completed their incredible one-year ECAC turnaround by
coming back to defeat SLU, 5-4.  The win gave Cornell a final
ECAC record of 14-4-4, 32 points, .727 winning percentage.  The 32
points are the most for Cornell in league play since at least 1982
(when I became a fan).
 
At the beginning of the season, rookie coach Schafer gave his team
three goals:
 
1.  Pack the rink
2.  Beat Harvard
3.  Get home ice
 
At the time, the perceived chance of these things being accomplished was:
 
1.  Possible
2.  Conceivable after taking prescription medication
3.  Not a chance
 
But they're coming home this weekend, and indeed if not for
a third-rebound o.t. goal by the Golden Knights, it would
have been as a second place seed.  (Editor's note: there is
absolutely no question who the ECAC, NCAA, or Milky Way coach of the
year is.)
 
If you only look at the shots on goal in the Clarkson game, you get
a very misleading view.  This was the Big Red's game to win, and it
was a big disappointment to see them continually allow the Knights back
into the game.  The Big Red weathered a blizzard of first period
penalties, found their game and their style in dominating Clarkson through
the next twenty minutes, but then came out (and remained) flat in the
final period and the o.t.  They might have gotten away with that against
a weaker team, but Clarkson was good enough to capitalize (finally) on
their man advantage when Matt Cooney took about his seventh (editorial
license -- in fact it was only his third) Too Much Caffeine penalty to tie
the game.  The o.t. goal wasn't pretty (coming, like the tying goal, as
a result of Cornell's inability to clear the puck from the crease) and the
longest unbeaten streak in the nation finally came to an end.
 
Clarkson deserved the win, playing very tight defense and gaining in intensity
in the final few minutes despite a fairly tepid Cheel crowd. (I took a walk
over to Walker Saturday morning and finally got a look at it.  They were
fools to abandon the place -- I cannot imagine what a full sized student
crowd must have sounded like there.  Actually, I can -- it may have
been as loud and as hostile as Lynah.  And now they play in an airport
restroom, sanitized for our protection.  What were they thinking?)
 
Jason Elliott was the star of the night, turning away several chances off of
dumb defensive lapses.  The missed opportunity that could have iced the game
for Cornell came while still leading 1-0 early in the third, when the
Red manuevered the puck into the Knights' end and with some nifty passing
wound up with 90% of the net to shoot at from 10 feet out.  I think it was
either Mike Sancimino or Kyle Knopp who took the shot, firing it wide left.
In general Cornell's shots were wide all night, with Murphy looking
shakey in net but never seriously tested.
 
The St. Lawrence game could also have gone either way, but this time it
was Cornell who got the late powerplay (and tying goal), and then blew by
their opponent on sheer guts and emotion.  Brad Chartrand had another great
game, and the Wilson non-brothers stole the show with four assists
(three by Steve) and one goal (by Chad).  And freshman Jeff Burgoyne
got stuck taking a face-off... and he won!  Elliott let in one weak goal
(a hard but unscreened shot through the five-hole that put the Saints up
4-2) but after that it was all Big Red as they stormed back for three
unanswered goals.
 
Chartrand scored his 20th goal of the season, joing a rather select group
in recent Cornell history.
 
Much as Clarkson did the previous night, Cornell deserved the two points
this night (and got 'em).
 
Where does this leave us?  Well, with all due respect to the eventual
QF opponents of Vermont, Clarkson, and SLU, none of them have a prayer,
and those three squads are a lock for the Lake.  Cornell, however, has this
problem...
 
The Colgate Red Raiders are a solid hockey team, every bit as talented
as the trio of Cornell, Clarkson, and SLU.  Cornell built up a very
impressive home record this year (9-1-2) and manhandled Colgate the last
five periods of their two meetings, outscoring them 9-3 (after spotting
them 4 first period goals in the first game at Hamilton, unfortunately).
Either team can win; I just hope it's us  :-)   Home ice and the
interaction between crowd, team, and coach has been magic, and I would
give a slight edge to Cornell -- that's the reward for finishing
fourth, after all.
 
If we get to the Lake... oh hell, that's way too far away to think about yet!
 
This looks like the most entertaining post-season in years.
 
 
Greg Berge
Let's Go Red!
ECAC Champions 1967, 68, 69, 70, 73, 80, 86, ??
 
HOCKEY-L is for discussion of college ice hockey;  send information to
[log in to unmask], The College Hockey Information List.