#19 Men’s Hockey Welcomes U.S. NTDP U-18 Team to Lynah on Saturday

Casey Jones '90
The Jay R. Bloom ‘77 Head Coach of Cornell Men’s Ice Hockey

PUCK DROP

• The No. 19-ranked Cornell men’s hockey team wraps up its preseason schedule tonight against the U.S. NTDP Under-18 Team, rounding out its string of seven consecutive games against Division I opponents.

• Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Lynah Rink. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ with Jason Weinstein (play-by-play) and Tony Eisenhut ‘88 (analysis) on the call.

PRESEASON SUCCESS

• Saturday will be Cornell’s 79th official exhibition game in program history. The Big Red are 63-9-6 (.846) all-time in exhibitions and scrimmages and are unbeaten in its last 29 (27-0-2, .966), a streak that includes 13 consecutive wins since a 2-2 tie with uOttawa on Oct. 15, 2017.

• During its 13-game exhibition win streak, the Big Red is averaging 5.54 goals per game, while scoring four-plus goals in all but one game, which came in a 3-0 win over the U.S. NTDP Under-18 Team in 2019.

• Cornell has outscored its opponents by an average of 3.72 goals per game during the unbeaten streak. Seven of the Big Red’s 27 victories in the span have come by two goals or less, including two of the last four: a 5-4 overtime victory against the U.S. NTDP Under-18 Team (Oct. 23, 2023) and 4-2 win over Princeton (Oct. 19, 2024).

• Four of Cornell’s nine exhibition losses have come against national or professional teams: the West German Olympic Team (1980), U.S. National Team (1983), Team Canada (1986), and Torpedo Yaroslavl (1995).

• Cornell’s last exhibition loss came Oct. 24, 2009, when the Big Red fell 3-2 to the U.S. NTDP Under-18 Team. Ithaca native and future Cornell goaltender Andy Iles ‘14 registered 39 saves in the victory.

PASSING THE TORCH ON EAST HILL

• Although the regular season doesn’t begin for another two weeks, a new era has arrived on East Hill for the Cornell men’s hockey team as former Big Red captain Casey Jones ‘90 has assumed head coaching duties from legendary head coach Mike Schafer ‘86, who retired after a 30-year tenure.

• With Jones assuming the role, the 2025-26 season continues an impressive lineage of former players coaching the Big Red. This season marks the 39th consecutive year a Cornell graduate has served as head coach, joining Brian McCutcheon ‘71 (1987-95) and Schafer (1995-2025).

• Cornell owns the second-longest active streak in Division I hockey of having an alumnus serve as head coach, trailing only Boston University, which has had a graduate as head coach for each of the last 53 seasons, highlighted by Jack Parker’s 40-year tenure from 1973-74 to 2012-13. New Hampshire (36 years) and Boston College (32 years) are the only other programs with at least a 30-year streak of former players serving as men’s hockey head coach.

• Dating to the 1970-71 season, the first year Dick Bertrand ‘70 served as Cornell’s head coach, 50 of the last 56 years have featured a Big Red alum as head coach.

• Jones is one of 11 new head coaches in Division I hockey this season, including one of three new coaches in ECAC Hockey, joining RPI’s Eric Lang and Yale’s Joe Howe, who is serving as interim head coach of the Bulldogs for the 2025-26 season.

ECAC HOCKEY PRESEASON POLL

• The ECAC Hockey conference office announced Sept. 25 that Cornell was picked to finish third in its annual coaches’ preseason poll. Cornell received one of the 12 first-place votes, finishing as one of three teams with more than 100 points (111).

• Quinnipiac was tabbed to finish as ECAC Hockey’s regular-season champion, garnering nine first-place votes and finishing with 129 points, ahead of Clarkson, which had the remaining two first-place votes, by 11 points (118). Dartmouth (97 points) finished 14 points behind the Big Red, as it was selected to finish fourth to round out the projected first-round byes for the 2026 ECAC Hockey Championship.

• Union was right behind Dartmouth with 93 points, and Harvard (79), Colgate (77), and Princeton (55) were slated to host first-round games. Rounding out the 12-team poll were St. Lawrence (48), Brown (47), RPI (42), and Yale (27).

PERENNIAL POWER

• Cornell began the season ranked No. 17 in the preseason USCHO.com poll, which was released Sept. 22. It marked the Big Red’s ninth consecutive season starting ranked in the top 20 of the preseason USCHO poll.

• It is the second-longest streak in program history, trailing only an 11-year span when the Big Red were ranked in the preseason poll from 2002 to 2012.

