#17 Men's Hockey Seeks Fifth Straight Kelley-Harkness Cup in Red Hot Hockey at MSG

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

PUCK DROP

• The Cornell men’s hockey team (6-2-0, 5-1-0 ECAC Hockey), ranked No. 17 in the latest USCHO.com poll, looks to claim the Kelley-Harkness Cup for a fifth consecutive time when it faces No. 19 Boston University (6-7-1, 4-4-0 Hockey East) in the 10th edition of the biennial Red Hot Hockey game at Madison Square Garden. The matchup serves as a rematch of last year’s Toledo Regional Final in the NCAA Division I Men’s Hockey Championship.

• Puck drop is scheduled for 8 p.m., with game action streaming on ESPN+ featuring Jason Weinstein (play-by-play) and former Cornell forward Anthony Angello (analyst) on the call.

RETURN OF RED HOT HOCKEY

• Saturday’s game marks the 10th installment of the biennial Red Hot Hockey series, which began in 2007-08. Boston University went unbeaten in the first five matchups (3-0-2), but Cornell has won four straight to claim possession of the Kelley-Harkness Cup.

• In the most recent meeting in 2023, third-period goals from then-freshman forward Ryan Walsh and then-junior Ondrej Psenicka powered Cornell to a 2-1 victory over No. 5 Boston University.

• Then-junior goaltender Ian Shane made 35 saves as Cornell hoisted the Kelley-Harkness Cup for a fourth consecutive time.

• The nine previous Red Hot Hockey games have drawn 147,957 fans, averaging 16,440 per contest.

BACK IN THE NEW YORK GROOVE

• Cornell will be playing its 30th all-time game at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night and its 22nd at the current location. The Big Red hold an 18-8-3 record at The World’s Most Famous Arena and are unbeaten in nine of the last 10 contests at the venue (7-1-2).

• Last year, No. 11 Cornell battled No. 18 Quinnipiac to a 3-3 tie in the Frozen Apple before claiming victory in a shootout.

• Since a 4-1 loss to Harvard in the 2018 Frozen Apple, the Big Red are unbeaten in its last five games at Madison Square Garden, defeating Boston University in 2019, 2021, and 2023 while blanking No. 6 UConn 6-0 in 2022.

EMPIRE STATE OF MIND

• Saturday marks Cornell’s fifth game in a 15-game stretch that will be played entirely within New York State. After opening the season with three games in Massachusetts and one in New Hampshire, the Big Red won’t leave the Empire State until traveling to New Haven, Conn., to face Yale on Jan. 30.

• The 15-game stretch features 12 contests at Lynah Rink, Saturday's biennial Red Hot Hockey matchup against Boston University at Madison Square Garden in New York City, and the Big Red’s annual trip to the North Country to face Clarkson and St. Lawrence next weekend.

• It marks Cornell’s fourth-longest streak of games played within New York in program history and the longest since an 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 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).

FIVE-PIECE, PLEASE

• Since being named to the Spengler Cup roster on Nov. 6, junior forward Ryan Walsh has found his scoring touch, collecting eight points (3-5—8) of his team-leading 10 on the season.

• In last Saturday’s 6-1 win over RPI, Walsh recorded a career-high five assists, becoming the 21st Big Red player (30th instance) to register at least five assists in a game and the first since current Cornell head coach Casey Jones ‘90 on Jan. 6, 1989, against Brown.

• He became the first Division I player to record a five-assist game since Army’s Nils Forselius tallied five helpers in a six-point performance during a 13-1 win over Mercyhurst on Jan. 11, 2025.

• Walsh is the fifth player this season to register at least four assists in a game, joining Bemidji State’s Kasper Magnussen, Boston University’s Sacha Boisvert, North Dakota’s Ben Strinden, and St. Thomas’ Charlie Schoen.

SPECIAL TEAMS SPECIAL

• Paired with Ryan Walsh’s five-assist performance last Saturday, junior forward Jonathan Castagna achieved another relatively rare feat in the same game, scoring on both the power play and while short-handed against RPI.

