Cornell defeated Clarkson 3 -1 to win the ECAC Championship in Lake Placid tonight. The win gives Cornell a place in the NCAA Tournament. For the hockey story, see:
But these Cornell games amount to much more than hockey to me.
I’ve managed to invest it with far more meaning.
It goes back to my childhood. Hockey was something that I could compete, struggle to succeed in, and be recognized for. As a young boy, I was a very good athlete but a terrible skater. Many of my friends were far better skaters. Through sheer work, I became a credible player and close to my High School hockey coach, Ernie Stretton, who supported and believed in me. That meant a lot to a troubled kid. Ernie was probably the driving force in my All County selection my Junior year.
I went to Clarkson College, not only because my HS guidance counselor recommended I attend a good engineering school because I excelled in math and science, but because Clarkson had an awesome hockey team.
As a freshman there (1975), I roomed with varsity hockey players (future NHL All-star Dave Taylor hung there as well). They hooked me up with a crowd of Alums that got ice time and played pick up hockey games. I could not compete with these D I players, but I could skate with them and not make a fool of myself.
Even before Clarkson, I was following the ECAC tournament and Cornell hockey since 1970, when I saw my first Cornell game at historic Lynah rink (an insane asylum and one of the best places to watch a hockey game!). At that time, I was the water boy for the High School hockey team, who had a weekend series with Ithaca High School. Over that weekend series, we went to the Cornell game against arch rival BU. Ken Dryden in net. National championship undefeated year. Unforgettable.
Since the late 1970’s, I went to all the ECAC tournaments, from Boston Garden to Albany and back to Lake Placid.
I went to Cornell graduate school. I still recall when current 30 year coach and then defenseman Mike Schaefer broke his stick over his head when introduced for the game against Harvard. Lynah went nuts!
My X wife did an undergraduate degree and played women’s varsity hockey there. Both her parents were Cornell graduates.
We even took our 2 month old son to the Boston Garden for the ECAC tournament in 1989. Cornell got trounced by St. Lawrence, 6-1.
I coached youth hockey and my son played as well.
So this is emotionally packed and a lot more than the distraction I desperately need from the Trump fascist consolidation.