#13 Men’s Hockey Travels to Harvard, Dartmouth This Weekend

Mike Schafer '86
The Jay R. Bloom ‘77 Head Coach of Cornell Men’s Ice Hockey

THE PUCK DROP
• Winners of its last four games, the No. 13-ranked Cornell men's hockey team makes its annual trek to New England to square off against ECAC Hockey and Ivy League rivals Harvard and Dartmouth.

 • Both games will be broadcast live on ESPN+ and over the airwaves on WHCU (870 AM, 97.7 FM, whcuradio.com).

ROAD WARRIORS
• Along with its active six-game unbeaten streak, Cornell has not lost any of its last six contests away from Lynah Rink, also posting a 4-0-2 record during the span.

• The Big Red's six-game road unbeaten streak is the 19th instance in the program's 107-year history in which it has strung at least six consecutive non-losing results together and is the first since Nov. 1 to Dec. 6, 2019 (6-0-0).

• A win or tie over Harvard on Friday would be the 13th time Cornell has had a seven-game unbeaten streak away from Ithaca and be the first since going 4-0-3 from Dec. 1, 2018 to Feb. 15, 2019. It would be the seventh time under Mike Schafer '86 that the Big Red has been unbeaten across seven consecutive games on the road or at a neutral site.

• Should the Big Red not lose this weekend, it would be Cornell's 11th road unbeaten streak of at least eight games and the first since Dec. 2, 2017 to Feb. 23, 2018 (7-0-2).

CASTAGNA EARNS WEEKLY HONOR
• Freshman forward Jonathan Castagna was named ECAC Hockey's Rookie of the Week, as announced by the conference office on Monday morning.

• Castagna, the first Cornell player to garner Rookie of the Week honors this season, propelled the Big Red to its 6-2 victory over Princeton last Friday as he registered a four-point night, highlighted by netting his first collegiate hat trick.

• Two of Castagna's three goals came on the same shift within 31 seconds, quickly breaking open a 1-1 tie with the Tigers. Castagna's latter goal in the 31 seconds was featured as the No. 7 play on ESPN's SportsCenter Top 10 plays.

• The three goals scored by Castagna were tied with Union's Liam Robertson for the most by an ECAC Hockey player this past week. Castagna's four points were the second-most in ECAC Hockey with Clarkson's Ryan Richardson (1-3—4), Harvard's Joe Miller (2-2—4) and Michael Callow (1-3—4), and Colgate's Alex DiPaolo (2-2—4).

• Castagna became the third Cornell player this season to earn a weekly award, joining senior forward Gabriel Seger (two-time ECAC Hockey Bluebird by Lark Player of the Week) and junior goaltender Ian Shane (four-time ECAC Hockey MAC Goaltending Goaltender of the Week).

SHANE NAMED TO RICHTER WATCH LIST
• Junior goaltender Ian Shane was named to the watch list for the 2024 Mike Richter Award, as announced by the American College Hockey Association on Jan. 12.

• Shane is the first Cornell netminder to be named to three watch Mike Richter Award watch lists since Matthew Galajda (2017-18, 2018-19, and 2019-20). Mitch Gillam is the other Big Red goaltender named to multiple Richter Award watch lists (2015-16 and 2016-17).

• A total of 32 goaltenders were named to this year's watch list, with five of the nominees playing for ECAC Hockey programs. Joining Shane on the watch list was Dartmouth's Cooper Black, Quinnipiac's Vinny Duplessis, St. Lawrence's Ben Kraws, and Clarkson's Austin Roden.

• Should Shane be named a semifinalist (top 10), he would join Galajda as the lone Big Red goaltenders to reach that stage in Mike Richter Award voting. Galajda finished as a two-time finalist for the award back in 2018 and 2020.

HOCKEY HUMANITARIAN AWARD
• Junior defenseman Hank Kempf was named one of 18 nominees for the 2024 Hockey Humanitarian Award, announced on Jan. 17 by the Hockey Humanitarian Award Foundation.

