Recent Contributions from Michael Mix

Representing ‘the Sports Fan in Each and Every One of Us’

Michael Mix — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Every time I walk at night from the Arts Quad to my house in Collegetown, I have three options — look left, look right or look straight ahead. No offense to Cornell’s wonderful buildings, but I usually decide to look right, because down the hill lies the city of Ithaca, bathed in light. I have always considered this view to be one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. But what even makes it better for me is that I know that somewhere in that sea of light, just down the street from the Chanticleer bar and its neon rooster, is The Cornell Daily Sun building.

Preview of the 2008 NFL Draftt

Michael Mix — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0400

This Saturday, the sun will be shining and students all over campus will be playing outside. But at 3:00 p.m sharp, diehard NFL fans like me will instead be sitting inside tuned to ESPN, waiting for Commissioner Roger Goodell to officially announce that the Miami Dolphins are on the clock, beginning the 2008 NFL Draft.

It Comes Down to This: Top-5 Picks for Cornell Sports

Michael Mix — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0400

In the excellent Nick Hornby book and later film High Fidelity, the main character frequently recites top-5 lists about all facets of his life, especially girls and music. Likewise, I love reading about and making lists. If ESPN ran a list of the top-5 NBA players from the 1990s that won an All-Star Game MVP award and also appeared in a Sprite commercial, I would probably read it. With that in mind, a friend and I recently discussed our picks for the best Cornell games during our four years in Ithaca. Of course, I had to put my choices in list form.

A Day in the Life of a Sun All-Star, March Madness Style

Michael Mix — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0400

March Madness is a wonderful time of year for many reasons. When else can you root for a college student-athlete’s dreams to be shattered so you can win your $20 pool?

Red finishes season with win over Raiders, third place ECAC ﬁnish

Michael Mix — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0400

ALBANY, N.Y — The scoreboard might have said it was just a consolation game, but to the players and coaching staff of the men’s hockey team, it meant much more — a chance to officially say good-bye to the squad’s four seniors. Cornell was up to the task Saturday and showed it by beating Colgate, 4-2, giving the Red a third-place finish in ECAC Hockey.

Harvard halts Cornell’s run for the ECAC title

Michael Mix — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0400

ALBANY, N.Y. — A team spends the entire season focusing solely on hockey. From early-season practices to end-of-year playoff contests, from studying game tape to battling on the boards, a team tries to keep that focus on the ultimate prize — a league championship and a berth in the NCAA tournament. And in a mere 60 minutes, that dream can quickly come crashing down.

Such was the case Friday night in Albany, N.Y., as the men’s hockey team fell to Harvard, 3-1, in the ECAC Hockey semifinals. The loss ostensibly means that Cornell will not play in the NCAA tournament.

Barlow game-winner secures semiﬁnal berth

Michael Mix — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0400

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. — On Feb. 15, the men’s hockey team blew a 2-0 lead at home against Union, leaving the crowd stunned and the players struggling for answers. What a difference a month makes. Cornell has gone 7-3-0 since that fateful day. Exactly one month later, the Red’s latest vanquished victim was those same Dutchmen. A 3-2 win in Game 2 of the best-of-three ECAC Hockey quarterfinal gave the Red a sweep over Union.

“The guys did a good job facing adversity both nights,” said head coach Mike Schafer ‘86. “Gave up the lead again tonight on a great shot … to make it 2-2. … Really adversity-wise, they did a great job of coming back in that kind of situation.”

Men’s Icers Send Message to In-state Rival Union in Quarterﬁnal Game 1

Michael Mix — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0400

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. — Even though his younger brother Riley is usually the goal-scorer in the family, sophomore Brendon Nash found a scoring touch of his own Friday night. The defenseman’s power-play goal with six minutes left in the third period broke a 2-2 tie and gave the men’s hockey team a 3-2 win over Union at Messa Rink in Schenectady, N.Y. The win gave Cornell a 1-0 advantage in the best-of-three ECAC Hockey quarterfinal series.

