Box Score

ITHACA, N.Y.— The men's hockey team was shut out for the first time this season in Saturday night's 3-0 loss to Brown at Lynah Rink.
 
Even though neither team found the twine in the opening frame, there were still some quality chances for both sides. While shorthanded early on in the period, 18th-ranked Cornell (8-9-2, 4-6-2 ECAC Hockey) got the first major chance of the game. Christian Hilbrich knocked down and stripped a Brown (7-9-4, 3-6-4 ECAC Hockey) defender of the puck, and then fed a streaking John Esposito. He shot was denied by Bears' goalie Anthony Borelli right in the slot.
 
Neither netminder had to make too many stops in the first, as the teams combined for just 11 shots, with Brown holding a 7-4 advantage. The best chance of the period for the Bears came at the four-minute mark, when Cornell goalie Andy Iles was forced to make three consecutive saves. The agile Iles made the original stop with his left pad, and then slid continuously to his left to make the next stops on rebounds.
 
A giveaway late in the second period would lead to the frame's only tally, as a loose puck found its way to Mark Naclerio behind the net. He would then leave it in front of the net, where Jeff Ryan would put it away with just 46 seconds left before the intermission.
 
Aside from the game's opening goal, Cornell had the momentum throughout most of the period, as the Big Red outhit Brown heavily and had some huge opportunities created by their big men. Armand de Swardt nearly finished off a 3-on-2 break when his wrist shot clanged off the post, and then Hilbrich nearly converted on a breakaway chance later in the period.
 
It didn't take long for the Bears to extend their lead in the third. Leading scorer Matt Lorito fed Ryan Jacobson in the neutral zone, who was stoned by Iles on a partial breakaway, but Lorito followed up the rebound to finish off the play just over six minutes into the period. The next 12 minutes of play were tightly contested, as both teams played at even strength during the stretch.
 
Mike Schafer, the Jay R. Bloom '77 Head Coach of Men's Hockey, opted to pull the goalie Iles with about ninety seconds remaining to gain an advantage. The Big Red would control play in the attacking zone, but solid shot-blocking from Brown would keep Cornell out of the net. After a late Big Red penalty, Nick Lappin capped off the scoring, when he put away a rebound from a Lorito shot off a faceoff scramble.
 
The 23-save performance by Borelli marked the senior's first career shutout. Iles made 27 stops in the loss, including 10 apiece in the second and third periods. Sophomore defenseman Joakim Ryan four shots on the night for Cornell. The Big Red was shut out for the first time since Dec. 3, 2011, when it played to a scoreless draw with Clarkson at Lynah.
 
The Big Red's forward lines were significantly shuffled after Friday night's overtime loss to Yale, leading to Ithaca native Kevin Cole's season debut and freshman Gavin Stoick's third game of the season – and first as a forward. While listed as a defenseman, Stoick played forward until he went to the US National Development Program two years prior to his arrival at Cornell.
 
The Big Red is back in action next weekend when it heads north to take on St. Lawrence and Clarkson.