Clarkson Golden Knights
Record: 2-5-5
Series Record: 57-49-14 Cornell
Friday November 30

Last Meetings:
December 3, 2011, December 30, 2011, & February 17, 2012
Clarkson was under the leadership of head coach Casey Jones for the first time last season. Jones improved immediately upon a 15-19-2 record from the 2010-11 season and led the Golden Knights to a somewhat improved, but not overwhelmingly improved, record of 16-17-6. Clarkson earned home ice in the ECAC Tournament. Clarkson won a triple-overtime game against RPI to force a game three in the series. The resurgent Engineers proved too much for the Golden Knights as the Engineers spoiled Jones's hopes of earning Clarkson its sixth ECAC Championship and first since 2007. Clarkson was eliminated in the first round of the 2012 ECAC Tournament.

Clarkson was undefeated against Cornell in ECAC league play last season. The Golden Knights posted two ties. Jones's Knights forced the Big Red to settle for a 0-0 draw at Lynah Rink. The stellar play of Andy Iles at Cheel last season delivered a 1-1 tie in the North Country and held off a determined Clarkson squad. The Golden Knights were not undefeated against Cornell in the regular season as the two met in the consolation game in Estero, FL. An equipment mishap forced Cornell to use Clarkson equipment during the annual tournament in Florida. The Big Red dropped the first game against UMass in the Sunshine State but then impolitely repaid Clarkson and Jones for their favor and handed them a 5-3 defeat.

This Season:
Clarkson is off to a start that is far less than envisioned. WAFT thought that Clarkson would be one of the surprise teams of the season with unexpected success. However, nearly the opposite has been true. Clarkson began the season with strong showings, although defeats against Colorado College in the Mountain Timezone. The Golden Knights dropped two one-goal decisions. A lack of discipline typified why one of those games ended in defeat. The good omens of that series did not result in great fortune as the remainder of the first half of the season unfolded.

Clarkson played its next five games against Atlantic Hockey teams. It amassed a record of 0-2-3 over that span. The two ties to Canisius do not appear horrific in light of the fact that the Griffins went on to hold a potent and skilled Minnesota Gophers team to a 1-0 win (Clarkson scored three and two goals against the Griffins). However, losses to Holy Cross and Niagara still mar its season to date. The loss to Niagara looks better in retrospect as the Purple Eagles have gone on to be the only ranked Atlantic Hockey program in the most recent USCHO polls.

Clarkson's two wins have come in ECAC league play. The victories come against the Ivy-League foes, Princeton and Yale. The Tigers got the better of Cornell at Hobey Baker Rink earlier in November. The third wheel of the Ivy League's "holy trinity" held Cornell to just three goals. The Golden Knights struck seven times and held Cheel's visitors from New Jersey to two goals.

The two programs with national bona fides to date in the ECAC are Cornell and Yale. Cornell's sweep of Colorado College and victory over Michigan solidify it as a national contender when it is playing its best game. Yale asserted itself last weekend when it traveled to Colorado. The Bulldogs swept the two perennial WCHA and national powers of Colorado College and Denver.

Clarkson defeated Yale 1-0 at The Whale. Considering that selection to the national tournament in college hockey rests heavily upon the belief of the transitive property of results in predicting skill, Clarkson cannot be underestimated. The Golden Knights have defeated a program that just sent shock waves through the college hockey world when it proved unexpectedly that it was an ECAC program with legitimate national potential.

The key for Cornell will be to ensure that Clarkson does not add victory over the other already proven team of national tournament timber to its resume.

Keys To The Game:
Firstly, not to underestimate the Golden Knights. Their record is far from impressive. A scrutinizing eye nonetheless uncovers that this team, despite its numerous setbacks, has accumulated impressive results inconsistently.

The crucial element of this game will be to keep playing disciplined defense and pouncing on opportunities like Cornell did at the Frozen Apple last weekend. The Golden Knights are the fourth-most offensively potent team that Cornell will have confronted to date. Clarkson ranks above Colgate, Princeton, Quinnipiac, and Harvard. It ranks below Colorado College, Dartmouth, and Michigan. Clarkson has converted more offensive opportunities than have the three teams that have defeated Cornell.

Cornell has not lost to the three teams that it has played that have proven to be more offensively prolific. Cornell delivered those results through disciplined defense. Cornell cannot underestimate Clarkson's offensive skill. If it does so, the evening might not go as the Lynah Faithful hope.

Meanwhile, Clarkson has generated the third-worst defensive statistics of opponents that Cornell has confronted prior to Friday evening's game. This provides with it the opportunity for this offensively skilled Cornell team to prove that the offensive eruption of the Frozen Apple was not a fluke.

The special teams battle lopsidedly appears to favor Cornell. Cornell and Clarkson are essentially evenly matched in terms of power-play conversion. Analysis of the penalty killing of both teams provides another insight. Cornell has not allowed a power-play goal in three games. Clarkson meanwhile has allowed 12 power-play goals over 12 games. The Golden Knights allow opponents to convert on 23.1% of power-play opportunities. These statistics have earned "Tech" the dubious distinction of being among the ten worst teams in terms of penalty killing in the nation so far this season.

Avoidance of needless Cornell penalties will be key as well. Even though Clarkson does not have a fearsome conversion of power-play opportunities, Clarkson has scored nearly 30% of its goals in the season on the man advantage. Clarkson has scored only two short-handed goals

Goaltending is another fundamental weakness of the Knights. Last season, Karpowich and Iles dueled in both contests. If a game becomes a goalie duel, the ice begins to tilt in Cornell's favor. Lewis, much like Iles is a wearer of 33, but he has generated a sub-par goals against average of 2.85 and save percentage of 0.897 very much unlike Iles.

Clarkson has proven that it will capitalize on defensive collapses. The statement of this game and this weekend for Cornell will be to prove that Cornell is a great team that defeated a good Michigan team at the Frozen Apple.  The first game of the weekend will be the second time in two games that the Big Red will face a goaltender with a save percentage less than 0.900. The fundamental weakness of Clarkson's penalty-killing unit will afford the carnelian and white the chance to begin clicking on the power play like it did during the Colorado College series. Cornell can achieve this goal with embracing its newly found confidence on offense and continuing its stellar defensive play. The latter has been with the team over three games. However, if there are defensive collapses, this Clarkson team has the capacity to make Cornell pay painfully. The task will be to continue Cornell hockey with the same level of conversion and intensity of the Frozen Apple.

Historical Dimensions:
Cornell has not lost to Clarkson since February 2008. Cornell endured a 4-1 loss in Potsdam that month. It was not the worst loss in the history of the Clarkson-Cornell series. It was nowhere near the level of the 10-0 loss to Clarkson that caused Cornell to cancel its hockey program in 1948. Cornell righted its course and has not lost to the Golden Knights over nine games. Cornell has won six of those nine games for a recent winning percentage over the green and golden rod of 0.833.

Cornell endured a similar drought against the Bulldogs of Yale in recent memory. It is obvious that Clarkson and its fans will be hungry for a win over the Big Red. Historic and successful programs like Clarkson and Cornell despise enduring such droughts of success. The fact that Clarkson is led by a former assistant coach of Cornell and Cornell alumnus, Casey Jones, and this drought will ensure that Clarkson enters the contest with a passion to end the drought in historic Lynah Rink.