• The last Big Red player to score on both ends of special teams was Ondrej Psenicka on Feb. 19, 2022, against Clarkson. However, Psenicka’s short-handed goal was scored on an empty net, making Castagna the first Cornell player to score both a power-play and short-handed goal against an opposing goaltender since Mike Rutter on Feb. 11, 2000, at Clarkson.

• Castagna is the 17th Cornell player (24th instance) since 1960-61 to register a power-play and short-handed goal in the same game, and only the fourth player (sixth occurrence) to accomplish the feat over the last 45 years, joining Joe Nieuwendyk (three times), Rutter, and Psenicka.

• This season, Castagna is one of eight Division I players this season to score both a power-play and short-handed goal in the same contest. Notably, three of the eight instances have been recorded by ECAC Hockey players, including Quinnipiac’s Chris Pelosi (Nov. 21 vs. Clarkson), and RPI’s Filip Sitar (Nov. 8 vs. Clarkson). The other players to score on both ends of special teams are Air Force’s Chris Hedden (Nov. 7 at Sacred Heart), LIU’s Brett Rylance (Nov. 15 at Minnesota), Maine’s Max Scott (Nov. 1 vs. Boston University) and Josh Nadeau (Nov. 6 at UMass), and Minnesota Duluth’s Max Plante (Oct. 31 at North Dakota).

ALEXIS-CELLENCE BETWEEN THE PIPES

• Freshman goaltender Alexis Cournoyer has been nothing short of stellar between the pipes through his first seven collegiate games, compiling a 6-1-0 record with a 1.30 goals-against average and .953 save percentage, ranking third in goals-against and second in save percentage among qualified Division I goaltenders.

• Cournoyer is the sixth Cornell goaltender over the last 20 seasons to post a goals-against average under 2.00 through his first seven career games, trailing only Matthew Galajda (1.27, 2017-18). Hayden Stewart (1.48, 2014-15), Ian Shane (1.62, 2021-22), Mitch Gillam (1.82, 2013-15), and Austin McGrath (1.84, 2018-19) round out the top six.

• His .953 save percentage ranks as the best mark by a Cornell goaltender through their first five seven games since the 2005-06 season, ahead of Stewart’s .952 clip.

• Among active Division I goaltenders, Cournoyer’s 1.30 goals-against average and .953 save percentage both rank second through a player’s first seven career games, trailing only Michigan’s Jack Ivankovic (1.00, .954). Cournoyer is one of four active Division I goaltenders with a sub-1.50 goals-against average through their first seven games (minimum 400 minutes), joining Ivankovic (1.00, 2025-26), Denver’s Quentin Miller (1.41, 2025-26), and Michigan State’s Luca DiPasquo (1.49, 2023-25).

(BIG) RED MEANS STOP

• Cornell has allowed 11 goals through its first eight games, marking the fifth time the Big Red have surrendered 11 or fewer goals to start a season, previously accomplished in 1965-66 (8), 1967-66,  2002-03, and 2004-05 (11 each).

• The Big Red’s stinginess has carried over from recent seasons, as Cornell owns the second-best scoring defense as of Wednesday morning (1.38 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 is one of only three teams (Denver and Minnesota State with 10 each) to post at least 10 top-10 finishes in that span.

• Cornell has not allowed more than two goals in any of its first eight games, marking the fourth time in program history the Big Red have accomplished the feat, joining the teams from 2019-20 (first 14 games), 1965-66, and 2004-05 (first 10 games each).

• Over the last nine seasons, Cornell has finished in the 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, 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 1.968 goals per game — joining Minnesota State (1.889) 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.

JONNY-ON-THE-DOT

• Through the first eight games, junior forward Jonathan Castagna boasts the nation’s top faceoff win percentage among players with a minimum of 75 faceoff wins, winning 91 of the 142 draws (64.1 percent). He is one of 12 players with at least a 60.0 percent win percentage on faceoffs. Quinnipiac’s Victor Czerneckianair has the second-highest average in ECAC Hockey (119-of-196 — .6071).