Men's Hockey Falls to Harvard, 3-1, in ECAC Hockey Semifinals

Michael Mix — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 23:13:08 -0400

ALBANY, N.Y — A team spends the entire season focusing solely on hockey. From early-season practices to end-of-year playoff contests, from studying game tape to battling on the boards, a team tries to keep that focus on the ultimate prize – a league championship and a berth in the NCAA Tournament. And in a mere 60 minutes, that dream can quickly come crashing down. Such was the case Friday night in Albany, N.Y., as the men’s hockey team fell to Harvard, 3-1, in the ECAC Hockey semifinals. The loss ostensibly means that Cornell will not play in the NCAA Tournament.

Barlow Nets Game-Winning Goal, Men's Hockey Sweeps Union and Advances to ECAC Semifinals

Michael Mix — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 23:09:54 -0400

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. — On Feb. 15, the men’s hockey team blew a 2-0 lead at home against Union, leaving the crowd stunned and the players struggling for answers. What a difference a month makes. Cornell has gone 7-3-0 since that fateful day, and the Red’s latest vanquished victim is those same Dutchmen, who it beat 3-2 on Saturday night at Messa Rink in Schenectady, N.Y. The win gives Cornell a sweep of the best-of-three ECAC Hockey quarterfinals series with Union.

Nash, Fontas Lead Men's Hockey Past Union, 3-2 in First Quarterfinal Game

Michael Mix — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0400

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – Even though his younger brother Riley is usually the goal-scorer in the family, sophomore Brendon Nash found a scoring touch of his own Friday night. The defenseman’s power-play goal with six minutes left in the third period broke a 2-2 tie and gave the men’s hockey team a 3-2 win over Union at Messa Rink in Schenectady, N.Y. Cornell now holds a 1-0 advantage in the best-of-three ECAC Hockey quarterfinal series.

Senior Co-Captain Sawada Leads Red Past Dartmouth Into Second Round

Michael Mix — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 02:00:00 -0400

For Raymond Sawada, it’s easy beating Green. After only tallying four goals in the regular season, the senior co-captain erupted for five total goals in this weekend’s three-game ECAC Hockey first-round series against Dartmouth, including two last night at Lynah Rink. Sawada’s outburst last night helped lead the men’s hockey team off the brink of elimination and past the Green, 6-0. With the win, the Red won the three-game series, 2-1, and advanced to the ECAC Hockey quarterfinals next weekend at Union.

“I don’t think there was much difference [this weekend] other than me not trying to think about it,” Sawada said. “There were some great passes, and catching the goalie looking somewhere else.”

ECAC Hockey: First-Round Preview

Michael Mix — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0500

With the regular season officially over, it is tournament time in ECAC Hockey. Under the format that was first adopted for the 2002-03 season, the top-4 teams in the league receive first-round byes and will get home-ice advantage for the league quarterfinals, which start one week from today. This year, the top-4 squads are Clarkson, Princeton, Harvard and Union. The other eight teams — including Cornell, which finished No. 5 in the league — aim to use this weekend’s first-round contests as a stepping stone to playoff glory. Each matchup is a best-of-three series and is held at the higher seed’s home rink. The winners will be re-seeded next week for the quarterfinals.

No. 9 St. Lawrence at No. 8 Colgate

Flying V Doesn’t Distract Mix From Holes in D2’s Story

Michael Mix — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0500

I was sitting in Lynah Rink this past weekend, when the P.A. announcer made a startling announcement — the film The Mighty Ducks was showing at Cornell Cinema. I was a bit shocked; Cornell Cinema usually only shows films that are new or have some artistic merit. While I didn’t actually go see the movie, it got me thinking about the Mighty Ducks series in general and, more specifically, D2: The Mighty Ducks.

Red Falls to Crimson, Loses First-Week Bye on Senior Night

Michael Mix — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Undoubtedly, there would be tears shed on Saturday night at Lynah Rink, tears during Senior Night for the four elder statesmen of the men’s hockey team. As it turned out, though, those tears were stained a bittersweet Crimson, as Harvard beat Cornell, 3-1, meaning that the Red will not receive a first-round bye in the ECAC Hockey playoffs.

