#20 Men's Hockey to Open Four-Game Homestand Against Brown, Yale

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

PUCK DROP

• The No. 20-ranked Cornell men’s hockey team (2-2-0, 1-1-0 ECAC Hockey) returns to Lynah Rink, opening a four-game homestand this weekend against Brown (1-3-0, 1-1-0 ECAC Hockey) and Yale (2-1-0, 2-0-0 ECAC Hockey).

• Both games are scheduled for 7 p.m. puck drops, with game action streamed live on ESPN+. Jason Weinstein (play-by-play) and Tony Eisenhut ‘88 (analysis) will be on the call for both games.

REMEMBERING KEN DRYDEN '69

• Cornell will honor the life and legacy of legendary goaltender Ken Dryden ’69, who passed away Sept. 5 at age 78 after a courageous battle with cancer, prior to Friday night’s home opener against Brown.

• A three-time All-American and the backbone of Cornell’s 1967 national championship team, Dryden remains one of the most revered figures in college hockey history. In three seasons with the Big Red, he posted a 76-4-1 record with a 1.59 goals-against average and .939 save percentage, leading Cornell to three ECAC Hockey Tournament titles (1967–69), two regular-season crowns (1968, 1969), and the 1967 NCAA title. His career goals-against average and save percentage still rank second all-time among eligible Cornell goaltenders.

• Following his collegiate career, Dryden starred with the Montréal Canadiens, capturing six Stanley Cups, five Vezina Trophies, the Conn Smythe Trophy (1971), and the Calder Trophy (1972) before later serving as a member of Canadian Parliament, author, lawyer, and educator.

• Friday’s ceremony will include several tributes, highlighted by a special helmet decal featuring Dryden’s iconic silhouette, a tribute video, and a ceremonial puck drop with members of his Sigma Phi Society fraternity. Members of the Dryden family, including his wife Lynda, will be in attendance, with video messages and remembrances from teammates, alumni, and the broader Cornell hockey community celebrating his lasting influence.

HOME SWEET LYNAH

• Cornell owns a 57-28-8 (.656) all-time record in home openers, including a dominant 47-14-6 (.746) mark at Lynah Rink since 1957.

• The Big Red have won five straight home openers — tied for the second-longest streak in program history (1995–99) — trailing only a 16-season run from 1963–78.

• During the current stretch, Cornell has outscored opponents 20-7, scoring at least three goals in each game and four or more in the last three.

• Friday’s matchup marks the program’s latest home debut since Nov. 18, 2022 (vs. Yale), and just the fifth instance in the last 32 years that the Big Red have opened at Lynah on Nov. 14 or later.

FAITHFUL TO LYNAH

• Cornell enters this weekend boasting the third-highest home winning percentage among Division I programs since 2017-18. Only Minnesota State (126-29-9, .796) and Denver (110-28-13, .772) rank ahead of the Big Red, who join Quinnipiac (102-35-7, .733) and North Dakota (105-39-12, .712) as the only programs with a home winning percentage of at least .700 over that span.

• The Big Red have won at least nine home games in each of the last nine seasons played, excluding the 2020-21 campaign when Cornell and all Ivy League programs opted out due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Cornell’s streak of nine-or-more home wins ranks as the fifth-longest active streak in Division I hockey, trailing Minnesota (49 seasons, since 1977-78), Denver (26, since 1998-99, as the Pioneers played just six home games in 2020-21), North Dakota (23) and Minnesota State (13).

• Since Jan. 1, 2024, the Big Red are 17-5-2 (.750) at Lynah Rink, ranking fifth nationally behind LIU (18-3-0, .857), Boston College (23-6-0, .793), Maine (28-6-4, .789), and Denver (25-7-3, .757). Cornell’s winning percentage is eight points higher than second-place Quinnipiac (22-6-2, .742) in ECAC Hockey.

EMPIRE STATE OF MIND

• This weekend marks the first of 15 consecutive games played by Cornell within New York State. After opening the season with three games in Massachusetts and one in New Hampshire, the Big Red’s next game outside New York will be Jan. 30 at Yale in New Haven, Conn.

