ITHACA, N.Y. – Coming off a strong week of practice during a rare midseason off week, Cornell women's ice hockey will look to get untracked this weekend when it welcomes Brown and Yale for a pair of ECAC Hockey and Ivy League matchups. The Big Red will first faceoff with Brown on Friday, Nov. 14, while Yale will visit Lynah Rink on Saturday, Nov. 15. Opening faceoff on both days is scheduled for 3 p.m. Both contests will be the opening games of doubleheaders with the Cornell men's team, who will square off with Clarkson and St. Lawrence at 7 p.m. each night.
 
Cornell Big Red (0-4-0; 0-2-0 ECAC Hockey) vs. Brown Bears (3-4-0; 1-1-0 ECAC Hockey)
Friday, Nov. 14, 2014 | 3:00 PM | Ithaca, N.Y. – Lynah Rink
Live Stats | Live Video (ILDN)
 
Game Notes
Cornell | Brown
 
Cornell Big Red (0-4-0; 0-2-0 ECAC Hockey) vs. Yale Bulldogs (2-2-1; 0-2-0 ECAC Hockey)
Saturday, Nov. 15, 2014 | 3:00 PM | Ithaca, N.Y. – Lynah Rink
Live Stats | Live Video (ILDN)
 
Game Notes
Cornell | Yale
 
Big Red Headlines
Cornell had a rare mid-season off week, which may have come at the perfect time for the team. The Big Red has struggled out of the gate this season, but has also not had much opportunity to settle into a rhythm in the season's first two weeks. The team followed an extremely tough road opening season at now-top ranked Boston College, with a difficult home opening series against Princeton and Quinnipiac. Compounding the unsettled nature of the early season, Cornell was also missing two of its top players and head coach Doug Derraugh on the opening weekend, as they had the honor of representing Canada at the Four Nations Cup. The Big Red will look to restore some normalcy when it welcomes Brown and Yale this weekend.
 
About Head Coach Doug Derraugh '91
Derraugh enters his 10^th season at the helm of the Cornell women's ice hockey program. Returning to his alma mater before the 2005-06 season, he quickly transformed a program that posted only four wins in the season prior to his appointment into a consistent presence in ECAC Hockey and on the national stage. The Cornell program continues to grow under the guidance of the veteran coach. In 2013-14, he led the program to its fourth ECAC Hockey Tournament title over the last five seasons. All five of the Big Red's NCAA Tournament appearances have come under his leadership. Derraugh has twice been named ECAC Hockey Coach of the Year, most recently during the 2012-13 regular-season and tournament championship season. He is the winningest coach in the history of the program with a 170-105-21 record at Cornell. He returns both excellent assistant coaches Danielle Bilodeau '01 (ninth season) and Edith Racine (sixth season) in 2014-15.
 
Bear Headlines
Brown enters the weekend with a record of 3-4-0 on the early season. The squad has rallied to win three of its last four after beginning the season with three straight losses in a doubleheader against RIT and the conference home opener against Clarkson. A big part of the turnaround has been the team's ability to establish more possession in the offensive end. The Bears scored just four goals in their first three games, but the offense has exploded for 19 goals over the last four contests. The squad is coming off a two-game sweep of Maine, which included a 5-3 comeback victory last Saturday in which the Bears spotted Maine three goals in the opening 6:59 of the game. Senior forward Kaitlyn Keon has keyed the offensive outburst. She tallied twice in the second period of the Maine game to tie the score at 3-3 heading into the third period. She has scored five goals in her last three games and enters the matchup with Cornell riding a six game point streak.
 
The Series Against Brown…
Cornell leads the all-time series with Brown 44-34-8. The Big Red has dominated the Bears over recent seasons. Since 2007-07, Cornell owns a 17-1-1 record against Brown and has won 14 straight matchups in the series. During that stretch Cornell has marked a 9-0-1 record against Brown at Lynah Rink, averaging 4.6 goals per game while allowing just eight goals total over the 10 matchups. The Big Red has posted a shutout on the Bears in six of the last seven contests played on home ice.
 
Last Season's Series Against the Bears…
Cornell handled Brown relatively easily in the series sweep last season. The Big Red dispatched the Bears 3-1 in Providence with Jillian Saulnier marking a shorthanded goal and an assist. Hanna Bunton tallied the game-winner, deflecting a Cassandra Poudrier shot from the point past Brown net-minder Aubree Moore 1:18 into the third period. In the second game of the season, Cornell blanked the Bears 4-0 at Lynah Rink. Saulnier again marked a goal and assist, while Alyssa Gagliardi also tallied a goal and assist. Lauren Slebodnick notched the victory making 13 saves, before ceding the net to Stefannie Moak for the final 16:59 of play.
 