• In the 2025 calendar year, Castagna has been one of the nation’s most reliable players at the dot, winning 62.0 percent of his draws (298-of-479), making him one of two active Division I players with at least a 60 percent success rate on faceoffs (Wisconsin’s Gavin Morrissey (400-of-666 — .601).

LUCK OF THE DRAW

• The success that junior forwards Jonathan Castagna (91 faceoff wins, 64.1 percent) and Ryan Walsh (90 faceoff wins, 55.2 percent) have had at the dot has enabled Cornell to serve as the lone Division I program with multiple players averaging at least 10 faceoff wins per game this season.

• Castagna’s team-leading 91 faceoff wins has resulted in an 11.38 faceoff wins per game average, ranking 12th nationally. Walsh is right behind at 11.25 faceoff wins per game, placing him 13th nationally. Both players have the second- and third-highest faceoff wins per game total in ECAC Hockey, trailing only Dartmouth’s Hank Cleaves (12.17).

• With Castagna and Walsh’s faceoff percentages being above 55 percent, Cornell is one of nine programs with multiple players having at least 75 faceoff wins and be successful on 55 percent of faceoffs taken, joining Wisconsin (three), Arizona State, Bowling Green, Colorado College, Maine, Michigan, North Dakota, and Quinnipiac (two each).

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 BOSTON UNIVERSITY

• Boston University enters tonight’s matchup coming off a split of its home-and-home series with Northeastern last weekend, falling to the Huskies at Matthews Arena in the final minute, 3-2, before posting a 4-3 overtime victory at Agganis Arena the following night.

• The Terriers have scored the second-most shorthanded goals this season, potting six tallies while down a man. Kamil Bednarik (2-4—6) and Jonathan Morello (3-3—6) are tied for second nationally with two shorthanded tallies each. Cole Hutson (7-11—18), who leads the team in all three major scoring categories, has three of Boston University’s six game-winning goals, tied for the second-most in Division I.

• Goaltender Mikhail Yegorov (6-6-1, 3.60, .886) has started all 14 games for the Terriers this season and has allowed at least three goals in nine of his 14 outings.

100 YEARS, 328 MILES, 53 MEETINGS

• Cornell and Boston University are meeting for the 54th time in program history on Saturday evening. The Big Red have had a 27-23-3 advantage in the series and are 13-11-3 in contests played on neutral ice.

• Nine of the last 12 meetings have been decided by one goal, and all 12 contests have been determined within two goals.

• Saturday will be the 13th time in the last 14 meetings that the Big Red and Terriers are playing at a neutral site (10 at Madison Square Garden, once each at DCU Arena, Huntington Center, and SNHU Arena). Cornell is 3-5-2 in its previous 10 neutral site games against BU.

CORNELL - BOSTON UNIVERSITY CONNECTIONS

• Connor Arseneault played with Steven Luciano and Mikhail Yegorov on the Omaha Lancers last year. George Fegaras and Xavier Veilleux played with Gavin McCarthy and Sacha Boisvert on the 2022-23 Muskegon Lumberjacks, while Veilleux and Boisvert also spent the 2023-24 season together in Muskegon. Justin Katz and Nick Roukounakis played on the 2021-22 West Kelowna Warriors. Tyler Catalano (2021-23), Chase Pirtle (2021-22), Michael Fisher (2022-23), and Winter Wallace (2021-22) played with Brandon Svoboda on the Youngstown Phantoms; Fisher (2022) and Svoboda (2023) are both third-round draft picks by San Jose. Charlie Major and Jack Harvey played on the 2022-23 Chicago Steel. Mick Frechette is the younger brother of former Cornell women’s hockey and lacrosse players Finley (2017-21) and Gillis Frechette (2018-23). Jonathan Castagna and Jay Feldberg played on the 2022-23 Newmarket Hurricanes. Veilleux and Ryder Ritchie were both on Team Canada White at the 2022 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge held in Delta, British Columbia in 2022. Aiden Long, Erick Roest, and Nicholas Wolfenberg played with Aiden Celebrini on the Canada West team at the 2022 World Junior ‘A’ Challenge in Cornwall, Ontario. Ben Merill spent time on last year’s Penticton Vees with Caton Ryan and Fisher while also playing with Major and Hudson Gorski on the 2023-24 Chicago Steel. Donovan Hamilton and John McNelis played on last year’s Cedar Rapids RoughRiders. Luke Devlin (2023 - 6th round) and Charlie Trethewey (2025 - 3rd round) are Pittsburgh draft picks, Luke Ashton (2024 - 6th round) and Malte Vass (2025 - 3rd round) are Columbus draft picks, Veilleux (6th round), Kamil Bednarik (2nd round), and Cole Eiserman (1st round) were selections by the New York Islanders in 2024, Alexis Cournoyer (2025 - 5th round) and Merrill (2024 - 6th round) are Montréal draft picks, Ryan Walsh (2023 - 6th round) and Jonathan Morello (2024 - 5th round) are Boston draft picks.