• Kempf is the first nominee for the award from Cornell since Morgan Richardson '16 of the Big Red's women's program in 2015-16 and is the first men's hockey player nominated since goaltender Andy Iles '14 in 2013-14.

• Since the introduction of the award for the 1996-97 season, Kempf is the ninth Big Red player nominated for the prestigious award and just the fourth from the men's program, joining Sam Paolini '03 (who won the award in 2003), Topher Scott '08, and Iles. Kempf is Cornell's first non-senior nominee for the Hockey Humanitarian Award, as all eight previous nominees were in their senior seasons.

SHANE'S WORLD
• Junior goaltender Ian Shane has excelled inside the blue paint during his time on East Hill, posting a 37-18-7 record with a 1.74 goals-against average and a .921 save percentage in his 66 appearances between the pipes.

• During Cornell's six-game unbeaten streak, Shane has been the Big Red's netminder in all contests while logging a 1.56 goals-against average and a .911 save percentage.

• Over Shane's last 26 appearances between the pipes, dating back to last season, the Manhattan Beach, Calif., native has a produced a 15-5-3 record (.717) with a 1.49 goals-against average and a .928 save percentage. During the stretch, Shane has allowed two or fewer goals on 21 occasions (80.8 percent of outings) and has conceded a goal or less 13 times.

• Shane enters this weekend with a career goals-against average of 1.74, which paces all active Division I goaltenders with at least 25 games played. He is one of two active Division I netminders with a career goals-against average under 2.00, as he is currently 22 points ahead of Minnesota State's Keenan Rancier (1.96).

• Additionally, Shane's goals-against average ranks as the fifth-best in Cornell's modern era (since the 1957-58 season), as he trails Dave LeNeveu (1.29 — 2001-03), Ken Dryden (1.60 — 1966-69), Matthew Galajda (1.64 — 2017-20), and David McKee (1.71 — 2003-06).

• Along with Shane's impressive goals-against average, he ranks fifth among Division I goaltenders in save percentage (.921), trailing Wisconsin's Kyle McClellan (.927), Notre Dame's Ryan Bischel (.926), RIT's Tommy Scarfone (.922), and Minnesota's Justen Close (.921) by eight ten-thousandths of a point.

• Shane's nine shutouts — tied with Andy Iles '14 for the eighth-most in Cornell program history — are the fourth-most by an active Division I goaltender. Only Michigan Tech's Blake Pietila (19), Close (11), and Bischel (10) have recorded more shutouts than Shane.

POINT SEGER
• Coming off a stellar junior year in his first season with Cornell in which he posted the first 30-point season since Morgan Barron (14-18—32) in 2019-20, senior forward Gabriel Seger has not missed a beat to open the 2023-24 campaign, registering 21 points (9-12—21) across the first 17 games.

• Seger's 30 points last season marked the 36th time in Cornell's modern era, dating back to 1957-58, and just the eighth occurrence since 1979-80, in which a player surpassed the 30-point plateau in his first season with the Big Red. It was the first occasion since Riley Nash had 32 points (12 goals and 20 assists) during his freshman year at Cornell in 2007-08. The others to have 30-point seasons in their first season with Cornell since 1979-80 include Gary Cullen (18-17—35 in 1981-82), Duanne Moeser (17-17—34 in 1982-83), Joe Nieuwendyk (21-24—45 in 1984-85), Trent Andison (21-17—38 in 1987-88), Doug Derraugh (11-21—32 in 1987-88), Kyle Knopp (11-22—33 in 1995-96), and Nash.

• Should Seger record nine more points this season, he would be the first Cornell player with consecutive 30-point seasons since Morgan Barron in his sophomore (15-19—34 in 2018-19) and junior seasons (14-18—32 in 2019-20). The last time a Cornell player posted at least 30 points in their first two seasons with the Big Red was Riley Nash in 2007-08 (12-20—32 as a freshman) and 2008-09 (13-21—34 as a sophomore).

