Back from the odyssey to upstate New York on consecutive weekends.  The
game results were disappointing for the Bears (1-3), but with the two
longest road trips in the conference schedule completed, perhaps the return
home will revive their early season success.

    With the exception of the St. Lawrence game (5-1), when Brown displayed
the same intensity as in the first three games of the season (all victories
at Meehan Auditorium), in the other three road contests (at Clarkson, at
Colgate & at Cornell) the Bears were outworked and their special teams were
shockingly ineffective (given the fact that Brown was leading the conference
in PP percentage and runner-up to Cornell in PK percentage after the first
five games of the season).

    Other factors that also played a part in the three defeats were: the
announcement that Clarkson coach Mark Morris had been fired by the
University coincidental with the Bears' arrival at Cheel late Friday
afternoon, thereby giving the Golden Knights a tailor-made opportunity to
prove themselves in their first regular season home game at Cheel; the
brutal series history of Brown hockey teams in Starr Arena (Brown is 3-20-1
on the road vs. Colgate since the modern-era series began in 1974-75); and
the tough assignment of playing #7-ranked Cornell in Lynah Rink riding a
two-game skid and on the night following the Big Red's dismantling of
Harvard (5-2).

    So, the Bears will now seek to get back on track tomorrow night as they
host RPI (and Union on Saturday) at Meehan.  This series is particularly
important as Brown attempts to regain some momentum before visiting Yale
(12/6) and Princeton (12/7) to wind-up the pre-holiday portion of the ECAC
schedule.  Currently at 4-3-0, the Bears could really help themselves in the
conference standings with some positive results over the next four games.


Bill Corrigan

LET'S GO BRUNO!