Clarkson's opportunism and capitalization on defensive lapses was on display in the Golden Knights's last outing when they met the RIT Tigers in Rochester, NY.

What happened last weekend:
Dartmouth
As expected, both games this weekend were hard-fought, close games.  The Dartmouth game began the rough road weekend for the Big Red.  The first period was peppered with shots, 20 in all, with 12 coming from Dartmouth and 8 coming from Cornell.  Dartmouth would have the edge at the end of the first period, scoring less than two minutes before the period was over, Dartmouth got one by on Lauren Slebodnick, who was back to playing after a hiatus due to injury.  It was an unassisted breakaway, which cannot be blamed on Slebodnick.  The rest of the game was just as tight.  The Big Red scored on the power play five minutes into the second, with Taylor Woods getting the tying goal, assisted by Jill Saulnier and Brianne Jenner.  The remainder of regulation was scoreless, with the shot totals being 28 for each team.  As happened in the last game between the two opponents, this game went into overtime.  On a powerplay, the Big Red ended the scoring 3:38 into the 5 minute overtime.  It was a shot that Saulnier knocked in, assisted by defensemen Fortino and Rougeau.

Harvard
Looking for a statement win against one of the only other teams that remained undefeated in league play.  At the end of the night, there would be one less team to be able to stake a claim as undefeated in ECAC play. The Harvard team, which had come off of a 4-1 win against Colgate the night before, was eager to take down a hungry Cornell team.  Harvard opened up scoring less than five minutes into the first, with the Big Red fighting hard to stay in the game.  At the end of the first, the shot totals had Harvard barely edging Cornell by an 8-7 margin.  Cornell would answer early in the second with a goal from Erin Barley-Maloney assisted by Lauriane Rougeau, putting one past freshman goaltender Emerance Maschmeyer.  No one would score until the third period when Harvard gained the go-ahead goal almost eight minutes into the third.  Cornell came back hard, but the Crimson would get one more on an empty net.  Maschmeyer had a stellar game, but so did Slebodnick.  The biggest problem in the game was that Harvard was able to stifle Cornell's impressive offense and hold them to a mere 22 shots, lower than its average of 32.8.  Luckily, Cornell has another shot at Harvard, and Dartmouth as well, when the travel partners come to Lynah in mid-February.

Upcoming Weekend
In the Big Red's last weekend of the first semester, it plays host to two tough teams.  First, second-ranked Clarkson will host the Lady Rouge at Cheel and familiar opponent St. Lawrence will host the Big Red the next afternoon at Appleton.  First, let us take a look at Clarkson.
Clarkson
Clarkson remains undefeated in league play, one of only two teams in the league to hold that honor along with last week's opponent Harvard.  Their record going into the game is 12-2-0, with the only losses coming in splits with Mercyhurst and North Dakota.  Both losses were close, with one goal separating the winners from the loser, and Clarkson came out much stronger than expected.  If a North Country team were to be predicted to do well in league play this year, it likely would have been St. Lawrence, after their win in the ECAC Championship Final last year, not Clarkson.  But Clarkson is the team which has impressed.  This will not be an easy fight for the Big Red.  Here are some things to look at when playing the Knights:
Their primary goaltender has a stellar save percentage of 0.946, and a GAA of 1.31.
The Knights average 30.8 shots per game, allowing their opponents only 23.6 shots per game.
Their power play conversion rate is 31.7 percent, almost ten percent higher than the Big Red's rate.
The penalty kill rate is 89.6 percent, not quite as high as the Big Red's 91.1 percent

What the Big Red is going to have to do against Clarkson is keep them off the power play and kill penalties well.  Cornell did not let up a power play goal last weekend, while it scored two.  The Knights are slightly less penalized than the Big Red (averaging 10.1 vs. 10.9 PIM/game), but their conversion rate on the power play is incredibly impressive, scoring 19 goals on 60 chances.  It is imperative for special teams to click, as well as for the Big Red to get back to their normal offensive peppering.

St. Lawrence
The Saints have already visited the Big Red this season, earning their fifth loss in a row, before turning their season around.  The Saints are 7-6-1 overall, but more impressively are 5-1-0 in league play.  They went on a seven game winning streak before their last outing brought the streak to a close.  The Saints played three games in one weekend, facing off against Princeton and Quinnipiac in league play before playing UConn in a non-conference tilt.  They were 1-1-1 that weekend, suffering their loss to Quinnipiac, their first in conference play.  In the last game the teams played against each other, the shots on goal were 25-17 in favor of the Big Red, Cornell won the game 5-1 with three goals being even strength and the remaining two being power play.  The Saints's only goal was on the power play late in the game.  Here are where the Saints stand compared to earlier in the season.
Shots on goal average is 31.5 while their opponents average 27.2.
The save percentage of the two goaltenders are 0.900 and 0.908.
The power play conversion is at a dismal 14.1 percent while their penalty kill is only 80 percent.

The Saints were rolling and had a weekend off that the Big Red did not.  Cornell travels to the North Country to take these teams on this weekend, and while neither team will be easy to beat, if Cornell sticks to the same sort of game it played last time against SLU, Cornell has a good chance of winning at Appleton.  Keys include remaining vigilant on the penalty kill and aggressive on the power play.  If they pepper the goaltenders with as many shots as they average, Cornell would come out with at least three goals given the current save percentages. 

Neither team will be easy to beat, but Cornell should be up to the challenge for their last games of 2012.  After this, the Lady Rouge are off until a mid-January trip to Massachusetts to take on the Huskies of Northeastern and the Eagles of BC.  Two more wins would make this break a stellar one.

Points This Season (as of November 29)
17 - Jenner, Saulnier
10 - Rougeau, Woods
9 - Cudmore
8 - Fortino
7 - Fulton, Gagliardi
6 - Brown, Murray
4 - Campbell, Leck, Poudrier, Zorn 
1 - Barley-Maloney, Pittens, Richardson, Slebodnick

What can be said about a high-stakes game in an event considered by many to be the biggest when the most readily identifiable "shortcomings" are that Cornell did not deliver a shutout and that senior forward Miller did not complete his hat trick? Well, I am about to try to put the results in perspective in as objective of a fashion as I can manage.

I dapple rarely in direct predictions, but I did venture one such prediction in my recap of last weekend. Admittedly, it was not a brazen one but it was no less bold considering that Cornell had scored only three goals in three games at that time. I ventured that once Cornell discovered its latent goal-scoring ability; the floodgates would open. A 5-1 shelling of the "champions of the West" serves as vindication for that prediction. After last weekend's game against Michigan, every senior has tallied at least one point. Ten different members of the 2012-13 Cornell team have scored at least one goal over nine games.

The offensive explosion is what has gotten the most attention. This is with good reason. The game saw Lowry continue his stellar sophomore season with adding a goal and an assist against the Wolverines. Ferlin continued generating great offensive plays and added two assists. He is now the fourth-highest point producer on the team. Senior forward Miller seems poised to continue leading the team in terms of both goals scored, as he did last season, and points produced, as he has for the last two seasons.

Cornell scored more goals in the Frozen Apple than it had in the previous 145:55 of games that it had played immediately before the game at "World's Most Famous Arena."

One could tell the night would be different than the previous three outings very early in the game. Ferlin's encore of his spectacular assist to Mowrey occurred with 4:23 remaining in the first period. The play might not have been as awe-inspiring but it was no less talented and equally important as he passed the puck across ice to Lowry who received the pass and put it behind Racine. The dominance of that power-play play was indicative in the execution and positioning as Miller was poised to knock in any rebounds that might have resulted had Racine made the initial save on Lowry's shot.