With the loss, Cornell dropped to No. 5 in the league, and the team will therefore host Dartmouth next weekend in a best-of-three first-round series at Lynah Rink. Harvard clinched the No. 3 seed in the tournament with the win, while Clarkson, Princeton and Union received the No. 1, No. 2 and No. 4 seeds, respectively.

M. Hockey Looks to Capture Bye

Michael Mix — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Senior Night. A historic rivalry. Playoff seeding.

All three of these factors will come together tomorrow in what should prove to be a wild night at Lynah Rink. The men’s hockey team will say goodbye to a beloved senior class — Chris Fontas, co-alternate captain Doug Krantz and co-captains Raymond Sawada and Topher Scott — while simultaneously hoping to receive a first-round bye and a chance to be at home in two weeks for the ECAC Hockey quarterfinals. All that stands in Cornell’s way this weekend is Dartmouth and Harvard.

M. hockey opens road trip with win over Quinnipiac to move into fourth

Michael Mix — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500

It was a good night to be a Kennedy. After watching his younger brother, freshman Patrick Kennedy, score his second goal of the season, junior Michael Kennedy did him one better, netting the game-winning goal with 19.4 seconds left in overtime in the men’s hockey team’s 3-2 win over Quinnipiac on Friday night.

“We knew that both these games on the weekend were huge,” said senior co-captain Raymond Sawada. “We knew someone had to do something in order for us to pull out a win and we’re going to have to dig deep and find a way to win. And we ended up being able to pull it out in the last minute.”

Mix Takes a Shot at the Media

Michael Mix — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500

I was flipping channels the other day, wondering whether I should watch Parental Control on MTV or Terminator 2 (which I’m convinced has been airing constantly on TV over the past couple of weeks). Luckily for me, I stumbled onto ESPN Classic, which was showing a repeat of the 2003 NBA All-Star Game. While silently cursing myself for actually being sucked into watching a five-year old exhibition contest, I was secretly hooked. It was fascinating to see the announcers talk about the game as it was in 2003. One particular aspect struck my fancy — apparently Jason Kidd had just made statements that he would be open to signing with the San Antonio Spurs that offseason.

The True Faces of Red Goalies

Michael Mix — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500

The opposing forward rips a slap shot from the slot. Without time to get his glove up, the Cornell goalie is forced to use his body to block the puck. The shot rises and hits the goalie square in the head. Fortunately, the goalie has his mask to protect him. While such protection is obviously the primary function of goalie masks, masks have also recently become an outlet for goalies’ creativity. Such is the case on the men’s hockey team. All three netminders have unique masks that express their distinct personalities.Men in iron masks: Juniors Troy Davenport (left) and Dan DiLeo (right), along with sophomore Ben Scrivens (center), show off the gear that keeps them safe and stylish between the pipes.

M. Icers put on offensive exhibition, reclaim fourth in ECAC standings

Michael Mix — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500

It was a tale of two nights; it was the worst of times, and it was the best of times. One night after the men’s hockey team gave up three unanswered goals in a 3-2 loss to Union, Cornell exploded offensively to beat Rensselaer, 7-1, Saturday night at Lynah Rink. It was the most goals that the Red has scored all season.

“I think last night was extremely disappointing,” said junior Michael Kennedy. “Coach brought some points to our attention last night. The message was loud and clear, that we had to win this game. We had to play with passion and really just focus on our game. I thought we did a really good job of that tonight.”

Davenport Discusses Defense

Michael Mix — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Junior Taylor Davenport may be a lot of things — a defenseman on the men’s hockey team, someone who has recorded a positive +/- in every year of his college career and a charitable person off the ice. But there is one thing he is definitely not — Cornell junior goalie Troy Davenport’s brother.

“Everyone is always ‘are you guys brothers? Are you guys brothers?’ ‘No, no,’” Davenport said. “They always ask how many brothers we have on the team, and they always count Troy and myself, so I have to correct them all the time. … One time, I was talking to my parents after a game.