• Cornell is one of four Division I programs that have been ranked in the preseason top 20 in each of the last nine seasons, joined by Denver, North Dakota and Providence.

• North Dakota (25 consecutive years) and Denver (24 straight) are the only two Division I programs that have been ranked in the top 20 of the preseason poll since USCHO permanently increased its poll from 15 to 20 teams for the 2005-06 season. North Dakota’s streak — the longest active in Division I hockey — dates to the 1997-98 season.

• Providence is the only other team ahead of Cornell, having been named a preseason top-20 team in each of the last 13 preseason polls, dating to the 2013-14 campaign.

• Across USCHO’s 29 preseason polls, Cornell has been included 23 times, making the Big Red one of seven Division I programs to appear in at least 20 preseason polls, joined by North Dakota (29), Boston College (27), Michigan (27), Minnesota (26), Boston University (25) and Denver (25).

TIME TO STUDY THE ROSTER…

• Cornell has 14 newcomers on this year’s roster — 12 freshmen and two sophomore transfers — matching the program’s highest total since 2021-22, when the Big Red added 14 freshmen following the COVID-19 cancellation of the 2020-21 season.

• Only four teams in program history have had more newcomers: 1992-93 (18), 1957-58 (16), 1964-65 (16), and 1978-79 (16). The 1978-79 team included four transfers from Penn, which disbanded its program that year.

• Newcomers comprise 45.2 percent of Cornell’s roster, the 13th-highest percentage in the program’s modern era (since 1957-58) and the highest since 2021-22 (46.7 percent).

• Cornell’s 12 freshmen are tied with Alaska, Boston University, Bowling Green, Colorado College, UMass Lowell, and Miami (Ohio) for second-most in Division I, trailing only Michigan Tech (13).

YOU FEEL THAT (NHL) DRAFT?

• Cornell has nine players drafted by NHL clubs, the program’s highest total since 2005-06 (nine). Only the 1990-91 (14) and 2004-05 (10) teams had more NHL draft picks on their roster.

• For the first time in program history, Cornell has three draft picks selected within the first three rounds: forward Jonathan Castagna (70th overall, Utah via Arizona), defenseman Michael Fisher (76th, San Jose) and defenseman George Fegaras (83rd, Dallas). The Big Red previously had two players selected in the first three rounds 10 times, including three of the last four seasons (1967-68, 1968-69, 2003-04, 2004-05, 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20, 2021-22, 2023-24, 2024-25).

• Fisher is the highest-drafted Cornell defenseman since Sasha Pokulok went 14th overall to Washington in 2005.

• Freshman goaltender Alexis Cournoyer was Cornell’s lone selection in this past June’s NHL Entry Draft, taken in the fifth round (145th overall) by the Montréal Canadiens. He became the 13th Big Red goaltender to be drafted and the first since David LeNeveu was selected by the Phoenix Coyotes in the second round (48th overall) in 2002.

• Cornell’s nine NHL draft picks are tied with Colorado College for 11th-most in Division I. Boston University leads the nation with 19.

(BIG) RED MEANS STOP

• Cornell has firmly established itself as one of the nation’s premier defensive programs, ranking among the top 10 in Division I for scoring defense 12 times over the past two decades — the most by any Division I team during that span. The Big Red is one of three programs to post 10 or more top-10 finishes in that period, alongside Denver and Minnesota State (10 each).

• Over the last nine seasons, Cornell has finished top 10 nationally in scoring defense seven times, tying Minnesota State for the most in Division I. The Big Red has also placed top 12 in each of its last eight seasons, one more than Denver and Minnesota State, and in 10 of its last 11 campaigns, matching Minnesota State for the national lead.

• Across the past decade, Cornell has allowed an average of 1.985 goals per game, joining only Minnesota State (1.891) as the lone Division I programs to yield fewer than two goals per contest.

• That consistency extends beyond recent years — Cornell has not conceded 100 or more goals in a season since 1997-98, a streak spanning 26 consecutive seasons. The run stands as the longest active in Division I hockey, double the next-closest streaks by Minnesota State and Providence (13 each). Clarkson (8) and Quinnipiac (7) rank second and third, respectively, in ECAC Hockey.

LIGHTING THE LAMP (CARNELIAN) RED

• On the opposite end of Cornell’s defensive prowess, the Big Red has also shown a consistent ability to light the lamp. Cornell has averaged at least three goals per game in each of the past seven seasons, dating back to 2017-18.

