The college hockey world awaited announcements from the NCAA this afternoon. The governing body of varsity college athletics was to award to four lucky communities the opportunity to host college hockey's most important and high-profile weekend. The NCAA championship selection committee had whittled down the list of prospective hosts to ten before the announcements this afternoon. Before 1:00 pm ET today, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Columbus, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, New York City (Brooklyn), St. Paul, Tampa Bay, and Washington, DC in principle had equal hopes of receiving the right to host the deciding three contests of the annual national tournament before the announcement this afternoon.

Now that the selection is final, WAFT takes a look at what each host has to offer from a Cornell-centric perspective.

Boston in 2015:
Cornell's legacy in Boston is one of many mixed themes. Cornell won seven ECAC Championships at Boston Garden, the forebear of the current TD Garden. However, Cornell last reached the national title game in Boston. A contest in which the Big Red fell to archrival and hometown favorite the Boston Terriers, 4-0, in 1972. Furthermore, Cornell suffered a late-game implosion against Wisconsin in the national semifinal to fall to Wisconsin in 1973. The thrill of some of Cornell's greatest moments tinged with the pain of some of its most severe defeats are the sentiments of Cornell playing a Frozen Four game in Boston. The Lynah Faithful would appear in droves if Cornell made an appearance. The greater Boston area as well as the New York City area, which is within ready travel distance, are flush with Cornell alumni and devoted hockey fans. The take-over effect that is common of Cornell's appearance in most venues would be heightened by the stakes of the contest and the placement of the Frozen Four in Cornell's backyard.

Tampa Bay in 2016:
The biggest downside to Tamp Bay's selection not occurring in the first year of the new cycle is that Brian Ferlin will not have the opportunity to chase a national title in his home Sunshine State. Cornell has several homes away from home, perhaps more than any other program. Cornell annually hosts a contest at Madison Square Garden. The neutral site for the ECAC Hockey Championships often becomes a common feature on Cornell's schedule. And, Cornell hosts the Florida College Hockey Classic. This winter tournament may put the Big Red more at ease than most would expect because if Cornell makes it to the Frozen Four in Tampa Bay, it already will have played in the peninsular state less than four months before. It is true that Estero is not Tampa Bay and Germain Arena is not the Tampa Bay Times Forum, but the two are separated by only ten minutes more of driving time than that which separates Colgate and Cornell. Florida has a respectable aggregation of Cornell alumni, partly why Cornell hosts its winter tournament there, that would reinforce the diehard Lynah Faithful that make the trip to the land of beaches and sunshine to watch college hockey's national champion be crowned.

Chicago in 2017:
Chicago is the lone newcomer to the group of four. Chicago is not currently the host of a Division I college hockey program. The last such program to call Illinois home was that of the University of Illinois-Chicago. The UIC Flames represented their University, the hockey state of Illinois, and the hockey city of Chicago in intercollegiate competition for three decades including 14 years at the Division I level. The Flames were extinguished in 1996. Cornell never played the Flames. This is not to say that the Big Red does not have a history in the Windy City. Cornell played in Chicago before it ever played in Lynah Rink. Cornell was a perfect 3-0-0 when playing in Chicago. Those three contests occurred against Yale and were during Cornell's first run to a national title, of the pre-NCAA variety. Jeff Kubiak, a native of the Chicago area and one-time product of the Chicago Steel, would be a senior filling a leadership role leading his team into familiar territory. Sadly, Christian Hilbrich, the other player on Cornell's roster who has decided connections to Chicago, would have graduated the prior season. The United Center should be a great draw in a great hockey city. With sufficient Cornellians in the region, there is little doubt that the Madhouse on Madison would rock in time with the cheers and taunts of those clad in carnelian and white.

St. Paul in 2018:
If Cornell appears in the Frozen Four in any of the other three Frozen Fours just awarded, it is likely that the fanbase the Big Red would muster would be equal to or greater than that of any other program in the Frozen Four. That probably cannot be said of a Frozen Four at the Xcel Energy Center. The maroons of Minnesota and Minnesota-Duluth, and the green of North Dakota would be the most flush colors. Carnelian and white would do battle with the sea of colors representing historic powers of the West, but the building would be more contested and less controlled than most that the Lynah Faithful invade. That would make it a spectacle to see between dueling fanbases of extreme passion. A combination of travel distance and a smaller contingent of alumni in the region of the Twin Cities would depress Cornell attendance. The Big Red has never played at the Xcel Energy Center. And, while Cornell's success in the national tournament in the West (1969, 1986, 2006, and 2012 for example) is mixed, the game would be in a heated environment where the locals appreciate what Cornell hockey represents.

Significance to Cornell:
Past is not always prologue and correlation rarely equals causation, but can it hurt to look at a few trends? Foremost, with the historic geographic rivalries between Eastern and Western college hockey, how unbalanced is the ratio of national championship weekends held in the East compared to those held in the West? 39 championship weekends have been held in the historic West of college hockey compared to 27 such weekends hosted in the East. This even includes for the East atypical hockey hosts such as Tampa Bay and Washington, DC. The thankfully bygone era of the late 1940s and 1950s when possible hosts like Boston and New York did not want to host the event, resulting in its hosting at the Broadmoor Hotel ten consecutive times, accounts for most of the disparity between the two regions.

