Box Score

ESTERO, Fla. -- Joe Devin scored a pair of goals and Blake Gallagher added a pair of assists as the Cornell men's hockey team scored a 3-2 victory over St. Cloud State on Saturday night in the opening round of the Florida College Classic in Estero, Fla. The Big Red advances to play Colgate, a 3-2 winner over Maine in overtime in the other semifinal.

Junior goaltender Ben Scrivens made 36 saves, 15 of them coming in the third period, as the Big Red improved to 8-1-2 on the year. St. Cloud State's Ryan Lasch and Garrett Roe both had a goal and an assist, while goaltender Dan Dunn stopped 23 shots in taking the loss as the Huskies fell to 10-9-0 on the season.

Following a scoreless first period that saw both goaltenders stop 12 shots, the Huskies needed just 1:02 of the second to break into the scoring column. With the Huskies on the power play, the St. Cloud State trio of John Swanson, Ryan Lasch and Garrett Roe executed a perfect man advantage, working the puck from between the circles to the right post and over to the left post for the easy tap-in goal. It took just 20 seconds for the Big Red to respond, though, as Devin tipped in the first of his two goals after a shot from Brendon Nash.

Midway through the second period, with Cornell killing off a too many men on the ice penalty, Riley Nash took a pass from Evan Barlow and fired a shot past Dunn for the short-handed goal. A minute later, Devin followed up a rebound off a shot by Sean Whitney for the third goal, which would turn out to be the game-winner.

St. Cloud State cut into the deficit midway through the third period as Lasch jammed home a rebound off a shot by Roe, but the Huskies could not get the tying goal, even after pulling Dunn with 57 seconds remaining in the contest. Cornell's Colin Greening narrowly missed an empty-net goal, but his attempt rang off the goal post shortly before time expired.

St. Cloud State finished the game 1-for-7 on the power play, while Cornell was 0-for-3.

The Big Red will next take on Colgate, a 3-2 winner on a last-second goal in the first semifinal. Sunday's contest will begin at 7:35 p.m. in Estero, Fla.