Box Score

ITHACA, N.Y. -- The Cornell men's hockey team opened the 2009 ECAC Hockey playoffs by dominating long stretches of play, but ultimately, it was a late third-period goal that sent the Big Red to a 1-0 loss at the hands of Rensselaer on Friday night at Lynah Rink.

Cornell out-shot the Engineers by more than a 2-1 margin, putting 32 shots on the Rensselaer cage, but RPI goaltender Allen York was up to the task, turning away each attempt by the Big Red. RPI, meanwhile, managed just 14 shots, with Cornell netminder Ben Scrivens stopping 13 of them.

The one that got away came with 2:46 to play in the contest after the Engineers had successfully killed off the fourth Cornell power play of the night, even getting a little bit of help from the goalpost on a Riley Nash shot from the faceoff dot to York's right. With the puck in the Cornell end, a Big Red defenseman tried to back-hand the puck out of the zone, but it was gloved down by RPI freshman Patrick Cullen in the faceoff circle to Scrivens' right. Cullen circled around toward the wall and ripped a shot that skimmed over the left shoulder of the junior netminder and into the goal.

Cornell head coach Mike Schafer pulled Scrivens with 58 seconds to play for the extra skater, but the Big Red could not solve York in the closing minute.

Cornell finished the game 0-for-4 on the power play, while Rensselaer was 0-for-3 with the man advantage.

The two teams will square off again on Saturday night in a 7 p.m. contest at Lynah Rink. The Big Red needs a win to send the series to a decisive third game, which would be played on Sunday at 7 p.m., while a Rensselaer victory would clinch the series for the Engineers and send them to Albany, N.Y., for the ECAC Hockey semifinal round next weekend. Tickets for Saturday night's game and a potential game three on Sunday night are still available.