Bulldog Headlines
Yale enters this weekend with an overall record of 2-2-1 and a 0-2-0 mark in ECAC Hockey play. The Bulldogs got off to a strong start with a pair of convincing victories (6-2, 5-2) over Providence; however, the road has gotten harder over the last two weekends. The Bulldogs were shutout 3-0 by St. Lawrence in the team's conference home opener and the squad dropped a 2-1 game to Clarkson the following day. Yale rebounded in its most recent game against Boston University, as Eden Murray found the back of the net with just 2:03 remaining knot the score at 4-4. The Bulldogs would hold on through overtime for a tie against the nation's sixth-ranked squad. Yale boasts strong scoring depth as six players are on a point per game pace through the season's first three weeks. Freshman Taylor Marchin leads the squad with seven points, all coming by way of assists.
 
The Series Against Yale…
Cornell has dominated the all-time series against Yale with 52 wins – 13 losses – and one tie. The Big Red is 8-1-1 in the last 10 matchups against the Bulldogs, which includes a 5-0-1 mark at Lynah Rink. Cornell has outscored Yale 30-to-8 in those matchups.  
 
Last Season's Series Against the Bulldogs…
Cornell swept the season series with Yale last season, outscoring the Bulldogs 9-3 in the two matchups. The Big Red won 3-0 in New Haven, Conn., in the first of the two matchups. Graduated players Alyssa Gagliardi, Hayleigh Cudmore and Jessica Campbell each tallied a goal in the victory, while Jillian Saulnier had two assists. Paula Voorheis backstopped the shutout, making 16 saves. Cornell won the matchup at Lynah 6-3. Anna Zorn posted a three-point game tallying a goal and two assists, while Taylor Woods, Caroline DeBruin, and Jillian Saulnier each added two apples. Kaitlin Doering notched the game-winner, breaking a 3-3 tie with 8:29 remaining in the third period.
 
United Way Fundraiser
Cornell women's ice hockey has not only active on the ice, but also in the community as well. The team is frequently involved in several service projects and events to make the Ithaca community a better place for all of its citizens. The team has had a longtime partnership with the United Way of Tompkins County. One aspect of the team's service is the annual United Way fundraiser game, in which the team makes a donation for every fan in attendance. The attendance record for the United Way game was set in 2010, when 2,326 people packed Lynah Rink in the Big Red's 4-0 shutout victory over Clarkson. Over $3,000 was raised for the organization that game. The team has hosted several other successful fundraiser games. This season's United Way game will be Saturday, Nov. 15, against Yale. Morgan Stanley of Ithaca is this year's lead sponsor and will donate $1 for every fan in attendance. Fans are encouraged to join the team in making a donation to the United Way of Tompkins County.
 
Cornell Women's Hockey Team Day
For the second straight season, the City of Ithaca Mayor, Svante Myrick, has declared this coming Saturday "Cornell Women's Hockey Team Day" in conjunction with the team's United Way fundraiser game. "I invite all members of the community to join me in thanking the team, and the work they do in support of United Way of Tompkins County," Mayor Myrick said in a statement last week. A pre-game ceremony will honor the Tompkins Girls Hockey Association's Cub Club and its partnership with Cornell Women's Hockey, while raffles, giveaways, and a family fun zone will be part of the game day activities.
 
The Lynah Advantage
Cornell has thrived in the friendly confines of Lynah Rink. Known as one of the most raucous and intimidating environments in all of collegiate hockey, the "Lynah Faithful" has consistently had a psychological impact both in boosting the Big Red, while simultaneously throwing the opponent off its game. Over the last five seasons Cornell has defended its home ice with a vengeance. The Big Red is 81-16-3 at Lynah over its last six seasons counting the early 0-2-0 mark this season. The consecutive losses to open the season at home is the first time the Big Red has dropped two to start the season at Lynah since losing a pair to Mercyhurst in 2009-10.
 
Poll Position
With the slow start to 2014, Cornell has fallen out of the top-10 in both the USCHO and USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Women's College Hockey polls. It is the first time in over five seasons that the Big Red has not been ranked in the top-10 in at least one of the two major polls. The last time it happened was Week Four of the 2009-10 season. Cornell had gone 127 consecutive weeks ranked in the top-10 of at least one of the polls. Despite the team still searching for its first victory this season, the Big Red still sits just outside the top-10 as the first team receiving votes in each poll.
 