The tenor of the game had been struck. The offensive dominance of Cornell was apparent throughout the first period even though only one opportunity was converted. Cornell previously decided that it would exchange its historic and traditional white sweaters for stylized camouflage sweaters in the second period. Programs as rich in and dedicated to history as Cornell is do not deviate from tradition without casting a wary and superstitious eye to such changes. Cornell's choice to change their sweaters later to auction them off to raise funds for the great cause that is The Wounded Warrior Project was karmically rewarded.

It was poetic that a freshman who had played in only one other game before that Saturday evening and who was unburdened by any psychological blocks that might have emerged due to the dearth of offense during the three immediately previous games broke the three-game streak of Cornell scoring only one goal. Miller behind the net found an open Tiitinen positioned on the left side of Racine. Miller connected and Finnish freshman forward Tiitinen sent the puck sailing past Racine.

Miller was not contented with an assist. The skilled Cornell senior forward found the puck in the density of high traffic and Michigan confusion in front of the net. Miller tickled the twine for the first time that evening. It would not be the last time he did so in Manhattan that evening.

As if to prove that somehow the offensive outburst of the second period was not because of the camouflage sweaters, Cornell continued its offensive onslaught through the third frame. Cornell captain Erik Axell joined the scoring barrage nearly eight minutes into the third period. Miller gained a second goal tally of the evening when Ferlin, Lowry, and he joined the rush deep into the Michigan defensive zone when a pass from Ferlin rushing down the point to Lowry on the right side caused Wolverine goaltender Racine to commit to the right side. Lowry flicked the pass to a rushing Miller on the left side who netted easily his second goal of the night.

Punctuated changes get all the attention and acclaim. This is for good reason when a team was suffering what some described as an offensive slump and what I described as an anomaly on a team so offensively talented. However, one should not overlook the consistency of this Big Red team.

Cornell hockey is one epitomized by shut-down defense, special teams, and superb goaltending. Cornell has averaged reducing the number of shots that its opponents take by 10.9 shots per game when compared to each opponent's average shots on goal over the last three games. Cornell has a 100% penalty kill efficiency over the last two weeks. Cornell has maintained its discipline with limiting the number of needless penalties it has taken over the same span. These impressive defensive statistics were earned against teams that rank currently 10th and 12th in the nation in terms of offensive production. Andy Iles has produced a save percentage of 0.963 and a goals against average of 1.00 over the last two games.

The return of the expected offensive output of this team is what has gained deservedly the headlines, but as Schafer has reiterated in interview after interview, Cornell reaped what it had sowed the weekend before the 2012 Frozen Apple. The other narrative headline has been some detraction from the quality of this year's Michigan team. These comments are often attached to an attempt to discredit the worth of Cornell's win at the Frozen Apple.

Commentators and fans of other programs have begun to detract from Cornell's win. Fans of such programs should consider how their programs would fair if it played the Wolverines. Cornell beat the Wolverines in their self-perceived most critical time of the year in the 2012 NCAA Tournament when each Michigan team expects that it can and will compete for a national championship. Then, Cornell went on to defeat Michigan handedly in a game that many billed as a grudge match and a chance for redemption of the Wolverines who greatly wanted to avenge a painful loss to the Big Red.

Michigan is a good team. The traditions of Michigan, much like those of Cornell, demand and expect greatness. That is why this Michigan team has been rumored to fall far short of expectations. However, perspective is needed. Michigan lost in Shawn Hunwick a Hobey Baker Finalist goaltender who was the heart of his team. Most Michigan hockey observers remarked at the close of last season how dependent upon the reliability and skill of Hunwick Michigan had become. This dependence led to small collapses in defensive systems. Hunwick was he who ensured often that such collapses did not punish the Wolverines. It was such a defensive lapse that allowed Cornell to generate the offense to score the game-winning goal against Michigan in the 2012 NCAA Midwest Regional Semifinal.

Rutledge and Racine are freshmen. They cannot be expected to be another Hunwick. Especially not yet. Michigan's defense was sound through most of the game, but the story that has not been told or emphasized is how Cornell pounced upon what mistakes the Wolverines made to convert in spectacular fashion. It was Cornell's skill and opportunism that won the game. The other story is that when Michigan's defense failed, there was not a stellar goaltender to bail the Wolverines out like there had been in previous seasons. Michigan when it made mistakes generated situations in which an overwhelming talented Cornell offense confronted a green goaltender.

Michigan's defense, especially when it was killing penalties, was superb. Cornell made few mistakes on the power-play opportunities that it had. When cycling Cornell players saw an opportunity, they took the shot. The reason that shooting was not as common as some would like is because Michigan did in fact allow Cornell little room to maneuver most time. When it did, Cornell capitalized and converted. This bodes well for both programs.

Michigan will right itself. I observed and noted during the game that Cornell's defense was more of a "bend not break" mentality in which it surrendered occasionally open ice and poor opportunities, but never surrendered a great opportunity to the Wolverines. Michigan's defense however, surrendered almost no opportunities of any variety when it was clicking, but when it was not, Cornell controlled play and moved the puck at will. Consistency was the difference in the two defensive outcomes. Michigan might have been more suffocating when it was clicking but it was dangerously inconsistent. Cornell was stifling, but not suffocating, and was absolutely consistent. Some of these differences are systemic. Cornell executed its system better than Michigan did its own.

Michigan will get sounder. The Wolverines's coaching staff has ample talent with which to work and will find a way to generate the defense that it requires to prop up young goaltending. The biggest problem for Michigan is inconsistent defense and sub-par goaltending. Michigan will find a way to improve one to compensate for the other or both. Murmurs have begun that this will be the year that Michigan misses the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 22 years. I contest that it was not. This is a Michigan team that is very talented. It may require that the Wolverines win the Mason Cup in the last season of the CCHA as it has had to do before, but this Michigan team will find a way to win, will make Cornell's win against them very valuable, and will not miss the 2013 NCAA Tournament.

Cornell was calm when it surrendered opportunities and ensured that Michigan did not convert. Defenders, especially D'Agostino and Ryan, were critical in transition. The few times that wearers of the winged helmet were about to break out into the Cornell zone, D'Agostino and Ryan showed great poise in regaining position or pushing opportunities to the outside walls while fellow teammates dropped back. Cornell's defenders were never beaten on speed against one of the faster teams in the nation.

MacDonald and Gotovets were spectacular behind the blue line when Michigan managed to hem Cornell into the Big Red's own zone. The second period saw this early as a resurgent and re-energized Wolverine team emerged from the tunnel to attempt to tie the game and regain control of a game that appeared even in the first period to not be going its way. Gotovets and MacDonald kept Cornell in control of the game by not allowing the maize and blue to tie the score and seize momentum.

Andy Iles was as spectacular as ever. He has shown that the large scale and high stakes games at The Garden do not affect adversely his play. He delivered a great performance that included well disciplined orthodox saves and others like a save that can be called only a fist-pump save early in the first period to push the puck in mid-air along the back corner.