The geographic disparity between East and West is nearly equal. Is there any difference in how Cornell fares when the Frozen Four is hosted in the East or West? In other words, has Cornell reached the Frozen Four with greater frequency when the championship weekend was hosted in one region over the other? The answer is a fairly resounding yes. Cornell has made nearly one quarter of the Frozen Fours hosted in the East. Six of Cornell's eight Frozen Four berths or 75% of them have been earned when the Frozen Four was hosted in the East. Compare those numbers to Cornell's reaching the Frozen Four only 5.0% of the time it was held in the West and reaching it only two times in its history when the Frozen Four was hosted in the West. It seems to indicate that some intangible of playing close to home for the national title may motivate Cornell teams.

What happens when the Frozen Four has been hosted much closer to home? Coach Schafer emphasized how grateful he was in 2003 to have the opportunity to play for a national championship in Buffalo, NY in Cornell University's home state. It was described as a special experience. Those statements accompanied Cornell's most recent trip to the Frozen Four. Cornell has made the Frozen Four 30% of the time that college hockey's biggest weekend has been hosted in the Empire State. That number leaps to 37.5% if one considers only seasons after Cornell received its first invitation to the national tournament. Not impressed? These figures correlate to Cornell's probability of making the Frozen Four increasing by 248% to 310% compared to its average rate of reaching the national championship weekend.

Then, there is the number. The big 100% that lingers in the minds of some of the Lynah Faithful. 100% of Cornell's national titles in the NCAA era were won in New York State.

What does this all mean? Generally, it would seem to indicate that Cornell is most likely to make the Frozen Four in 2014 at Philadelphia, 2015 at Boston, and 2016 at Tampa Bay. However, trends are made to be broken. I doubt many of the Faithful would object to Cornell's breaking of these trends with winning a national title on the ice of the Wells Fargo Center, TD Garden, Tampa Bay Times Forum, United Center, or Xcel Energy Center.

The biggest news out of Saturday's contest may not have been the result. It may not have happened even when the skaters from Colgate and Cornell were on the ice. It occurred during the second intermission. Jason Weinstein was conducting an interview with sophomore forward Christian Hilbrich. Cornell's play-by-play broadcaster inquired if Hlibrich had left any mementos in the Rangers's locker room to commemorate the goal he scored at Madison Square Garden. The interviewee denied it. Weinstein ended that line of questioning stating "maybe next year as Cornell takes on Penn State next season at Madison Square Garden."

The audio of that exchange can be heard here.

The nonchalance of the comment takes away from the expected build-up of finding out which opponent will meet the Big Red in the second biennial Frozen Apple. Remember the anticipation from two summers ago when Michigan was surmised and finally confirmed as the opponent? There are several storylines that surround this choice. This writer will give a brief analysis of each and as more is revealed greater coverage for each topic will be provided on WAFT.

The success of the second Frozen Apple is of utmost importance to Cornell. Boston University and Cornell have proven that they can sell out The Garden consistently with sellouts in Red Hot Hockey in 2007, 2009, 2011, and 2013. Cornell proved to itself and the college hockey community that it alone could sell out Madison Square Garden in 2012 when it hosted the inaugural Frozen Apple against Michigan. It places Cornell on a plane that few other college hockey programs occupy.

It is foolish to think that Cornell's position on this level is perpetual. Can it happen into the foreseeable future? Yes. Is it guaranteed to continue into the future indefinitely? Absolutely not.

Red Hot Hockey on odd years will be a sellout into the foreseeable future. Its captured audiences, Boston University and Cornell, are among the two most loyal and devoted fanbases in college hockey. Few other fanbases care more about their histories than do the Terriers and Big Red. Red Hot Hockey is an extension of that devotion and history of storied Boston University-Cornell feuds. The event markets itself.

The Frozen Apple is very unlike Red Hot Hockey in this regard. There are very few established out-of-conference rivalries for Cornell that have the combination of factors that will fill Madison Square Garden alone. The draw of the first Frozen Apple was piqued when Cornell upset Michigan in the 2012 NCAA Tournament months before the match-up in New York City. Additionally, Michigan has a sweeping fanbase and large alumni base in Manhattan. Both were important for the Frozen Apple's success.

The opponents that Coach Schafer mentioned for future editions of the Frozen Apple were Minnesota, Notre Dame, Penn State, and Wisconsin. Minnesota is Minnesota. What programs like Boston University and Cornell are to the East, Minnesota is to the West. Add to that fact Minnesota's refusal to travel to Lynah Rink and the pent up tension between the programs becomes evident. This neglects even Cornell's 2005 match-up or 2003 when the two programs were the best in the nation. Wisconsin needs little elaboration. Cornell and Wisconsin are rivals. Those who did not follow the clashes of the two schools in the 1970, 1973, and 2006 national tournaments undoubtedly have heard their tales. Within both fanbases.

What of Notre Dame and Penn State? Notre Dame has the angle that the Fighting Irish tried to lure away Schafer in 2005. Jeff Jackson is a great coach, but few of the older to middle-aged alumni who populate the Lynah Faithful are brought to a zealous lather with thoughts of playing a program that danced in and out of conferences and divisions of college hockey throughout its history. This writer is heavily in favor of playing Notre Dame and I think it would sell out a venue as large as Madison Square Garden, but it does have decided shortcomings.