• The Big Red’s seven-year streak of averaging three or more goals per game is the second-longest active run in Division I hockey, behind only Western Michigan’s nine-season streak. Boston University and North Dakota each enter the year with six consecutive seasons above the three-goal mark, while Quinnipiac holds ECAC Hockey’s second-longest active streak at five seasons.

• Since the 2017-18 season, Cornell ranks 12th nationally in goal scoring (3.204), one of just 17 Division I programs averaging at least three goals per contest. The Big Red’s average is second-best in ECAC Hockey behind only Quinnipiac (3.449, sixth nationally), while Denver leads all Division I teams at 3.651 goals per game.

PUTTING THE ‘BIG’ IN BIG RED

• Cornell ranks second nationally in both average height (6-foot-1.7) and weight (198.0 pounds) this season, according to College Hockey, Inc. research. Only UMass (6-foot-1.9) and Notre Dame (200.3 pounds) are larger on average.

• The Big Red are one of seven programs to place in the top 10 in both average height and weight, alongside Brown, Harvard, North Dakota, Notre Dame, St. Cloud State, and UMass.

• This year’s average height and weight both rank among the largest averages in Cornell’s modern era, dating back to 1957-58. The height average surpasses the previous record set in 2015-16 by 0.16 inches, while the weight ranks as the fourth-heaviest in program history, trailing only the 2015-16 (198.86 lbs.), 2014-15 (198.85 lbs.), and 1999-00 (198.70 lbs.) squads.

• It is also the 10th time in program history Cornell has averaged at least 6-foot-1 in height — all since 2004-05 — and the fifth time the program has averaged at least 197 pounds.

• Cornell’s size will be tested early: three of its first four regular-season games come against fellow top-10 programs in average height and weight — a two-game series at UMass and a road matchup at Harvard.

HAIL TO THEE, OUR ALMA MATER!

• Casey Jones ‘90, the Jay R. Bloom ‘77 Head Coach of Cornell Men’s Ice Hockey, is one of 25 Division I head coaches leading his alma mater this season.

• Roughly 40 percent of the 63 active Division I programs are helmed by alumni head coaches. Within ECAC Hockey, Jones is joined by Ted Donato (Harvard), Mike Harder (Colgate), Jean-François Houle (Clarkson), and Brendan Whittet (Brown).

ITHACA, N.Y. — Ken Dryden '69, the legendary Cornell men's hockey goaltender who still holds the program record for career wins (76) and backstopped the Big Red to its first national championship in 1967, died Friday after a courageous battle with cancer. He was 78.

"Ken Dryden was not only one of the greatest goaltenders in the history of hockey, but also a symbol of excellence, intellect, and leadership who represented Cornell with unmatched distinction," said Dr. Nicki Moore, Cornell's Meakem & Smith Director of Athletics & Physical Education. "His impact on the game, on our university, and in communities throughout his homeland in Canada will endure far beyond the ice. Cornell Athletics & Physical Education mourns his passing, and we extend our deepest condolences to his family, friends, and all who were inspired by his extraordinary life."

"Ken Dryden was the quintessential student-athlete," added Casey Jones '90, the current Jay R. Bloom '77 Head Coach of Cornell Men's Ice Hockey. "He was a great ambassador for Cornell and hockey in general. Our thoughts are with his family and friends."

"Intelligent, classy, articulate, kind, athletic, and thoughtful are just a few characteristics that come to mind," stated former Cornell men's hockey head coach Mike Schafer '86. "Ken Dryden was a legend and a trailblazer in the sport of hockey. Cornell University, Cornell Hockey, the Montreal Canadiens, and the hockey community have lost one of the greatest ambassadors for our sport. Our thoughts go out to his family, and especially his wife, Lynda."

At Cornell, Dryden compiled a remarkable 76-4-1 record with a 1.59 goals-against average and .939 save percentage, while leading the Big Red to the first three of its four consecutive ECAC Hockey Tournament titles (1967-69), two ECAC Hockey regular-season championships (1968 and 1969), and the 1967 NCAA title. His career goals-against average and save percentage still rank second in program history among eligible goaltenders.

After graduating from Cornell in 1969 with a degree in history, Dryden launched an extraordinary eight-year NHL career with the Montréal Canadiens. He won six Stanley Cups, five Vezina Trophies, the Conn Smythe Trophy in 1971 as the Stanley Cup Playoffs' MVP, and the Calder Trophy in 1972 as the league's Rookie of the Year.