The Giants’ Bandwagon Makes a Campaign Stop

Michael Mix — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500

One of my favorite lines from The Simpsons occurs when Judge Snyder decrees that “religion and science must stand 500 feet away from each other at all times.” The same thing can easily be said about sports and politics. I think that the two should almost never mix, especially because politics sometimes causes otherwise normal people to turn into a cross between Jack Nicholson from The Shining and those zombies from I Am Legend.

M. Icers’ Fontas at Center of Things

Michael Mix — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500

For most members of the men’s hockey team, the contest against UMass-Lowell on Dec. 28 was a normal non-conference matchup. But for one member of the squad, the game meant a lot more. Senior Chris Fontas played two years for the Riverhawks before transferring to Cornell, and facing his old teammates was a difficult experience — especially because the Red lost, 3-2.

Greening’s Goal Sends Red to Overtime Win

Michael Mix — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Sophomore Colin Greening has scored 17 goals in his college career, and numerous more throughout his life. But according to the co-alternate captain, none was as important or exciting as Greening’s overtime game-winner on Friday night at Lynah Rink, which propelled Cornell past Colgate, 2-1.

“In all honesty, I don’t think I’ve ever scored a goal that exciting,” Greening said. “Obviously the fans went nuts and the guys on the bench went nuts, so it was a pretty special moment. I don’t score many overtime goals, but when you get them, it’s kind of hard to believe.”

Scrivens' New Pads, 25 Saves Stymie Browns' Front Line

Michael Mix — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0500

When sophomore Ben Scrivens suited up for Friday night’s game against Brown, he donned his new goalie pads for the first time in public. He had been wearing them in practice for three weeks, breaking them in, but their game debut occurred against the Bears. Ultimately, the pads turned out to be a symbol of a fresh start for both Scrivens and the entire men’s hockey team, which rebounded from a disappointing loss to Clarkson last weekend to top Brown, 4-1.

A Modest Proposal: Mix’s Solution to World Hunger

Michael Mix — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0500

The idea was hatched in the bathroom at Ruloff’s, mere minutes after a bunch of obnoxious Giants fans ruined Trivia Night by screaming “Let’s Go Giants!” during every question. In retrospect, it’s probably the best idea conceived in a bathroom since Doc Brown from Back to the Future thought up the flux capacitor after hitting his head on the toilet. My idea? End world hunger by turning Patriots and Giants fans into food.

M. Icers' Krueger Steps Up for Defensive Unit

Michael Mix — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0500

It is a story that spans 21 years, four countries, two continents, and ends at the blue line of Lynah Rink. It includes such notable figures as Mike Schafer ’86, Uwe Krupp and Sidney Crosby. The subject of the tale is Justin Krueger, who in his sophomore year has emerged as one of Cornell’s top defensemen and a stabilizing force on the blue line. Krueger was introduced to hockey through his father, Ralph Krueger, who played professionally in Canada and Germany, and is the coach of the Swiss national team. It was while Ralph was playing in Europe that Justin was born, in Dusseldorf, Germany.

M. Icers Win Three Over Break

Michael Mix — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0500

This Winter Break, the state of Florida turned out to be the site of a preview on ice between two college hockey teams from New York state. In the contest, the consolation game of the Florida College Classic, the men’s hockey team tied Clarkson, 3-3. The two ECAC opponents will play each other again this Sunday at Lynah Rink, two days after a match with St. Lawrence.

Winter Classic is No Classic

Michael Mix — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 11:16:58 -0500

On New Year’s Day, for the first time in a long time, everybody seemed to be talking about hockey. The college football bowl games have been incredibly boring, everyone is sick of Roger Clemens, and no can get excited about a Charlotte Bobcats-Atlanta Hawks NBA matchup. Therefore, on Jan. 1, the NHL presented the “Winter Classic,” an outdoor game at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park, N.Y., (the normal home of the Buffalo Bills) between the Buffalo Sabres and the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Financially, the game was a big coup for the NHL. The contest was the highest rated regular-season NHL game in over a decade, with a bigger audience than last year’s Stanley Cup Finals. The stadium was full with Sabres fans who drank so much Genny Light that they didn’t feel the cold. In addition, media outlets who normally only talk about hockey when the Islanders’ Chris Simon commits a crime on the ice talked about the game ad nauseam.

