Box Score

ITHACA, N.Y. – Rebecca Johnston had two goals, Alyssa Gagliardi had two assists and Catherine White had a goal and an assist as the No. 3 Cornell women's hockey team held off a Brown rally to win 4-2 in the ECAC Hockey Quarterfinals on Friday afternoon.

Cornell (27-3) got out to a quick lead with three first-period goals before Brown (8-15-7) scored the next two, but a third-period goal from White put the Bears away for good and put Cornell ahead 1-0 in the best-of-three series. Game 2 is Saturday at 2 p.m. in Lynah Rink.

With the win Cornell extended its nation-long winning streak to eight games and made it 10 straight wins over the Bears. Cornell has won its last nine ECAC Hockey Tournament games and remains undefeated in February (9-0).

“I've been watching Brown [on tape], and I know that they're a threat,” head coach Doug Derraugh said. “I know how good they are, and they played well tonight.”

The Big Red put its foot on the gas early, scoring three goals in the game's first 15 minutes.

Rebecca Johnston – recently named the Ivy League Player of the Year – started the scoring with a strange shot that moved slowly from near the left point all the way through the crease and past Brown goalie Aubree Moore. Moore appeared to be screened on the play and had no idea the puck was gliding toward her.

Just more than a minute later, Erin Barley-Maloney made good on a rebound by Catherine White. The shot by White came from the left side of the net and went behind after a save by Moore. But the puck bounced fortuitously for Barley-Maloney, who picked it up behind the net and wrapped it around the right side just past Moore.

Johnston made it two goals in the period at the 14:36 mark when Brianne Jenner took a shot from the left side that was slowed down by a Brown stick. Johnston collected the puck closer to the net and roofed it past Moore, who was still out of position from attempting to play the first shot.

Brown got back into the game with less than a minute left in the first period when Brittany Moorehead found Lauren Vella in front of the net, and the Bears came within one when they scored the only goal of the second period.  Alena Polenska's slap shot from the right boards got through everyone and past Amanda Mazzotta for Brown's second goal.

“Brown is a really patient team, so they'll take their opportunities when they get them,” senior forward Chelsea Karpenko said. “They don't really get rattled, and they don't get running around. When we gave them opportunities, they buried it.”

But White's goal 10 minutes into the final period staved off any Brown comeback. White, standing to the right of the net, got a juicy rebound on a shot taken by Chelsea Karpenko and didn't miss her opportunity to squeeze the puck by Moore.

The series continues Saturday with a contest at 2 p.m. With a win, the Big Red would advance to the ECAC Hockey semifinals at Lynah Rink next weekend. A Cornell loss would force a third game in the series on Sunday at 2 p.m.