The spectacular aspect of this game was that it was a team victory and a team effort. Players seemed as excited for their own goals and key plays as they did for those of their teammates. I think that Miller was more excited about his assist to Tiitinen's first career goal than he was about his two goals and the excitement of Ferlin in helping his team with two assists was apparent in his conducting of the pep band as the third period wound down. I enjoyed the parody of Kevin Lynch's frustrated conducting of the Cornell Pep Band during the 2012 NCAA Midwest Regional Semifinal. The team has continued to stand up for itself against undisciplined conduct of other teams. The image of Cornell's highest NHL drafted player, Brian Ferlin, staring down Michigan's highest NHL drafted player, Jacob Trouba, after a morally suspect hit on senior forward Esposito is etched forever in my memory.

Cornell's defense has been back for three games now. Most think that Cornell's offense is back to stay after five goals against Michigan. The surest way to make sure that the college hockey world knows that this team's explosive offense is back is to show the visitors from the North Country in the last two clashes of the first half of the season.

19. Michigan Wolverines
Record: 5-6-1
Series Record: 3-3-1
Saturday November 24

Last Meeting:
March 23, 2012
Michigan was rumored to be the only team that could challenge Boston College for the national championship last season. That was until the Wolverines had the misfortune of being seeded first in the Midwest Regional to face Cornell. The Wolverine fanbase and blogosphere was not overtly disrespectful or arrogant regarding its chances against Cornell. But, then again, they were. When the first puck dropped, their arrogance seemed to be supported when Michigan nearly leapt to a 2-0 lead in the opening two minutes of the 2012 NCAA Midwest Regional Semifinal. Luke Glendening and Kevin Lynch appeared to score goals in those first two minutes. However, the latter goal was waived ultimately for goaltender interference. The resulting dynamic of the game changed.

Coach Schafer refocused his team with a well-planned timeout. Current-captain Erik Axell led the first shift after the disallowed goal and brought back a sense of confidence to the game. Cornell left the period knotted with the Wolverines with one goal each after Michigan native John McCarron scored a beautiful goal from the face-off circle that beat Hobey Baker Finalist goaltender Shawn Hunwick. The drama of the game would increase only from there.

Cornell played nearly twelve minutes of the game down a man. It killed off all of those opportunities, including several minutes of 5-on-3 play in Michigan's favor. Cornell would convert one of its penalty kill opportunities into a short-handed goal as Joakim Ryan scored 40 seconds into the second period. Locke Jillson would be awarded a penalty shot, but after a late goal from Kevin Lynch, the game would be decided in overtime. A defensive breakdown for Michigan and a well-executed play from Mowrey, Miller, and Craig resulted in Roger Craig tallying his second career goal and his second game-winning goal of his career to eliminate Michigan from the 2012 NCAA Tournament.

This Season:
Michigan is off to a much slower start than it had hoped. If one were to identify the singular reason why, it is goaltending. The Wolverines are suffering from a hangover after losing walk-on and Michigan-record-setting goaltender Shawn Hunwick. Michigan's defense was not as disciplined as Berenson would have hoped last season, but with an elite goaltender between the pipes, this blemish on Michigan's resume was not as apparent last season.

The Wolverines now rely upon a rotation of freshmen Jared Rutledge and Steve Racine. The former was the goaltender whom the Michigan staff, including Berenson, touted as the Wolverines's most likely starter. His on-ice performance has been less-than-stellar. Rutledge started in net for the Wolverines in their first NCAA Division I game of the season. He allowed the RIT Tigers five goals and a victory. At Yost. The RIT Tigers have done their part to make that victory seem worse as they have amassed a record of 2-7-1.

Rutledge has played in four games. He has won one and produced a goals against average of 0.855 and a save percentage of 4.46. His counterpart, Racine, has started the remainder of the games earning the remaining four victories for the Wolverines on the season. His numbers are less than overwhelming as well at a goals against average of 2.69 and a save percentage of 0.889.

Poor goaltending statistics like that are exacerbated by lackluster defense, especially when compared to the standards that are expected of a Berenson Michigan team. Michigan outranks only seven programs in NCAA Division I men's ice hockey in terms of defensive efficiency. Those seven programs this season include five Atlantic Hockey programs (American International, Army, Bentley, RIT, and Sacred Heart) and Alabama-Huntsville. The Wolverines average an allowance of 3.33 goals per game for their opponents.

Michigan players were awarded six points against Cornell. Five of the six point-earners will be on the roster during the Frozen Apple at Madison Square Garden. This is how this Michigan team has found success this season. Overwhelming offense. The Wolverines rank sixth in the national in terms of offensive productivity. "The Champions of the West" generate 3.58 goals per game.

The Wolverines's offensive onslaught is led by many of the same talents that Cornell kept largely silent last year in the 2012 NCAA Midwest Regional including A. J. Treais who leads the team in goals and points with nine and 14 respectively, Alex Guptill, Mac Bennett, and Kevin Lynch. These players are joined by new, but no less dangerous, talents like Jacob Trouba and "Boo" Nieves, who is an Upstate New Yorker, as the top-six point producers for the Wolverines.

The Wolverines have not lost when they have scored three goals or more. Four of Michigan's five victories have come with the Wolverines scoring four goals.

Keys to the Game:
Comparison of special teams leads to mixed results. Michigan converts on only 16.7% of its man-advantage opportunities. Cornell converts much closer to 18% at a rate of 17.9%. Cornell and Michigan differ in their rate of penalty kill by exactly 1.0% in favor of the Wolverines at 82.6%. Neither set of data is what is expected with the level of each program. These data seem to indicate that the special-teams battle will be awash. Some have highlighted it as what will decide the game Saturday evening. I doubt think the recent performance of either team indicates that.

Cornell would win easily a special-teams battle if it returns to the power-play form that it had during the Colorado-College series and maintains its disciplined penalty killing of last weekend. This Cornell teams have shown glimmers of brilliance in its special teams during given weekends. Meanwhile, Michigan has earned its numbers with relatively mediocre consistency.

The game that will develop likely is one that resembles the clash between a Michigan team that produces 3.58 goals per game with a goaltending tandem that generates a combined save percentage of 0.876 and allows 3.30 goals, and a Cornell team that surrenders a stingy total of only 2.38 goals per game and Andy Iles who generates a save percentage of 0.923 and averages allowing only 2.09 goals.

The Frozen Apple will pit one of the most prolific offenses to date in Michigan against one of the historically defensive powers of college hockey in Cornell. Cornell can win this battle. In fact, one could argue that it has already. Cornell swept handedly Colorado College. The Tigers are more prolific than the Wolverines. It has been done and can be done. Michigan, however, has tallied two of its wins against two of the seven programs defensively less sound than it is. Miami is the only program that the Wolverines have defeated, in a series split, that has registered defensive numbers on the same relative plane as Cornell defense so far this season.

Cornell needs to score more than one goal. This is a strategic and psychological necessity. A mental block has begun to form in the team's mindset as Cornell has not scored more than one goal since the game against Princeton. Quinnipiac, Harvard, and Dartmouth both held the Big Red to a lone goal. Let's hope that the bright lights of Lynah Southeast buoy the team and its many offensive talents to capitalize on the offense that they produce like we know that they can.

Historical Dimension:
Some Michigan fans place the Wolverines on a pedestal as superior to all other collegiate hockey programs. Historically, this is defensible and largely true. It is true that the Wolverines have won more NCAA national titles than any other program. Michigan is an amazing program and is my second-favorite historical program in college hockey.