In 1973, Dryden earned the first of his five Vezina Trophies after leading the league in wins (33), goals-against average (2.26), and save percentage (.926). He remains one of four goaltenders in NHL history to win the award at least five times, alongside Jacques Plante (seven), Bill Durnan (six), and Dominik Hasek (six).

Dryden stepped away from hockey for the 1973-74 season, briefly retiring while earning a law degree from McGill University and working at a Toronto law firm, before returning to the Canadiens in 1974. Over the next five seasons, he anchored one of the NHL's most dominant dynasties, guiding the Canadiens to four straight Stanley Cups (1976-79) and capturing the Vezina Trophy each year. During that stretch, he posted a 150-33-30 record with a 2.13 goals-against average, .920 save percentage, and 28 shutouts.

"From the moment Ken Dryden joined Montréal as a 23-year-old rookie in 1971, he made an immediate and lasting impact on the NHL, the Canadiens franchise, and the goaltending position," said NHL Commissioner and fellow Cornell alumnus Gary Bettman '74 in a statement." After playing six regular-season games during that first year, Ken proceeded to lead his team to a Stanley Cup while winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoffs' most valuable player. It is almost incomprehensible to believe that he accomplished all of that the year prior to winning the Calder Memorial Trophy as the League's best rookie in 1971-72.

"Ken's early success was only a harbinger of what was to come. In eight years with the Canadiens, Ken would lead a team filled with future Hall of Famers to six Stanley Cup championships, quickly becoming a beloved figure in his adopted hometown of Montréal. He won five Vezina Trophies as the League's top goaltender, including four consecutive awards from 1975-76 to 1978-79. Named as a member of the League's Greatest 100, he was the NHL's dominant goaltender during the 1970s.

"On a personal note, Ken was a fellow Cornellian whose career ranks among the greatest runs in collegiate hockey and famously led the Big Red to the 1967 NCAA Championship. On behalf of the National Hockey League, we mourn the passing of a legendary Canadian and extend our sincere condolences to his wife Lynda, family, and many friends and fans all over the hockey world."

Dryden was inducted into the Cornell Athletics Hall of Fame in 1978 and the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1983, both in his first year of eligibility. His No. 29 sweater was retired by the Canadiens in 2007, and his No. 1 sweater was retired by Cornell in 2010, alongside Joe Nieuwendyk's No. 25.

The Dryden family has requested privacy at this time. Those wishing to honor his memory are encouraged to make a donation to the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre or the Concussion Legacy Foundation.

Photo courtesy of Rena Laverty/USA Hockey

SCOUTING THE U.S. NTDP UNDER-18 TEAM

• The U.S. NTDP Under-18 Team enters this weekend with a 1-8-1-1 overall record, with non-regulation losses coming via shootout against the Youngstown Phantoms (4-3, Sept. 12) and in overtime to the Fargo Force (1-0, Sept. 20).

• The U-18s are 0-5 in the annual Kroger College Series, and have been outscored 29-4 across five consecutive games against Division I competition, falling to Notre Dame (5-2), Western Michigan (7-0), Wisconsin (6-0), Lake Superior State (6-2), and Ferris State (5-0). The team will play 11 more games this season against 10 other NCAA programs, including matchups at North Dakota (Nov. 21) and against St. Lawrence and Clarkson (Dec. 12-13).

• Victor Plante leads the team in goals and points (3-5—8) and is tied with AJ Francisco (0-5—5) for the lead in assists. Goaltenders Brady Knowling (1-3-0-1, 3.92 GAA, .877 SV%) and Luke Carrithers  (0-6-0-0, 4.58 GAA, .854 SV%) have split  time between the pipes with six appearances each.

• Eighteen players were named to NHL Central Scouting’s Preliminary Players to Watch list for the 2026 Draft on Monday: Luke Schairer earned an ‘A’ rating (projected first-rounder); seven players received ‘B’ ratings (Mikey Berchild, Dayne Beuker, Casey Mutryn, Victor Plante, Logan Stuart, JJ Marthaler, Brady Knowling); six earned ‘C’ ratings (Nick Bogas, AJ Francisco, Sam Wathier, Wyatt Cullen, Parker Trottier, Lukas Zajic); and four received ‘W’ ratings (Luke Carrithers, Logan Lutner, AJ Garcia, Brody George).

23 YEARS, 507 MILES, 11 MEETINGS

• Cornell and the U.S. NTDP Under-18 Team will be meeting for the 12th time this evening. The Big Red is 9-1-1 all-time against the Under-18 squad, having won each of the last six meetings while having a plus-17 edge in goals (27-10).

