2004 All Over Again?

daredevilcu · February 21, 2006, 11:01:55 PM

Saturday I distinctly remember Nickerson playing because your entire student section chanted "It's all Nickerson's fault" after a PPG where he was in the box.

redhair34 · February 21, 2006, 11:10:22 PM

I don't think your generalization fits "several games this year." But, I wouldn't be surprised if much of the Faithful agree with you. I've had the dubious distinction of attending all but one of our losses this year and in my honest opinion, I think only the Clarkson loss and the Priceton loss (based on accounts of the faithful/radio broadcast) fit the "mold." I think the other losses (excluding the Dartmouth debacle) fit into another category: we failed to put away our opponents when we were outplaying them, and then we laid back a bit and they took advantage.

I don't think its fair to say we played mediocre over the course of the game against Harvard. If you have All Access or taped the game, watch the 1st period again. We dominated Harvard in the first period. When I watched the game on video I noticed 4 grade A scoring chances in the period--including a tap in that Mugford should have had (watch the replay its hard to fathom how he couldn't put it in) before he was pummeled to the ice. We could have and should have put away Harvard in the 1st period but we didn't.

Give My Regards · February 22, 2006, 12:00:30 AM

[quote Trotsky]OTOH, 2004 was not a terrible season by any means -- it's shadowed by the Clarkson QF elimination, but prior to that it was comparing with the '96 and '97 title seasons.[/quote]

I don't think I'd make that comparison. The '96 team put it all together after that rotten game against Army (and the legendary bus ride), and after they got one more period of bad play out of their systems -- which unfortunately cost them their next game, against Colgate -- they ripped off a 14-1-1 run, culminating in the championship. The '97 squad had no such run, but despite a few "what the --" losses, they still managed to give the impression that, once the post-season started, they would own it -- which they did.

I got no such feeling from the '04 squad, and I'm sorry, but I don't get it from this year's team either. It seems like whenever the Big Red have looked like they are going to become the dominant team they were expected to be, something happens. Dartmouth crushes them. They host Union and RPI and get ONE point. They lose to Princeton. They get one point (and have to scramble like crazy for that) on the North Country trip. The major penalty against Harvard.

In fact, in terms of unrealized potential (what a god-awful phrase), this team reminds me a lot of the 90-91 squad. Back then, Cornell had 13 NHL draft picks on its roster. OK, this was pre-European-invasion, and three of the picks were in the supplemental draft, but still, this was a wildly talented Big Red team. And yet, in a not terribly strong year for the ECAC, they wound up blowing the Ivy League title, blowing the regular-season title on the final weekend, losing a horrible ECAC semifinal game, and after shocking Michigan in game 1 of a best-of-three first-round series, bowing out of the NCAA's. Will we be living through something like that again?

[vent off] Of course, I will very happily eat my words if this year's team goes on an ECAC championship tear and/or goes deep in the NCAA's.

Josh '99 · February 22, 2006, 11:54:59 AM

[quote redhair34]I don't think your generalization fits "several games this year." But, I wouldn't be surprised if much of the Faithful agree with you. I've had the dubious distinction of attending all but one of our losses this year and in my honest opinion, I think only the Clarkson loss and the Priceton loss (based on accounts of the faithful/radio broadcast) fit the "mold." I think the other losses (excluding the Dartmouth debacle) fit into another category: we failed to put away our opponents when we were outplaying them, and then we laid back a bit and they took advantage. [/quote]I don't know if I'd say the Princeton loss fits the "effort coming too late" mold. Cornell outplayed Princeton for pretty much the entire game, and if not for the fluke first goal, Cornell isn't pressing quite so hard and Princeton doesn't get the breakaway for the second goal, and the empty netter never happens.

At least, that's the way it plays out in my head. B-]

Trotsky · February 22, 2006, 01:52:11 PM

[quote fenwick]In fact, in terms of unrealized potential (what a god-awful phrase), this team reminds me a lot of the 90-91 squad. Back then, Cornell had 13 NHL draft picks on its roster. OK, this was pre-European-invasion, and three of the picks were in the supplemental draft, but still, this was a wildly talented Big Red team. And yet, in a not terribly strong year for the ECAC, they wound up blowing the Ivy League title, blowing the regular-season title on the final weekend, losing a horrible ECAC semifinal game, and after shocking Michigan in game 1 of a best-of-three first-round series, bowing out of the NCAA's. Will we be living through something like that again?[/quote]

Ugh. The more I think about it...

That was probably the most painful season during my tenure, in terms of a season-long slide down the razor blade of "what might have been." 1987 and The Season That Didn't Happen (hint: ends in a "3") were more nausea-inspiring, and the '03 SF bow-out gets the "so close and yet..." award, but for sheer frustration, yeah, you've nailed it, 2006 has had a trace of the tin foil tang of 1991.

Still plenty of time, though. To 'er, lads!

Rosey · February 22, 2006, 02:01:10 PM

[quote Trotsky]the '03 SF bow-out gets the "so close and yet..." award[/quote]
I can't count how many times I said the phrase "Just 2 more gaaaaaaames!" in the days following the semifinal loss in '03. That was a rough week.

Kyle

Trotsky · February 22, 2006, 02:10:45 PM

[quote krose]I can't count how many times I said the phrase "Just 2 more gaaaaaaames!" in the days following the semifinal loss in '03.[/quote]

You only get so many chances. To have THAT good a complete package, playing THAT well...

Anyway. Yes. Dammit.

Beeeej · February 22, 2006, 02:13:36 PM

[quote krose][quote Trotsky]the '03 SF bow-out gets the "so close and yet..." award[/quote]
I can't count how many times I said the phrase "Just 2 more gaaaaaaames!" in the days following the semifinal loss in '03. That was a rough week.[/quote]

I had dinner last night with Whit Watson, in town with the Magic for a game with the Nets, and recounted my personal recollections of that game and the quarterfinal against BC. He asked, "Still bitter?"

