OK, these have been percolating in my head for too long...

Cornell and Yale skated to a 1-1 tie at Ingalls Rink last Friday night.  This
was the first chance I'd had this year to see the Big Red in person, and
I have to say... wow.  Cornell is big, fast, and physical, not to mention long
on talent.  The Big Red also possesses a significantly better offense than the
one that averaged a mere two goals a game last year, as well as brilliant
goaltending in senior Matt Underhill (who started Friday) and freshman
sensation Dave LeNeveu.  That said, Yale played an excellent game against the
Big Red, who although they played well themselves seemed to be a little
unfocused at times.  It looked like Cornell had a bit of difficulty
maintaining the high level of play they had had the previous week against BU,
when they split a pair at the then-number-5-ranked Terriers' home rink.

Dan Lombard was outstanding between the pipes for the Bulldogs.  I never
really noticed this before, but Lombard has one heck of a glove hand.  At
least twice a Cornell shot that had clear sailing to the upper corner of the
net was snared in a swift movement of Lombard's glove.  Underhill was no
slouch at the other end of the ice either, as he put up a number of
point-blank saves in his total of 23. (Lombard finished with 26)

It didn't look like Cornell would have to break much of a sweat in the early
going, as they lit the lamp 25 seconds after the opening faceoff.  Doug Murray
fired a high shot from the point that Lombard batted down, but the puck went
right to the stick of Matt McRae in the slot, who snapped it home for the
early lead.  This was McRae's third goal in Cornell's last two games, after he
had gone 0 for the first seven.

The Yale defense stiffened after this, however, and the Yale forecheck really
began to give Cornell fits.  The Bulldogs tied things up later in the first on
the first power play of the game, with Christopher Higgins firing a low shot
from the right circle that beat a partially-screened Underhill at the 8:40
mark.  It was Cornell's turn to step up the pressure after that, but Lombard
was a wall for the rest of the period -- though he did benefit from a couple
of ringers off the post.

Yale had the advantage in a second period that saw plenty of end-to-end
action.  With about three and a half minutes left in the period, Nick
Deschenes beat a couple of Big Red defenders to a loose puck at the blue line
and found himself on a mini-break, but Underhill stoned him from the slot.
Shortly after that, the Bulldogs' Luke Earl appeared to bounce one in off the
right post before he was shoved into the net, knocking it off its moorings.
Referee John Murphy, however, ruled that the puck did not cross the line
before the net came off, and play continued.

The Bulldogs entered the third period on a power play, thanks to a
hitting-after-the-whistle call late in the second on Cornell's Stephen Baby.
This was only the fourth penalty call of the night, and it would be the last.
(There were other calls that could or should have been made, but no real
complaints about the officiating here)  The Big Red killed this one off and
proceeded to have the better of the play in the third.  However, they still
couldn't solve Lombard.  The Yale goalie stopped a blast by Murray with about
six minutes left, kicked the rebound out into the circle where Matt McRae
found it (Lombard did have a problem with giving up long rebounds all night,
but his teammates did an excellent job in making it difficult, if not
impossible, for Cornell to do anything with them), then made a pad save on
McRae's wrister.  The Big Red's last good chance came with two minutes left in
regulation, when Mike Iggulden fired a 15-footer off a 3-on-2 break, but
Lombard swatted that one aside to keep the game tied.  The OT was just as
end-to-end as regulation had been, but both goalies made a couple of big saves
to keep the game tied.

Up next for Cornell is a home contest against CHA foe Niagara, who has beaten
the Big Red twice in the last two years, followed by an exhibition against the
US Under 18 squad.  Yale journeys to the Capital District to take on RPI and
Union.

--
Bill Fenwick                            Email:  [log in to unmask]
Digicomp Research                       Voice:  (607) 273-5900 ext 32