Penn State is very similar to Notre Dame is this regard. The Nittany Lions have a great coach with whom many of the Lynah Faithful are familiar. Guy Gadowsky, an alumnus of ECAC Hockey's coaching fraternity, leads the Nittany Lions. He brought Princeton a Whitelaw Cup in 2008. Memorably he led his Tigers against Cornell in an overtime thriller in the 2009 ECAC Championship Semifinals. He may have switched big-cat monikers, but his style remains the same. But, is Penn State a big enough draw?

This is where perception becomes a problem. Penn State is both tremendously old and terribly new. The first group of Nittany Lions to lace up skates for competition did so in 1919. Penn State then became utterly dominant for nearly four decades in club and ACHA hockey. However, the more dominant narrative, to which many in the Cornell fanbase will respond, has a hockey program emerging from the earth of Central Pennsylvania over the last two seasons. Will the Lynah Faithful and other alumni respond to a contest against a program of perceived less history and a mere two seasons at the NCAA level?

Red Hot Hockey and the Frozen Apple have become de facto homecomings for hockey-loving Cornell. One needs only look at articles in our most recent alumni magazine to realize that. This may be enough to ensure a good turnout from the Cornell contingent. This writer finds the prospect of playing Penn State in Manhattan exciting because of the shared facets of old and new. They should intrigue anyone. Cornell and Penn State were among the first college hockey programs, but while the former remained historic and dominant at the highest level of the sport, the latter only recently gained such sure footing.

There may be unanticipated issues in getting the throngs of the Lynah Faithful to Madison Square Garden in November 2014. No such issues have existed when Cornell competed against Boston University and Michigan. Penn State should be no different, but it could be. These annual events in New York City have become more than hockey spectacles to many Cornell alumni and their families, so the opponent should be of little consequence. And, what is not to like about the passion of Penn Staters about all things that concern their athletics programs and University?

Can Penn State do as well or better than Michigan? Why not play off of internal Big-Ten egos to buoy the attendance of Penn Staters? Hockey may never be the dominant sport in Happy Valley, but it does not mean that it will not add to the extant Icers family new and loyal Nittany Lions fans. Alumni will come from reasonable distances to watch Penn State battle Cornell in The Garden. Many will not even need to travel that far. The New York City area represents the second-largest concentration of Penn State alumni in the nation. The Philadelphia area is the one region with a greater concentration of Penn Staters.

The fact that Penn State's two largest alumni bases are within ready distance of Manhattan does not have you convinced that the Nittany Lions may show in greater numbers than did the Wolverines? Consider that Penn State has done this previously. The Nittany Lions have played four games in NHL arenas when their fans were the dominant contingent. These include both games of the Three Rivers Classic in 2012 and two editions of the Philadelphia College Hockey Faceoff. The fewest number of people to attend a Penn State game at an NHL arena was 10,797. The largest contingent to attend a Penn State game at an NHL arena numbered 19,529 when the Nittany Lions sold out the Wells Fargo Center.

The sellout of the Wells Fargo Center may have been aided by Flyers fans staying to watch the Penn State-Vermont game after the NHL lockout ended. However, it is undeniable that Penn State can fill NHL venues. The average attendance of a Penn State hockey game at an NHL venue is 14,905. The Nittany Lions are more than a sufficient draw.

Cornell allots its opponents in Red Hot Hockey and the Frozen Apple approximately 25-30% of the seats in Madison Square Garden. The current capacity of the "transformed" Garden is 18,006. Penn State's contingent would need to purchase between 4,501 and 5,402 tickets. These figures are lower than the capacity of Pegula Ice Arena. That is to neglect the fact that said numbers of tickets are nearly one-third of the average draw of the Nittany Lions in an NHL arena. Penn State will be able to sell its allotment of tickets with ease.

Interest on the part of the Nittany Lions may be difficult as well. Paradoxically, for similar and different reason as it may be for Cornellians. Penn State is a new initiand to varsity college hockey. Through interactions I have had with recent and current Penn State students, I have realized that some are learning the culture and legacy of college hockey. Many do not realize the history of Cornell hockey. So, creation of interest among current students at or recent alumni of Penn State may require more skillful marketing on the parts of both Cornell Athletics and Penn State Athletics than have previous installments of Red Hot Hockey and the Frozen Apple. Penn Staters will need to be convinced why they should care about a game against Cornell.

This task may be easier than even this writer implies. Little was done to promote why Penn Staters should care about Vermont in either Philadelphia College Hockey Faceoff, but more than 17,000 blue-and-white-clad fans filled the Wells Fargo Center for each edition. Recent administrative changes for the Flyers put in question whether Penn State will be able to host another hockey tilt at the Wells Fargo Center next season. As disappointing as this would be for the region that hosts the greatest concentration of Penn Staters, it would enhance the draw of the Frozen Apple 2014 at Madison Square Garden.

Two other issues remain from the Penn State perspective. They can produce crowds that fill large hockey facilities. That is obvious. What is unproven is how much Penn Staters will pay to see a major spectacle hockey game. A credit to Penn State and Pegula Ice Arena is that they have kept ticket costs generally below the levels charged at most venues, including Lynah Rink. They resemble those charged at Greenberg Ice Pavilion in seasons past. This leaves unproven however how much Penn Staters will pay for a hockey game. Additionally, the Three Rivers Classic ticket prices range from $16.85 to $47.75 while tickets began at $10.00 for the Philadelphia College Hockey Faceoff.

