Cornell's weekend would certainly seem dismal if you just go by the
results: back-to-back o.t. losses.  But a few comments:
 
1.  We played two fantastic games.  This could easily have been a sweep --
not so much because we were just an inch away both nights (though we were),
but because Cornell played even with, perhaps even outplayed both opponents
-- some late self-inflicted stupidity (and a great o.t. goal) saved SLU;
luck, an injury to the coach, another late penalty (and an ugly
triple-deflection gift from the hockey gods) saved the Knights.
 
But, really, this goes down as a great weekend playing two quality teams (I
dunno why SLU's record sucks so much; they certainly played well enough
Friday) in their barns.  Yeah, yeah no points and all that --  I was aware
of that... But great hockey, more experience for Ian Burt (who was awesome
against SLU and solid against Clarkson), and for the third straight
weekend, unbelievably brave, inspired play from a team with worse, more
varied, more annoying injuries than any in recent ECAC history.  Add the
head coach to this list as well -- it would be laughable if it weren't
painful and scary.
 
2.  It didn't matter.  There's no home ice advantage at Lynah anymore --
the only fans who make any noise were with us in the North Country, anyway
(sorry, but true), and they'll be at Houston next weekend.
 
3.  The draw.  Cornell matches up against RPI quite well.  The QF will be
hard-fought, it's 50-50.
 
4.  The draw, part 2.  If Cornell were to win the battle of the Reds, just
lookie who finished #5.  Though I suspect, given their late tear, that this
aint the Crimson who played like extras on the set of The Night of the
Living Dead just a few weeks ago.
 
So, great effort by the team on both nights -- really, by *both* teams both
nights -- it was just a pair of fantastic games.  The losses sucked, but
the games were worth the annoynace of going pointless.  And the North
Country trip is marvelous -- Appleton is the gem of college hockey, and the
Clarkson band and their hard-core fans are great.  I vote we move both
schools to Montreal, to preserve the mystique of the trip but *also* to
have *something* to do there when not actually in the rink.
 
Onward to Troy.  Let the Quest for the Three-peat (and, regardless of this
year's standing, what ECAC team wouldn't kill to be able to say *that*?)
begin.
 
-- Greg
 
 
 
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/  Greg R. Berge
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