• With a 30-point season this year, Seger would become the 25th player in Cornell's modern era to post 30 points in his first two seasons with the Big Red and be only the third instance under Mike Schafer '86. Kyle Knopp (1995-96 and 1996-97) and Riley Nash (2007-08 and 2008-09) were the others to do so under Schafer. It would also be just the sixth instance over the last 40 seasons, along with Duanne Moeser (1982-83 and 1983-84), Joe Nieuwendyk (1984-85 and 1985-86), Trent Andison (1988-89 and 1989-90), Knopp, and Nash.

ONE OF THE BEST IN ECAC HOCKEY
• Senior forward Gabriel Seger enters this weekend with 94 career points, on the power of 30 goals and 64 assists, which currently stands as the 16th-most by a Division I skater.

• Seger's 94 career points are the third-most for all active players within ECAC Hockey. Only Quinnipiac's Collin Graf (46-66—112) — whom Seger was teammates at Union during the 2021-22 season — and Clarkson's Mathieu Gosselin (36-66—102) are ahead of the Big Red senior centerman.

LIKE A ROCK AT THE DOT
• Senior forward Gabriel Seger enters this weekend with 1,087 faceoffs won, ranking eighth among active Division I players.

• Seger is one of nine players to have at least 1,075 career faceoff wins, joining AIC's Dustin Manz (1,517), Omaha's Nolan Sullivan (1,405), Minnesota's Jaxon Nelson (1,241), Air Force's Clayton Cosentino (1,207), Vermont's Ryan Miotto (1,154), RIT's Carter Wilkie (1,138), Wisconsin's David Silye (1,089), and Northern Michigan's Artem Shlaine (1,080).

• This season, Seger has won 60.0 percent of the draws he has taken, currently one of 11 players nationally to have eclipsed 60 percent with at least 200 faceoff wins. Seger's win rate paces all ECAC Hockey players with at least 100 draws won and is 1.1 points ahead of Union's Liam Robertson (58.9).

THANKS FOR THE HELP!
• Over his two seasons at Union and his current tenure with Cornell, senior forward Gabriel Seger has accrued 64 career assists, tied with Minnesota Duluth's Quinn Olson for the 10th-most helpers by an active Division I player. Seger's career total is tied for the eighth-highest by active forwards.

• Last season, Seger recorded 23 assists, which marked the most in a single season by a Big Red player since defenseman Yanni Kaldis in 2018-19 (24). It was the most by a Cornell forward since Greg Miller in 2010-11 (25).

• Seger's 64 assists are the third-most by an active ECAC Hockey player, trailing Quinnipiac's Collin Graf — who he was a teammate with at Union during the 2021-22 season — and Clarkson's Mathieu Gosselin, as both players have 66 helpers.

• Should Seger register 20-plus assists this season, he would become the first Cornell player with consecutive 20-assist seasons since defenseman Yanni Kaldis in 2018-19 (24) and 2019-20 (20). No Big Red forward has had consecutive 20-assist seasons since Riley Nash did so in all three of his seasons at Cornell (2007-10). Nash had 20 assists his freshman year before posting 21 and 23 assists.

LENDING A HELPING HAND
• Freshman defenseman Ben Robertson has opened his collegiate career with 12 assists in his first 17 games, which included snapping his six-game streak without an assist after he set up sophomore forward Dalton Bancroft with his overtime game-winning goal against then-No. 3-ranked Quinnipiac last Saturday night at Lynah Rink.

• Robertson is currently situated in a four-way tie with Brendon Nash (2006-07), Alec McCrea (2015-16), and Sam Malinski (2019-20) for the ninth-most assists by a freshman defenseman in Cornell program history, dating back to 1975-76 when first-year players were eligible to play on the Big Red's varsity team.

• With his next assist, Robertson would enter a four-way tie with Dan Ratushny (1988-89), Steve Wilson (1993-94), and Yanni Kaldis (2016-17) for the sixth-most helpers by a first-year blueliner.

• Two assists this weekend would place Robertson in a three-way tie for the fourth-most helpers by a freshman defenseman with Steve Inglehart (1982-83) and Nick D'Agostino (2009-10).