Winning-Time
Cornell has been the winningest program in ECAC Hockey over the last five seasons. The Big Red has averaged over 26 wins per season in compiling a 133-29-10 (.802) record since 2009-10. Cornell won the regular-season title four of those five years with the stretch of four straight coming to an end last season. The next closest ECAC Hockey squads in terms of recent wins are Harvard and Clarkson. The Crimson have amassed a 106-42-17 (.694) record, while the Golden Knights check-in with a 118-54-21 (.666) record. Cornell will look to get the ball rolling after a slow start to 2014-15.
 
Streak Snapped
For the first time since the 2009-10 season there is a new team enters the year reigning atop the Ivy League standings. Harvard edged the Big Red for the top spot in the Ivy, posting a 7-1-2 record to the Big Red's 7-2-1 in 2013-14. Cornell had won three straight Ivy League titles from 2010-11 to 2012-13. While the Big Red has often played the role of the 'hunted' in recent seasons, this year the team will have the chance to play 'hunter' as Harvard was the consensus preseason favorite to win both the ECAC Hockey and Ivy League crowns.
 
Dynamic Duo
Cornell seniors Brianne Jenner and Jillian Saulnier figure to be quite possibly the best 1-2 punch down the middle in NCAA Division I this season. Saulnier is coming off a fantastic 2013-14 which witnessed her lead the team in points (56), goals (28), and +/- (+28). Her 1.65 points per game average was the top mark in NCAA Division I, while she won 58% of her faceoffs (481-of-829). She was named Ivy League Player of the Year, while she earned First Team All-Ivy, First Team All-ECAC, and First Team All-America honors. Jenner returns to the squad after missing last season in order to play for the Canadian National Team in the Winter Olympics. In 2012-13 Jenner led the squad and ranked tied for fifth in NCAA Division I with 70 points. She tallied 35 goals and 35 assists for the Big Red, while her 2.19 points per game average was second only to United States National Team member Amanda Kessel (2.73 ppg). Jenner had a strong start in Boston, posting a 1-1-2 line, while Saulnier added an assist in the season opening game.
 
All Gold Everything
Brianne Jenner returns to East Hill for her senior season in 2014-15 and she's bring some hardware with her. The Big Red captain won a gold medal as a member of the Canadian National Team that defeated the United States 3-2 in overtime in the gold medal game of the XXII Olympic Winter Games held in Sochi, Russia. Although Jenner was one of the youngest members of Team Canada in the Olympics, she had a monumental impact in winning Canada's fourth straight gold medal. After the United States held a 2-0 lead through 56-minutes, Jenner sparked the furious Canadian comeback in the final 3:30, firing home a shot through heavy traffic in front of the USA net. Canada would go on to score the tying goal in the final minute, before ending it with a power play marker halfway through the first overtime session to complete the comeback. Fellow Cornellians Lauriane Rougeau '13 and Laura Fortino '13 joined Jenner in celebrating the gold medal achievement.
 
Coach Canada
While head coach Doug Derraugh has been a fixture as the bench boss for the Big Red for the last nine seasons, he will also wear another coaching cap in 2014-15. This past summer, Hockey Canada announced that Derraugh will serve as the head coach for the Canada National Women's Team for the first year of the new Olympic cycle following the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, this past year. He brings a wealth of experience to the position and will be quite familiar with team operations after serving as an assistant coach on the Canadian National Team that won the gold medal at the 2012 IIHF Ice Hockey Women's World Championship. Derraugh is expected to miss minimal game action for the Big Red; however, associate head coach Danielle Bilodeau '01 and assistant coach Edith Racine will be more than capable to step in if a conflict does arise.
 
4 Nations Cup
Cornell had a big presence at last week's 4 Nations Cup that was hosted at Kamloops, British Columbia. In addition to Derraugh being the bench boss for Team Canada, seven current and former Big Red players participated at the event. Current team members Jillian Saulnier and Brianne Jenner had huge impacts at the tournament for Team Canada. Saulnier (1-0 – 1pt) scored the game-winning goal in Canada's 2-0 opening game victory over Sweden, while Jenner (0-1 – 1pt) scored the lone goal in the shootout of Canada's 3-2 victory over the United States in the gold medal game. Former Cornellians Rebecca Johnston '12 (3-0 – 3pts), Laura Fortino '13 (0-2 – 2pts), Lauriane Rougeau '13 (0-1 – 1pt), and Jessica Campbell '14 (3gp) also had excellent tournaments for the Canadian team. Alyssa Gagliardi '14 also appeared in one game on the blue line for the United States. The tournament victory was Derraugh's first at the helm of the national team.
 
