[net.sport.hockey] Eastern powers

kpk (02/18/83)

Although I'm not a Cornell fan (perish the thought!) I can sympathize with them.
Alas, it seems that most of the big powers of the ECAC from the 70's have fallen
on hard times. Cornell, BU, Harvard, and even UNH are not as awesome as they
once were. Instead, they have been replaced by erstwhile doormats such as
Providence and Northeastern.  I was wondering, has there been a recent change
in hockey scholarship rules to promote parity, ala football? If so,
I suppose I should be in favor of it, but still....

Also, to continue a previous discussion, the 1976 NCAA semi-final game between
Minnesota and Boston University was marred on several occasions by Golden
Gophers taunting the Canadian players on the BU team. I don't remember whether
BU retaliated at all, but there were several fights in the game, including
one where some Minnesota players from the bench jumped a BU player on his way
to the penalty box. Allegedly, the BU player spit at the Minnesota bench.
It was alo alleged that one of the Minnesota assitant coaches had pinned the
BU player arms down while his players took pot shots. By all reports I remember
seeing (eastern press, by the way) it was an ugly game.

				Go BU!!
				Ken Kretsch

mebryant (02/20/83)

In response to Ken Kretsch's article on ECAC hockey, the reason the
"powers" such as Cornell are struggling is because of the efforts of
teams like Northeastern and Providence, and not because of any changes
in scholarship rules.  For Northeastern, the big change came after they
won the "Beanpot" hockey tournament in 1980 ( a tournament involving Boston
University, Boston College, Harvard, and Northeastern).  After that game,
the school ( and the alumni ) decided to fix up the Northeastern Arena,
and to put more time and money into their hockey program.  It paid off, as
they were ECAC champions last year.

In past years, teams like Cornell were able to stay powerful because of
their name.  Now, with many of the former "doormats" greatly improving
their programs, the "powers" are losing alot of quality players.  The
young players realize that schools like Providence and Northeastern are
working hard to build quality teams.  If the "powers" want to regain their
status, they are going to have to work at making their hockey program
strong again.  

As for Harvard, they have not fallen on hard times this year.  Last time I
looked their ECAC record was something like 11-5, leading the Ivy Division.

                                    Go NU!

                                    Mark Bryant
                                    University of Waterloo

nickles (02/21/83)

#R:5941ux:-19400:ihlpb:15400002:  0:1467
ihlpb!nickles    Feb 21  9:32:00 1983

One point to be added is that there is no such thing as "scholarship rules"
for Ivy League schools.  Athletic scholarships don't exist.  At least they
can't be called athletic scholarships.  For this reason, and the rising
cost of going to school, a school like Cornell has a difficult time
recruiting because the hockey recruit has to shell out $8000 for tuition
every year.  Pretty steep.  Cornell has been able to cling on longer
than the rest of the Ivy League because Canadien recruits gravitated
to a hockey team that already was 95% Canadien.  

As for Northeastern and the Beanpot, the Northeastern Huskies or whatever
they are, went 12-0 in the ECAC that year, and 13-0 for the season until
they played at Lynah Rink.  A tough fought game, but Cornell was
victorious.  After that game, Northeastern managed to scrape together
all of 1 total win for the rest of the season.  They didn't even make
the playoffs.  Harvard has the same story for the 1981 Beanpot.  After
winning the Beanpot, they went on to burn up the ECAC, to the end of
season.  Something magic about the Beanpot?

Providence has never been a doormat team.  It just took awhile to get
the hockey program out from underneath the basketball program.
Anyway, whatever happened to Clarkson (choke team of the decade) this
year?  Did they choke early?  It won't be the same ECAC playoffs
without Clarkson starting in 1st place and ending in 4th.

					Jack Nickles, Cornell '81
					ihlpb!nickles

mebryant (02/23/83)

A small correction.  Two years ago, Cornell did beat Northeastern, and
it was the start of a terrible slump.  The entire team was hampered
by the flu, etc.  But they DID make the playoffs that year, losing to
Colgate in the quarter-finals.  And of course last year they were ECAC
champions.  ( I wont mention this year...... )

                                        Mark Bryant