Big Red Seek Bye to Playoffs
The following article appeared in the February 18 issue of the Cornell Daily Sun.
BY EVAN RICH
In advance of Cornell’s (12-10-3, 10-6-2 ECAC Hockey) showdown with rival Harvard (5-18-1, 3-13-1), the University has once again instituted a “zero-tolerance policy … regarding bringing fish into Lynah Rink.” But fans should not expect the strongly worded release or the Crimson’s 2010-11 struggles to get in the way of college hockey’s premier rivalry.
The Red returns to East Hill after taking hold of the No. 4 spot in the ECAC with last weekend’s road win over RPI, putting the Cornell team in position to earn a first-round bye in the conference playoffs. Despite all the hype that surrounds this weekend’s matchups — punctuated by the celebration of the senior class — the squad understands that it must maintain composure and avoid letting distractions get in the way of sound, fundamental hockey.
“Our team is very disciplined,” said head coach Mike Schafer ’86. “I think if you’re a team that’s undisciplined … then you have to worry about something [like the Harvard game]. We’ve been in very big emotional games already this year … and we’ve maintained our discipline.”