• The 15-game stretch includes 12 contests at Lynah Rink, its biennial Red Hot Hockey contest against Boston University at Madison Square Garden (Nov. 29), and the Big Red’s annual trip to the North Country to face Clarkson and St. Lawrence (Dec. 5-6).

• It is Cornell’s fourth-longest streak of games played within New York and the longest since a 18-game run from Jan. 20 - March 18, 2017.

WALSH HEADED TO SPENGLER CUP

• Junior captain Ryan Walsh was named to the United States Collegiate Selects roster for this year’s Spengler Cup, it was announced last Thursday (Nov. 6). Walsh will compete Dec. 26-31 in Davos, Switzerland, in the 97th Spengler Cup, marking the first year a select team representing college hockey will participate in the prestigious tournament. Only two U.S.-based college programs — Minnesota (1981) and North Dakota (1982) — have previously competed in the event.

• Walsh is the 14th Cornell player since 1983 named to a Spengler Cup roster, joining Lance Nethery (HC Davos, 1983-89), Dan Ratushny (Team Canada, 1988, 1990, 2000), Brad Chartrand (Team Canada, 1997), Jason Elliott (TPS, 2002), Dave LeNeveu (Team Canada, 2009), Charlie Cook (HC Davos, 2010), Mike Iggulden (Team Canada, 2010), Mike Knoepfli (HC Fribourg-Gottéron, 2012), Kirill Gotovets and Ben Scrivens (Dinamo Minsk, 2016), Ryan Vesce (HC Lugano, 2016; EHC Olten, 2017), Riley Nash (Team Canada, 2022), Alex Green (Straubing Tigers, 2024).

• Cornell has had a player compete in three of the last four tournaments.

GIO-GETTER

• Freshman forward Gio DiGiulian scored in each of his first three collegiate games, serving as the only Division I freshman this season to open his career with a three-game goal streak. He’s also just the second Cornell freshman — and ninth player in his first year of eligibility — ever to score in the Big Red’s first three games, joining Trent Andison (1987-88).

• With his season-opening three-game goal streak, DiGiulian became the 42nd Cornell player to score in the first three games of a season and the first to do so since forward Joel Lowry in 2013-14. Nationally, he was one of seven freshmen to score in each of their first two collegiate games this season, joining Lake Superior State’s Calem Mangone, Maine’s Jaden Lipinski, Miami’s Justin Stupka, Michigan’s Cole McKinney and Malcolm Spence, and UMass’ Lukáš Klecka.

• His goal against UMass on Oct. 31 extended Cornell’s streak of having a freshman score in its season opener to eight consecutive years — and nine times in the last 10 seasons.

• With a goal against Brown, DiGiulian would become just the third Cornell freshman to score in four of the first five games of a season, joining Gary Cullen (1981-82) and Kent Manderville (1989-90). No Cornell player has done so, regardless of class, since Matt Moulson in 2003-04. Goals in both games this weekend would make DiGiulian the first freshman — and fourth first-year eligible player — to score in five of the first six games of a season, a feat last achieved by Bob Muray (1971-72) after Jerry Kostandoff (1961-62) and Mike Doran (1964-65).

COURNOYER THE RECORD BOOKS

• After posting a 33-save performance in his collegiate debut Nov. 1 at UMass, freshman goaltender Alexis Cournoyer followed that up with a 30-save outing last Friday at Harvard, which included stopping the final 29 shots he faced.

• Cournoyer became the fourth Cornell goaltender in the program’s modern era (since 1957-58) to have at least 30 saves in his first two collegiate starts, joining Corrie D’Alessio (five straight, 1987-88), Matt Underhill (three consecutive, 1998-99), and Jason Elliott (two, 1994-95).

• Cournoyer’s 33 saves in his collegiate debut made him just the eighth Cornell goaltender to make 30-plus saves in his collegiate debut, and the first since Matt Underhill (47 saves) in a 4-2 win over Northeastern on Nov. 24, 1998, at Matthews Arena in Boston.

