HAMILTON, N.Y. — Junior forward Morgan Barron scored twice on the power play, and the Cornell men's hockey team yielded just nine shots on goal for the first time since 2009 in smothering Colgate to a 4-1 victory on Saturday at Class of 1965 Arena.

Returning to the lineup after a five-game absence, junior forward Kyle Betts assisted on senior forward Jeff Malott's goal just 2 minutes, 9 seconds into the game. Betts then scored what would turn out to be the game-winner later in the opening frame.

"Big goal by Kyle Betts. It's great to have him back in our lineup," said Mike Schafer '86, the Jay R. Bloom '77 Head Coach of Men's Hockey at Cornell. "Energy. The first two goals are created by that line and their hard work and hustle."

Cornell (16-2-4, 11-2-2 ECAC Hockey), which is ranked second in both the USCHO.com and USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine polls, needed just eight saves from junior goaltender Matthew Galajda to earn the victory. His first stop didn't come until late in the second period on a harmless shot from more than 50 feet away.
 
It marked the first time the Big Red conceded just nine shots on goal in a game in almost 11 years, dating back to a playoff victory over Rensselaer on March 14, 2009.
 
Barron's two strikes marked his third multiple-goal game of the season. Both came on one-timers while the Big Red was on one of its seven power-play opportunities, and it ended the Big Red's leading scorer's nine-game goal-scoring drought.
 
"We did the job coming back on our special teams," Schafer said. "Big goal by Morgan. And for us to do the same thing in the second period to go up 4-1 is the key."
 
The Big Red continued to apply pressure in the Colgate (9-12-6, 7-5-3) zone, but there was no more scoring to be had. Sophomore defenseman Joe Leahy appeared to score early in the third period, but the goal was waved off following video review because Cornell was deemed to have entered the offensive zone offsides. Sophomore defenseman Cody Haiskanen later ripped a shot off the crossbar.
 
Sophomore forward Tristan Mullin and senior defenseman Yanni Kaldis each had a pair of assists in the game. Mullin and Barron both have a team-leading 10 points in 11 games since the calendar turned to 2020.
 
With the victory, Cornell remains in solo possession of second place in the ECAC Hockey standings. Though two points behind league-leading Clarkson, the Big Red has a game in hand -- which happens to be the 4 p.m. Sunday rematch with Colgate back at Lynah Rink in Ithaca.
 
Saturday's game ended with tensions somewhat higher than usual after a skirmish followed a high hit from a Colgate player that resulted in a five-minute major.
 
"I'm sure our guys will be fired up and ready to play tomorrow," Schafer said.

The Big Red's Lineup:

How The Goals Were Scored:

Cornell's 1st Goal
1st period, 2:09  •  Malott 6 (Mullin, Betts)  •  Cornell 1, Colgate 0
•  Betts won a faceoff to Farrier's right, with Mullin swooping in from the wing to send the puck back to Malott. He drifted open into the slot, where he snapped a shot over Farrier's catching glove.
 
Colgate's 1st Goal
1st period, 5:50 (pp)  •  McMann 9 (Verboon, Sharf)  •  Cornell 1, Colgate 1
•  Working on the power play, the Raiders held the puck along the left wall. Matt Verboon whipped a pass from the half wall across ice to McMann at the top of the right circle. As the defending forward tried to recover, McMann faked a shot and changed his angle before wristing a shot past a screened Galajda.
 
Cornell's 2nd Goal
1st period, 13:10  •  Betts 2 (Bauld, Mullin)  •  Cornell 2, Colgate 1
•  With the Raiders looking to break out of their own zone, Betts' forecheck helped create a turnover. Bauld gathered the puck and swooped in from Farrier's left for a backhand shot that went off the side of the net. Mullin then won the puck battle on the back wall, and Bauld arrived to swipe a backhanded pass to Betts just off the post. With Farrier trying to find the puck over the wrong shoulder, Betts was free to jam the puck in past Farrier's left skate.
 
Cornell's 3rd Goal
1st period, 16:40 (pp)  •  Barron 10 (Locke, Kaldis)  •  Cornell 3, Colgate 1
•  Kaldis attacked through the neutral zone with the Big Red working on its first power play of the night, then made a pass to Barron on the right side to gain the zone. Barron and Locke made a few passes back and forth to set up Barron for a one-timer from the center point that sailed over Farrier's glove.
 
Cornell's 4th Goal
2nd period, 13:35  •  Barron 11 (Kaldis, Berard)  •  Cornell 4, Colgate 1
•  Michael Regush won a faceoff in the offensive zone and the Big Red set up shop in the offensive zone on the power play. Barron had a shot blocked from the top of the right circle, but kept possession. After a pass from Berard in the right corner, Barron fed Kaldis at the center point before getting primed for a one-timer that zipped over Farrier's left shoulder.

Up Next:

•  Cornell and Colgate face off in a rematch at 4 p.m. Sunday in the sixth annual Courage Classic at Lynah Rink in Ithaca.