Game 12 • Cornell vs. Colorado College
Faceoff: Tuesday, December 29, 2009 at 7:30 p.m.
Site: Germain Arena (7,128) • Estero, Fla.
2009-10 Records: Cornell (7-2-2, 6-2-1 ECAC Hockey); Colorado College (11-4-3, 8-3-3 WCHA)

Media Information
Television: none
Radio: WHCU 870 AM • Jason Weinstein (play-by-play)
Live Stats: goblackbears.com
Live Video: www.b2livetv.com
Live Audio: www.CornellBigRed.com/showcase
Tickets: Available by calling (607) 254-BEAR

Game 13 • Cornell vs. Princeton/Maine
Faceoff: Wednesday, December 30, 2009 at 4/7:30 p.m.
Site: Germain Arena (7,128) • Estero, Fla.
2009-10 Records: Cornell (6-2-1, 5-2-0 ECAC Hockey); Princeton (4-8-1, 2-6-1 ECAC Hockey); Maine (9-7-1, 7-4-1 Hockey East)

Media Information
Television: none
Radio: WHCU 870 AM • Jason Weinstein (play-by-play)
Live Stats: goblackbears.com
Live Video: www.b2livetv.com
Live Audio: www.CornellBigRed.com/showcase
Tickets: Available by calling (607) 254-BEAR

Game Notes in PDF Format

ITHACA, N.Y. -- With the Cornell men's hockey team ranked fourth in both major polls, the early part of the second half of the seasonw will truly test whether the Big Red is up to meeting those lofty standards. Cornell begins that stretch with a pair of games at the Florida College Classic on Dec. 29-30, opening with third-ranked Colorado College before facing either Princeton or Maine in the championship or consolation games the following day. Both games can be heard in the Ithaca area on WHCU 870 AM with Jason Weinstein providing the call of the action, with live streaming video available via B2 Networks on a pay-per-view basis.

ABOUT THE BIG RED
Cornell closed out the first half of the season with a 7-2-2 overall mark and a 6-2-1 record in ECAC Hockey action. The Big Red is unbeaten in its last four games, going 2-0-2 over that span. In its last time out, the Big Red rallied for a 2-2 overtime tie at Union on Dec. 5, one night after scoring a 2-1 victory at Rensselaer. Senior Blake Gallagher leads the Big Red offense with 17 points through the first 11 games (10-7--17), while classmates Colin Greening (5-11--16) and Brendon Nash (2-8--10) and juniors Riley Nash (3-8--11) and Joe Devin (4-7--11) are also averaging at least a point per game for the season. Cornell has had a balanced offense that has seen 16 different skaters score at least one of the 40 goals tallied by the Big Red this season, while all but one of the skaters who has seen the ice this season has recorded at least one point on the year. In goal, senior Ben Scrivens has continued to put up consistent numbers, posting a 1.98 goals-against average and a .929 save percentage with one shutout. The Big Red has excelled on special teams this season, recording 17 power play goals in 53 chances for a national best 32.1 percent and killing off 52-of-58 opponents' power plays for an 89.7 percent success rate.

ABOUT COLORADO COLLEGE
Colorado College enters the Florida College Classic with an 11-4-3 overall record and an 8-3-3 mark in the WCHA. Like Cornell, the Tigers boast a prolific offense and power play, scoring 3.63 goals per game and converting on 26 percent of the man advantage opportunities. Bill Sweatt, a draft pick of the Chicago Blackhawks, leads the Tigers in scoring with nine goals and 11 assists through 18 games. Mike Testwuide is Colorado College's most prolific goal scorer, tallying 12 goals and adding a pair of assists for 14 points in 15 games. In all, seven different players have scored in double figures through the first 18 games of the year for the Tigers. In goal, Joe Howe has been outstanding, recording a .926 save percentage and a 2.21 goals-against average with a pair of shutouts. The Tigers have scored 27 power play goals in 104 opportunities (26.0 percent) while killing off penalties at an 85.9 percent rate (79-of-92).

