Box Score

ITHACA, N.Y. -- Junior Ben Scrivens recorded 30 saves and made an early second period goal hold up until getting two late scores in the Big Red's 3-0 victory over Niagara on Friday evening at Lynah Rink. Cornell improved to 10-1-3 with the victory, while the Purple Eagles slipped to 9-7-1. The two teams will meet again on Saturday evening to close out the weekend series.

Colin Greening scored his sixth goal of the season less than four minutes into the second period and Scrivens made it hold up despite a flurry of Niagara shots late in the second and into the whole third period. Michael Kennedy added an empty net goal with 1:12 left in the contest and brother Patrick lit the lamp 24 seconds later for his first goal of the season to wrap up the scoring. Riley Nash was credited with a pair of assists, while Evan Barlow, Jared Seminoff and Jordan Kary each had assists. Cornell's penalty kill unit had to work all night, killing off seven penalties, but Cornell enjoyed a 40-31 shot advantage in the victory.

Niagara's goalkeeper Julianao Pagliero was up the challenge and kept the Purple Eagles in the game until the late scores, making 37 saves, including at least 12 in each period. Chris Moran and Vince Rocco were the most active players on the ice offensively, getting off seven and six shots, respectively. Niagara held the Big Red scoreless on its two power play opportunities.

While Scrivens did all he could to keep Niagara off the scoreboard, including a long stretch where Cornell had the disadvantage on the ice in the late first and early second periods, Greening gave the Big Red all the offense it would need with a perfectly executed feed in front of the net after some nifty passing by Barlow and Nash. The junior scored the game winner 3:13 into the period to give the Big Red a 1-0 lead. It would stay that way despite Niagara's charges until after a Purple Eagles timeout late in the third, Michael Kennedy won the puck at center ice, skated in on the right side and beat a diving defender for the empty-netter at the 18:48 mark. Before the scoring summary could even be announced, his brother tallied a goal of his own on a feed from Kary with 48 seconds remaining to make it 3-0, guaranteeing Cornell its unbeaten streak would continue.

Cornell dominated the first 15 minutes of play, outshooting the Purple Eagles 10-1 and winning eight of the first nine face-offs before losing Tyler Roeszler to a hitting from behind call, giving the visitors a five-minute power play to end the period. Scrivens and the penalty kill unit were up to the task, as the junior stopping both shots on goal before Egor Mironov was called for an interference penalty, essentially nullfiying the final two minutes of the man advantage. That only lasted for a little more than a minute when Riley Nash was sent to the box with 17 seconds left. Niagara squeezed off two shots before the horn sounded, with Scrivens blocking both attempts. Despite the flurry in the final five minutes, Cornell held a 13-10 edge in shots on goal after 20 minutes, though the visitors would open the second with 1:44 left of ice time on the power play.

The Big Red and Purple Eagles will square off again on Saturday at 7 p.m. in Lynah Rink.