• Robertson's 12 assists rank as the ninth-most by a freshman defenseman in Division I hockey and is two more than any other first-year ECAC Hockey blueliner (Brown's Ethan Mistry).

CLIMBING THE RANKINGS
• Along with his 12 assists this season, freshman defenseman Ben Robertson scored his first two collegiate goals in the Big Red's two-game series sweep over Arizona State in Tempe, Ariz., on Jan. 12-13.

• Robertson's 14 points this season are tied for the 13th-most by a first-year blueliner with Brendon Nash (2-12—14 in 2006-07) and Yanni Kaldis (1-13—14 in 2016-17), dating back to 1975-76, the inaugural season freshmen were eligible to play on the varsity team.

• With his next point, Robertson will enter a five-way tie for the ninth-most points by a freshman defenseman, matching Dan Ratushny (2-13—15 in 1988-89), Larry Pierce (4-11—15 in 1997-98), Mike Devin (4-11—15 in 2007-08), and Alec McCrae (3-12—15 in 2015-16).

• Should Robertson have two points this weekend, he would enter a three-way tie with Steve Wilson (3-13—16 in 1993-94) and Sam Malinski (4-12—16 in 2019-20) for the seventh-most points in a season by a freshman defenseman.

• Meanwhile, a three-point weekend would move the Potomac Beach, Va., native into the top five alongside Steve Inglehart (3-14—17 in 1982-83) and Joakim Ryan (7-10—17 in 2011-12).

STOUT DEFENSE
• Historically, Cornell has boasted one of the nation’s stingiest defensive units, as the Big Red has ranked in the top 10 in scoring defense in the last six seasons it has competed in.

• Cornell has allowed the fewest goals in Division I hockey this season, surrendering just 36 goals against across its 17 games. Wisconsin (39) has given up three more goals than the Big Red, while Quinnipiac (46) is seven goals behind.

• The Big Red's 2.12 goals allowed per game ranks third nationally in Division I hockey, only behind Wisconsin (1.63) and Quinnipiac (2.00).

• Since 2016-17, Cornell has allowed 425 goals, which leads all Division I programs by 134 goals (Harvard and Minnesota State — 559) that have played at least seven seasons.

SCOUTING HARVARD
• Harvard enters this weekend with a 3-11-3 overall record and a 3-6-3 mark in ECAC Hockey contests. The Crimson has won two of its last three games, as it snapped a 10-game losing streak with a 1-0 victory over Yale on Jan. 13. It was the Crimson's longest winless streak since an 0-8-2 stretch early on in the 2009-10 campaign.

• Ryan Healy and Joe Miller pace the Crimson's offense with their team-leading eight goals and 16 points. Cam Johnson is tied with Healy and Miller for the team lead in assists with eight.

• Goaltending has been split between Derek Mullahy (11 games, nine starts, 1-7-1, 3.56, .890) and Aku Koskenvuo (nine games, eight starts, 2-4-2, 3.36, .901).

• The Crimson have the fourth-best power play in the nation, converting at a 28.8 percent clip (15-of-52), only behind Michigan (36.6), Princeton (34.5), and Minnesota Duluth (29.1).

113 YEARS, 329 MILES, 163 MEETINGS
• Saturday will be the 164th meeting between the two bitter Ivy League rivals. Cornell leads the series, 79-71-13, despite being winless over its last seven against the Crimson (0-5-2). Seven of the previous nine meetings between the programs have been decided by one goal or less.

• Cornell is seeking its first win over Harvard since Dec. 6, 2019, when it posted a 3-1 victory in Cambridge. The Big Red is 7-3-3 over its last 13 contests at Bright-Landry Hockey Center and has scored at least two goals in its previous 14 games.

