Box Score

ITHACA, N.Y. -- Cornell senior Tyler Mugford scored a pair of first-period goals as the Big Red snapped a three-game losing streak, defeating Rensselaer, 4-1, on Friday night at Lynah Rink. Brendon Nash and Riley Nash both added a pair of assists as the Big Red improved to 16-6-4 on the season and 11-5-3 in ECAC Hockey action. Rensselaer falls to 7-22-2 overall and 6-12-1 in league play.

Evan Barlow and Blake Gallagher added goals for the Big Red, while Michale Kennedy, Jared Seminoff and Sean Collins each added an assist. Garett Vassel scored the lone goal for the Engineers in the third period with Bryan Brutlag and John Kennedy picking up assists.

Ben Scrivens stopped 24 shots in picking up his 16th win of the season, while Mathias Lange stopped 19 Cornell shots in taking the loss. Cornell finished the game 1-for-4 on the power play, while the Engineers were held scoreless in all five of their power play opportunities.

Cornell jumped out to an early lead at the 4:13 mark of the first period when Michael Kennedy hit a streaking Tyler Mugford at the blue line. Mugford skated in toward the faceoff circle to Lange's right and ripped a shot that beat the senior netminder high to the near post for the 1-0 lead.

Four and a half minutes later, the Big Red struck again, this time with Barlow collecting his fifth goal of the season with the eventual game-winner. Brendon Nash flipped a puck toward the goal from the corner point, where Riley Nash collected it and laid it off to Barlow in the faceoff circle to Lange's left, and the senior one-timed a shot over the shoulder and into the goal.

With 8:57 to play in the first period, Mugford collected his second goal of the night and fourth of the season, capitalizing when Sean Collins caused a turnover in the neutral zone. Collins hit Mugford in stride again coming through the neutral zone and, in a near copy of the game's first goal, Mugford again beat Lange high to the near post for the 3-0 lead.

Cornell added to the lead in the second period when Blake Gallagher converted a 5-on-3, taking a pass from Brendon Nash and one-timing a shot past Lange. The score would remain 4-0 through the rest of the second period until Vassel struck for his first goal of the season midway through the third period to break up the Cornell shutout bid.

Cornell returns to action on Saturday night, taking on Union in a 7 p.m. game at Lynah Rink. Saturday's game will be the final home regular season game for the eight Cornell seniors, who will be recognized in a post-game ceremony.