The cost of tickets for Red Hot Hockey and the Frozen Apple never dips as low as the above cited prices. Furthermore, most tickets at either Cornell-hosted event go for $50.00 to $75.00 with some tickets as little as approximately $30.00 and others well above $100.00. The ranges of ticket prices that Penn State has filled are disparate from those at Madison Square Garden. Penn Staters will pay a great deal for their sports teams when those programs are grafted on to the great University's sense of identity. A regular-season game against a non-Big Ten opponent at Beaver Stadium can sell fairly readily for $80.00. What is unproven is if the buying impetus for hockey is yet as great. It should be. This writer hopes it is, but it would be amiss not to mention this possible concern.

Football creates another possible concern for the Frozen Apple 2014. Many remember how disappointing it was to file into Madison Square Garden and discover that Michigan had left its band in the Midwest to witness the Wolverines's loss to the Buckeyes on the gridiron instead of watching their demise at the hands of the Big Red in Manhattan. Penn State will host Michigan State in University Park, PA the afternoon before the Frozen Apple 2014. This writer holds out hope that a contingent, albeit likely small, of the Blue Band, or perhaps an alumni band from the New York City area, will appear at the game in the Big Apple.

A positive comparison is that although Penn State and Michigan State play for a trophy when they meet, the passion and vitriol that drained many Michigan fans before the Frozen Apple 2012 is not present in meetings between Penn State and Michigan State. The Penn Staters who flock to The Garden will not be effected disproportionately, no matter the result of the earlier football game. This highlights one similarity between the contests that Penn State would be involved in that Saturday.

Michigan State and Penn State claim to be the first land-grant institutions. This is a product of the fact that Michigan and Pennsylvania, unlike New York, began sale of their state lands to fund public higher education before the Morrill Land-Grant Act. Cornell University became a land-grant institution by acts of New York State in 1865. The two match-ups that Penn Staters will witness on November 29, 2014 will be clashes of proud land-grant institutions.

There are numerous similarities and connections between Cornell and Penn State that add elements to a possible, and seemingly likely, meeting at Madison Square Garden, but those will be saved for a later date when more is confirmed. However, to give a cursory preview of topics that will come, it is worth noting that Cornell and Penn State tried tirelessly to arrange meetings between their hockey programs when both played at the varsity level.

Penn State's lack of a home ice surface and Cornell's reliance on the mercy of the weather to preserve conditions on Beebe Lake resulted in only one meetings between the Nittany Lions and the Big Red. The lone meeting occurred on February 5, 1944. The Penn Staters traveled from Central Pennsylvania to Central New York. Nicky Bawlf and his skaters sent their Pennsylvanian challengers back to the Commonwealth with a loss. Just over 70 years will have passed by the time that the puck is dropped at the 2014 edition of the Frozen Apple. It should be well worth the wait.

With the possibly heightened need for media, athletic departments, and marketing agencies to promote the event, why does neither Cornell nor Penn State make a formal announcement of the future meeting? Contractual matters are why programs keep their schedules confidential. Darian Somers of The Daily Collegian with whom WAFT has had contact provides an explanation in his piece on the possibility of a Cornell-Penn State game at Madison Square Garden. He notes that Penn State is not bound and has not accepted a schedule until the University's faculty senate approves the schedule for each team. Official release may follow that seeming formality.

While the remainder of Penn State's schedule may be largely a mystery, Cornell's schedule for the 2014-15 season has begun to take definite shape. Cornell will have its slate of ECAC Hockey contests. Five of the seven out-of-conference games that Cornell will play next season are known with reasonable certainty. Cornell will play two games against Denver, play two games against Nebraska-Omaha, and host Penn State in the Frozen Apple. The two remaining openings will be in Cornell's winter tournament in Florida.

It is important that the second Frozen Apple is a success. It seems like it cannot help but be one if marketed properly. Two great universities with tremendous amounts of school pride and large alumni bases in the New York State and New York City areas hardly can go wrong. While fans of both programs wait for confirmation, it is worthwhile to think about what will need to be done to make this a success for both programs. It may not be easy, but it is worth it. This event will be unlike its preceding Red Hot Hockeys and Frozen Apple. It will be great nonetheless.

Last Meeting:
The series that opened Colgate's and Cornell's ECAC Hockey slate last season witnesses its first installment at the close of the first semester this season. Cornell traveled to Starr Rink for its second weekend of play in the 2012-13 season. The Big Red was red hot off of a home sweep of Colorado College. Cornell looked to continue its momentum. The maroon-and-red throngs that filled Starr Rink watched as Colgate played far better than expected with then-unknown commodities like the Spinks and Kyle Baun beginning to shine. Andy Iles stood tall and gave Cornell the chance to win. Dustin Mowrey scored less than one minute into regulation, but Colgate seemed to dominate the contest. Greg Miller gave the Red the go-ahead marker against the maroon. The next evening, Lynah Rink hosted the two Central New York foes. The Colgate team that felt robbed of a victory the evening before was determined to silence the toothpaste box-hurling crowd. Kyle Baun and Spiro Goulakos gave the Raiders a two-goal lead before the first intermission. Colgate continued to dominate the contest, but the margin remained the same. The final ten minutes of regulation saw Cornell come to life. Within a 3:49 span, the game was tied behind goals from Bardreau and D'Agostino. Apparent goals from Madison Dias and John McCarron that would have decided the contest were waived off. Cornell felt robbed of a victory after overtime. Colgate felt it deserved better than one point after two stellar outings. The Cornell camp that views Colgate as one of Cornell's main rivals gained support at the end of the contest as a fight broke out between the two squads during the handshake.