CORNELL - HARVARD CONNECTIONS
• Ryan McInchak, Hank Kempf, Alex Gaffney, and Kyle Aucoin were members of the Muskegon Lumberjacks in 2018-19 ... Kempf also played with Gaffney and Aucoin in 2019-20 on the Lumberjacks ... Kempf and Gaffney also played for Team USA at the 2019 Hlinka-Gretzky Cup ... Kempf, Luke Devlin, and Philip Tresca were teammates in Muskegon in 2020-21 ... Michael Suda, Jack O'Leary, and Derek Mullahy played on the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders in 2019-20 ... Kyle Penney (Chilliwack Chiefs) and Nick DeSantis (Sioux Falls Stampede) played with Tommy Lyons during the 2019-20 season ... Penney also played with Cam Johnson on the Chiefs in 2020-21 ... Ondrej Psenicka and Ryan Drkulec played on the Waterloo Black Hawks in 2019-20 ... Ian Shane was teammates with Ian Moore, Joe Miller, and Jack Bar in 2020-21 on Chicago Steel ... Remington Keopple, Derek Mullahy, and Zakary Karpa were teammates on the Des Moines Buccaneers in 2020-21 ... Sean Donaldson and Ryan Healey played on the Sioux Falls Stampede from 2020-22 ... Devlin and Matthew Morden played at St. Andrew's College from 2020-22, and Jonathan Castagna joined the team in 2021-22 ... Devlin and Ryan Healey represented Team USA at the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup in 2021 ... Keopple and Ian Moore played at the 2021 World Juniors for Team USA ... DeSantis and Casey Severo played on the 2021-22 Madison Capitols ... George Fegaras was teammates with Matthew Morden and Michael Callow last year on the Muskegon Lumberjacks ... Devlin and Ben MacDonald played on the West Kelowna Warriors last season.

GAFFNEY'S PAIR OF POWER-PLAY GOALS LIFT HARVARD OVER #7 MEN'S HOCKEY

BOX SCORE I  RECAP I HIGHLIGHTS | GALLERY

ITHACA, N.Y. (NOV. 11, 2023) — Harvard's Alex Gaffney scored a pair of power-play goals to guide the visiting Crimson to a 3-2 victory over the No. 7-ranked Cornell men's hockey team before a sold-out crowd of 4,361 at Lynah Rink on Saturday night.

Paired with Gaffney's multi-goal performance, Derek Mullahy made 27 saves in the first victory of the season for Harvard.

Freshmen Luke Devlin and Jake Kraft scored for Cornell in its first setback of the season.

SCOUTING DARTMOUTH
• Dartmouth enters this weekend with a 5-7-6 overall record and a 3-4-4 mark in ECAC Hockey contests. The Big Green snapped a three-game losing streak with its 6-2 win over RPI last Saturday.

• Thompson Arena has been kind to Dartmouth this season, posting a 4-2-2 record. Both of the Big Green's losses on home ice have come over its last three games at the venue, as it fell to Maine, 5-1, in the championship game of the Ledyard Bank Classic on Dec. 30, and to Union, 5-1, last Friday.

• Nikita Nikora leads Dartmouth in both assists (12) and points (15), while Cooper Flinton has netted a Big Green-best eight goals.

• Cooper Black has started in all 16 outings between the pipes for Dartmouth, amassing a 5-5-6 record with a 2.51 goals-against average and a .914 save percentage. Roan Clarke has the other two starts, as the first-year netminder is 0-2-0 with a 4.63 goals-against average and .847 save percentage in his three appearances this season.

• The Big Green have the seventh-best penalty kill in the nation, allowing just nine power-play goals in 64 opportunities (85.9 percent). It is the third-best penalty kill in ECAC Hockey, only behind Union (88-of-99 — .889) and Quinnipiac (72-of-83 — .867).

114 YEARS, 301 MILES, 145 MEETINGS
• Saturday will be the 146th meeting between the Ivy League foes. Cornell has the lead in the series, 87-50-8, while going unbeaten in its last six meetings (4-0-2) and 11 of its previous 14 against the Big Green (8-3-3).

• Games have been relatively close between the two Ancient Eight opponents, as the last seven games, eight of the previous nine, and 21 of the prior 31 contests have been decided by a goal or less.