A Lose-Lose Situation

Michael Mix — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 19:56:20 -0500

Wait, the Patriots are 15-0? I hadn’t noticed. I guess I missed the constant articles, coverage, prime time games and the “Patriots” section of ESPN’s “Bottom Line.” Believe it or not, New England will in fact be going for a perfect regular season this weekend. I have ardently rooted against New England for 15 games, all for naught. Normally, this week I would continue my hatred of the Pats, but Saturday night’s matchup presents a conundrum for any Jets fan like myself – the Patriots against the Giants.

Right now, there are no two teams in the NFL than I hate more than these two. Because a Patriots victory would mean the second undefeated regular season in NFL history, I obviously will be watching the game. But who should I root for?

Men's Hockey Ties No. 11 UMass Behind Scrivens's Career Night

Michael Mix — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 14:04:02 -0500

The shots came from all directions. Some were close to the net; most were from the outside. Many were on the power play; some were even shorthanded. But Ben Scrivens would not break. The sophomore netminder’s career high 45 saves helped the men’s hockey team skate to a 0-0 tie with No. 11 UMass last night at Lynah Rink.

M. Hockey Finishes Semester Against UMass

Michael Mix — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0500

The men’s hockey team just can’t get Massachusetts off its mind. For the third straight week, Cornell will play a team from the Bay State as it faces off tonight against No. 11 UMass at Lynah Rink. It will be the first home game for the Red since Nov. 3 and the last game for the squad before a four-week break.

“The white helmets look weird on our guys in practice this week,” said head coach Mike Schafer ’86.

Shots differential hurts men’s hockey, shows defensive mistakes

Michael Mix — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0500

NEW YORK — For one moment Saturday night, the scoreboard said it all. Less than halfway through the first period in the men’s hockey team’s contest with Boston University at Madison Square Garden, the shot counter read “B.U. 8, Cornell 0.” While Cornell would eventually put up 28 shots on goal, this early statistic was emblematic of the Red’s defensive struggles. The defense, which had been solid in recent weeks, found difficulty in limiting B.U.’s offense, leading to the final outcome, 6-3, for the Terriers.

Penn Rushes Through Cornell Defense for 329 Yards, Four Touchdowns

Michael Mix — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0500

It’s certainly been an up-and-down year for the football team’s run defense. In some contests, such as against Columbia or Brown, it was able to limit the opposing teams’ backs. Other times, though, such as against Princeton or Yale, the rushing defense was porous. Unfortunately for Cornell, Saturday’s game against Penn fell into the latter category, as the defense gave up 329 rushing yards in its 45-9 loss.

Cornell’s run defense was hoping to build off of last week’s strong showing against Columbia. In that game, the Red only allowed 64 yards on the ground, preventing the Lions from controlling the pace of the contest. Against Penn, though, it was a completely different story as Cornell let up the 329 rushing yards on 5.1 yards per carry.

M. Hockey Splits Weekend, Moves to Second

Michael Mix — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0500

CAMBRIDGE, MASS. — Sometimes, all it takes is a hot goalie. That was the story Friday night as the men’s hockey team could not solve Harvard’s Kyle Richter, and the Crimson rode the sophomore’s solid play and utilized a third-period goal to top Cornell, 2-1. The loss broke the Red’s three-game winning streak.

Nash Stars for Men's Hockey

Michael Mix — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0500

The Edmonton Oilers have a legacy of strong first-round picks, from Paul Coffey to Grant Fuhr to Ales Hemsky. The latest Oilers prospect, freshman Riley Nash, plays in Cornell’s own backyard and has been recently excelling for the men’s hockey team. For Nash, though, the high selection, 21st overall in the 2007 NHL Draft, was a bit of a surprise.

All the Irrelevant Reasons Cornell Will Beat B.U.