THE SERIES WITH COLORADO COLLEGE
The game on December 29th will mark the fifth meeting between Cornell and Colorado College, with Cornell holding a 3-1 lead in the all-time series that dates back to the 1973-74 season. In the last meeting between the two schools, Colorado College jumped out to a 2-0 lead over the Big Red in the first round of the 2006 NCAA Tournament in Green Bay, Wis., only to have Cornell rally for three unanswered goals and a 3-2 victory to advance to the regional final, where it would ultimately fall to Wisconsin in triple overtime, 1-0. Colorado College's only win in the series came during the 1995-96 season, the first year for head coach Mike Schafer, with the Tigers scoring an 11-0 victory as part of the Denver Cup. Schafer is 1-1 all-time against Colorado College.

ABOUT MAINE
The Black Bears (9-7-1, 7-4-1 Hockey East) enter the Florida College Classic on a hot streak, undefeated in their last six games and unbeaten in five straight. In each of Maine's wins on the current winning streak, the Black Bears have allowed only one goal while averaging nearly five goals scored per contest. Gustav Nyquist leads the Black Bear offense with 25 points on 11 goals and 14 assists through 17 games, while Bryan Flynn is second with 19 points on five goals and 14 assists. In all, seven Maine players have scored in double digits so far this season. In goal, Scott Darling has seen the bulk of playing time, posting a 2.47 goals-against average and a .912 save percentage. Maine has converted on 30 power plays in 104 chances for a 28.8 percent success rate, while the Black Bears have killed off 70 of the 88 penalties against for a 79.5 percent conversion rate.

THE SERIES WITH MAINE
Cornell and Maine have met 14 times on the ice, with the Big Red holding a slim 7-5-2 advantage in the all-time series. The two programs last met on Dec. 30, 2006, in the championship game of the Florida College Classic, with the Black Bears claiming a 6-3 victory. Cornell's last win over Maine came during the 2004-05 season, a 4-3 victory in the consolation game of the Florida College Classic. The two teams have met five times at the Florida College Classic, with the Black Bears holding a 3-1-1 lead in games played in Florida.

ABOUT PRINCETON
The Tigers (4-8-1, 2-6-1 ECAC Hockey) have been a surprise on the national scene this season, but not in a good way. Picked to finish as one of the top three teams in ECAC Hockey, the Tigers are currently mired in ninth place in the league and sport a 4-8-1 overall record. Princeton began a six-game losing skid on Nov. 20 at Cornell, a streak that finally was snapped on Dec. 12 with a 3-2 win at Massachusetts-Lowell. Dan Bartlett leads a Princeton offense that is averaging just a shade over two goals per game on the season. Bartlett has 10 points on six goals and four assists, the only player in double figures in scoring through 12 games. In goal, Zane Kalemba, the reigning ECAC Hockey Player of the Year, has scuffled off to a 3.36 goals-against average and a .903 save percentage. The Tigers have struggled on the power play, scoring just nine goals in 53 chances (17.0 percent) while killing off penalties at an 80.7 percent clip (46-of-57).

THE SERIES WITH PRINCETON
Should Cornell and Princeton meet at the Florida College Classic, it would mark the second straight season that the Big Red and Tigers have met more than twice in a year. Cornell and Princeton met three times last season, with both teams winning on the road by a single goal and Cornell claiming the rubber match with a 4-3 double-overtime victory in the semifinals of the ECAC Hockey tournament in Albany, N.Y. Cornell leads the all-time series, 79-45-7, following a 5-2 win on Nov. 20 at Lynah Rink. Cornell coach Mike Schafer is 24-9-2 against the Tigers since taking over the Big Red program prior ot the 1995-96 season.

ABOUT THE FLORIDA COLLEGE CLASSIC
The 2009-10 season marks the 10th year that the Big Red has played at the Florida College Classic. Cornell holds a 7-8-3 record at the tournament, winning the title in 2003-04 and 2005-06 before claiming its third crown last season with a win over St. Cloud State and a tie against Colgate in the championship game, winning the title in a shootout. Last season, Cornell's Ben Scrivens was named the tournament's most valuable player, with Blake Gallagher and Brendon Nash earning spots on the all-tournament team.

