Box Score

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – Sophomore forward Brian Ferlin scored his third goal of the year, leading the Cornell men's hockey team to a 3-2 victory on Friday night at Union – marking the first time this season that the Big Red has won a game in which it entered the final period trailing.
 
Ferlin's strike came with 10:27 left off a perfect feed from classmate Joel Lowry on a two-on-one break up the left wing. Sophomore defenseman Kirill Gotovets also drew an assist, getting a stick on a Union pass up the wall and past a point man to create the break.
 
Union held a pre-game ceremony honoring its Shayne Gostisbehere and Cornell sophomore forward Cole Bardreau for their gold medal-winning performances with the United States at the IIHF World Junior Championships. Bardreau then turned in one of his best collegiate performances to date, setting up John Esposito's goal in the first period before scoring the tying the score 2:30 into the third. Cornell is now 1-5-1 in games which it entered the third period trailing.
 
Just like in its last game, the Big Red struck very early. Braden Birch started a breakout up the right wing with a little chip to John McCarron, who outleted up the wall to Bardreau. He set up John Esposito in the slot for a one-timer that sailed by the blocker of Union goalie Troy Grosenick. It was Esposito's team-leading eighth goal of the season, which matches his career-high set while he was a sophomore.
 
But – also like in the Big Red's last game – the opposition would score the next goal. Not surprisingly, the equalizer came on a Union power play, with the Dutchmen leading the country with a 25.2 percent converstion rate coming into the night. Matt Hatch was able to flag down a loose puck toward the inside of the right circle and wrist a shot past helpless junior goalie Andy Iles at the 9:18 mark.
 
Union then took the lead on a similar tally with 4:21 remaining in the frame. Iles made a save that was kicked back into the slot and then caromed high into the air. The only player on the ice to find it was Union's Kyle Bodie, who was free to trap the puck soccer-style in his chest and calmly sweep the puck into the open side of the net to give the hosts their first lead of the night.
 
Cornell had a pair of power plays in the opening 20 minutes, which generated seven of the team's 11 shots on goal in the period. The best chance came toward the end of the first opportunity, when Bardreau's one-timer was stopped by Grosenick but kicked around in the goalie's skates before he was able to smother it and draw a whistle.
 
The second period featured plenty of chances on both ends, but no goals. Cornell's power play once again went to work after sophomore defenseman Jacob MacDonald drew a tripping penalty while driving hard to the net off the left halfwall. Erik Axell setting up Joakim Ryan for a one-timer from the center point. That shot was blocked, then bounced around in the slot before Axell clanked one off the post at the 2:52 mark.
 
The Dutchmen countered with a two-on-one break with the teams skating four-on-four, but Daniel Carr was foiled by a quick Iles glove at 4:10. Greg Miller had a pair of chances at the post to Grosenick's left, but the puck bounced around in the crease before being frozen on both occasions, leaving Union with a 2-1 lead heading into the third period.
 
Bardreau drew the visitors even early in the third. McCarron flagged down the puck in the slot with his back to goal, then wheeled around for a shot that hit traffic and was batted in by Bardreau at the far post.
 
Cornell peppered the Union net with 36 shots, but few came after it regained the lead and tried to survive the final minutes of the game. Iles made a spectacular save when Greg Coburn's low shot from the left point was deflected up high by Josh Jooris with 4:20 to play. Iles finished the night with 32 saves.
 
The Big Red wraps up its six-game stretch of games away from home at 7 p.m. Saturday when it visits Rensselaer.