• The 33-save outing tied him with Dave Chrastina (Jan. 5, 1975, vs. St. Lawrence at Madison Square Garden), Brian Hayward (Dec. 1, 1978, vs. Brown), and D’Alessio (Nov. 20, 1987, vs. St. Lawrence) for the fifth-most saves by a Cornell goaltender in his collegiate debut.

(BIG) RED MEANS STOP

• Cornell has allowed just six goals through its first four games, marking the 12th time in the modern era (since 1957-58) the Big Red have surrendered six or fewer goals to start a season, previously accomplished in 1963-64 (6), 1965-66 (3), 1998-99 (6), 2001-02 (4), 2002-03 (3), 2004-05 (4), 2008-09 (3), 2012-13 (5), 2014-15 (6), 2017-18 (6), and 2023-24 (3).

• The Big Red’s stinginess has carried over early on in the season, as Cornell is tied with Michigan State for the nation’s third-best scoring defense (1.50 goals allowed per game). Cornell has ranked among the top 10 nationally in scoring defense 12 times over the past two decades — more than any other program — and are one of only three teams (Denver and Minnesota State — 10 each) to post at least 10 top-10 finishes in that span.

• Over the last nine seasons, Cornell has finished top 10 in scoring defense seven times, tied with Minnesota State for the most in Division I, and in the top 12 in each of its last eight seasons, serving as the longest active streak nationally. The Big Red have also ranked in the top 12 in 10 of the past 11 seasons.

• Since 2014-15, Cornell has allowed 1.978 goals per game — joining Minnesota State (1.896) as the only Division I programs under 2.00 in that span — and has not conceded 100 goals in a season since 1997-98, a 26-year streak twice as long as any other active run (Minnesota State and Providence — 13 each). Within ECAC Hockey, Clarkson (8) and Quinnipiac (7) rank second and third, respectively.

PASSING THE TORCH ON EAST HILL

• A new era has arrived on East Hill as former captain Casey Jones ‘90 assumed head coaching duties from legendary head coach Mike Schafer ‘86, who retired following last season after a 30-year tenure.

• With Jones at the helm, the 2025-26 season marks the 39th consecutive year a Cornell graduate has served as head coach, continuing a lineage that includes 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 (53 years). New Hampshire (36 years) and Boston College (32 years) are the only other programs with streaks of at least 30 years.

• Since 1970-71, when Dick Bertrand ‘70 became head coach, the Big Red have featured an alum as head coach in 50 of the last 56 seasons.

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

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).

FRESH IMPACT

• Cornell’s 12-player freshman class has made an immediate impression, combining for nine of the Big Red’s 22 points this season (40.9 percent). Cornell is one of just seven Division I programs receiving at least 40 percent of its offensive production from first-year players, joining Merrimack (27-of-57 — 47.4 percent), New Hampshire (21-of-46 — 45.7 percent), Miami (41-of-94 — 43.6 percent), St. Lawrence (24-of-56 — 42.9 percent), Michigan Tech (40-of-99 — 40.4 percent), and Quinnipiac (39-of-97 — 40.2 percent).

• Underclassmen have been key contributors overall, accounting for 14 of Cornell’s 22 points (63.6 percent) — the 16th-highest percentage nationally. Minnesota Duluth (107-of-115) leads the nation with 93.0 percent of its scoring from freshmen and sophomores.

YOU FEEL THAT (NHL) DRAFT?

• Cornell has nine players drafted by NHL clubs, the program’s highest total since 2005-06. 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: junior forward Jonathan Castagna (70th overall, Utah via Arizona), sophomore defenseman Michael Fisher (76th, San Jose) and junior defenseman George Fegaras (83rd, Dallas). The Big Red previously had two players selected in the first three rounds 10 times, most recently in three of the last four seasons.

• 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 June’s NHL Entry Draft, taken in the fifth round (145th overall) by Montréal. He became the 13th Big Red goaltender to be drafted and the first since David LeNeveu went in the second round (48th overall) to Phoenix 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, followed by Michigan State (15), Denver (14), Michigan and Minnesota (13 each), Boston College and North Dakota (12 each), and Harvard, Western Michigan and Wisconsin (10 each).

