Big Red ends record season; Paolini wins Humanitarian Award

By Blaine P. Friedlander Jr.

The season of dreams ended for the top-ranked men's hockey team, as Cornell's Big Red fell to the University of New Hampshire, 3-2, in the national semifinal round of the NCAA Frozen Four tournament at the HSBC Arena in Buffalo April 10.

President Hunter Rawlings, center, joins the Cornell faithful in cheering on the men's hockey team during its semifinal game against New Hampshire, April 10, in Buffalo's HSBC Arena. Robert Barker/University Photography

The Big Red, 30-5-1 overall this season, has won the most games in any hockey season in Cornell history, had the nation's top defense and finished as the ECAC champions. The Department of Athletics is sponsoring a banner-raising ceremony tonight at 7 p.m. in Lynah Rink to celebrate the team's season.

In spite of the loss, the honors continued for the Big Red team. The NCAA honored senior forward Sam Paolini April 11 with the Humanitarian Award, which recognizes college hockey's "finest citizen." Paolini was honored for his many community service and charitable efforts, including, most recently, his creation of the "Power Play for Prevention," which raised more than $11,000 for the Ithaca Breast Cancer Alliance. Paolini, a senior from Rochester, N.Y., was one of five finalists for the award. The award was presented at Buffalo's Hyatt Regency hotel.

In the New Hampshire game, the Big Red inched closer to the championship game and appeared to take a 1-0 lead at 12:06 in the first period, when senior Shane Palahicky tipped a shot by sophomore defenseman Jeremy Downs into the net. Play was halted for about 4 minutes while officials reviewed the goal. The goal was disallowed because Palahicky tipped the puck with his stick more than four feet above the ice, according to the officials.

Paolini

New Hampshire then scored once in the first period and twice in the second period to take a 3-0 lead, which proved to be enough for the win. Cornell's junior center Ryan Vesce and freshman Chris Abbott each scored goals to make the final score 3-2.

Despite the three goals he allowed in the New Hampshire game, Cornell goalie David LeNeveu maintained the best goals-against average -- 1.20 -- in the country. This season he played in 32 games for 1,946 minutes. Opposing teams took 646 shots on goal and LeNeveu saved 607 of them, for a .940 save percentage. LeNeveu, a first-team All-American, was one of three finalist for the Hobie Baker Award, which recognizes college hockey's top player for the year. The winner of the award, announced April 11, was Colorado College forward Peter Sejna. LeNeveu, however, was named Cornell's most valuable player at the team's 42nd annual banquet April 13.

Vesce led the team in scoring this season with 19 goals and 26 assists, and he was followed by Paolini with 13 goals and 17 assists and freshman Matt Moulson with 13 goals and 10 assists. Senior Mark McRae had nine goals and 19 assists, while co-captain senior Stephen Bâby had eight goals with 33 assists. Sophomore Mike Knoepfli had eight goals with 16 assists for the season.

Four of the Cornell seniors have been drafted by National Hockey League teams. After graduation, Bâby, Mark McRae and Matt McRae will go into the Atlanta Thrashers organization, while Doug Murray will go into the San Jose Sharks system.

A large contingent of Cornell rooters at the April 10 game included many administrators and trustees. The trustee meeting in New York City that had been scheduled to begin April 10 was rescheduled for April 11 to allow members to support the team at the Frozen Four. Board chairman Peter C. Meinig, Cornell President Hunter Rawlings and President-elect Jeffrey Lehman were among the fans at the game.