However, let's take a look at the claims of the lovers of winged helmets in comparison to the success of Cornell. Cornell and Michigan both have won two NCAA national titles since Lyndon Johnson was inaugurated for a full term as president of the United States. The vast majority, 78%, of Michigan's total of national championships were won before the Wolverines played in Yost Ice Arena. Michigan earned only four more Frozen-Four appearances than Cornell over the same span. Michigan's 12 Frozen-Four appearances over that span is tied with Harvard's 12 Frozen-Four appearances.

The fanbases of the two programs that will take the ice at Madison Square Garden Saturday are regarded generally as the two best in college hockey. The Lynah Faithful and the Children of Yost have no peers. I find the former to be more to my liking, but the zeal of the latter cannot be denied. The support of these fanbases have led to each program having remarkable success at their home venues.

Lynah and Yost in the college hockey world are synonymous with intimidation and greatness. Cornell played its first game at Lynah Rink in 1958. Michigan hockey moved into Yost Ice Arena in 1973. Both programs have entered elite ranks as they have earned more than 500 wins in their home venues. Michigan has won 530 games at Yost. The Big Red has won 513 games at Lynah Rink. It is evident why Michigan, a program that refuses to travel to the home venues of East-Coast-based programs, is fearful of venturing to Lynah Rink on East Hill. However, I doubt that the Wolverines will find the confines of Lynah Southeast at The Garden to be any less hostile.

Cornell and Michigan are among the greatest programs in college hockey. Arguably, they are the greatest. I assume if you are a reader of WAFT that you are quite familiar with the history of the former program. If you have the time before Saturday's game, I would suggest that you consider watching a well-produced and interesting documentary on the history of Michigan hockey. Cornell reminded the Wolverines "overtime was the place where Michigan hockey hopes went to die" in the 2012 Midwest Regional Semifinal.

Throngs of Cornell fans will descend upon Madison Square Garden on Saturday evening. There is little doubt that this will be the first Cornell hockey game that many in attendance will have attended. I met a few such fans during Red Hot Hockey last season. Madison Square Garden, or Lynah Southeast, as it is more appropriately called on Saturday, provides a great venue and forum to bring new fans into the Cornell hockey family. These fans will have much to learn and the dedication of the Faithful can teach them.

Dedication. That is one of the many aspects that sets good fanbases apart from great fanbases, especially in college athletics. The true Lynah Faithful are not a collection of fans that support its program only when its teams have been successful. Were that true, there would not be generations of Faithful that supported the program during the bleak decade between 1986 and 1996 when Cornell won no ECAC Championships and made only one appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Nor are the Lynah Faithful a fanbase that realizes that there is a hockey program at its beloved institution only when the college football season has ended.

Listen to the leaders of this team: the 97th team to represent Cornell on the ice of intercollegiate play. They have heard the murmurs from detractors that have begun after two weekends of disappointment. Cornell has played eight games of what will be a 37-game season. Cornell has played less than 22% of its season. This is not intended to chide fans, but if after this short a span of minor setbacks you embrace the "next year will be the year" mentality then you should consider how faithful you are.

A statement will be made during the game against Michigan in the second period. Cornell, a program that has a steadfast adherence to tradition in its choice of uniforms, will don commemorative camouflage jerseys during the second period. The jerseys will then be auctioned off at alumni events after the Frozen Apple game to raise money that will be donated to The Wounded Warrior Project. There are few causes as worthy. I am glad that Cornell has chosen to use this opportunity to raise funds for a deserving charity.

The Wounded Warrior Project assists those servicemen and servicewomen, and their families who have showed unwavering dedication to their mission and their countries. While reflecting on this unequaled devotion in the second period, each Cornell fan should examine if he or she is truly dedicated enough to be considered Lynah Faithful.

Each year brings with it its own relative expectations. History, experience, and talent inform each year's expectations. It is not every season that Cornell has the latent potential to win a national championship. Anyone who thinks that it will take until next year for Cornell to be on the cusp of winning a third national championship ignores the talent of this team in its senior class and the maturing skills of the underclassmen. Anyone who thinks that this team cannot accomplish its goals because of a few setbacks cannot call himself or herself a member of the Lynah Faithful.

Only one member of the senior class at Cornell has not tallied a point in the first eight games of this season. Three of the top five point producers for this team are members of the senior class. Leadership like that found in captains Axell, Birch, and D'Agostino is uncommon. The offensive reliability of Mihalek cannot be ignored. The explosive offensive talents of Esposito and Miller can change the course of the game and will be missed sorely when they depart from the Big Red. This senior class is special. Its contributions and roles will be missed dearly next season. This year is the year.

This team has endured disappointing results but it has not disappointed. The Cornell ethos is very apparent in all of the statements from this team. The players know when they can perform at a higher level. More importantly, they invest the time and work to improve themselves. There are no hollow words from this team. That is why there is little reason to doubt that it will achieve its stated goals.

Next year may be another year. Cornell fans are right about that. It is true that Cornell will remain very talented after the departures at this season's end. However, one must not ignore that this team has the skill and potential to win a national championship as it desires. Let no one doubt that; to do so is to be unfaithful.

We welcome those Cornell fans who attend the Frozen Apple game on Saturday. The added charitable dimension of the game makes it all the more deserving of attendance. These Cornell fans for whom this may be their first Cornell hockey game need to realize that it takes more than attendance to become Lynah Faithful. It takes passion. It takes belief.

Those Cornell fans who have considered themselves Lynah Faithful at one point but find themselves doubting this team need to exercise a little introspection. New Cornell fans need to realize that they need to dedicate to Cornell to become Lynah Faithful. Formerly faithful Cornell fans need to rededicate to this team. This team is special. This season is special.

Rededicate to this team if you have wavered.  If new fans dedicate and wavering fans rededicate themselves to this team, they will not be disappointed. This team has given you no reason to doubt its ability to achieve its ultimate goals. It defeated one of the best programs in the nation in a convincing fashion. It will not be the last time this season that Cornell delivers such a result. Thousands of Lynah Faithful know this. Believe in this team.

We believe in this team.

Michigan
Date of Game Against Cornell: November 24
Analysis: Goaltending continues to plague the Wolverines.  After an inconsistent weekend with Rutledge in goal (a stellar save percentage on Friday and a dismal one on Saturday), the Wolverines looked to rebound against then number 8 Notre Dame.  The Wolverines were not able to score more than a goal in each game, dropping both match-ups to the Irish.  The games could not have been more different, despite the similarity of the results.  In the first game, the Irish put 32 shots on net, with 3 entering.  Michigan was outshot by a margin of 32-25.  Saturday, however, the Wolverines put more shots on net.  Michigan had the edge by a margin of 29-19, but the score ended up as 4-1 with an empty netter.
Key PWR Points:  Same as last week.  A split with Michigan State, tie over Northern Michigan, split with Miami, win over Bentley, split with RIT

Ferris State
Date of Game Against Cornell: December 28
Analysis:  Ferris State rebounded well, earning a sweep this past weekend against Bowling Green.  The next game for the Bulldogs is at the end of the month against the Wolverines.
Key PWR Points: Tie with RPI, win and tie with Mercyhurst, splits with Alaska, Miami, and Lake Superior State, and a sweep over Bowling Green.

Maine
Date of Possible Game Against Cornell: December 29
Analysis: The Black Bears only played one game last week, against the University of Massachusetts, but they earned a tie.  While this might be a bad thing for most team, it still puts Maine on an unbeaten streak and is better than a loss.
Key PWR Points: Win over Army, split with UMass-Lowell, and a tie with UMass.