This Season:
Colgate began its season earlier than is usual. The Raiders began competition the first weekend of the season with a series against Ferris State. The Bulldogs outscored the home-standing Raiders five goals to seven goals, but split the series. Eric Mihalik delivered a tremendous performance to preserve one goal as the deciding tally. A midseason undefeated streak continued with a dominating performance at formidable Ritter Arena, a 4-1 win, and a tie against Bowling Green, behind a one-goal-allowed effort from Mihalik. Colgate earned a 1-2-1 record against two teams from the new WCHA. Those teams have gone for a combined 14-5-3 in their conference. Ferris State has not lost a new WCHA game. Colgate's win against Ferris State seems poised to become a newly minted quality win later in the season.

A lull and losing skid followed the series against Bowling Green. Four losses against Bowling Green, St. Cloud State, and Quinnipiac preceded Colgate's next win. St. Cloud State leads the NCHC and has a lone loss on the season. Quinnipiac's success should be well known to WAFT's readers. The two teams combine for a current record of 23-3-5.

Colgate accumulated fives wins over its next seven contests. The losses came against then-highly ranked RPI and defending national champion Yale. The wins equally impressively included a sweep of the difficult North Country. Furthermore, Colgate's skilled forwards toppled the Dutchmen at Messa Rink in one of the Raiders's most commanding performances to date. Colgate took control in the third period and exploded the game with three unanswered goals. As much as Rick Bennett was annoyed with his team's effort, he was impressed with the determination and skill of Don Vaughan's squad. Darcy Murphy and Tylor Spink contributed two goals in an offensive tidal wave. Three Raiders, Darcy Murphy, Tyson Spink, and Mike Borkowski, tallied three points in the 5-3 contest.

Colgate is one of the most offensively deep teams in ECAC Hockey. The Raiders have five skaters who have notched ten or more points. However, only Kyle Baun and Mike Borkowski average at least one point per game. Kyle Baun, Darcy Murphy, and Tylor Spink each have seven goals. Noteworthy is that behind top-end contributions, Colgate presents threats fairly evenly throughout its line-up. Nearly 35% of Colgate's goal scoring comes from outside of its top-five point producers.

This Colgate team is not as dominant as last season's team at either end of the ice. This is an unpopular and oft-neglected fact, but when comparing the Colgate team that took the ice most of last season to the one that Colgate is currently icing, last season's team was stronger on defense and more prolific on offense. The graduation of defensemen like Jeremy Price and Thomas Larkin took its toll. Colgate is allowing 26% more goals this season than it was last. This correlates to 0.72 more goals allowed per game. The Raiders are surrendering 30.5 shots per game or 1.9 shots per game more than last season.

The attention that Colgate's offense receives is well deserved. However, it was more potent last season. The Raiders have scored 11% fewer goals per game this season than last season. That amounts to approximately one-third of one goal per contest. So, how is the record of this season's Colgate team, 7-7-1, nearly identical to that of last season, 7-7-2, at the midpoint of the season?

Colgate has found ways to win. It is not scientific. It is not statistical. But, by almost all important metrics, Colgate is not performing at the level it was last season. Colgate's special teams are modest this season. Colgate's penalty kill ranks in the bottom half of the country. It kills off 79.7% of opponent's power-play opportunities. The Raiders's power play fares worse. It ranks in the bottom 12 of the nation with a conversion rate of 14.7%.

Don Vaughan has given the nod to three netminders this season. Spencer Finney and Eric Mihalik saw ice time last season. Charlie Finn, a freshman newcomer, has tended Colgate's crease on three occasions. One marked improvement from last season is the play of Eric Mihalik. The junior netminder has elevated his game from a goals-against average of 2.83 and a save percentage of 0.901 last season to a 2.46 and 0.915 this season. This improvement in itself may unravel the mystery of why Colgate seems more potent this season than last.

What to Expect:
Passion. Colgate will bring with it the motivation that only a rivalry clash can bring. The Raiders are determined to win this season perhaps more than most because they were deprived of a victory in a series that they dominated last season. Cornell found ways to win in last season's series, but the beginnings of a mid-season lag that began to emerge after the Colgate-Cornell series betrayed the reality that Cornell's winning record was living on borrowed time.

Most commentators agree, including this writer, that Don Vaughan likely will give tested goaltender Eric Mihalik the start in net. That choice gives Colgate the best chance to win rather than chancing that Spencer Finney, a freshman, will be daunted by the crucible that is a game at Lynah Rink. Mihalik has proven that he is among the best netminders in ECAC Hockey and defeating him will require a great effort from Cornell's offensive role players.

Cornell's power play will be looking for redemption after it was shutout for only the third time this season in its last outing. Colgate's just-below-average penalty kill should give Cornell ample opportunity to finds it power-play groove again. The neglected storyline from Red Hot Hockey IV is that it was the first game this season when Cornell scored without scoring a goal on the power play. Those goals were scored against one of the best goaltenders whom Cornell will meet this season. Against stout defenses like that of Clarkson, Cornell scarcely could muster a threatening goal-scoring effort, but at Madison Square Garden, Cornell found its offensive swiftness and creativity. One storyline to follow is if Cornell has relapsed or if it remains as threatening as it was throughout most of Red Hot Hockey. If the latter is the case, it could become quickly a long night for Colgate.