LIGHTING THE LAMP (CARNELIAN) RED

• On the opposite end of Cornell’s defensive prowess, the Big Red have 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, trailing 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 (3.194), 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 (3.432, sixth nationally), while Denver leads all Division I teams at 3.655 goals per game.

PUTTING THE ‘BIG’ IN BIG RED

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

• The Big Red are one of seven programs to rank 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 average height surpasses the previous record set in 2015-16 by 0.16 inches, while the weight ranks as the fourth-heaviest in program history, only trailing the squads from 2015-16 (198.86 lbs.), 2014-15 (198.85 lbs.), and 1999-00 (198.70 lbs.).

• Freshman goaltender Alexis Cournoyer is not your stereotypical Cornell goaltender. The 6-foot-4 native of Trois-Rivières, Québec, is the tallest netminder on record in the modern era of the Big Red men’s hockey program. Cournoyer edged the late Cornell Athletics and Hockey Hall of Fame goaltender Ken Dryden ‘69 (1966-69), Jean-Marc Pelletier (1995-97), and Hayden Stewart ‘18 (2014-18) for the unique distinction.

• Sophomore defenseman Luke Ashton (6-foot-5) is tied for being the tallest blueliner in program history, matching the heights of R.J. Farnworth (1983-84), Ryan O’Byrne (2003-06), Sasha Pokulok (2004-06), and Dan Wedman (2014-17). Ashton, along with sophomore forward Parker Murray and freshman forward Reegan Hiscock — both of whom also measure at 6-foot-5 — are the first Big Red trio to stand at 6-foot-5 or taller since 2017-18, when Beau Starrett, Anthony Angello, and Dwyer Tschantz ‘18, all registered 6-foot-5 measurements.

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.

SCOUTING BROWN

• Brown (1-3-0, 1-1-0 ECAC Hockey) enters the weekend following a split against Princeton and Quinnipiac, edging the Tigers 2-1 before falling 4-3 in overtime to the Bobcats.

• Offensively, the Bears feature a four-way tie for the team lead in points, with Ryan St. Louis (2-1—3), Brian Nicholas (1-2—3), Ivan Zadvernyuk (0-3—3), Matt Desiderio (0-3—3) each having three.

• In goal, Tyler Shea has started three of Brown’s four games, posting a 1-3-0 record with a 1.81 goals-against average and .944 save percentage. Fred Halyk made his lone start at Air Force on Nov. 1, allowing three goals in the opening 9:04.

66 YEARS, 326 MILES, 141 MEETINGS

• Friday marks the 142nd all-time meeting between the Ivy League rivals, with Cornell holding an 89-44-8 series lead. The Big Red have dominated in recent years, going unbeaten in 23 of the last 24 meetings (20-1-3) and outscoring Brown 88-30 during that span. The Big Red have limited Brown to two goals or fewer in 11 straight games; another such effort Friday would tie for the fourth-longest streak against a single opponent in program history.

• Cornell has won the last six meetings by a combined 29-4 margin, and a victory Friday would tie the program record for consecutive wins over the Bears, matching streaks from 1988-90 and 2007-10. The Big Red have captured 10 of the last 11 contests with a plus-37 goal differential (46-9), including nine victories by at least two goals.

• The Big Red are unbeaten in its last 11 home games against the Bears (10-0-1), outscoring them 40-15 and scoring three or more goals in all but one contest.

CORNELL - BROWN CONNECTIONS

• Luke Ashton, Ryan Shostak, and Zackary Tonelli were teammates on the Vernon Vipers in 2021-22. Justin Katz (2022-24) and Luke Devlin (2022-23) both suited up alongside Michael Salandra for the West Kelowna Warriors. Aiden Long and Brendan Tighe were teammates for two seasons (2023-25) with the Madison Capitols. Pirtle, Reegan Hiscock and Charlie Gollob were all members on the 2023-24 Victoria Grizzlies. George Fegaras, Xavier Veilleux, and Owen Dyer played together for the Muskegon Lumberjacks in 2022-23. Caton Ryan, Michael Fisher, and Matthew Cataldo were teammates on the Penticton Vees last season. Jack O'Brien, Sean Donaldson, and Ethan Mistry all skated for the Nanaimo Clippers in 2021-22, and Fegaras and Jack Hewitt were North York Rangers teammates that same season. Tyler Shea split time in 2021-22 with Nick DeSantis (Madison Capitols) and Parker Murray (Wenatchee Wild). Chase Pirtle and Trip Pendy spent two seasons (2019-21) together at the Delbarton School, while Ryan Walsh and Ben Poitras played two years (2020–22) at the Salisbury School, where Dean Bauchiero was also on the 2020-21 squad.

