Placid v Albany

[Greg Berge]

I still like Lake Placid more, but Albany did demonstrate some very big advantages that can't be ignored:

(1) I didn't hear anybody even mention the effect of "big sheet vs little sheet" all weekend, and that was a pleasure.  Maybe it was the difference between an overtime loss and an overtime win.  There were more than a few times that a Harvard forward was trying to flank the Cornell D and just plain ran out of room.

(2) The Cornell contingent was absolutely enormous.  Granted, this is partly due to having a long, great season after another great season and the bandwagon is overbooked, and it is partly due to the other three teams having, combined, a fan presence about equal to Yale's.  But it has to be in part due to the more convenient location and the larger population base of the immediate surroundings.

In addition, the town did what it could to promote.  There was signage and banners, there was a cutesy little festival outside the building, and one of the state high rise offices had a message about ECAC Hockey spelled out in lit rooms.

The disadvantages remain: the area around the building is a pit, there is no Lake Placid area charm, etc... But Cornell did go a little ways towards establishing some tradition, inaugurating the building with one of the greatest finals in ECAC history.

Anyway, of course we are where we are and there's no going back, but in honor of Age's poll I decided to share my thoughts.  In the long run, considering the sheet, the proximity, and the greater capacity, Albany is probably better for the program than Lake Placid, and ultimately that is the most important thing.

[jd212]

I happened to think Albany was a fantastic city. Lotsa places to go

[Nate]

I missed Lake Placid, but I thought Pepsi Arena did a great job, especially letting us re-enter the second day.  It seemed like they were open for suggestions and willing to accomodate fans.

[Mike]

My biggest complaint was with the ice surface and the boards... The ice was awful all weekend, and clearly affected play... The boards, too, were completely unpredictable, and there were a TON of weird bounces off those boards...

[Ben Flickinger]

Never went to Placid, but I had a great time in Albany despite losing to Satan...err...Hahvahd.

I am fully aware of Placid's place in USA hockey history, but let's be realistic. For the final they still drew more fans in a half full Pepsi Arena than could fit at Placid. And that was without RPI/Union/Clarkson/SLU/UVM.

Given a couple more years at Albany, I think this will start to draw 10,000+ fans consistently.

They just need to get a new zamboni driver, ditch the trivia contest, and get some more uniform boards. I saw way too many wierd bounces on routine clears. Oh, and get that 12 year old to sing the national anthem for all 4 games, especially if the other one can't get the words right.

[CrazyLarry]

My chief complaint was a complete lack of decent food options around the arena during/after game times.  Placid had lots of places that were good eateries open within walking distance.  Albany was a bit of a ghost town around the rink, and the food options were that late night PizzaBar and Jillians, where the food quality was weak.  Also, there just wasn't an atmosphere of hockey outside the rink, the way it was at Placid.

That said, if we win every year, I'm ok with Albany...

[kingpin248]

I'm glad I wasn't the only one who noticed the flubbing of the anthem. That really irked me.

[Keith K \'93]

Placid was cool.  I enjoyed being there in 1997 (thought so much in 1998).  The town in certainly nicer than downtown Albany.  But I'm not sure I would have made it this weekend if the games were in Placid - just too hard to get there from the west coast.  So I for one am happy for the change since I'm stuck in California for the time being.

The Albany folks certainly ought to improve a few things, the ice quality and the board being the most obvious.  (Which is odd, since a professional hockey team does call hat place home.)  But it wasn't a bad start.

Yes, "For the land of the free" ticked me off also.

[Jeff Hopkins \'82]

A professional hockey team calls the place home, but so does an indoor lacrosse team, an arena football team, and some college basketball teams.  If there's one thing that's well established in the NHL, the arenas that are used for more than hockey have the shittiest ice.

Now about the boards....they just suck.

JH

[Melissa\'01]

ok. It isn't worth starting another thread, but what the heck are Entenmann's and Freihofer's. I have never heard of either.

[Al DeFlorio]

Good thing if you're on the Atkins diet.

Melissa'01 wrote:

ok. It isn't worth starting another thread, but what the heck are Entenmann's and Freihofer's. I have never heard of either.

Good thing, if you're on the Atkins diet. ::nut::  

Cakes and pastries.  No comparison, if you've ever tried Entenmann's.

[J.P. Dowd]

I liked the way Lake Placid was dominated by hockey fans. The person sitting across from you at dinner was certainly a fan and would ask which team you were for (well, they did of other people, I was wearing my jersey).

But... the smaller ice surface makes a difference, Albany is quite a bit closer to most of the fans, and they did try to make us feel welcome.

The years at Placid will be remembered fondly, but the future is at Albany.

                 J.P.

[Melissa\'01]

oh. thanks.
hmmm. are they special regional ones? ie. related to providence or something?

[jd212]

gosh, you have never heard of entenmanns? look in your grocery store for boxed donuts or cakes next time you go.

[Melissa\'01]

will do.
is it really that weird that i've never heard of these?
i like to cook so whenever i get some sort of sweet pastry-like craving i make something myself and then bring the rest to work.