LIGHTING THE LAMP
Three of the four teams at this season's Florida College Classic have shown the ability to put pucks in the net, as Maine, Cornell and Colorado College are all ranked in the top 10 in the nation in scoring offense. Maine is ranked seventh, with Cornell eighth and Colorado College ninth in that category, with all three teams averaging better than 3.50 goals per game.

RARE AIR
Yes, it's still only 11 games into the season, but Cornell senior Blake Gallagher is putting himself into some very lofty company among the all-time greats in program history. Through 11 games, Gallagher has 10 goals, averaging 0.91 goals per game. Only 17 players in program history have averaged at least a goal per game for a single season, the most recent being the legendary Joe Nieuwendyk, who averaged 1.13 goals per game in 1986. The last player to even come close to the 1.00 goals-per-game threshhold is current women's head coach Doug Derraugh, who scored 30 goals in 32 games in 1990.

FIT TO BE TIED
Cornell's 3-3 tie against Boston University on Nov. 28 at Madison Square Garden marked the 50th tie in the coaching tenure of head coach Mike Schafer. The Big Red bench boss, in his 15th season, is averaging 3.33 ties per season during his tenure. Cornell recorded six ties in 2003-04, while posting as few as one tie in 2002-03. Additionally, while the tie was the 50th for Schafer, it also marked the 99th all-time tie in the history of the Cornell men's hockey program. Cornell reached the 100-tie mark a week later with the Big Red's 2-2 tie at Union on Dec. 5.

STUCK ON 99
With his next point, Cornell senior Colin Greening will become the 45th player in Cornell history to record 100 career points. The senior reached 99 with a goal and an assist at Rensselaer on Dec. 4, but was held scoreless the following night at Union. The last player to reach 100 points was Topher Scott, who recorded 107 points in 137 career games from 2004-08.

SAVING THE DAY
Ask those in college hockey circles about Cornell's goaltender, and they'll inevitably make a comment about the goaltender being good, but a product of the Big Red's defensive system in front of them. At the end of the day, though, the goaltender's job is to stop the puck, no matter what kind of defense is in front of him. And that's where Ben Scrivens finds himself now, not quite midway through his senior season. The Spruce Grove, Alberta, native, stands in second place all-time among the legendary netminders of Cornell history in career saves, just 197 behind Doug Dadswell's career total of 2,462. For his career, Scrivens has averaged 24.1 saves per game, meaning he is on pace to break Dadswell's mark on Jan. 30 at Lynah Rink against Clarkson. Scrivens also has the second and third highest single-season save totals in Cornell history in each of the past two seasons.

THE WINNER
Ben Scrivens is not only nearing the top of the Cornell career saves list, but he is also approaching the top of several other categories. Scrivens is now third in school history in career wins with 51, 25 behind Ken Dryden's 76 and 14 behind David McKee's 65. He is also second in career ties with 10, three behind McKee, and fourth in both goals-against average (1.96) and save percentage (.928). He also has 13 career shutouts, tying him with Dryden for second-most in school history.

POWERFUL PLAY
Cornell's power play unit has the top spot in the nation at 32.1 percent, having converted on 17-of-53 chances this season. Cornell has scored two or more power-play goals in five of the 11 games this season, while tallying one power-play goal in five others. Cornell's only game this season without a power play goal came on Nov. 21 against Quinnipiac.

THE SELLOUT
Cornell and Boston University combined to record just the second sell-out of a college hockey game in the history of Madison Square Garden on Nov. 28 when the two programs met at The World's Most Famous Arena. The first sellout came during the 2007-08 season in the first incarnation of Red Hot Hockey between Cornell and Boston University.

THE SELLOUT, PART TWO
Of the 11 Cornell games so far this season, seven have come in front of capacity crowds, highlighted by the Nov. 28 game at Madison Square Garden. Of Cornell's two road games, the Nov. 13 contest at Yale was a sellout, while five of Cornell's six home games were also filled to capacity. The only Cornell home game that wasn't sold out was the Nov. 21 contest against Quinnipiac, which came just 40 tickets shy of being a sellout.