CORNELL - DARTMOUTH CONNECTIONS
• Liam Steele was teammates with CJ Foley and Owen Desilets last season on the Salmon Arm Silverbacks ... Sullivan Mack played with Nate Morgan on the Silverbacks in 2020-21 ... Luke Devlin and Matt Fusco played together last year on the West Kelowna Warriors ... Jimmy Rayhill was teammates with Joey Fusco and Cooper Black on the Odessa Jackalopes during the 2020-21 season ... Hank Kempf and Ryan Sorkin spent time together on the Muskegon Lumberjacks for the 2019-20 season ... Tim Rego and Steven Townley played at the Williston Northampton School in 2016-17, and Rego was teammates with Sean Chisholm for two years on the Brooks Bandits from 2019-21 ... Cameron McDonald was teammates with Kyler Kovich (Powell River Kings in 2017-18) and Nick DeSantis (Sioux Falls Stampede in 2019-20) ... Black was teammates with Jack O'Brien and Sean Donaldson on the Nanaimo Clippers during the 2021-22 season.

#7 MEN'S HOCKEY, DARTMOUTH BATTLE IN FRIDAY NIGHT TIE

RECAP I BOX SCORE I HIGHLIGHTS | POSTGAME INTERVIEWS | GALLERY

ITHACA, N.Y. (NOV. 10, 2023) — The No. 7-ranked Cornell men's hockey team and Dartmouth battled to a 2-2 tie before another sold-out crowd of 4,361 at Lynah Rink on Friday night.

Sophomore Dalton Bancroft and junior defenseman Tim Rego recorded the goals for the Big Red, who saw its season-opening four-game win streak end.

John Fusco scored both goals for Dartmouth, who also had a 31-save performance from sophomore goaltender Cooper Black.

CASTAGNA PROPELS #14 MEN'S HOCKEY TO WIN OVER PRINCETON

RECAP I BOX SCORE | HIGHLIGHTS | POSTGAME INTERVIEWS | GALLERY

ITHACA, N.Y. (JAN. 19, 2024) — Freshman forward Jonathan Castagna recorded a four-point night, including his first collegiate hat trick, to guide the No. 14-ranked Cornell men's hockey team to a resounding 6-2 victory over Princeton before 4,181 at Lynah Rink on Friday night.

Joining Castagna in logging multi-point nights were his linemates, junior forwards Jack O'Leary (one goal, one assist) and Sullivan Mack (two assists).

Sophomore forward Nick DeSantis was the lone other Cornell player to have a multi-point night, scoring the Big Red's first and final goals. 

Junior goaltender Ian Shane stopped 15 shots between the pipes for Cornell as the Big Red is now unbeaten in its last five games (3-0-2).

David Jacobs posted a goal and an assist in the setback for the Tigers, while Ethan Pearson made 29 saves in goal for Princeton.

BANCROFT LIFTS #14 MEN'S HOCKEY TO OVERTIME VICTORY OVER #3 QUINNIPIAC

RECAP I BOX SCORE | HIGHLIGHTS | POSTGAME INTERVIEWS | GALLERY

ITHACA, N.Y. — Sophomore Dalton Bancroft scored two goals, including the game-winning marker 3:11 into overtime, to lift the No. 14-ranked Cornell men's hockey team to a 3-2 victory over No. 3-ranked Quinnipiac before a sold-out crowd of 4,361 at Lynah Rink on Saturday night.

Junior forward Ondrej Psenicka joined Bancroft in registering a multi-point night as he logged a goal and an assist, aiding the Big Red to extend its unbeaten streak to six games (4-0-2) and improving its overall mark on the year to 10-4-3 and 5-4-1 in ECAC Hockey play.

Fellow junior Ian Shane continued his strong play between the pipes, stopping 22 shots in the victory. Across six career appearances against the Bobcats, Shane has compiled a 4-1-0 record with a 1.33 goals-against average and a .955 save percentage (150 saves on 157 shots faced).

