Ambitious Schedule Awaits Big Red

Photo by DSPics.com

ITHACA, N.Y. -- After coming a game away from the NCAA Frozen Four in 2008-09, the Cornell men's hockey team will play an ambitious schedule in 2009-10, a slate that will feature at least eight regular-season games against teams that advanced to the NCAA tournament last season, including the defending national champion, Boston University.

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In addition to the previously announced game against the Terriers on Nov. 28 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, the Big Red will play a pair of non-conference contests against North Dakota at Lynah Rink in mid-January, with the Fighting Sioux returning the two games that the Big Red played in Grand Forks over Thanksgiving weekend last season. Cornell will also play a pair of games in ECAC Hockey action against Princeton and Yale, as both the Tigers and the Bulldogs were part of the 16-team NCAA tournament field last season. Rounding out the guaranteed games against NCAA tournament teams is a single game at New Hampshire to open the 2010 calendar year.

A ninth game could be added, as Princeton is a part of the Florida College Classic field in Estero, Fla., between Christmas and New Year's. Cornell opens that tournament against Colorado College, while Maine is also a part of the tournament field.

The Big Red opens the season with a pair of exhibition contests, taking on the University of Windsor on Oct. 23 before facing the U.S. Under-18 National Team for the second straight season on the following night at Lynah Rink. The two exhibition games are a part of the 15 home games the Big Red will play at Lynah Rink.

Cornell opens the regular season on Oct. 30 against Niagara, beginning a stretch of six of the first eight games at home. Cornell opens ECAC Hockey play against Dartmouth and Harvard a week later before taking to the road for the first time of the season on Nov. 13 and 14 at Yale and Brown. The stretch of games at home concludes with a Tuesday night game against Colgate on Nov. 24 before the contest against Boston University. The fall semester closes out with the annual trip to the Capital District on Dec. 4 and 5.

The Florida College Classic will be held on Dec. 29 and 30 in Estero, Fla., with Princeton and Maine opening action at 4 p.m. Cornell and Colorado College will face off at 7:30 p.m., and the championship and consolation games will be played the following night. Cornell then heads back north for a game at New Hampshire on Jan. 3.

Highlighting the month of January is the two-game set against North Dakota, to be played Jan. 22 and 23. The two teams split last year's meetings, with the Sioux winning the opener, 7-3, before Cornell took a 2-1 victory in the second game. The series against the Sioux splits up weekends against Clarkson and St. Lawrence, with the Big Red first traveling to the North Country before facing the Knights and Saints after facing off against North Dakota.

February sees the Big Red at home during two of the weekends, facing Yale and Brown on Feb. 12-13 and Union and Rensselaer to close out the regular season.