Coach Schafer has emphasized that there will be no preferential treatment of elder players if a younger or less seasoned player can help the team win more, he will play. Some unanticipated openings may have emerged after some acharacteristic and below mean efforts at Madison Square Garden. These may put Schafer's alleged principles to the test. Awaiting the line-up before this Colgate-Cornell contest will be interesting because some players have earned a right to prove themselves.

A team that allowed three goals on a mere 11 shots against Boston University cannot underestimate a team as offensively talented as Colgate. The Spinks, Kyle Baun, Mike Borkowski, Darcy Murphy, and inspirational captain Spiro Goulakos pose challenging threats. None of them can be underestimated. The depth of Colgate's offense goes well beyond even these instantly recognizable names. The Terriers that hung three goals on Cornell ranks 11 places behind the Raiders in terms of offensive production this season. A repeat lackluster performance behind the Red's blue line quickly would produce a shooting gallery that would be difficult for Cornell to win.

Cornell will need to pay Colgate the respect it deserves. It is a fast team with rapidly maturing talent in its sophomore class. The Raiders will want a win at Lynah Rink badly. Mihalik is 1-1-1 at Lynah Rink and has not lost since his freshman season. The transition game will be essential for both teams. Colgate wins off of its speed while Cornell can exploit its swiftness to capitalize on a shaky Raider defense.

Colgate is coming off of a bye week. The Big Red should look early to make a big statement. If the Red cannot make that statement, the maroon will settle in for the slug fests that have become expected of Colgate-Cornell games over the last two seasons. Cornell's power play can help the Red put the game out of reach, but over-reliance on it will prove disastrous against a Colgate squad that Cornell narrowly defeated last season. Expect the lesser-sung heroes of Cornell's line-up to reappear in big ways after so many near misses at Red Hot Hockey IV.

Historical Note:
Colgate hockey should be poised to enjoy a renaissance this season and into the near future. The University announced that the hockey program will relocate to a new rink in the next two seasons. Additionally, it is a program that is becoming more immersed, appropriately so, in its rich and proud history. The highest peak that Colgate reached in the modern college hockey world was the 1990 NCAA Championship Final. The Raiders fell short of national glory but claimed a Whitelaw Cup in a spectacular win over RPI at Boston Garden.

Colgate's reinvestment in its history is in no small part a result of The General. The General is a documentary that tells the story of Terry Slater and the 1989-90 Colgate season. It chronicles one of the greatness moments in ECAC Hockey and Central New York sports history. The film was produced by Grant and Todd Slater, sons of the legendary coach, and created by film maker Kenny MacBain, a native of Hamilton, NY. I made the trek up to Hamilton, NY to watch the film's premier. Any fan of ECAC Hockey should make an effort to see the film when it is more widely available. The film captures Colgate hockey's and that improbable run's importance to the community of Hamilton. A glimpse of the emotional investment of the Hamilton community captured in the film is articulated in the comments of the film's creator about making the documentary.

The General captures an inspirational and moving story about the connection between Hamilton and its hosted hockey program. It captures what this writer wrote earlier in the season makes ECAC Hockey great. So, while this weekend's series may highlight Colgate's and Cornell's difference, at their purest essence, the programs are very similar.

WAFT begins a new feature this season. Each Thursday, WAFT will direct our readers's attention to the winning traditions of Cornell hockey with a feature piece that focuses on a tournament championship that the Big Red has won. These pieces will focus upon the story of the entire season that resulted in Cornell's ultimate success. WAFT will try to feature a championship season whose tenor resembles the tone of a given week in Cornell hockey.

Click the image above to be directed to this week's highlighted championship season.

Histories of Cornell's tournament championships are available at any time by clicking the "Traditions of Greatness" tab atop this page on the navigation bar as well as by clicking the "Champions" banner in the sidebar of this page.

The writing was on the wall. Cornell provided two dominant performances against Brown and Yale. However, the warning signs were there. Cornell could not hit an empty net on four or more tries against Yale late in a 2-1 contest. Additionally, Cornell's back end needed to be shored up more than usual with extraordinary defensive play in the first and second periods of both contests. Andy Iles delivered two great third periods that weekend. Mitch Gillam got the nod against Niagara.

Gillam seemed poised against a Niagara squad that challenged Cornell more than perhaps it should have been able. The two goals that the Purple Eagles converted were off of the Big Red's defensive implosions. Defensive commitment too far down low led to an odd-man rush on Gillam in what was nearly a three-on-one chance for the Purple Eagles that Niagara converted. The second was a result of allowing a Niagara forward to camp out on Gillam's crease unobstructed with live passing lanes from all angles, a fact that Schafer bemoaned later. Then, the goal. Gillam became only the third goaltender since 1947 to score a goal. The question lingered for the Lynah Faithful that departed East Hill if Cornell could compete with the likes of Boston University after surrendering two goals to Niagara and scoring a mere four goals?

The three-game stretch was revelatory for Cornell as a whole. No freshman had scored prior to the contest with Brown. Now, three freshmen have scored. Matt Buckles was the first to convert when knotted the game against Brown after the Bears were allotted a penalty shot that Matt Lorito dutifully converted for them. Eric Freschi became the second freshman to score. He wasted no time in becoming the leading scorer of his graduating class with scoring two goals in a 26:27 span against Brown. Gillam's goal added to the offensive output of Cornell's freshman class.