Michael Mix — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0500

Unless you have been spending the last few weeks avoiding all media in order to avoid seeing those annoying ads for Bee Movie, you should know that the anticipated Cornell-Boston University men’s hockey game at Madison Square Garden is coming up next Saturday night. Not only is the game at the most famous arena in the world, but it also helps to renew the rivalry that ended when B.U. left the ECAC Hockey league in 1984. I would like to predict the outcome of the game, but as my friends can attest from my March Madness selections and the fact that I convinced myself that the Colts would beat the Patriots regardless of the spread, I don’t think I am qualified to predict anything for real.

Rihn’s Versatility Allows Red to Perform Defensive Plan

Michael Mix — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0500

Judging by the amount of Priuses on the road today, hybrids are all the rage. In the football team’s 34-14 win over Columbia on Saturday afternoon, a different type of hybrid made a big impact. Junior Graham Rihn, who plays a hybrid linebacker-defensive end position in Cornell’s 3-3-5 defense, had one of the best games of his career.

Nash Nets First Career Goal in Conference Win

Michael Mix — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0500

NEW HAVEN, CONN. — The phrase “living the life of Riley” means being prosperous and satisfied. The men’s hockey team lived the life of Riley Nash on Friday night as it utilized the highly-touted freshman forward’s first career goal and then some tight defense in order to top Yale, 2-1.

Nash’s tally came with 5 minutes left in the first period. Junior Evan Barlow dumped the puck into the offensive zone, where it was intercepted by a Yale defenseman. Sophomore co-alternate captain Colin Greening was able to make a hit on the Bulldog player, though, and the puck came out to Nash, who slipped a wrister past sophomore goalie Billy Blase for the score.

Liuzza Replaces Ford, Excels at Quarterback

Michael Mix — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0500

The injury bug has officially bitten the football team. It first hit senior halfback Luke Siwula, who has not played since a Sept. 29 contest against Georgetown. Now, it has moved on to junior quarterback Nathan Ford, who went down on Saturday against Dartmouth. Saturday’s loss of Ford, though, means that his backup was able to see significant playing time. That beneficiary was sophomore Stephen Liuzza, who had statistically the best game of his career in the 59-31 loss to Dartmouth on Saturday afternoon.

Red Scores Three Early Goals in Win Over Quinnipiac

Michael Mix — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0500

Revenge is a dish best served cold. In the cold confines of Lynah Rink, the men’s hockey team proved the adage correct on Saturday night, exacting its revenge on Quinnipiac, the team that swept Cornell in the ECAC Hockey League quarterfinals last season. Junior Evan Barlow’s goal just seconds into the third period ended up being the difference in the Red’s 5-3 victory.

“Going into this game, you are thinking about all the pain and all the sorrow that came from losing in the playoffs last year,” said sophomore co-alternate captain Colin Greening.

Men’s Hockey Relies on Youth Movement

Michael Mix — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 00:19:50 -0400

In the 1988 film Young Guns, a group of young ruffian gunmen in the old west become deputized in order to fight injustice and corruption. While brandishing sticks instead of rifles, the men’s hockey team can find solace in a similar youth movement. 16 of the 25 players currently on the roster are either freshmen or sophomores.

The transition started at the beginning of last season, as a bumper crop of freshmen played crucial roles throughout the 2006 season. Colin Greening, for example, led the squad in goals last year with 11.

Krantz Leads Defense

Michael Mix — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 00:17:02 -0400

Groucho Marx once said “anyone can get old; all you need to do is live long enough.” With so many freshmen and sophomores on the men’s hockey team, it seems like the four seniors are indeed old, wise men. Of the seniors, the only defenseman in the class is co-alternate captain Doug Krantz. It therefore falls on Krantz’s shoulders to anchor the defense.

“[Krantz] is a big leader out there,” said junior Jared Seminoff.

Playing an important role is nothing new for Krantz, who has been making an impact since his arrival at Cornell as a freshman.

