BU @ Cornell
 
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!
 
A few observations:
 
(1)  Cornell seemed to resort to its usual dump-and-chase routine when they
have the puck.  At times, they were able to work the puck along the board and
create good scoring opportunities.  However, as I checked the roster, BU
players out-weighed Cornell's by about 15 pounds.  It would be hard to
forecheck these BU players.  As it turned out, two of the goals came mainly
because the Cornell players took the shots, and not simply threw away the
possession.  In fact, Lopatka had this bewildered look on his face after he
scored.  Well, if you shoot the puck enough, sooner or later it will go in.
 
(2)  The short-handed goal occurred in front of my section, and it was a
beauty.  Unlike most occasions when Cornell was a man down, Hannah and
Chartrand must have seen an opening and skated up ice, rather than elected to
dump the puck back in the BU zone.  Chartrand took a hard shot from the right
face-off circle.  The puck rebounded from the chest save off the goalie, and
Hannah was on the left circle to tap home the score.  He practically had an
open net to shoot at because McKersie came out to the crease to make the
initial save.  Cornell has to feel that they have the confidence and ability to
execute a play like this in the future games.
 
(3)  Before the game, I posted a complaint that Coach McCutcheon should rethink
his line-ups.  To my surprise and delight, he moved the
Karam-Sancimino-Bumstead line up to first, and reshuffle the rest of his lines.
 Bumstead scored the power play goal, breaking a 24 scoreless power-play
streak. He positioned himself in front of the BU goal, to McKersie's left.
When Ettles took possesion of the puck on the opposite side, Bumsteak tapped
his stick on the ice to signal that he was open.  Ettles quickly decided that
he did not have a good angle and fed the puck across to Bumstead, who one-timed
it to an open net.
 
(4)  The officiating still leaves much to be desired.  It was interesting to
watch McCutcheon trying to give the referees an earful as he exited after the
second period.  Soon Jack Parker of BU joined in; both coaches waving their
arms at the men in stripes.
 
(5)  Finally, I'm $29 in the whole so far this season, as the team a lost its
first three home games.  BC comes to Lynah on Dec 7, then Union invades Cornell
on Jan 7.  There is no guarantee that Cornell will pick up a win in either
game.  I could be $47 down before I see a winning game this season, not
counting the exhibition game.
 
Tom Smith Tseng
Cornell '87  Grad '94