Scoring began to come from unusual sources. Reece Willcox who nearly has perfected his niche as a responsible stay-at-home defenseman who makes few errors tallied an empty-net goal against Brown. It was his first goal in carnelian and white. Jason Weinstein during the call mentioned that when Willcox told his children about his first collegiate tally that instead of an empty-net marker it would become a breakaway goal in which the sophomore defenseman beat the Brown netminder top shelf. This musing became prophetic. It seemed as though Willcox's scoring could not be stopped. When Cornell seemed moribund against the Purple Eagles, it was Willcox who ignited the Red's fire with a goal on a four-on-four opportunity when he streaked across the ice and challenged the goaltender post to post. It was a memorable goal from a great player.

The heavy lifting of defeating the defending national champion fell to the lofty talents of Brian Ferlin and Joel Lowry. They seemed that they would have had it no other way against the Elis. Brian Ferlin scored a goal off of a face-off during Cornell's first power play. Keith Allain must have known what was coming. Then, Joel Lowry forced past Lyon a gritty goal that would stand as the deciding tally. From expected leaders to newcomers, it was apparent that Cornell's offense was clicking, but the fissures that Cornell's second-most heated foe would exploit were present during most of the three-game streak.

An easily ignored fact is that Cornell's power play had converted on a mere 23.1% of its chances during the lead-up before Red Hot Hockey IV. The Big Red had scored a power-play goal in each contest against Brown, Yale, and Niagara, but over that three-game span it scored only one such goal per game despite enjoying five or more opportunities on two of those occasions. This seems prophetic in retrospect.

Red Hot Hockey IV is the biggest event of the regular season for Cornell every other season. This season, the game ranks among the four most emotionally important games of the season. The game against Yale was one those contests. The other two have yet to be played. This is all just to highlight that there is no excuse for any effort less than the best at this contest. Since its inception, Boston University and Cornell have become increasingly invested in winning this contest. However, only one program has won it.

Most would have assume that Cornell's skaters would be the shortcoming of the Big Red against Boston University. Such would have been a reasonable assumption, although arguably a foolish one, but when one is looking for worst case scenarios about how Cornell could have lost the contest against Boston University before it happened, it seems plausible. Cornell's penalty kill had killed 85.7% of opponent's power plays during the three-game stretch. Additionally, Andy Iles boasted a 0.944 save percentage at Madison Square Garden in Red Hot Hockey III and the inaugural Frozen Apple. Few believed that Cornell's greatest weakness could come from behind the Red's blue line.

When the puck struck the ice for the first time in Red Hot Hockey IV, it was apparent that Cornell wanted this win. It needed this win. The game began 11 years to the day after Cornell began its triumphant sweep of Boston University during the 2002-03 season. The now-legendary player who opened scoring in that series against the Terriers, Sam Paolini, was in attendance at Madison Square Garden to watch his alma mater fall to Boston University for the third time in six years.

Cornell dominated play. Boston University leveled a few challenges, but Andy Iles, after some questionable times in his last two outings against Brown and Yale, seemed to have regained his characteristic form at that point. Cornell squandered a power play in the first period in which Boston University was even to go on the offensive and the Big Red failed to cycle well and seemed too timid to even challenge O'Connor in Boston University's net.

The deadlock was broken with 2:10 remaining in the first period. A lot has been made of Gotovets's fall prior to the first goal. The stumble on the ice was neither the sole nor proximate reason that an otherwise savable puck found itself buried in the back of Cornell's net. Regardless, Cornell attempted to respond in the 130 seconds that remained, but was unable to do so. The Big Red was down 0-1 early in the contest.

Cornell killed off a penalty with relative poise midway through the second period. Then, in quick secession Cornell's power-play unit took to the ice. The Big Red enjoyed 31 seconds of five-on-three hockey. Unlike Cornell's first power play, the Big Red seemed far more comfortable and threatening, but O'Connor was equal to every challenge that the Red leveled at him. At times, it was O'Connor with little defensive help from his Terriers who stood alone against Cornell's onslaught. The two-man advantage was squandered. Then, 1:29 later Boston University killed off the second of the penalties. Cornell still controlled the flow of play even though Boston University had fought its way back into the game far more than it had in the first period.

Boston University broke out on a bad turnover. The Terriers made Cornell pay for one of its few defensive lapses in the contest and blasted a puck into the net. The rush precipitated in Boston University's end and ended with the Terriers up by a two-goal margin. Cornell would be given a chance to get into the contest 20 seconds later, but frustration or angst had overcome Cornell's power-play unit.

The power play was good, but far too conservative. Cornell unleashed few shots on O'Connor. More frustratingly, the few crisp seam passes on which the Big Red connected, the receiver usually waffled and missed a one-timer opportunity allowing O'Connor and Boston University's defensemen to recommit to covering the changed ice positioning. This latter problem plagued Cornell for the remainder of the contest as anxiety took its toll. Cornell was very close to converting at this moment and in the final seconds of the contest, but anxiety undermined the Big Red's commonly calculated and smooth puck handling on the power play. Cornell needed to be better to beat a goaltender as good as O'Connor.

In a play that was similar to the cross-ice pass that bested Iles for Boston University's first goal, the Terriers found the back of the net again on a power play in the first three minutes of the third period. The play was nearly identical in all other elements. Boston University clung to its three goals. Cornell would need to do the unthinkable to win the contest. Cornell had scored four goals against St. Lawrence in one period. It would need to do that to topple the Terriers.