Minnesota-Duluth
Date of Possible Game Against Cornell: December 29
Analysis: The Bulldogs did not have an easy opponent last weekend.  They played North Dakota after coming off of a tough weekend where they were swept and pulled one point out of the game.  They tied the first game and dropped the second in overtime.  This weekend brings a St. Cloud State team which has not done too badly thus far this season.
Key PWR Points: Split with Ohio State, split with Notre Dame, tie with Wisconsin, and a tie (and loss) with North Dakota.

Denver
Date of Games Against Cornell: January 4 and January 5
Analysis: Denver had a tough weekend with in-state rival, Colorado College.  CC fought two tough games, but pulled out two wins and it seems that they can do nothing wrong, scoring 6 goals in both games.  Next weekend, Denver hosts Yale and UNH at home and there is no reason for them to be worried about breaking their run.
Key PWR Points: Wins over Minnesota State, Michigan Tech, Air Force, UMass Lowell, Colorado College, and a split with St. Cloud State.

Colorado College
Date of Games Against Cornell: October 26 and October 27
Result: 2-0 Cornell, 3-2 Cornell
Analysis: Colorado College last weekend played Denver and while it came back to push the first game, they did not do as well in the second game.  Next weekend they look to rebound against UNH and Yale.
Key PWR Points: Air Force, Bemidji, Clarkson, Wisconsin 

Nick D'Agostino has CLASS
The prestigious Senior CLASS Award has named its 20 finalists for the year in hockey.  Of the 20 finalists, Cornell tri-captain Nick D'Agostino was nominated.  More information regarding it can be found at the Cornell Sports site.  Last year, captain Keir Ross was nominated, and 2010 captain Colin Greening was Cornell's latest winner of the award.  Other ECAC nominees include RPI's Nick Bailen, Harvard's Danny Biega, and SLU's Kyle Flanagan.  Hockey East, Atlantic Hockey, the CCHA, and the WCHA all have representatives as well.  Midway through the season, the finalists are narrowed down to 10 and voting is opened to media, coaches, and fans.  WAFT will alert people when voting becomes available for D'Agostino.

Pierre McGuire visited Lynah
Cornell Women's hockey had an exciting game last weekend and also got to meet Pierre McGuire while he was there to add color commentary to the broadcast of men's game on NBC Sports.  It seemed like he had a warm welcome from everyone.

Congratulations to both teams for raising hundreds of dollars and collecting hundreds of toys for the Cops, Kids, Toys charity.

ECAC Weekly Honors
A few weeks ago Cassandra Poudrier was named ECAC Rookie of the Week and this week, two Cornell women were awarded honors, Brianne Jenner was named Player of the Week after her hat trick plus and Taylor Woods was named Rookie of the Week after her stellar weekend.

Mayor Bloomberg Shows that Cornell is New York
We at WAFT happened upon this video of Mayor Bloomberg celebrating Cornell's announcement of the NYC Tech Campus with some humor.  We thought it appropriate for the weekend when Cornell once again takes over NYC at Madison Square Garden.

Does everyone remember the second game against Colgate? Well, for those who forgot the feeling of watching the Big Red deliver a game that it should have won, both games from last weekend served as a quick and ready reminder. The games differed from the second Colgate game in that officiating did not interject itself so directly to affect the outcome, but the efforts and the results seem very disjunct like that fourth game of the season.

There are always two ways of analyzing games. The first is to emphasize the result. Most think that what appears at the top of the boxscore matters most. The other, a view that I have heard at least three respected collegiate hockey coaches embrace, is not to coach by the scoreboard but rather the process that was seen on the ice. These divergent approaches lead to two different conclusions about last weekend and the current trajectory of this Cornell team.

Results
This is the bleak lens of analysis for this Cornell team. Cornell is winless in its last five games. Its record over that span is 0-3-2. Additionally, Cornell dropped a game against its most loathsome rival which makes its most recent streak against the Crimson to one of 0-2-1.

Cornell has averaged 1.60 goals per game over the last five games. Cornell began the season with its first three games averaging 2.67 goals per game. This drop off of offensive production by a factor of 40% has no doubt contributed to the losses that the Big Red has endured as of late. Scoring two goals likely would have resulted in one win over that span while scoring just three goals would have resulted in another win and a tie in regulation over the last five games.

The up-side of emphasizing approaches is that Cornell will have a chance at each opponent to whom it has lost at least one more time to rectify for early-season errors. Cornell took a win out of Colgate and swept Colorado College. All other opponents to whom Cornell had less than ideal results, the Big Red will have a second chance to correct any mistakes and tally a win later in the season. The unpredictability of the ECAC so far this season has provided Cornell the opportunity to reassert its dominance later in the season when ECAC play begins and regain its footing in the Conference, but before then, Cornell will play Michigan at Madison Square Garden.

Process
The Harvard loss felt miserable. I think fans, coaches, and players alike can agree about that. The Dartmouth tie has a duality that made it feel like a loss and a win. It was a win in that it partially got the taste of losing out of our collective mouths. It was a loss in that it was a winnable game even late in the game, much like the Princeton game. This ignores the dynamics of the games.

When one examines the minutia and mechanics of the games, Cornell was very much improved after a very disappointing weekend against the feline travel partners of the ECAC. The two most striking statistics involve trends that Cornell broke against the Crimson and Big Green. Dartmouth came to Lynah Rink averaging four goals per game. The Big Green had scored four goals the evening before against the Raiders in Hamilton. Cornell's defense shut them down and a dependable Andy Iles held them to just one goal.

The Harvard game was just as impressive in many aspects. Cornell limited a Harvard team that averages currently 31.4 shots per game to 17 shots. A total of 17 shots in a game is the lowest number of shots to which the very potent offensive threat of Harvard has been limited all season. Harvard's few opportunities were not great. Harvard scored three goals. The second of which was an unscreened shot almost from the point that Iles would stop cold in almost every situation but for some reason did not manage to do so in this outing.

Senior captain Nick D'Agostino stated after the first weekend's sweep of Colorado College that Cornell hockey is shut-down defense that allows few offensive opportunities and wins special teams battles. The disappointing trip through New Jersey and Connecticut saw the Red's opponents score four power-play goals on 13 opportunities for a kill rate of only 61.5%. This weekend? Cornell faced seven power-play challenges. Cornell generated a kill rate of 100%.

The kill rate and the absolute number of penalties are very telling. Cornell has regained control of its penalty kill after two weeks of absence. Colgate notched only power-play goals against Cornell followed by the noted weekend. The return of a dominant penalty kill over the weekend shows that this team has righted course after two games that were suspect with regard to systemics. The second statistic is important because Cornell was less disciplined than it had been previously and drew many needless penalties against Princeton and Quinnipiac.

Back on Track
Cornell played sounder defense, played with more discipline in terms of systems and not drawing foolish penalties, and delivered more Cornell-worthy penalty kill numbers. If Cornell continues to play with the poise and focus that it did throughout almost all of last weekend, it will be back on track where it was immediately after the Colorado-College series. The results of last weekend were not the turnaround that we wanted, but they were the turnaround that Cornell needed nonetheless.