Top Performers Return to Pace Defensive Unit

Michael Mix — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 00:15:59 -0400

Men’s hockey head coach Mike Schafer ’86 was a defenseman during his career at Cornell, so it’s no surprise that he is known for constantly bringing in talented players at the position he once called his own. Despite a number of obstacles, this year’s defensive corps hopes to continue the tradition of excellence among Red blue liners and to help Cornell keep the opposing team off the board.

“As a collective group, we are ready to get it rolling,” said senior co-alternate captain Doug Krantz.

Faux Fandom at Lynah Rink

Michael Mix — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0400

There are a lot of things in this world that I don’t know. I have no idea what items are eligible for compost in the Ivy Room. I don’t know what executive keeps green-lighting films starring Milla Jovovich. I really have no clue why anyone would want to watch MTV’s new show A Shot at Love with Tila Tequila (although I watch The Real World and The Hills religiously). But I do know one thing — how to act as a fan at Lynah Rink. I will be covering the team this year, but I had season tickets last season, and I saw many horrible things occurring at Lynah, mostly by people who have no clue how to act at a Cornell hockey game. So I propose a series of rules to curb this faux fandom.

Rule 1: Dress Appropriately

Missed FG Dooms Red at Princeton

Michael Mix — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0400

PRINCETON, N.J. — The current NFL trend of calling a timeout right before the opposing team is going to snap the ball for a game-tying or game-winning field goal apparently has moved to college football. Following in the footsteps of NFL coaches such as Mike Shanahan, Lane Kiffin and Wade Phillips, Princeton coach Roger Hughes called a timeout just as senior Peter Zell was going to attempt a 47-yard game-tying field goal with nine seconds left Friday night. Zell’s try was good, but it was negated by the timeout called a fraction of a second earlier, and on the second — real — attempt he missed wide right to seal the win for the Tigers, 34-31.

M. Icers Start Season at RIT

Michael Mix — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0400

The last time that RIT played at Blue Cross Arena was Oct. 25, 1986, which also happens to be the same exact day that Boston’s Bill Buckner famously let the ball roll through his legs during the 1986 World Series against the Mets. With the Red Sox back in the Fall Classic, it’s only appropriate that RIT play again at the arena, as it faces off tomorrow night against the men’s hockey team in Cornell’s first regular-season contest of the year. The Blue Cross Arena, which holds over 11,000 people, is the normal home of the Rochester Americans, the AHL affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres.

Red Ties Trois-Rivieres

Michael Mix — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0400

65 minutes later, the score was the same as it was during the opening face-off. That was the story Friday night, as the men’s hockey team skated to a 0-0 tie in its exhibition match with Trois Rivieres.

“Trois Rivieres is a good hockey team,” said head coach Mike Schafer ’86. “They obviously have played a lot of games. … It was a good effort. It was a good test. … It was an 0-0 game our first game of the year and [Cornell was] comfortable. We had some real good opportunities. It was a good opportunity for us to get a chance to look at some things tonight and get ready to make some adjustments.”

Football Earns First Win Over Brown Since 2002

Michael Mix — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0400

At halftime, head coach Jim Knowles ‘87 walked into the locker room and wrote three words on the board — “We Will Win.” At the time down 24-14 and later down 31-14, Cornell validated Knowles’s prediction, utilizing an improved pass defense, a strong running game and a bit of trickery to score 24 straight points and down Brown, 38-31, in overtime.

“It was very short; [Knowles] didn’t say much,” said sophomore running back Randy Barbour. “He wrote on the board, ‘We Will Win.’ That’s it. ‘We Will Win.’”

M. Hockey Plays Final Exhibition Games

Michael Mix — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0400

Canada is known for its amicable relations with the United States. This weekend, though, the men’s hockey team will take on its neighbor from the north, as it opens its season with two exhibition games at Lynah Rink. Cornell faces off against Trois Rivieres tonight and the University of Ottawa on Sunday afternoon.

This will be the first time that Cornell actually faces an opponent this season. In addition to regular practice, the team has so far only participated in the Red-White Scrimmage last weekend. In that intrasquad contest, which was highlighted by physical play, the Red team won, 6-3.