Box Score

ITHACA, N.Y. -- Sean Whitney and Riley Nash both scored a goal as the Cornell men's hockey team closed out the exhibition season with a 3-2 loss to the U.S. Under-18 National Team on Saturday night at Lynah Rink. Ithaca-native Andy Iles had 39 saves in the victory for Team USA, while Cornell's Ben Scrivens stopped 24 shots in the loss.

Team USA got goals from Justin Faulk, Bryan Rust and Matt Nieto, while Jason Zucker had a pair of assists in the win. For Cornell, Joe Devin, Greg Miller and Blake Gallagher each chipped in an assist. Cornell finished the game 0-for-5 on the power play, while Team USA was 1-for-5 with the man advantage.

Cornell got on the board first midway through the first period when Whitney scored off a faceoff. The faceoff came off to Miller, who fed Devin for a shot that was blocked. The puck came off to Whitney, who fired a low shot at the net that got past Iles to put the Big Red up, 1-0. The score would stay that way through the rest of the first period, as the Big Red took the lead into the intermission.

Just 20 seconds into the second period, Team USA evened the score when Faulk took a feed from Bill Arnold and ripped a shot past Scrivens. The score stayed tied until 11 minutes later when Rust scored on a tipped shot from the point by Jon Merrill. Cornell evened the score again late in the period as Riley Nash took a faceoff win from Blake Gallagher, skated through traffic and put the puck over the shoulder of Iles, knotting the score at two.

Again, Team USA scored early in the third period to take the lead. This time, it was Nieto knocking the puck past Scrivens for what would turn out to be the eventual game-winner. Cornell put 21 shots on goal in the third period, trying for the equalizer, but could not get the puck past Iles.

The Big Red opens the 2009-10 season on Friday, Oct. 30, when it takes on Niagara in a 7 p.m. game at Lynah Rink.