ITHACA, N.Y. — Multi-point nights by junior forward Jack O'Leary, freshman forward Ryan Walsh, and sophomore forward Dalton Bancroft propelled the No. 12-ranked Cornell men's hockey team to a 4-1 victory over No. 11-ranked Minnesota Duluth before an over-capacity crowd of 4,316 at Lynah Rink on Friday evening.
Junior forward Kyle Penney recorded the game-winning goal for the Big Red (1-0-0), who recorded its most goals in a season-opening game since registering a 5-1 victory over Alabama-Huntsville precisely six years ago to the date (Oct. 27, 2017).
Walsh posted a goal and an assist for the Big Red, ensuring Cornell has had a freshman score in each of its last six season-opening matches, joining Morgan Barron (2017), Max Andreev (2018), Jack Malone (2019), Ondrej Psenicka (2021), and Winter Wallace (2022).
Junior goaltender Ian Shane made 18 saves, as Cornell's defense held the Bulldogs to just 19 shots on goal, 21 below their per-game average entering Friday's contest (40.2).
Ben Steeves registered his sixth goal in as many games for Minnesota Duluth, who saw its five-game unbeaten streak end. Zach Stejskal made 25 saves between the pipes for the Bulldogs (3-1-2).
"I thought it was a huge win for us," Mike Schafer '86, the Jay R. Bloom '77 Head Coach of Cornell Men's Ice Hockey, said. "[Minnesota Duluth] is a good hockey team. You watch them on tape, and you saw it tonight; they have guys who can make plays. Our guys did a good job. We didn't back off in the third period and made it difficult for them to go 200 feet."
Cornell scored the first two goals of the contest within 14 seconds. Bancroft netted the initial marker, lasering a wrist shot from the right faceoff circle before Penney followed suit shortly following. Walsh and freshman defenseman Hoyt Stanley were credited with the primary assists on the respective goals, marking the first collegiate point for both players.
Walsh increased the Big Red's lead to three when he redirected a shot taken by Bancroft while on the power play.
Just under three minutes after Walsh's power-play goal, Minnesota Duluth trimmed the Big Red's lead when Steeves potted the Bulldogs' 12th power-play goal.
O'Leary tacked on an insurance marker late in the third period when he backhanded a shot from the bottom of the left faceoff circle, ringing off the far post and in.
GAME NOTES
• Friday was the fifth all-time meeting between Cornell and Minnesota Duluth. The Big Red evened the series at 2-2-1 with the victory, which was its first over the Bulldogs since posting a 2-1 double-overtime victory in the initial contest between the two programs in the Syracuse Invitational Tournament on Dec. 27, 1968.
• Cornell is now 17-9-2 (.643) all-time in season openers and 19-6-3 (.732) in home openers under Schafer.
• The Big Red increased its win streak to 26 games when leading after the second period and is 398-22-27 all-time under Schafer under the circumstances.
• Seger continued to excel in the faceoff dot, winning 15 of the 26 draws he took on Friday night.
UP NEXT
Cornell and Minnesota Duluth will conclude its two-game series from Lynah Rink on Saturday night with another 7 p.m. puck drop. Game action will be broadcast live on ESPN+ and over the airwaves on WHCU (870 AM, 97.7 FM, whcuradio.com).
"We need to come back with a mentality that we lost that game," Schafer said. "When people lose, they face adversity, you have a different focus. Winning teams have a bad taste in their mouth when they win or lose. They want more and to prove themselves. That's where we are. We're one game in and we have something to prove to ourselves."