BROWN'S NHL CONNECTIONS

• Ryan St. Louis is the son of Hockey Hall of Famer and current Montréal Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis, who recorded 1,033 points (391-642—1033) over a 16-year NHL career with Calgary, Tampa Bay, and the N.Y. Rangers (1998–2015). He won the Stanley Cup (2004), captured the Lady Byng Trophy three times (2010, 2011, 2013), claimed the Art Ross Trophy twice (2004, 2013), and earned both the Hart Memorial and Ted Lindsay Awards in 2004. Tanner Hartman’s brother, Ryan, is now in his 12th NHL season and seventh with the Minnesota Wild. Zackary Tonelli is the son of John Tonelli, who tallied 836 points (325-511—836) in 1,028 games over a 14-year career with the N.Y. Islanders, Calgary, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Québec (1978–92), winning four Stanley Cups with the Islanders.

THREE-GOAL SECOND PERIOD PROPELS MEN'S HOCKEY TO VICTORY OVER BROWN

BOX SCORE | RECAP | HIGHLIGHTS

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (FEB. 14, 2025) — A three-goal second period aided the Cornell men's hockey team (10-8-6, 7-6-4 ECAC Hockey) to a 6-1 victory over Brown (11-11-2, 7-9-1 ECAC Hockey) at Meehan Auditorium on Friday night.

Sophomore forward Ryan Walsh scored the first two markers in the second period for his first career multi-goal game with the Big Red, sparking his three-point night and serving as one of five players with multiple points on the night.

Joining Walsh in having a three-point night was his linemate, senior forward Sullivan Mack, who tallied a career-high for points and assists with three.

Freshman forward Charlie Major – who returned to the lineup after missing the last eight games – and senior forward Kyle Penney each had a goal and assist. Junior forward Dalton Bancroft and senior forward Jack O'Leary chipped in a pair of assists and senior defenseman Tim Rego also found the back of the net for Cornell in the victory.

Senior goaltender Ian Shane made 17 saves between the pipes for Cornell, logging his 58th career victory to tie Andy Iles '14 for the fifth-most wins by a Big Red netminder.

Nick Traggio tallied the lone marker on the night in the third period for the Bears. Brown goaltender Lawton Zacher, fresh off being named one of 10 semifinalists for this year's Mike Richter Award on Thursday afternoon, made 22 stops in the losing effort for the Bears before being pulled after allowing Cornell's sixth goal. Tyler Shea halted all three Big Red shots he faced in relief.

Cornell's six goals matched its season-high that came on Jan. 17 in a 6-2 win against Princeton at Hobey Baker Memorial Rink, while the five-goal margin of victory matched its 5-0 shutout at Lynah Rink on Nov. 23, also against Princeton.

Following a sluggish start for both teams, which featured a combined eight shot attempts over the first 10 minutes of play, Major gave Cornell a 1-0 lead with 3:58 left in the first period, lasering a shot from the slot on a pass from O'Leary that beat Zacher to his glove side.

Walsh doubled the Big Red's lead 25 seconds into the second period, beating Zacher over his near-side shoulder, snapping a shot into the upper right 90.

Later on in the period, Cornell generated six shots on goal during a power-play opportunity, but Zacher made some crucial stops to prevent Cornell from tripling its lead.

Zacher's effort on the power play would go all for naught as the Big Red scored twice in 18 seconds, quickly turning its two-goal lead into a four-goal cushion.

Walsh netted his second goal of the period, redirecting a pass by Bancroft following a between-the-legs deke at the left post.

Penney quickly tallied another goal, sending a shot from the left faceoff circle that squeaked through Zacher's five-hole, capping a 2-on-1 scoring chance with O'Leary.