Quinnipiac graduate student Zach Tupker — a familiar face for many Cornell hockey fans — and Alex Power found the back of the net for the Bobcats (15-6-2, 9-2-1 ECAC), who have lost consecutive games for the first time since losing a pair of overtime contests against New Hampshire (Oct. 21) and Maine (Oct. 28).

Vinny Duplessis shoved aside 14 Cornell shots in the setback for the Bobcats.

2023-24 Roster

If you’ve never been to a Big Red hockey game at Cornell’s Lynah Rink, there are quite a few things you’ve never experienced. You’ve never camped in line to get season tickets and ensure your spot as one of the raucous and devoted "Lynah Faithful." But most importantly, if you’ve never been to Lynah, you’ve never experienced all the best that college hockey offers.

Lynah Rink, which enters its 67th year of being the home of Big Red hockey this season, was dedicated on April 6, 1957, in honor of the late James Lynah '05, who served as the director of athletics at Cornell from 1935-43.

Cornell began sponsoring a hockey team in the 1900-01 season, which featured all Big Red home games played on the university’s outdoor rink on Beebe Lake. Due to a series of abnormally mild winters, the program was left on "thin ice," causing Cornell to drop the program entirely after the 1947-48 campaign.

Fortunately, the construction of Lynah Rink gave Cornell hockey a new home, ensuring ice hockey would return as a varsity sport beginning with the 1957-58 season.

The facility has received numerous face-lifts since hosting its inaugural game on March 21, 1957, between the New York Rangers and the Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League (AHL).

Cornell spent nearly $1 million renovating Lynah in the summer of 2000, replacing the rink floor, drainage system, frost protection and refrigeration piping, and adding new boards and seamless glass.

During the summer of 2006, a 16,700-square-foot expansion added new locker rooms, coaches offices, study lounges, new athletic training space, and approximately 450 new seats in the seating bowl.

Over this past winter break, updated Cornell branding on the façade and south concourse brought a more modern look to the facility. Though many physical aspects of Lynah Rink have changed over time, the crowd remains constant. Lynah Rink can hold 4,267 boisterous Cornell hockey fans who provide unwavering support for the Big Red while creating an unparalleled atmosphere in college hockey.

Although many rinks in the nation are bigger in capacity, few are known to be louder. The Cornell fans, aptly named the "Lynah Faithful," stream into every home contest, making themselves as much a part of the game as the players do. Whether they’re cheering for the Big Red or joining the pep band in their rendition of "Give My Regards to Davy," the Lynah Faithful reaffirms the old saying, "There’s no place like home."

Since the doors opened on Lynah Rink, the Cornell men's hockey program has won a pair of NCAA Division I men’s hockey championships in 1967 and 1970, garnering an ECAC Hockey-record 12 tournament championships (1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1973, 1980, 1986, 1996, 1997, 2003, 2005, 2010) and 25 Ivy League titles, 21 of which have been won outright.

• Cornell returns home to welcome North Country rivals St. Lawrence and Clarkson to Lynah Rink. The Big Red will face St. Lawrence first on Friday, Feb. 2, before playing host to Clarkson the following night. Both games are scheduled for 7 p.m. puck drops, with game action broadcast on ESPN+ and over the airwaves on WHCU (870 AM, 97.7 FM, whcuradio.com).

• The meeting between Cornell and St. Lawrence next weekend will be the first between the Empire State programs this season. They will meet again in Canton on Saturday, Feb. 24, in the Big Red's final regular-season away contest.

• Over the last 12 meetings, Cornell has had the upper-hand in the series, compiling a 10-2-0 record over St. Lawrence, while outscoring the Saints by 28 goals, 42-14. Both of Cornell's losses to St. Lawrence have come in the last two games played at Lynah Rink between the in-state rivals.

• Next Saturday, which will be the 150th all-time meeting between Cornell and Clarkson, will be the 19th time the New York State opponents will play each other since the 2016-17 season. Over the previous 18 contests, Cornell has an 8-5-5 record, including a 5-2-1 mark in the last eight meetings.