WALK THE LINE
Late last season, Cornell coach Mike Schafer put together the line combination of Blake Gallagher, Colin Greening and Joe Devin, to immediate results. Only an injury to Devin that ended his season kept that line from running through the end of the year, but with all three players healthy to start the season, Schafer has reunited the trio to amazing dividends. The three players have combined to score 44 points through the first 11 games of the season, or an average 4.00 points per game.

ONE WAY TO STOP HIM
Cornell senior Colin Greening's night ended early against Quinnipiac on Nov. 21 after a very questionable hitting from behind major and game misconduct sent him to the locker room late in the first period. With Greening missing more than two-thirds of the game, he was held without a point for the first time all season, snapping his six-game point streak that saw him compile 12 points over that span. He got back to his scoring ways against Colgate on Nov. 24, potting an empty net goal for his fourth marker of the season and keeping intact his string of a point in every game he has finished this season. Greening continued that streak when he assisted on Sean Whitney's goal to open the scoring on Nov. 28 against Boston University at Madison Square Garden. Greening had just his second game without a point when he was held off the score sheet on Dec. 5 at Union.

LEADING THE WAY
With 11 games now in the books, Cornell's team and individual appearances among the national leaders is now more than an anomoly. Senior Blake Gallagher is second in the nation in points per game, posting a 1.55 average. Gallagher trails only Massachusetts' James Marcou, who has a 1.73 points per game average. Fellow senior Colin Greening is eighth in that category, averaging 1.45 points per game.

OFFENSIVE DEFENSEMAN
Cornell's seven defenseman rotation has provided additional offense for the Big Red, as the seven players have combined to score six goals and 27 assists for 33 points this season, or a nearly 30 percent of the team's offensive production. Senior Brendon Nash leads the way with two goals and eight assists for 10 points, while sophomore Sean Whitney has a goal and six assists for seven points. Freshman Nick D'Agostino has two goals and four assists, while junior Mike Devin shares the third-highest total among defensemen with six points on a goal and five assists.

A TRIO FOR KRUEGER
With Sean Whitney scratched from the lineup against Colgate on Nov. 24, senior Justin Krueger stepped into Whitney's place on the first power play unit and delivered a career best three assists on the night. Prior to the game against the Raiders, Krueger had never had a multi-point game in his first 108 games at Cornell.

BREATHING ROOM
When Cornell defeated Princeton, 5-2, on Nov. 20, the Big Red snapped a string of five straight games against the Tigers that were decided by one goal. All three games played in 2008-09 were one-goal games, with Cornell winning 1-0 in Princeton, N.J., the Tigers claiming a 2-1 victory in Ithaca, N.Y., and Cornell winning the season series with a 4-3 double-overtime thriller in Albany, N.Y.  The last game in the series that was decided by more than one goal was a Feb. 17, 2007, matchup at Lynah Rink that Cornell won, 8-4.

SIX OF ONE...
Cornell's offense erupted for six goals against Harvard on Nov. 7, marking the first time that the Big Red put six goals on the board against its rival since a 6-3 win at Lynah Rink on Feb. 1, 2002.

...HALF DOZEN OF ANOTHER
When Cornell's offense put six goals on the board against Harvard on Nov. 7, it marked the first time in more than a full season that Cornell has scored six goals in a game. The last time Cornell scored six was on March 9, 2008, against Dartmouth in game three of the first round of the ECAC Hockey tournament at Lynah Rink. The Big Red has played 42 games since then. Prior to that, the Big Red scored six time the week just before against the Big Green.

ANOTHER SIX-PACK
With Cornell going 42 games without scoring six goals prior to the Nov. 7 win against Harvard, it took far less time to record another six-goal game, as exactly one week later, the Big Red put six goals on the board in a 6-0 victory at Brown. Cornell has scored at least five goals in four of the 11 games this season and has not scored fewer than two goals in any game.