Rego joined the Big Red's scoring party early in the third period, using a deke to get past a Brown defender and backhand a shot past a sprawling Zacher and into the net for his fourth goal of the season.

Brown thwarted Cornell's shutout bid with 10:28 left in the third on a one-timed shot by Traggio following a cross-ice pass by Mike Cataldo that ricocheted off the far half-wall, beating Shane over his near-side shoulder.

Cornell regained its five-goal lead 39 seconds following Traggio's goal as Psenicka pounced at a loose rebound in front of the crease to extend his career-long point streak to seven games. Senior forward Kyler Kovich notched the primary assist as Zacher stopped his shot from below the near-side faceoff circle.

SCOUTING YALE

• Yale (2-1-0, 2-0-0) is coming off an impressive opening weekend of ECAC Hockey play, where it defeated then-No. 8 Quinnipiac, 4-2, last Friday before posting a 2-1 overtime victory over Princeton. The Bulldogs, off to its first 2-0-0 start in ECAC Hockey play since 2010-11, snapped their 17-game losing streak to its Nutmeg State rival, posting its first win since Feb. 9, 2018.

• David Chen (1-1—2), Ronan O’Donnell (1-1—2), James Shannon (1-1—2), and Iisai Pesonen (0-2—2) are all tied for the team lead in points.

• Noah Pak, the reigning MAC Goaltending Goaltender of the Week, is coming off an impressive weekend for Yale, going 2-0-0 with a 1.49 goals-against average and stopped 41 of 44 shots (.932 save percentage). In three appearances (two starts), Pak is 2-0-0 with a 1.28 goals-against average and .946 save percentage. Jack Stark (0-1-0, 9.00, .793) started the Bulldogs’ season opener against Dartmouth on Nov. 2.

123 YEARS, 258 MILES, 167 MEETINGS

• Saturday marks the 168th meeting between the Ancient Eight rivals, with Cornell assuming a 94-63-10 series edge. The Big Red have been dominant in recent years, going 12-1-4 in the last 17 matchups while averaging 3.65 goals per game and limiting Yale to just 1.76 goals per contest.

• Cornell is unbeaten in its last 11 meetings with the Bulldogs (9-0-2), outscoring Yale 42-13 and holding the Bulldogs to two goals or fewer in all but one game. A win Saturday would tie the program’s second-longest unbeaten streak against Yale, matching a 12-game win streak from 1967–73.

• Home ice has been favorable for Cornell, which is 6-0-3 in its last nine games at Lynah Rink against Yale, outscoring the Bulldogs 31-14.

CORNELL - YALE CONNECTIONS

• Josh Robinson, Cornell’s director of hockey operations, and Yale interim head coach Joe Howe were teammates on the 2012-13 Idaho Steelheads. Charlie Major and Jack Stark played together on the 2022-23 Chicago Steel, while Chase Pirtle (2021-22), Tyler Catalano and Winter Wallace (2020-22) all skated alongside Bayard Hall for the Youngstown Phantoms. Donovan Hamilton and Dylan Hunt were teammates last season with the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders, and Hamilton also played with Joe Blackley at the Nichols School in 2021-22. Michael Fisher and Tucker Hartmann spent two seasons (2018-20) together at St. Mark’s School, and Ryan Walsh was teammates with David Chen at Salisbury in 2020-21. Luke Ashton played with Seiya Tanaka-Campbell (2021-23), Jojo Tanaka-Campbell (2021-22), and Kurt Gurkan (2022-23) on the Vernon Vipers, while Xavier Veilleux won a Clark Cup with Gurkan last year on the Muskegon Lumberjacks. Hoyt Stanley and Kalen Szeto were Victoria Grizzlies teammates in 2021-22, with Szeto later joining Pirtle and Reegan Hiscock on the 2023-24 roster. Aiden Long played with Ronan O’Donnell on the 2023-24 Madison Capitols and with Braden Keeble on the 2022-23 Whitecourt Wolverines. Justin Katz teamed up with Elan Bar-Lev-Wise on the 2021-22 West Kelowna Warriors. Sean Donaldson (2021-22 Sioux Falls Stampede) and Parker Murray (2022-23 Wenatchee Wild) both played alongside Micah Berger.

