Box Score
 
TROY, N.Y. – The men's hockey team ended its six-game stretch away from home with a 3-2 loss Saturday at Rensselaer. The 16th-ranked Big Red never led, surrendering goals in the second and third period after John McCarron scored his fourth goal in six games. Joel Lowry also scored for the Big Red.
 
RPI (8-10-5, 3-6-3 ECAC Hockey) struck first on the power play, with defenseman Nick Bailen slipping back door to slam in a pass from Jacob Laliberte at the post to goalie Andy Iles' right just 3:42 into the game.
 
Cornell (8-7-2, 4-4-2 ECAC Hockey) would soon get its own chances with the man advantage. While the visitors came up empty on a two-minute power play shortly after the RPI goal, Cornell was given an even better opportunity when RPI's Greg Burgdoerfer was issued a five-minute major and game misconduct for hitting from behind.
 
It took the Big Red's power play just 37 seconds to convert. Sophomore defenseman Joakim Ryan created the play with a spectacular entry to the Engineers' zone, weaving through traffic and into the right circle before dishing off to Mowrey streaking in on the wing. Mowrey drew the defense, then dished a pass back across the slot for McCarron to one-time past helpless RPI goalie Jason Kasdorf.
 
Because the power play was on a major penalty, Cornell kept the man advantage for more than another four minutes, peppering Kasdorf with 12 shots in all over the opportunity.
 
RPI stormed back in the second, firing 15 shots on Iles and eventually getting an indefensible goal to take the lead. But it wasn't before Iles made a save on Matt Neal's breakaway at 1:50 and a snag of Bo Dolan's drive off a faceoff win at 5:05.
 
Cornell generated a flurry of opportunities on the rush about midway through the frame. Brian Ferlin gained the zone and shielded the defense to allow Ryan a clean shot from just right of the slot at the 11:26 mark, but the puck clanked off the shaft of Kasdorf's stick over the goalie's blocker. Thirty seconds later, the freshman goalie shouldered away John Esposito's drive from the left circle, then was able to flash out a quick left pad to foil John Knisley's attempt on a rebound at 12:56.
 
The Engineers went to their second power play of the period a short time later, and took the lead on Ryan Haggerty's goal at 15:27. Guy Leboeuf slapper from the point was blocked by a penalty-killer, but the puck caromed right into the path of Neal on the weak side. He calmly drew the defense before laying a pass back into the slot for Haggerty, who had a wide-open net to convert.
 
RPI nearly doubled its first lead of the night a couple minutes later, but Iles made a pair of spectacular saves on Neal from the top of the crease as the goaltender was stretched out across the blue paint.
 
The Engineers broke through for an insurance tally in the third period with Mark McGowan hooking a puck-on-edge over Iles' glove with 7:46 remaining. The Big Red drew a penalty on the next shift, with the best chance on the power play coming when Dustin Mowrey's one-timer from the top of the left circle clanked off the near post. It was the eighth time in the last three games the Big Red has hit either the post or the crossbar.
 
Lowry then scored his seventh goal of the season with 30.4 seconds remaining in the game with Iles pulled for an extra attacker. Brian Ferlin's shot from the slot was saved, but Miller chased it down at the bottom of the right circle and wheeled a pass across the crease for Lowry to slam home. But that was as close as the Big Red would get.
 
Having not played at home since Dec. 1, Cornell finally returns to Lynah Rink next weekend with a nationally televised contest on Friday, Jan. 25 against Yale before hosting Brown the following night. The game against the Bulldogs will be the second time this year that NBC Sports Network broadcasts a game from Lynah Rink.