April 17, therefore, IN CELEBRATION...

[Section A]

Approximately 48 hours after the final horn now...

As many of you will have read in my posts in the CU-UNH thread on Thursday, I didn't take the loss too well, and said some things I shouldn't have. I suppose a major contributing factor to my bitterness was that I've been lucky to see such a great team the last two years. After all, I've seen them play, in person, 27 times, and they've gone 26-0-1 in those contests. I realize that many of you have experienced it all with our team, through the ups and the downs, and thus have a lot more perspective than I do.

That said, I've been thinking...I'm sure that, even though I suggested otherwise, every member of the team gave nothing but their full effort, both in preparation, and on the ice during the game. Though the loss is always going to be hard to swallow, I've also been thinking about just how amazing a season it was, and how most teams would dream to have a year like we had. Just like last year's losses to Harvard in OT and to UNH in the regionals were the driving force for our team this year, I hope that this loss will be the driving force to get them even further next year, to a championship.

One final thing - as much as I, along with everyone else here, was hurt by that loss, the lasting memories of this season won't be the "no goal" or the "shot of the mask" or any of that, but they will be the goals by both McRaes, the Paolini SICK move at center ice to score in OT, LeNeveu's record-breaking season, etc etc. There really is a lot of good to look back on and remember, and to cherish, and I do apologize for some of the things I previously said. The team has a lot to be proud of.

What a great year, what a great team. Let's hope we can be even better next year.

[SCoff]

Yeah, I just realized the same thing. That was the first loss I've ever been to. Crazy.

[Denison]

Well said, Avash.

[gwm3]

Apparently a couple of the sophomores were fortunate enough to miss the Dartmouth loss at Lynah last year.  Lucky guys ;-)

[marty]

Sunday morning to be exact.

Gerry York's BC team took four trips to the Frozen Four before breaking through in Albany in 2001.  We have to look at the whole year in perspective.

The Cornell hockey program is on an upswing.  The feeling is great because the team is great.

To paraphrase our coach's remarks to his players:

ENJOY THIS, IT"S FUN!

:-D :-D :-D

[Dan \'81]

Jeff, I feel your pain.  Class of 81 here.  This one feels worse.  Ah, but we had Lance Nethery and Brock Treadway!!

[Greg Berge]

There is nothing to mourn.



Post Edited (04-16-03 17:47)

[Greg Berge]

I saw a lot of losses as a student.  Here is what I have to say.

30 wins.

The most in the history of the program.

And rather than being gutted this summer, we return a substantial portion of our roster, with the most-hyped freshman class in more than a decade.

Certainly, a 2003 NCAA title would have been the capstone, but the very fact that for two years we have seriously challenged for one is almost beyond the comprehension of any fan: (25 > fan.age > 50).

Baby, I'll take it and look forward to tomorrow! :-)

[rhovorka]

Greg and I think alike because I thought about creating a competing thread called "In Celebration" as well.  

I'm almost done with my 12-step program of getting over the last loss.  (Oddly enough, at least 3 of those steps involve alcohol).  I'm slowly working my way through watching that game.  The most difficult part of the process for me was watching the UNH introductions before the Final.

In the last couple days, that smile that got planted on my face in Albany got back on my face.  What an incredible season.  The fact that we can count all of our losses on one hand is absolutely unbelievable.  The combination of talent, heart, character, pride, and passion that this team exhibited throughout the season is a dream come true, and I'll never forget this season.

We made the Frozen Freaking Four!  Our team was on an ESPN broadcast, and got the nation really interested in learning about our program.  (OK, just the college hockey nation)  We were the statistical and consensus #1 team in the nation in the playoffs.  These things are still sinking in.  We got to watch our players break substantial records!  I got soaked by beer pouring out of the Whitelaw!  Ridiculous year.

And the future is bright.  It was said that our first PP line was so effective because they had been together for 3+ years.  Don't look now, but that's how the Hynes-Moulson-Pegoraro line will do as well.  The Abbott-Abbott-Hornby became so good it was sick...they're returning.  We'll be a young team.  Minnesota lost a lot too last season, and look what they did.  Coach Schafer has created a system that the players buy into and believe in.  I'm excited.

When you reach the level we did, you'll play games against teams that will be decided on who gets the bounces.  We got an awful lot this year, but not enough for the big prize.  And that's OK.  If we keep growing from experience, we'll put ourselves in position to try to get those bounces in the future.

Coach Schafer said two things in the NCAAs that will stick with me about this season.  "I told our players that there's nothing a coach can say that will take away the pain they feel at this moment, but they can be very proud of their effort throughout the course of the season."  And I think I read somewhere that he told the team in an OT intermission vs. BC about how exciting it was to have this chance.  Enjoy the ride.

What a ride it was.  Thanks to everyone on the coaching staff and team, and to my fellow fans.  Let's do it again.

[KeithK]

There were 60 teams ni Division 1 college hockey this year.  Only one of them finished the season with a win.  It's no shame at all being the 57th of 59 to get that season ending loss.

During the final, someone in our section made the comment that we were having way too much fun considering that we had lost in the semi.  And we were having a great time.  Sure, it would've been great to win it all.  But it was a great season with nothing to be ashamed about and the future still looks bright.  Mourning was appropriate last Thursday afternoon or evening.  But not much longer than that.



Post Edited (04-16-03 19:44)

[kingpin248]

Keith K '93 wrote:

There were 60 teams ni Division 1 college hockey this year.  Only one of them finished the season with a win.  It's no shame at all being the 57th of 59 to get that season ending loss.

Four teams ended their seasons with wins. Though I will grant that the season-ending wins of Dartmouth, Northern Michigan, and Minnesota-Duluth must have felt quite hollow. :-P



Post Edited (04-16-03 20:05)

[Jim Hyla]

[Q]Greg said:
Certainly, a 2003 NCAA title would have been the capstone, but the very fact that for two years we have seriously challenged for one is almost beyond the comprehension of any fan: (25 > fan.age > 50).[/Q]I agree with you, although I assume you've gotten your greater/lesser backwards, for it's not beyond comprehension for me, and I'm over 50.:-D

[Jeff Hopkins \'82]

I have to admit looking down from section 300, I was proud of the Cornell fans down in the corner harassing Ayers.

I would have come down and joined you, but I didn't want to piss off the friends I was with.  They get FF tix every year and might have a spare one next year, too.

JH

[CUlater]

There is much to celebrate about this season, and last season as well, true.  But it is also appropriate to mourn, to mourn the lost opportunity, that is.  As has been pointed out before, we had a legitimate shot at winning the NCAA title, and chances like that are hard to come by (unless you have home ice for the NCAA regionals!).  We very easily could have lost to BC and not reached Buffalo, or lost to Harvard and not been placed in an Eastern regional.  Other ECAC teams in recent memory have reached the Frozen Four, and not returned, and have seen their programs fall behind the pace, despite all the benefits that are supposed to come from a Frozen Four appearance.

Yes, we expect the future to be bright, but who knows?  As has been pointed out elsewhere, after the last time we had some success, we took a step back, after McCutcheon's recruits graduated and Schafer tried to recruit guys to fit what he wanted to do.  With the class of '03, Schafer got those guys and seems to have built on that success with other good classes, but ultimately, we don't know if and when we'll have this level of success again.  So I think people who want to mourn, and mourn for a longish time, are certainly entitled to (as long as they've recovered by the time October rolls around!).

[KeithK]

Damn! I remembered to check whether Northeastern, American International, UConn and Iona finished with wins (none of them made their league's playoffs) but I totally forgot about consolation games...