YALE'S NHL CONNECTIONS

• Tom Molson is the son of Geoff Molson, the owner, president, and CEO of the Montréal Canadiens, a position he has held since 2010-11. William Richter’s father, Mike, spent 14 years (1988-2003) as a goaltender for the New York Rangers, appearing in 666 NHL games and backstopping the franchise to the 1994 Stanley Cup. A finalist for the Vezina Trophy in 1991, he compiled a 301-258-73 career record with a 2.89 goals-against average and a .904 save percentage. His No. 35 jersey is retired by the Rangers, and he was inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in 2008, the same year he received the Lester Patrick Trophy for his contributions to U.S. hockey.

THIRD-PERIOD SALVO SPARKS MEN'S HOCKEY TO VICTORY OVER YALE

BOX SCORE | RECAP | HIGHLIGHTS | POSTGAME INTERVIEWS

ITHACA, N.Y. (MARCH 8, 2025) — A third-period salvo helped spark the No. 6-seeded Cornell men's hockey team (14-10-6) to its 5-1 victory over No. 11-seeded Yale (6-21-3) in opening-round action of the 2025 ECAC Hockey Championship before a near-sold-out crowd of 4,121 at Lynah Rink on Saturday night.

Senior defenseman Tim Rego scored two of the Big Red's five goals, marking his second career multi-goal game (Nov. 13, 2021, vs. RPI). Rego's defensive partner, Ben Robertson, recorded two assists, while senior forward Ondrej Psenicka chipped in a goal and an assist. Sophomore defenseman Hoyt Stanley and junior forward Nick DeSantis also scored. Senior goaltender Ian Shane saved 18 of 19 shots he faced.

William Dineen tallied the lone marker of the night for the Bulldogs, as goaltender Jack Stark made 28 saves between the pipes in the setback.
 
Rego gave the Big Red a 1-0 lead 2:33 into the game by receiving a pass from Robertson and performing a toe-drag deke to create separation from a Yale defender, firing his shot over Stark's glove-side shoulder.

After holding Yale to two shots on target in the first 28 minutes of play, the Bulldogs generated three shots on goal during their second-period power play, which Cornell successfully killed off. Yale's first shot on goal during the man advantage was its first in over 18 minutes of action (18:09).
 
Yale capitalized on the power play to build momentum for the rest of the period, launching 12 of the last 16 shots on goal. One of those attempts resulted in the Bulldogs' equalizer by Dineen, who backhanded a shot from the right hashmark of the left faceoff circle after receiving a pass from David Chen behind the goal line.
 
Early in the third period, Cornell seemed to have extended its lead when senior forward Sullivan Mack jabbed at a loose puck in the crease during a power-play opportunity. Yale challenged the play for goaltender interference, which was ultimately successful, bringing the score back to 1-1.
 
Cornell capped the man advantage with six shots on goal, as the Big Red took the first 15 shot attempts in the opening four and a half minutes.
 
The Big Red's third-period onslaught began at 9:02, when Psenicka capitalized on a rebound from the mid-slot after sophomore defenseman George Fegaras' shot from the top of the left faceoff circle was blocked by a Bulldogs defender. Yale challenged for goaltender interference for the second time in the period, but this time the call was upheld after video review.

Just 37 seconds later, Cornell's lead grew to 3-0 after a takeaway by sophomore forward Jonathan Castagna resulted in Stanley taking a shot from the point that deflected off the jersey of a Yale defender in front of the net and lofted over Stark's blocker-side shoulder.

With less than six minutes remaining, Yale utilized a third challenge during the period, leading to a five-minute major penalty for contact to the head and a game misconduct charged to Mack. Just under two minutes into the power play, the Bulldogs were penalized for interference, resulting in both teams skating 4-on-4.
 
Twelve seconds into the 4-on-4, Cornell extended its lead to 4-0 when Rego got a pass from Psenicka during a 2-on-1 odd-man rush and scored against Stark to his high-glove side for the second time the night.