• A total of 89 current and former NHL players have graced Lynah Rink’s ice in an exhibition contest for the U.S. NTDP Under-18 Team against the Big Red, highlighted by Patrick Kane, Matthew Tkachuk, Auston Matthews, Tage Thompson, and Charlie McAvoy.

• Seven former Cornell players have played for the U.S. NTDP before donning Carnelian Red, highlighted by Andy Iles ‘14, Cole Bardreau ‘15, and also includes Ryan Bliss '18, Jared Fiegl ‘18, Clint Lewis, Gavin Stoick, and Chris Gartman. Iles guided the U.S. NTDP Under-18 Team to a 3-2 victory over Cornell on Oct. 24, 2009, the last time the Big Red lost in an exhibition setting.

U.S. NTDP UNDER-18 TEAM NHL CONNECTIONS

• Sam Wathier — Father, Francis, played 10 NHL games with Dallas (2009-13); sixth-round pick by Dallas in 2003.

• Victor Plante — Father, Derek, played 450 NHL games (1993-2001) with Buffalo, Dallas, Chicago, and Philadelphia, recording 248 points and winning a Stanley Cup with Dallas in 1999; currently serves as a professional scout with Ottawa after serving as an assistant coach with Chicago (2022-25).

• Hudson Salvador — Father, Bryce, played in 786 NHL games (2000-15) with St. Louis and New Jersey; served as 10th captain in New Jersey Devils history in 2013.

• Logan Stuart — Father, Brad, was the third-overall pick in 1998 by San Jose, played in 1,056 NHL games (1999-2016) with six teams, recording 335 points and winning a Stanley Cup with Detroit in 2008.

• Parker Trottier — Grandson of Hockey Hall of Famer Bryan Trottier, who won six Stanley Cups (four with the New York Islanders, two with Pittsburgh) and recorded 1,425 points (524 goals, 901 assists) in 1,279 NHL games (1975-94); won Calder (1976), Art Ross and Hart (1979), Conn Smythe (1980), and King Clancy (1989) trophies.

FEGARAS NETS OVERTIME WINNER FOR #11 MEN'S HOCKEY IN VICTORY OVER U.S. NTDP UNDER-18 TEAM

BOX SCORE | RECAP | HIGHLIGHTS | PHOTO GALLERY

ITHACA, N.Y. (OCT. 21, 2023) — Freshman defenseman George Fegaras' goal 3:03 into overtime aided the No. 11-ranked Cornell men's hockey team to a 5-4 victory over the United States National Team Development Program (U.S. NTDP) Under-18 Team at Lynah Rink on Saturday night.

Ten Big Red players registered points in the exhibition victory, highlighted by two-point nights by junior forward Kyle Penney and sophomore forward Nick DeSantis (one goal, one assist) and senior forward Gabriel Seger and freshman forward Jonathan Castagna (two assists).

Forward Cole Eiserman scored twice for the Americans, increasing his team lead in goals to 18 in just 11 contests. Defenseman Cole Hutson had a game-high three assists for the U.S. NTDP Under-18 Team, who is now 7-5-0 on the season and 2-3-0 in its Kroger College Series.

Junior goaltender Ian Shane played the first 29:08, stopping nine of the 10 shots he faced. Sophomore goaltender Remington Keopple made 13 saves in his 33:55 duration between the pipes.

Ithaca native Jack Parsons made 28 saves for the Americans in the setback.

Cornell opened the contest by scoring the game's first four goals in the first period. The first three goals came while the Big Red was on special teams, featuring two power-play markers and a short-handed tally in under four minutes (3:48).

Penney scored the first goal on a backhand shot at the bottom of the right faceoff circle. Freshmen Jake Kraft and Ryan Walsh tallied power-play goals 65 seconds apart to give Cornell a three-goal advantage. DeSantis tacked on an insurance marker for Cornell at the 12:24 mark of the opening frame.

The U.S. NTDP Under-18 Team would not go down without a fight, as the Americans netted the subsequent four goals to force overtime. Three of the Americans' four goals came in the third period, including Eiserman's second marker with an extra attacker with 2:11 left to play.

Eiserman had a chance to win the game for the U.S. NTDP Under-18 Team with a breakaway chance 45 seconds into the additional period, but Keopple made a right-pad save and extended the contest.

Fegaras concluded the game when he received a pass from Penney at the right post, sending a close-range snap shot into the net while Parsons was too far out of the crease.