SCITUATE > CAMBRIDGE
In this case, the town of Scituate, Mass., nearly single-handedly scored more points than then entire Harvard roster when the two teams met on Nov. 7 at Lynah Rink. Boosted by seven points from brothers Joe and Mike Devin, the three Scituate natives on the Cornell roster equaled the entire scoring output from the Harvard roster. Joe Devin scored twice, including the game-winner, and added an assist, while twin brother Mike scored one goal and added three assists. The pair were aided by fellow Scituate native Sean Whitney, who chipped in an assist against the Crimson.

THE DRIVE FOR FIVE
Cornell scored at least five goals in both games during the weekend of Nov. 6-7 against Dartmouth and Harvard, marking the first time in nearly three years that the Big Red has scored at least five in back-to-back games. Cornell scored six goals against Union on Dec. 2, 2006, then scored five against New Hampshire on Dec. 29, 2006, in the opening game of the Florida College Classic.

10-GOAL WEEKEND, FOUR-POINT WEEKEND
Cornell scored 11 goals on Nov. 6-7 against Dartmouth and Harvard, marking the first time the Big Red had scored at least 10 in a weekend since the first round of the ECAC Hockey tournament on March 7-9, 2008, against Dartmouth. That weekend, the Big Red scored 12 goals in three games after scoring three in the opener, three in a game two loss, and six in the clinching game three. The last time Cornell scored 10 goals or more in a two-game weekend was on Jan. 4-5, 2008, when it scored six against Niagara on Friday night and four on Saturday.

START ME UP
Cornell has an all-time record of 55-32-6 in season openers after opening the 2009-10 campaign with a 3-2 overtime win against Niagara on Oct. 30. Cornell has won two the first game of the season in back-to-back seasons after scoring a 1-0 win over Princeton to kick off the 2008-09 campaign. Under head coach Mike Schafer, the Big Red is 10-4-1 in season openers.

HAPPY DEBUTS
Four members of Cornell's freshman class made their official collgiate debut in the win against the Purple Eagles on Oct. 30. Forwards Greg Miller, John Esposito and Erik Axell each found themselves in the starting lineup, as did defenseman Nick D'Agostino. D'Agostino also picked up the second assist on Joe Devin's overtime game-winner against Niagara. A fifth member of the freshman class, Braden Birch, made his official debut on Nov. 6 against Dartmouth.

A MIGHTY WIND-SOR
Tyler Roeszler and Nick D'Agostino scored two goals each as Cornell opened the exhibition season with a 7-0 win over Windsor on Oct. 23. Patrick Kennedy, Blake Gallagher and Dan Nicholls also added goals Michael Garman got the start in goal for the Big Red, stopping all 20 shots he faced on the night.

EXHIBIT B
Sean Whitney and Riley Nash both scored  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 Oct. 24 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. 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.

QUIETLY MAKING NOISE
One of the most overlooked players on the Big Red roster is ironically, one of the most visible in goaltender Ben Scrivens. Entering his senior season, Scrivens ranks among the top-10 goaltenders in NCAA history in several categories, though he typically gets passed over for league and national recognition because of Cornell's defensive reputation. Scrivens enters the year ranked tied for eighth in save percentage (.928) and tied for ninth in goals-against average (1.96). Additionally, last season, he tied for 15th all-time with his six single-season shutouts, and, should he start every game this season, he would break David McKee's NCAA record of consecutive starts by a goaltender of 102.

I FEEL A DRAFT
Cornell has six players on the roster for 2009-10 who have been previously selected in the NHL Entry Draft. Seniors Colin Greening and Justin Krueger, junior Riley Nash, sophomore Sean Collins and freshmen Braden Birch and Nick D'Agostino have been picked in the NHL draft over the last five seasons.

CLIMBING THE CHARTS
Cornell head coach Mike Schafer is quickly moving up the ranks of the coaching fraternity in his win totals. Now in his 15th season, Schafer has 283 career victories, ranking him third in ECAC Hockey, but with the shortest tenure of the two ahead of him in the rankings. Schafer trails only Quinnipiac's Rand Pecknold by 10, with St. Lawrence's Joe Marsh well ahead with 443 career wins.

