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Highlights

ESTERO, Fla. — Senior defenseman Patrick McCarron had three assists and senior forwards Jeff Kubiak and Matt Buckles celebrated their returns to the lineup after lengthy absences with a goal and an assist apiece in the men's hockey team's 5-2 victory over Northern Michigan in the first game of the Florida College Hockey Classic at Germain Arena. Cornell (8-3-1) advances to Thursday's championship game, where it will meet Colorado College at 7:35 p.m. riding a six-game winning streak.

Coming off a hiatus of three and a half weeks, the Big Red struck on the game's first power play — and it came from a familiar name in an unconventional fashion. Cornell's leading scorer from a season ago, Kubiak scored less than five minutes into his first game action since Oct. 29 when his centering pass banked off a Northern Michigan defenseman and into the net.

Northern Michigan (4-15-2) equalized with Dominik Shine's power-play goal less than two minutes later, but junior forward Trevor Yates restored the Big Red's lead entering the first intermission by zipping a shot over the blocker of Wildcats goalie Atte Tolvanen.

Cornell pulled away in the second period, starting with junior forward Alex Rauter's goal just 31 seconds into the second period. Buckles — also returning to the lineup after missing six games with an injury — then banged home a rebound midway through the frame, marking the third consecutive goal assisted by McCarron. It marks the ninth time in the last 10 games that the Big Red blueliner had at least one point.

Sophomore forward Mitch Vanderlaan capped the Big Red scoring with his team-leading eighth goal early in the third period, assisted by Kubiak. Senior goaltender Mitch Gillam made 18 saves for the victory.