Box Score

CANTON, N.Y. – Senior forward Sean Collins scored 36 seconds into overtime by sliding a backhand between his own feet to lead the men's hockey team to a 4-3 victory over St. Lawrence on Saturday night at Appleton Arena.
 
The Big Red never trailed in the game, fighting off two Saints rallies that tied the score to force the extra frame. But Collins converted on the first shift on a three-on-two. Freshman Joel Lowry started the play by winning a one-on-one battle on the left wing to spring the break. He gained the zone and sent a pass across to classmate John McCarron at the top of the right circle. He blistered a shot that St. Lawrence goalie Matt Weninger stopped, but Collins was on top of the crease to slide the rebound home.
 
It was the Big Red's first win at Appleton Arena since Feb. 25, 2005. That game was also decided in overtime, with then-senior captain Mike Knoepfli notching the winner.
 
Cornell (14-6-7, 11-3-6 ECAC Hockey), which is ranked 12th in both major national polls, has clinched one of the top two spots in ECAC Hockey with just two games remaining in the regular season. The Big Red still controls its own destiny for the Cleary Cup, with two wins next weekend at home against #8/8 Union and Rensselaer guaranteeing the top seed in the playoffs.
 
The Big Red never trailed against the Saints, who carried play for much of the first period but couldn't solve Big Red sophomore goalie Andy Iles before Cornell stormed ahead with a pair of goals 2:02 apart. Junior defenseman Braden Birch created both opportunities with passes across the neutral zone to spring Cornell's forwards.
 
At the 14:04 mark, Birch found sophomore Kirill Gotovets – playing on the wing for the fourth time in his collegite career – entering the zone on the left wing. Gotovets maneuvered a little backhand pass around his own skates to Miller, who momentarily lost his balance and any conducive angle for a shot. But he alertly whipped the puck toward goal along the ice, and it bounced through the feet of St. Lawrence sophomore goalie Matt Weninger to give the Big Red the game's first goal.
 
The second game at 16:06 after Birch collected the puck inside the Big Red blue line after a Saints forechecker and Cornell senior defenseman Sean Whitney collided and fell to the ice. Birch took his time and found Mowrey breaking through the middle with speed. Mowrey reached the high slot and whistled a wrist shot over Weninger's glove to give Cornell a 2-0 lead.
 
But the Saints stormed back in the second period, first with a goal from Chris Martin. A would-be goal on the power play about three minutes later would have equalized, but a video review revealed the puck was directed in by a St. Lawrence player's arm. The Saints were still able to pull even at the 11:07 mark on a Jacob Drewiske deflection from the low slot.
 
Iles was called on to make a pair of top-notch saves on Saints sniper Greg Carey in the 12th minute, then the sophomore goalie was able to smother a Kyle Flanagan put-back attempt with his outstretched left leg at 14:38.
 
The saves set the stage for the Big Red to take the lead on senior Locke Jillson's strike with 2:28 to go in the frame. Freshman defenseman Joakim Ryan passed to Jillson in the neutral zone, and he entered the zone on the left wing. Maintaining possession along the wall, Jillson lost his defender in the left circle and worked his way toward the slot before picking the corner over Weninger's glove.
 
But St. Lawrence (13-16-3, 9-10-1) pulled even again with an unassisted goal by Justin Baker 4:51 into the third period. The Big Red had a pair of power plays that produced a few quality chances, but no go-ahead goals. The winner would have to wait until overtime, ending the Saints' winning streak at five games and extending the Big Red's unbeaten streak to six games (3-0-3).
 
The Big Red wraps up the regular season next weekend at home, including the team's annual Senior Night when it will honor Collins, Jillson, Keir Ross and Sean Whitney. Cornell hosts Union at 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 24 before the regular-season finale against Rensselaer at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 25.
 
Notes: The Big Red has lost just twice in its last 15 games (7-2-6). … Union beat Quinnipiac, 5-2, on Saturday to stay two points ahead of Cornell for first place in ECAC Hockey.