I'll never be over Macho Grande,

Beeeej

Rosey · February 22, 2006, 02:29:02 PM

[quote Beeeej]I'll never be over Macho Grande,[/quote]
I stayed home from work that day to watch the game. I was literally on the edge of my seat for 3 hours, and took a very long, depressed walk afterwards, muttering to myself the entire time. That is the low point of my sports-following life: easily the most personally devestating loss I've ever witnessed.

I think I hate UNH more than Harvard. Seriously.

Kyle

Winnabago · February 22, 2006, 02:45:40 PM

[q]That is the low point of my sports-following life: easily the most personally devestating loss I've ever witnessed. [/q]

At the danger of turning the thread toward "worst sports moments ever," I wanted to mention that you guys have caused me to recollect the previously-buried horror of seeing this game in 2003. It was made so much worse as I was sitting in the same section of the HSBC where I watched Brett Hull 'score' to end the 1999 NHL season. Both days I was wearing the wrong color, too. Ugh.

And it's such a young building. So many bad memories.

Jerseygirl · February 22, 2006, 03:04:37 PM

Let's bring up Buffalo again...yuck. UHN fans are the worst. Alcohol and I did manage to steal one of those "UHN Wildcats/Cornell Big Red" t-shirts from a bar though, assuaging some of my misery. That was almost the highlight of the weekend. I seriously almost puked at the end of the game though...the image of Steve doubled over by the bench in the waning seconds of the game is seared into my memory.

Steve M · February 22, 2006, 05:20:56 PM

[quote krose][quote Beeeej]I'll never be over Macho Grande,[/quote]
I stayed home from work that day to watch the game. I was literally on the edge of my seat for 3 hours, and took a very long, depressed walk afterwards, muttering to myself the entire time. That is the low point of my sports-following life: easily the most personally devestating loss I've ever witnessed.

I think I hate UNH more than Harvard. Seriously.

Kyle[/quote]

I didn't hate UNH more than Harvard before, but I sure do now. I traveled 3000 miles, mostly on a red eye to see my first Cornell game live in 17 years that day. To follow up on Greg's theme, not only was Cornell incredibly talented and playing so well, they had as close to a home ice advantage as they will ever have in a Frozen Four. I won't ever be completely over it unless we win an NC in my lifetime. I hate to blame officiating for an outcome of a game, but every time I see a deflected goal reviewed and hear the announcers invariably say "the video replay has to be conclusive to overturn the call," the memory of that day makes my blood boil all over again.

The really sad thing about the disappointing trend of this season is that the last class of that Frozen Four team will be gone after it ends.

RatushnyFan · February 22, 2006, 09:01:22 PM

[quote fenwick]In fact, in terms of unrealized potential (what a god-awful phrase), this team reminds me a lot of the 90-91 squad. Back then, Cornell had 13 NHL draft picks on its roster. OK, this was pre-European-invasion, and three of the picks were in the supplemental draft, but still, this was a wildly talented Big Red team. And yet, in a not terribly strong year for the ECAC, they wound up blowing the Ivy League title, blowing the regular-season title on the final weekend, losing a horrible ECAC semifinal game, and after shocking Michigan in game 1 of a best-of-three first-round series, bowing out of the NCAA's. Will we be living through something like that again?
[/quote]
Ugh........don't get me started. Losing to LSSU and Colgate in the holiday tourney after a decent start, losing 5-4 to I believe then #1 BC at Lynah and watching their goalie skate around giving the crowd the finger (Ryan Hughes scored all 4), losing to Vermont and RPI the last weekend of the ECAC regular season (come on! we swept them on the road), losing 4-3 to SLU in the ECAC tourney semis in Boston after a 2-0 lead (including Dan the Man's sweetest goal ever) after just crushing Colgate at him in the quarterfinals, etc.

That team was stacked. No way you could compare this year's (79 goals in 27 games) squad to them in terms of offensive talent. Doug Derraugh went for 30 goals and a relentless worker, Ryan Hughes was the #22 pick in the '90 draft, Trent Andison was a consistent scorer, Kent Manderville was the #24 pick in the '89 draft, Dan Ratushny (#25 pick in the '89 draft) and Bruce Frauley were gifted offensively at defense (and Etienne Belzile, who didn't pan out as hoped, was also a second round pick in the '90 draft), Joe Dragon was a fast skater and decent scorer......I have to believe that the '90-'91 squad was the most offensively talented Big Red squad since '84-'85 (143 goals in 32 games).

Maybe in terms of letdowns in games they should win, but I don't think this team is as talented. Better coach, better system, definitely.

oceanst41 · February 22, 2006, 09:44:37 PM

That's because he never got a punch off. I don't think Nickerson was quite ready for anyone to go after him, Varteressian kind of took him by surprise. It only lasted a few seconds, and the linesmen put an end to it.

It was more like Varteressian 5 for fighting and a Game DQ, while Nickerson got 4 for taking it.

billhoward · February 22, 2006, 10:48:46 PM

Assuming Cornell gets through the ECACs well enough to win or merit an NCAA bid, anything can happen in four games. Including losing on opening night, or having a four-point first weekend.

There's room for hope: O'Byrne comes back healthy enough to be a factor, we hope. Moulson has a chance to play up to his potential, we hope. McKee is a great goalie and he shows it in the playoffs, we hope. A freshman-influenced team has a lot more effect in March than November, we hope.

Rather than comparing Cornell to Cornells of recent years, think about the NCAA final four teams the last couple years that weren't so highly regarded a month before the season ended. Hockey can have Cinderellas, too.