Penalty Problems
One area the Big Red could stand to improve is penalty prevention. Cornell has found themselves shorthanded 20 times through the team's first four games. Excluding the season opener in which Boston College went 2-for-4, the Big Red has killed 13 of the last 16 (.813) opponent power-plays. The team has also looked threatening on the offensive end with a skater down, tallying shorthanded goals in two of its last three contests. However, excessive time on the penalty-kill has not done the team any favors in establishing a rhythm on the offensive end. Cornell will look to play a more disciplined game coming out of the nearly two-week lay-off in game action.
 
Punch on the Power-Play
Cornell has shown some flashes of a lethal power-play unit. They have scored on 3-of-15 (.200) chances with the advantage this season. The Big Red looked to have injected some electricity into the unit against Princeton, scoring on two of the teams six opportunities; however, Quinnipiac stifled the Big Red, limiting the team to just two opportunities in the 3-0 loss. The return of Saulnier and Jenner to the lineup should lead to more power-play opportunities and allow the Big Red to create some different looks.
 
Fast Start for Fulton
Senior right wing Emily Fulton has gotten off to a torrid start on the offensive end this season. She leads the Big Red with a 3-2 – 5 line through the first four games of the year. She has shown an extra level of jump in the early going and has not been shy about attacking the blue line with a high level of speed. Her production figures to continue, if not increase, with the return of her two usual centers Saulnier and Jenner.
 
Provincial Party
Of the 20 players on the Cornell roster for the 2014-15 season, 15 hail from our neighbor to the north. The Big Red has players from five different provinces, which include: Alberta, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Ontario, and Quebec. Ontario is the province with the most representatives with ten of the 15. The other five players hail from the United States; two from Illinois and one each from Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York.
 
Fresh Faces
The Big Red will welcome five new members to the squad in 2014-15. The Class of 2018 will be a big boon to the back line as the class is comprised of a goalie, three defenders, and one forward. Two of freshmen hail from Illinois in Erin O'Connor (Evanston, Ill./Chicago Young Americans) and Sydnee Saracco (Countryside, Ill./Chicago Mission). Two others come to East Hill from Toronto, Ontario in goalie Amelia Boughn (Mississauga Junior Chiefs) and Sarah Knee (Toronto Junior Aeros). The lone forward of the group is Morgan McKim (Mars, Pa./Shattuck-St. Mary's).  The common theme amongst the newcomers is size. The new class averages 5-8 and it is expected to bring an added level physicality in front of the net and in puck battles along the wall this season.
 
The Breakdown
The Big Red boasts a nice blend of talented youth and experienced veterans in 2014-15. The roster is comprised of: three seniors, six juniors, six sophomores, and five freshmen. The group is very tight-knit with a number of players also playing together in the club and international level as well. A trio of sophomores (DeBruin, Veerman, and Voorheis) played their club hockey for the Aurora Junior Panthers. A freshman/sophomore combination (Boughn and Doering) played their club hockey for the Mississauga Junior Chiefs, while senior Jillian Saulnier and freshman Sarah Knee both come from the Toronto Aeros club system. Six players were also part of the Canadian Under 18 National Team.
 
All-League Performers
The team has six players returning coming off season's that netted them all-league honors from ECAC Hockey. Senior forward Jillian Saulnier earned First Team All-ECAC, while senior forward Emily Fulton earned Second Team All-ECAC honors. Junior defender Cassandra Poudrier was named Third Team All-ECAC. Sophomores Hanna Bunton and Paula Voorheis both earned All-Rookie honors after fantastic debut seasons. The team also returns 2012-13 First Team All-ECAC performer Brianne Jenner. Two players earned preseason recognition from ECAC Hockey entering this season, as both Jenner and Saulnier were named to the Preseason All-Conference Team.
 
Career Numbers Watch
* Brianne Jenner currently sits in sixth place on the all-time list in career points (180), fifth in assists (101), and seventh in goals (79). She needs eight points to tie Rebecca Johnston (2007-11) for fifth all-time. She needs just one assist to pass Catherine White (2008-11) for fourth all-time. She is five goals short of tying Amy Stanzin (1982-86) for sixth all-time.
* Jillian Saulnier currently sits in ninth place on the all-time list in career points (152) and is seventh all-time in assists (92). She needs five points to tie Amy Stanzin (1982-86) for eighth all-time. With her assist at Boston College she passed Rebecca Johnston (2008-11) all alone into seventh place on the all-time list. She currently sits at 60 career goals and needs just six more to tie Catherine White (2008-11) for 10th on the all-time list.
* Emily Fulton currently sits at 88 points – 40 goals and 48 assists – she needs 12 points to reach 100 for her career.
 
Up Next
Following the busy weekend, Cornell will have a quick turnaround as it welcomes Colgate to Lynah Rink for a Tuesday night matchup. Opening faceoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.