Best Freshman Class?

My Cornell fandom goes back to 1981. During that span I cannot recall a more impactful freshman class than this year’s group. Virtually every member has played a major role in the team’s success, and the fact that the class is so deep and strong at every position—-from Galajda in goal, Green, Haiskanen, and (to a lesser extent) Cairns on defense, to Barron, Mullen, Donaldson, and Betts up front—-is extraordinary.

I’d be interested in some of the Cornell hockey historians out there chiming in as to any comparable freshman group for the Big Red.

The best ever has to be the class of 67 (sophomores in the chart, but they were on the freshmen team the prior year and destroyed the rest of freshman hockey).

I think 2021 has the chance to be the best Freshman class I have personally seen at Cornell (since 82). For now I think that honor goes to the class of 2003 (freshmen in the chart).

Trotsky
The best ever has to be the class of 67...

how are there no seniors on this team

Trotsky
I think 2021 has the chance to be the best Freshman class I have personally seen at Cornell (since 82). For now I think that honor goes to the class of 2003 (freshmen in the chart).

But we're talking about their contributions as freshmen, right? In that case I'd suggest the Class of 2015, which included a freshman who led the team in scoring, two players who were drafted based on their freshman years (and two players who were drafted before that and played like it), and a player who was chosen to play for the US under-20 team thanks to the blistering start to his college career. This class is remarkable in how 8 of the freshmen are everyday players, but the Class of '15 contributed more on a per-everyday player basis.

ugarte

Trotsky
The best ever has to be the class of 67...

how are there no seniors on this team

That's Ned saying there's a new sheriff in town.

Spoiler: it worked.

Trotsky
I think 2021 has the chance to be the best Freshman class I have personally seen at Cornell (since 82). For now I think that honor goes to the class of 2003 (freshmen in the chart).

I'd have to agree with Greg. I vividly recall being in Lake Placid in 2000 and watching our team take St. Lawrence to overtime in the semifinal, and realizing I'd seen a season that reflected the beginning of something quite special.

I didn't feel quite the same way the next day when Colgate beat us 4-0 in the consy, but 1998 and 1999 had been disappointing enough after the incredible highs of 1996 and 1997 that 2000 still felt pretty good. Those class of '03 guys just kept getting better, and I truly believe in my heart that if UNH had played a game the same day we thrashed Quinnipiac in the 2002 NCAA opening round, we'd have beaten UNH in the regional final.

Watching this year's team has reminded me so much of those few years (and dss28 has remarked the same on several occasions) that it's been really difficult not to get overexcited.

Beeeej
I didn't feel quite the same way the next day when Colgate beat us 4-0 in the consy, but 1998 and 1999 had been disappointing enough after the incredible highs of 1996 and 1997 that 2000 still felt pretty good. Those class of '03 guys just kept getting better, and I truly believe in my heart that if UNH had played a game the same day we thrashed Quinnipiac in the 2002 NCAA opening round, we'd have beaten UNH in the regional final.

And if they didn't disallow a goal in 2003 ....... #%^#$^#$^&

adamw

Beeeej
I didn't feel quite the same way the next day when Colgate beat us 4-0 in the consy, but 1998 and 1999 had been disappointing enough after the incredible highs of 1996 and 1997 that 2000 still felt pretty good. Those class of '03 guys just kept getting better, and I truly believe in my heart that if UNH had played a game the same day we thrashed Quinnipiac in the 2002 NCAA opening round, we'd have beaten UNH in the regional final.

And if they didn't disallow a goal in 2003 ....... #%^#$^#$^&

the disallowed goal hurts but the UHN goalie throwing himself across the wide-open crease to stick his face in front of Bâby's shot in the final minute is what sticks with me

ugarte
the disallowed goal hurts but the UHN goalie throwing himself across the wide-open crease to stick his face in front of Bâby's shot in the final minute is what sticks with me

yeah - the pain

adamw

Beeeej
I didn't feel quite the same way the next day when Colgate beat us 4-0 in the consy, but 1998 and 1999 had been disappointing enough after the incredible highs of 1996 and 1997 that 2000 still felt pretty good. Those class of '03 guys just kept getting better, and I truly believe in my heart that if UNH had played a game the same day we thrashed Quinnipiac in the 2002 NCAA opening round, we'd have beaten UNH in the regional final.

And if they didn't disallow a goal in 2003 ....... #%^#$^#$^&

Come on, come on.... Let's take off the rose-colored glasses for just a minute and recall that it was Cornell who let down after than disallowed goal and allowed UHN to score soon afterward.....

True champions avoid those letdowns, folks....

I know that truth hurts, but that was the reality of that moment.

redice

adamw

Beeeej
I didn't feel quite the same way the next day when Colgate beat us 4-0 in the consy, but 1998 and 1999 had been disappointing enough after the incredible highs of 1996 and 1997 that 2000 still felt pretty good. Those class of '03 guys just kept getting better, and I truly believe in my heart that if UNH had played a game the same day we thrashed Quinnipiac in the 2002 NCAA opening round, we'd have beaten UNH in the regional final.

And if they didn't disallow a goal in 2003 ....... #%^#$^#$^&

Come on, come on.... Let's take off the rose-colored glasses for just a minute and recall that it was Cornell who let down after than disallowed goal and allowed UHN to score soon afterward.....

True champions avoid those letdowns, folks....

I know that truth hurts, but that was the reality of that moment.

The other reality of the moment is that "official reviews" need to be done faster. My complaint in 2003 was not the correct call being made. Rather we had UHN on their heels and they got a nice long breather to recover. And even though it worked in our favor I'd make the same comment about the delays after both major-penalty calls on Saturday. If the officials make the call and off we go IMO it gives Quinnipiac more momentum.

redice
Come on, come on.... Let's take off the rose-colored glasses for just a minute and recall that it was Cornell who let down after than disallowed goal and allowed UHN to score soon afterward.....

True champions avoid those letdowns, folks....

I know that truth hurts, but that was the reality of that moment.

May be, my friend - but Cornell was thoroughly dominating to that point, and the break allowed UNH to catch up. Also, playing with a 1-0 lead at that point would've been different.

Let's also not forget that Shane Hynes took a penalty with about 5 minutes left. That didn't help. But ugh, whatever, such great memories turned into such sour ones. Arggghh