The two goals that Cornell scored are most noteworthy for the assists that led to them. The first goal was from a perfect backhanded pass from Ferlin at the left face-off circle to the crease in front of O'Connor. Ferlin grinded Boston University's MacGregor down behind the net. The junior forward outmaneuvered MacGregor behind the net and out front to create time and space. Christian Hilbrich tipped the puck in, but Ferlin's pass was so beautifully delivered that one cannot help but believe it was predestined to end up in the net. The Big Red took over 12 more minutes to solve the formidable O'Connor again.

The Captain, from a similar position as did Ferlin, saw linemate Cole Bardreau racing in on Matt O'Connor, following McCarron on the rush. The Captain spun and lobbed a pass to the point of the crease that landed on Bardreau's stick. The alternate captain drove the puck home to put Cornell within one goal. Both of Cornell's goals were so perfectly executed that they deserved consideration for top plays of the week. Neither made the final list, but they showcase the upper-end talent that Cornell has at its disposal.

Cornell needed to muster that talent to best Matt O'Connor who was the difference throughout the entire contest. Goaltending made the difference. In the second period and third period, O'Connor saw more shots than Andy Iles faced throughout the entirety of the contest. O'Connor made 23 saves through the first two periods. Cornell surrendered only 11 shots. Boston University's O'Connor faced 39 shots during the game. Most were of a high quality.

The skaters of Boston University played well. They showed that they are a good team. Glimmers of greatness were there, but Cornell's skaters showed that at this point nearing the mid-point of the season, they were the more skilled group. Goaltending is what closed that gap.

In what one could argue was Cornell's best holistic effort of the season to date with how disciplined Cornell played, how responsible it was with imposing its physical game, and how skilled it was when it finally converted, the Big Red endured a loss. Cornell was far from perfect, as good as its power play has been, it needs to improve. Skaters at the point need to pull the trigger when the shot is there and cannot hesitate because of the stakes of a shot or contest. If Cornell resolves that issue, it will win contests like that Cornell played during Red Hot Hockey IV.

The loss stings even more because of other factors. Not only did Cornell deliver its best or one of its best efforts of the season, but lost, it came in a contest that is biennial. The lingering, dull, aching pain of losing to Boston University will nag at Cornell and the Lynah Faithful for possibly as long as two seasons. Even more related to this specific loss, alumni from Boston University and Cornell endowed the creation of a championship trophy to be exchanged between Boston University and Cornell after each meeting of the programs. The alumni agreed that the trophy would bear the name of the historic coach of the program that won the contest first. Accordingly, the trophy became officially the Kelley-Harkness Cup after Cornell lost.

In short, the Cup forever commemorates this near miss at Madison Square Garden. That pain will linger for a while. That is why in many regards Cornell let down the legacy of Ned Harkness. Which brings this piece to one of its final points, how much sense does it make to name the Cup with Jack Kelley's name first? Let's try some empiricism.

Ned Harkness and Jack Kelley were two of the greatest coaches in the history of college hockey. However, the Cup does not commemorate contributions to college hockey in the abstract, what it commemorates is the role of both coaches in the Boston University-Cornell rivalry. Jack Kelley began coaching at Boston University in 1962. This was one year before Ned Harkness took the helm at Cornell. Ned Harkness departed after completing his perfect 1969-70 season. Jack Kelley rode off into the sunset from Boston University after winning consecutive national championships in 1971 and 1972.

The Boston University-Cornell rivalry played out between Harkness and Kelley between 1963 and 1970. Harkness bested Kelley for the ECAC Championship and national championship in 1967. Kelley never beat Harkness for a championship of any variety. Kelley could not win a national title until Harkness resigned. For that matter, Kelley never coached Boston University to victory over Harkness-led Cornell. Never. While the two coaches squared off against one another at Boston University and Cornell, Cornell went 9-0-1 against Boston University.

Dick Bertrand who took over at Cornell the season after he graduated from Cornell University maintained a 0.500 record against Jack Kelley and his Boston University squads. Jack Kelley ended his career at Boston University and his chapter in the Boston University-Cornell rivalry with a 3-12-1 record against the Big Red. A 0.219 winning percentage proved sufficient to list Kelley's name first.

It was a great wager. It yielded a nonsensical result. Harkness comes first alphabetically. Harkness never lost. Harkness won first. Harkness won best. It should be named the Harkness-Kelley Cup. That is what it is.

This just adds another exploitable and contentious wrinkle to a rivalry already rich with such dimensions. Cornell fans refuse to refer to Harvard by its formal name, opting for Sucks instead, as to show the opposition not even a modicum of respect. Also, what's the name of ECAC Hockey's regular-season hardware? I bet you cannot say. Boston University and Cornell may be a more respectful rivalry, but who is to control what Cornell and the Lynah Faithful call a piece of hardware? I am not saying that Cornell should refuse to include Kelley's name, to do so is sophomoric and disrespectful, what I suggest is merely to put it in its proper place: behind that of Harkness.

The crude contours of the accord between Boston University and Cornell stipulate that the trophy is eligible for exchange after any meeting of the teams. It is always in play. This includes necessarily post-season meetings. Members of the Lynah Faithful can hope for a sooner chance at redemption in the national tournament rather than waiting two years. In that case, Cornell could return to East Hill with two sets of hardware from the national tournament including the Harkness-Kelley Cup.