After the five-minute penalty expired, Cornell scored an empty-net goal when senior defenseman Michael Suda saucered a pass from the Big Red's defensive zone to DeSantis at the opposite blue line after leaving the penalty box.

#17 MEN'S HOCKEY'S LATE PUSH FALLS SHORT IN LOSS AT DARTMOUTH

BOX SCORE | RECAP | HIGHLIGHTS

HANOVER, N.H. (NOV. 8, 2025) — Dartmouth sophomore forward Hayden Stavroff extended his goal streak to four games and junior defenseman Matt Fusco tallied the eventual game-winning goal as Dartmouth defeated Cornell 2-1 on Saturday night at Thompson Arena. The Big Green killed a 6-on-4 power play in the final 34.5 seconds to hand Cornell its first ECAC Hockey loss of the season.

Cornell (2-2-0, 1-1-0 ECAC Hockey) mostly controlled play in the third period with a 26-11 edge in shot attempts, but managed just an 11-9 advantage in shots on goal. Big Green junior goaltender Emmett Croteau stopped all 11 shots he faced in the final frame, finishing with 23 saves to preserve the victory for Dartmouth (4-0-0, 2-0-0 ECAC Hockey), which opened with four consecutive wins for a second straight year.

Freshman goaltender Alexis Cournoyer made his third consecutive start for the Big Red, stopping 24 shots in the loss. Freshman forwards Reegan Hiscock and Connor Arseneault each recorded their first collegiate points, with Hiscock netting his first goal.

"It was a hard-fought game," said Casey Jones '90, the Jay R. Bloom '77 Head Coach of Cornell Men's Ice Hockey. "I didn't think we had everybody ready to play at the drop of the puck. We gave up the early power-play goal, but I thought we got a lot of momentum off our penalty kill as the game went on. We hung around and just couldn't get the equalizer."

Stavroff continued his torrid start to the season, netting a power-play goal seven seconds past the halfway point of the opening period to put the Big Green ahead. The sophomore forward extended his goal-scoring streak to four games after taking a pass at the left post from Hank Cleaves, lasering a wrist shot past a sprawling Cournoyer to record his sixth goal of the season and enter a four-way tie for the league lead.

Dartmouth doubled its lead 1:55 into the second period as Fusco scored while Cornell had a delayed penalty coming. Cornell challenged for a potential missed offside call, but the officials kept the call on the ice.

Cornell cut the Big Green's lead in half past the halfway point of the period as Hiscock netted his first collegiate goal 11 seconds after the expiration of his interference penalty. Arseneault also notched his first collegiate point, initiating the scoring chance off a breakout from the Big Red's defensive zone after knocking down a loose puck at the top of the slot.

Despite allowing a power-play goal in the first period, Cornell killed off all three Dartmouth power plays in the second period, holding the Big Green to four shots across the trio of man advantages.

"We made a mistake on the rotation [on the first penalty kill]," Jones said. "We're bringing guys along on the penalty kill, and we're going to have some of those early here. But I did think our penalty kill gained momentum for us as the game went on after that one."

Cornell had a chance to tie the game after pulling its goaltender and drawing a penalty with 34.5 seconds left, creating a 6-on-4 opportunity. The Big Red were unable to pot the game-tying goal despite two saves by Croteau on the doorstep of the crease following a win on the ensuing faceoff.

Special teams proved to be the difference in the contest, with Dartmouth converting on 1-of-4 power plays while Cornell went 0-for-4.

"The two games we've lost this year, we've lost the special teams battle," Jones said. "That's pure and simple. We got to flip that because we're not giving up a lot of goals 5-on-5. If we take care of special teams as we grow here in the season, it'll be critical for us."

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 wraps up its four-game homestand next weekend when it welcomes Union (6-2-1, 2-2-0 ECAC Hockey) and RPI (2-8-0, 2-2-0 ECAC Hockey) to Lynah Rink.

• Puck drop for both contests are scheduled for 7 p.m., with game action streamed live on ESPN+. Jason Weinstein (play-by-play) and Tony Eisenhut '88 (analysis) will be on the call each night.