WHAT'S IN A NUMBER?
Sophomore defenseman Sean Whitney will be wearing jersey number 19 this season, the same number that his older brother, Ryan, wears for the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League.

IT'S A FAMILY AFFAIR
In what seems to be an annual trend for the Cornell hockey team, there are two sets of brothers on the roster in 2009-10. Twins Joe and Mike Devin are juniors, while the Nash family has senior defenseman Brendon and junior forward Riley as members of the Big Red.

BROTHERLY LOVE
A glance around the college hockey landscape shows 13 collegiate players who have older brothers as regular players in the NHL. Two of those 13 players happen to play for the Big Red, as sophomore defenseman Sean Whitney's brother, Ryan, is a defenseman for the Anaheim Ducks. Additionally, freshman forward Chris Moulson's older brother, Matt, is a forward for the New York Islanders. Cornell joins New Hampshire, North Dakota and Union (coincidentally, all three are opponents on the schedule in 2009-10 for a total of five games) with having two players whose older brothers are currently in the NHL.

ONE LONG SEASON
In 2007-08, the Big Red tied the 2002-03 campaign with the most games in a single season in school history at 36. That mark was again equaled last year as the Big Red went 22-10-4, just the third time in program history that Cornell has played 36 games. The Big Red advanced to the NCAA Midwest Regional Final, where it fell to Bemidji State, 4-1, in the 36th game of the year.

IRON MAN
Senior Colin Greening has a shot at breaking the school consecutive games record this season. Entering the year with 103 straight games played, the Big Red captain needs to play in 36 games this season to eclipse the mark of 138, set by Jeremy Downs from 2002-05. He is currently at 114 career games played after appearing in all 11 games so far this season.

TRIPLE DIGITS
Three Cornell players have played in more than 100 games in their Big Red careers, with another two nearing the century mark. Colin Greening leads the way with 114 career games played, while Justin Krueger has appeared in 112 contests for the Big Red. The most recent member to hit triple digits is Blake Gallagher, who played in his 100th career game in the season opener against Niagara and now stands at 110. Nearing the century mark are Brendon Nash, who has appeared in 97 games, and Ben Scrivens, who has played in 93 contests.

EVEN MORE TRIPLE DIGITS
Cornell senior Colin Greening is making a bid to become the 45th player in Cornell history to record 100 career points. The Big Red senior has 99 points through 114 career games. Hot on his heels on the race to 100 is junior Riley Nash, who has tallied 77 points in 83 career games, and Blake Gallagher, who has 80 points through 110 career games.

IN THE AIR TONIGHT
All of Cornell's games this season can be heard in the Ithaca area on WHCU 870 AM. Jason Weinstein returns for his fifth season calling Big Red hockey action.

ON THE TUBE
Five of Cornell's regular season games are scheduled to be on television this season, with the first being the Big Red's game at Union on Dec. 5, televised in the Albany area by Time Warner Sports. The other four games are all slated to be after the New Year, including the Big Red's game against North Dakota on Jan. 22. Other games to be televised include the game at New Hampshire on Jan. 3, at Quinnipiac on Feb. 5 and at Colgate on Feb. 16. Last season, Cornell played in 12 televised games, going 8-4 when on television.

REDCAST
Live streaming video of most of Cornell's home hockey games is available through Cornell REDCast. In addition to streaming video of home games, fans can also get live audio of all of Cornell's road games. REDCast is a subscription-based joint venture of Cornell athletics and Internet Consulting Services (ICS). Numerous subscription options, including yearly, monthly, sport-by-sport and pay-per-view passes, provide viewing and listening flexibility without the worry of automatic renewal. REDCasts are available on all computer operating systems.

UP NEXT
Cornell makes a quick turnaround after returning from Florida, heading to New Hampshire for a nationally televised contest against the Wildcats on Sunday, Jan. 3, at 3 p.m. That game will be televised on ESPNU.