SIX-GOAL FIRST PERIOD LEADS #18 MEN'S HOCKEY PAST CZECH UNIVERSITY SELECTS

BOX SCORE | RECAP | HIGHLIGHTS

ITHACA, N.Y. (OCT. 17, 2025) — The No. 18-ranked Cornell men's hockey team came out firing against the Czech University Selects, scoring six goals in the opening period en route to a 7-2 victory Friday night at Lynah Rink. Seven different Big Red players lit the lamp in the Big Red's first of two preseason contests.

Senior forward Nick DeSantis, junior forward Jonathan Castagna, junior defenseman George Fegaras, and sophomore forward Charlie Major each recorded multi-point nights with a goal and assist. Freshmen forwards Chase Pirtle and Gio DiGiulian also scored, while sophomore defenseman Michael Fisher capped Cornell's seven-goal spree.

Cornell's offense was on full display from the start as Pirtle, DiGiulian, and DeSantis combined to score on the Big Red's first three shots on goal within the opening 5:14, and the scoring continued with three more first-period goals from Castagna, Fegaras, and Major. Fisher's goal 1:47 into the second period during a 5-on-3 power play ended the Big Red's string of unanswered goals.

"I like the way we started. We had good energy," said Casey Jones '90, the Jay R. Bloom '77 Head Coach of Cornell Men's Ice Hockey. "I thought we got loose. We got a big lead and things weren't simple anymore and we obviously know now that once we got a little casual, I didn't think we were very good in our defensive zone."

Senior goaltender Remington Keopple started between the pipes, making six saves through 32:28 before freshman Alexis Cournoyer took over and stopped nine shots. Kristián Novák made nine first-period saves for the Czech University Selects before giving way to Antonín Nowak, who turned aside 25 shots over the final two periods, including a perfect 16-for-16 performance in the third.

Jan Vavrík accounted for both goals scored by the Czechs, scoring just over a minute after Fisher's power-play goal and again at 8:18 of the third, as the visitors concluded their third game of a five-game, six-day North American tour.

"As the game went on, I thought we got a little lax, we started going east and west, not managing pucks and that put us on our heels a little bit," Jones said. "They got a little momentum and I didn't think we buckled down.

"The fact that we're leaving it with a couple of things we really have to work on is key. We had an evaluation of some guys. We have some guys who're competing for jobs that we wanted to see up against each other. We were able to do that and we'll assess that as a coaching staff."

2025-26 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 68th year serving as the home of Big Red hockey this season, was formally dedicated on April 6, 1957, a month after its opening to the public on March 4, 1957. The facility, which was built following a $500,000 anonymous donation (approximately $5.59 million in 2024), honors the late James Lynah '05, who served as the director of athletics at Cornell from 1935-43.

The donation to build Lynah Rink resurrected the Cornell hockey program following a 10-year hiatus, ensuring hockey returned as a varsity sport for the 1957-58 season.

Cornell began sponsoring hockey as a varsity sport with 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 — literally — on thin ice, causing Cornell to drop the program entirely after the 1947-48 campaign.

Since its opening in March of 1957, Lynah Rink has received numerous face-lifts since hosting its inaugural event on March 21, 1957, a 7-3 victory for the NHL’s New York Rangers in an exhibiton against the Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League (AHL). Hockey Hall of Fame goaltender Gump Worsley stopped 44 shots in the victory for the Rangers.

Among the renovations, Cornell spent nearly $1 million in the summer of 2000, to replace 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 last season’s 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 13 tournament championships (1967-70, 1973, 1980, 1986, 1996-97, 2003, 2005, 2010, 2024) and 26 Ivy League titles, 22 of which have been won outright.

• Cornell officially commences its 109th season of men’s hockey next weekend with a two-game series against No. 13 UMass (4-1-0, 0-1-0 Hockey East) at the Mullins Center in Amherst, Mass. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday and 6 p.m. Saturday, with both games streaming live on ESPN+.

• This marks the third straight season the teams have met, the first such streak in the series history. Cornell and UMass previously played single games in 1922-23 (4-0 Cornell) and 1923-24 (3-2 UMass), both on Beebe Lake in Ithaca, and met again in 2007-08 (scoreless tie in Ithaca) and 2008-09 (5-2 Cornell in Amherst).

• The Big Red is unbeaten in the last two meetings (1-0-1), earning a shootout victory after a 2-2 tie in the Adirondack Winter Invitational semifinals (Dec. 29, 2023, Lake Placid, N.Y.) and posting a 4-1 win in the Desert Hockey Classic semifinals (Jan. 3, 2025, in Tempe, Ariz.).