The sole blemish upon last weekend was the dearth of goal scoring from Cornell. Knisley's goal was a thing of beauty in both timing and style. I feel validated additionally in my initial praise of the Upstate New Yorker in his first game in carnelian and white. His first collegiate goal took the momentum back in that game. The ability to respond both as individual players and moreover as a team cannot be underestimated. It will be important later in the season and in all high-stakes games.

Any naysayers who think that the combined offensive talents of Bardreau, D'Agostino, Ferlin, Knisley, Lowry, McCarron, Miller, Mowrey, and Ryan will be silenced for long are taking a very dangerous bet. The gorgeous (there is no other word to described it) assisting feed from Ferlin to Mowrey in the Dartmouth game showed glimmers of the offensive brilliance that were apparent in the earliest moments of the Colorado-College series. Esposito and Miller have been generating key offensive opportunities as one could expect. Sophomore Lowry has been delivering key hits and fighting passionately to add to his current offensive totals of three goals and two assists.

The lack of goal-scoring is a problem. However, most coaches will agree that of the major problems that can plague a team from special teams to systemic defensive collapses, stagnating goal-scoring is the least worrisome because it is the issue that resolves itself most readily. This team is offensively potent. The goals will come. Cornell with the sound defense it played last weekend and Andy Iles playing like he did on Saturday can win games 1-0 and 2-0, but with offensively talented players like those mentioned, this Big Red team should never have to do so.

There is no stage bigger than the coming Frozen Apple at Madison Square Garden in Manhattan. The games that Cornell has hosted there have been considered the, or among the, biggest spectacles in college hockey. The way that WAFT looks at this and the way that this team should look at this coming weekend is that there is no better place to open the offensive floodgates of scoring than at "the world's most famous arena."

These last two weekends have provided valuable learning experience. This team has fine tuned its efforts after early success and setbacks. It knows now all too well the bad taste of defeat. It knows the trials and tribulations of losing and tying tight games. These last two weekends will prepare the team to be focused later in the season even when all the odds, statistics, and prognosticators think that this team will be favored because after these losses, this team will take nothing for granted. This is not a team that will suffer the losses like those endured in the national tournament in 2009 against Bemidji State or in 2010 against New Hampshire from underestimating its opponents.

The lessons learned will pay off later in the season because this team will take no game for granted or any goals as awarded. The work ethic of this team will prove to be worthy of the Cornell ethos.

We cannot wait to be there among thousands of Cornell fans and Lynah Faithful cheering on this great team at The Garden.

This weekend was a stellar one for the Lady Rouge.  Starting their weekend at home against travel partner Colgate, the Big Red made a huge statement with their win.  Who would start in goal was a question, as Coach Derraugh said it would be determined in practice, as Lauren Slebodnick was still out with an injury.  Katelyn Pippy made her first start in goal, recording a 13-save shutout against Colgate.  The women started scoring out in the first, notching three goals, two of which were even strength and the third of which was a power-play goal.  The first goal was scored unassisted by Laura Fortino.  The second goal was notched by Brianne Jenner, just back from the 4 Nations Cup.  Jill Saulnier assisted the even-strength goal.  The final scoring in the first was once again from Laura Fortino on a power play, assisted again from Brianne Jenner and Lauriane Rougeau.

If the first period was explosive for the Big Red, the third period was in an entirely different realm.  Four goals were scored, amongst them a natural hat trick from Jenner.  The first goal was scored on the power play by freshman Taylor Woods assisted by Brianne Jenner and Lauriane Rougeau.  Jenner then scored three goals on the period, two even-strength goals and one on the power play to complete a natural hat trick.  Assists in the goals went to Laura Fortino, Jill Saulnier, Lauriane Rougeau, Jess Brown, and Kelly Murray.

As if that wasn't enough, Cornell scored two more goals early in the third to end the scoring for the evening, both even-strength goals from Hayleigh Cudmore assisted by Jill Saulnier and a second goal from Taylor Woods, assisted by Lauriane Rougeau.  And, as previously stated, Katelyn Pippy played the entire game in net, recording her first start and full-game shutout.

Saturday was again a bright day for the Big Red.  The first period began with a barrage of scoring, seven goals in total.  The first six were scored by Cornell.  Five even-strength goals went to Victoria Pittens (her first career), Jess Brown, Jessica Campbell, Brianne Jenner, and Monika Leck.  Taylor Woods added a shorthanded goal in the period as well.  Assists went to Jill Saulnier, Cassandra Poudrier, Jess Brown, Taylor Woods, and two each to Hayleigh Cudmore and Kelly Murray. The scoring in the second ended on a Colgate PPG. 

The remainder of the game was comparatively more calm, with Cornell scoring twice in the second, and each team scoring once in the third.  The second saw a goal by Brianne Jenner, assisted by Laura Fortino and Jess Brown.  Monika Leck scored her second of the evening, assisted by Kelly Murray.  The third saw the Red open up the scoring with a power play goal from Taylor Woods, her second of the evening, assisted by Brianne Jenner and Jill Saulnier.  Colgate tried to start a rally, scoring a shorthanded goal toward the end of the period, but their rally came up short as the defense and Katelyn Pippy turned them away, winning the Big Red a weekend sweep and a spot at the top of the ECAC, tied with Clarkson with 12 points.  The third team which is unbeaten in ECAC play is Harvard, who has only played four league games.  The Crimson (as well as Dartmouth) are on the Big Red's schedule next week and will then have one less team in the league unbeaten.

Upcoming Games
Dartmouth (4-1-1 overall, 3-1-0 conference) in Hanover on Friday, November 23
Dartmouth has a few key wins this season, with the only loss coming to a team which played Cornell tightly, Quinnipiac.  This past weekend, the Big Green was playing out-of-conference games against Hockey East opponents UNH and #5 ranked Boston College.  Dartmouth earned a win over UNH and a tie with BC.  Here are a few key facts about Dartmouth's team: Except in their 1-0 win over Brown, they have scored no fewer than three goals in each game.
They score 3.00 goals/game while they allow 3.00 also.
They have a 23.1% conversion rate on the power play with an 82.8% penalty kill.
Two of their five games have gone to overtime.
The most goals they allowed were 8 (against Quinnipiac) and the fewest was 0 (against Brown).
The most goals they scored were 5, with the least being 1.

Cornell will need to keep the Brown PP unit from scoring and capitalize whenever possible.  Their junior goaltender, Holdcroft, is doing slightly better than their sophomore goaltender, both of whom are below .900.  The PP and PK are roughly the same with Cornell being slightly higher on both.  They will need to put shots on the goaltenders, as their averages for shots from opponents are only 24.5, while Cornell averages 34 shots per game, allowing their opponents only 18.

Harvard (4-1-0 overall, 4-0-0 conference) in Cambridge on Saturday, November 24
The only blemish on Harvard's record this season comes in their most recent game, against Boston University, this past Sunday.  The Crimson held the Terriers to only 2 goals but were only able to score one in a tight game.  They have played the same opponents as the Big Red thus far, beating Princeton, Quinnipiac, Yale, and Brown in addition to their recent tilt against the Terriers.  Here are a few facts about the Crimson:
Crimson's penalty kill right now is perfect.  They have killed all thirteen penalties that have been called on them.  Their conversion rate on the PP is 23.5%.
They score 3.80 goals per game. The more staggering statistic is that the Crimson have allowed less than a goal per game, 0.60.
The most goals scored in a game was 9, against Princeton.  The least was 1, against Boston University.

