BOSTON— The Cornell women's hockey team came out strong in the third period to tack on a goal, but it was too little, too late as the Big Red fell to #3 Northeastern, 3-1 Sunday at Matthews Arena. 

Cornell fell behind by two goals in the first period and both teams played to a lull in the second, but the Big Red weren't ready to go home just yet as it made a late push that included a waved-off goal. 

Like Saturday's game, the Huskies converted on its first power play opportunity of the day. Calls against both teams just two minute in led to a four-on-four situation before the Huskies got its skater back. Northeastern would play up a woman for a shift as Cornell served the remainder of its penalty and in that time Maddie Mills scored her eight goal of the season as she sent a beauty of a shot past her former teammate Lindsay Browning (31 saves).

The Huskies scored another at the 5:38 mark of the first to make it a 2-0 game just 15 minutes in. Katy Knoll caught a feed from pulled Lindsay Browning out of position to beat her on the backhand. Knoll netted the goal moments after she was exiting the penalty box.

Northeastern's penalty kill proved to be too much for the Big Red as it went 0-7 on power plays. The Big Red had three opportunities to convert on power plays in the second period, but only managed six shots in the 20-minute span as the Huskies fended off the visitors. 

Neither team was able to capitalize in the second until late in the period when Mills netted her second of the game on a feed that once again beat Browning on the backhanded for the 3-0 lead.

After being forced to play catchup for the opening 40 minutes, Cornell came out of the locker room with a sense of urgency. The Big Red attacked the Northeastern net just under six minutes into the final frame when a series of shots from Izzy Daniel and Rory Guilday found their way to the stick of Gillis Frechette who was able to find the net for her fifth of the season and put the Big Red on the board. 

Motivated by the goal, Cornell kept the pressure on Northeastern and with just six minutes left Guilday fired a laser from the point over the left faceoff circle that found its way past Northeastern's Gwyneth Philips (29 saves). 

After review, it was ruled there was contact on Philips by a Cornell player in the crease and the momentum-shifting goal was waved off. 

Browning was pulled at the 2:45 mark as the Big Red made a final attempt at two quick goals, but time would expire and Cornell moved to 4-6-1 on the season.

The Big Red have nearly a month off for finals and the holidays before meeting Dartmouth Friday, Jan. 7 at 6 p.m. in Lynah Rink.