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GRAND FORKS, N.D. -- After suffering its first defeat of the 2008-09 season, the Cornell men's hockey team will try to rebound when they take on North Dakota on Saturday night in Grand Forks, N.D. The Fighting Sioux took the first game of the weekend series, 7-3, behind four third-period goals, and leads the all-time series against the Big Red, 4-1. Saturday night's contest can be heard on WHCU 870 AM in the Ithaca area and worldwide on the Cornell RedCast subscription service with Jason Weinstein on the call. Additionally, live video of the game can be seen for a fee at www.FightingSioux.com.

FRIDAY NIGHT RECAP
Cornell went ahead twice in the first period, but North Dakota tied the score both times before going ahead for good in the second period. Locke Jillson opened the scoring with his first career goal and Colin Greening added his third goal of the season in the first period before Riley Nash capped off the scoring with his third goal of the year in the third period. Ben Scrivens made 21 saves on 26 shots in just over 47 minutes of work before being lifted in favor of Mike Garman, who made his collegiate debut by stopping eight of the 10 shots he faced. The Cornell penalty kill, which had entered the game first in the nation, surrendered three goals in seven chances, while the power play went 0-for-4 on the night. North Dakota's Matt Frattin scored three goals and added an assist while Chay Genoway tacked on four assists and a goal. Brad Eidsness stopped 21 shots for the victory for the Sioux.

RARE OCCURRENCES
The seven goals allowed by the Big Red on Friday night were the most surrendered by the Cornell defense since allowing a seven-spot at Rensselaer on Feb. 26, 1999, in a 7-5 loss to the Engineers. Cornell's last time allowing six goals or more came during Thanksgiving weekend last season, when Cornell allowed six goals to Boston University in a 6-3 defeat at Madison Square Garden.

HATS OFF TO YOU
Matt Frattin's hat trick against Cornell on Friday night also was a rare occurrence, as the last time an opposing player scored three goals against the Big Red came 328 games ago when Ohio State's Hugo Boisvert tallied three goals on Jan. 15, 1999.

COLLECT THAT PUCK
Freshman Locke Jillson scored his first career goal on a first-period backhand shot in the loss on Friday night, prompting team co-captain Michael Kennedy to collect that puck from the back of the net for the freshman from Dallas, Texas. Jillson is the only member of the freshman class to have scored a goal or a point this season.

GRAND OPENING
Freshman goaltender Mike Garman made his first official appearance for the Big Red in Friday night's loss to North Dakota. Garman saw 12:43 worth of action and stopped eight of the 10 shots he faced during that span. Garman's appearance leaves freshman defenseman Sean Whitney as the lone member of the 2008-09 Cornell roster to have yet to to appear in an official game this season.

CORNELL AGAINST THE WCHA
Friday night's loss to North Dakota drops Cornell's all-time record against Western Collegiate Hockey Association members to 14-16-1 and 3-6-1 during the tenure of head coach Mike Schafer.

QUICK ON THE DRAW
Senior Michael Kennedy won 13 of the 23 faceoffs he took on Friday night to lead the Big Red, which won 32-of-63 draws on the night. Kennedy raised his season faceoff percentage to 52.4 percent. Cornell as a team has won 54.5 percent of all draws taken this season, with Blake Gallagher leading all regulars at 66.7 percent.

UP NEXT
Cornell closes out the fall portion of the 2008-09 season next weekend, returning to Lynah Rink for a weekend series against Clarkson and St. Lawrence. Both games will begin at 7 p.m. in Ithaca.