When looking at the number of shots and goals per game, it is very similar to what the Big Red shoots and allows.  The Harvard game is going to be tough for the women, with the Crimson having a great team assembled this year as well.  The Big Red will need to be disciplined and avoid penalties.  We average 10.9 penalty minutes per game, while the Crimson take roughly half as many.  Cornell scores more than Harvard, and that is going to be something that will be tested.  While most have looked to the match-up between the Knights and the Big Red, given how well Clarkson is doing this season, but people underestimate Harvard.  Hopefully the Cornell women will not do so and will emerge victorious on the weekend.

Points This Season (as of November 19)
16 - Jenner
15 - Saulnier
9 - Cudmore, Woods
8 - Rougeau
7 - Fortino, Fulton, Gagliardi
6 - Brown, Murray
4 - Campbell, Leck, Poudrier, Zorn
1 - Pittens, Richardson, Slebodnick

12. Dartmouth Big Green
Record: 5-1-0
Series Record: 77-43-3 Cornell
Saturday November 17, 2012

Last Meetings:
November 12, 2011, January 20, 2012, March 9, 2012, & March 10, 2012
Cornell hosted the Big Green from the wilderness (not just a Hanover joke, check Dartmouth's coat of arms) for the 2012 ECAC Quarterfinals. The Big Green challenged the Big Red in the first game as it pushed Cornell to set a record for the longest men's ice hockey game to be played at Lynah Rink (it was the longest game played, but the next evening the Lady Rouge broke the record in the 2012 NCAA Quarterfinals against BU). Sean Whitney said enough was enough and ended the tilt with an overtime-winning goal allowing Cornell to tally a win in the first game. Cornell made quick work of the guests from New Hampshire in the second game closing out the series with a sweep winning the contests 4-3 (2OT) and 3-1.

The first regular-season meeting witnessed a young Cornell team prove that it could handle the high of an emotional win having beaten Harvard at Lynah East the previous evening. Cornell had faltered the previous week with the young team's inability to handle the euphoria of ending a long winless streak against Yale to lose to Brown the next evening. No such thing happened after the Harvard win as Cornell defeated Dartmouth 3-2. The second regular-season took on a tenor more similar to the first 2012 ECAC Quarterfinal game as it required an extra frame to decide the victor. However, in the early season rehearsal for the postseason clash, it was Bardreau who played the role of Whitney with the overtime-winning goal.

Cornell swept Dartmouth last season. Cornell earned a record of 4-0-0 against the Big Green last season. However, two of those four games required extra time to decide which team emerged victorious. This in itself illustrates how evenly matched the teams were last season.

This Season:
The answer to a late-season trivia question was answered Friday evening as Cornell dropped its game to Princeton. Cornell and Dartmouth were the last programs standing in the nation without a loss marring their records. Dartmouth continued winning last weekend. It was the last program remaining without a loss in the 2012-13 season heading into the weekend.

The Big Green began its season with the borderline foolish and irrelevant Ivy Shootout. Dartmouth tied Yale and defeated Brown. It then played the same teams in the same order the following weekend. This time, the Big Green improved its performance to a sweep. The trend continued as the Big Green rolled past an RPI time that did not manage to score a single goal last weekend. Dartmouth capitalized where Harvard could not on Union's loss of starting goaltender and need to rely upon talent further down its depth charts. Big Green the Dutchmen 3-2.

Dartmouth brings with it two national top-ten point producers in sophomore forward Sikura and junior forward Robinson. Robinson leads the nation in terms of goal production with 1.17 goals per game. Sikura is ranked second in the nation in terms of short-handed goals scored with two.

Dartmouth's goaltending leaves little to be desired for Gaudet. Junior Cab Morris is ranked nationally second in terms of goals against average (1.22) and fourth in terms of save percentage (0.946). Morris has played five of Dartmouth's six games. Freshman Charles Grant played the other game. He delivered a shutout of Brown in his collegiate debut.

Dartmouth averages the fifth greatest rate of goal production with 3.67 goals per game. The Big Green defense has been less than accommodating goals scored against it allowing only 1.50 goals per games. Adding to the discipline that one can expect of a team with such numbers is the fact that Dartmouth is the second-least penalized team in the nation.

The one weakness for the Dartmouthians appears to be its power-play conversion. Only 18.2% of their power-play opportunities have been converted for goals. It places them as firmly middling in the nation. However, special teams overall are not a weakness as Dartmouth is second-best on penalty killing going into the weekend having killed 95.8% of penalties awarded against it.

The cumulative record of Dartmouth's opponents so far this season is 11-12-6. Union and Yale appear to be respectable teams this season. The Big Green has amassed a record of 2-0-1 in its three games against them. Dartmouth will have departed from Hanover for East Hill having just beaten Union. Union is not at its fullest potential having lost goaltender Grosenick and captain Mat Bodie to injury. No matter how one can rationalize discounting the achievements of Dartmouth in terms of results and statistics this season, one thing is clear, Dartmouth will be a program that must be taken very seriously at this point in the season.

Keys to the Game:
The first key is to not underestimate the Big Green on the ice in terms of play or strategy. Their numbers might be somewhat inflated, but they are indicative of a very powerful team that is sound in almost all aspects of the game. Dartmouth must not be underestimated.

The mere presence of Sikura on the team and his national statistical recognition as one of the leading scorers of short-hand goals indicates how even on the power play this team from Hanover is dangerous. Dartmouth has scored half as many short-handed goals as it has power-play goals.

Dartmouth will not allow many quality power-play opportunities when Cornell is on the power play. Capitalizing on those few opportunities afforded Cornell will be key. Special teams are unlikely to become the factor that wins this game for Cornell. However, if Cornell draws too many needless penalties through lack of discipline, like it did a few times against Quinnipiac, special teams may be what loses this game for Cornell.

Opponents of Dartmouth have not committed an abnormally high number of penalties. Dartmouth does not rely upon its opponents's exhaustion from man-advantage play. Dartmouth has defeated its opponents through capitalization on their even-strength mistakes and through extreme discipline that gives opponents very few man-advantage opportunities.

Cornell has the skill to win the game against Dartmouth. There is no question. However, Cornell must play like it did against Colorado College to defeat the Big Green. With absolute discipline. Lack of focus and discipline derailed Cornell's would-have-been success last weekend through collapses in systems and commission of needless penalties. Cornell cannot make those mistakes to defeat Dartmouth at this point in the season. Cornell will need to play more disciplined than Dartmouth to win this game. If the Big Red can do that, the game will become one of skill, and the Big Red will win in such a contest. Cornell must allow its immense talent and depth to shine without sound systemics against Dartmouth. If the Big Red's discipline dissipates, it will be very difficult for Cornell to win.

Historical Dimensions:
Three programs that are members of the ECAC have not won an ECAC Championship. Dartmouth is one of them. The other two are Brown and Quinnipiac. Dartmouth is a program that had great success before the formation of the ECAC. That period included a span between 1941 and 1945 during which Dartmouth went 46 consecutive games without a loss. That era has long been forgotten or dismissed as irrelevant. However, Dartmouth remaining as the last undefeated team in the nation for the 2012-13 season and with the Big Green atop the early season ECAC standings, Dartmouth has begun to think that a renaissance of Dartmouth hockey may be possible. The results of the clash against Cornell on Saturday according to many will go a long way in indicating whether such ambitions are pipe dreams or attainable goals.

Keggy should travel to hockey games.