BOSTON UNIVERSITY'S NHL CONNECTIONS

• Goaltender Max Lacroix's grandfather, Pierre, is a Hockey Hall of Fame inductee in the "builder" category who served as general manager for the final year of the Québec Nordiques (1994-95) and the first 11 seasons of the Colorado Avalanche (1995-2006), winning two Stanley Cups. His father, Éric, played 472 NHL games over eight seasons with Toronto, Los Angeles, Colorado, the New York Rangers, and Ottawa (1993-2001) and is currently in his first season as a pro scout with Toronto. Defenseman Sascha Boumedienne's father, Josef, played 47 NHL games with New Jersey, Tampa Bay, and Washington from 2001-04. Defenseman Aiden Celebrini is the older brother of 2024 first overall pick Macklin Celebrini, who has amassed 97 points in 93 career games with San Jose. Defenseman Cole Hutson is the younger brother of Montréal defenseman and Calder Trophy winner Lane Hutson, who has accrued 86 points in 105 games, and Quinn Hutson, who played in two NHL games with Edmonton last season. Forward Ryder Ritchie's father, Byron, played 324 NHL games over eight seasons (1998-2008) with Carolina, Florida, Calgary, and Vancouver, while his uncle, Andreas Johansson, played 377 NHL games with seven teams between 1995 and 2004.

HUTSON'S OVERTIME WINNER LIFTS #8 BOSTON UNIVERSITY OVER #16 MEN'S HOCKEY

BOX SCORE | RECAP | HIGHLIGHTS | POSTGAME PRESS CONFERENCE | GALLERY

TOLEDO, Ohio (MARCH 29, 2025) — Boston University junior forward Quinn Hutson's goal 6:25 into overtime helped lead the second-seeded and No. 8-ranked Terriers (23-13-2) to their 3-2 victory over the fourth-seeded and No. 16-ranked Cornell men's hockey team (19-11-6) in the Toledo Regional final at the Huntington Center on Saturday evening.

Hutson's golden goal sent Boston University to its third consecutive Frozen Four appearance under head coach Jay Pandolfo, who improved to 10-0 all-time in regional games as a player and head coach of the Terriers.

Matt Copponi and Cole Hutson, Quinn's younger brother, also scored for the Terriers in the victory. Freshman goaltender Mikhail Yegorov stopped 37 of 39 shots to earn his 10th win of the season since joining the Terriers in early January.

Sophomore forward Ryan Walsh and senior forward Jack O'Leary were the goal scorers for Cornell, who received a 40-save performance from senior goaltender Ian Shane.

Both Shane and Walsh were named to the Toledo Regional All-Tournament Team following the conclusion of the contest.

The result marked the final game coached by Mike Schafer '86, the Jay R. Bloom '77 Head Coach of Cornell Men's Hockey. His 30-year tenure as the Big Red's bench boss came to a close with a final record of 561-300-117, good for a .633 win percentage. Schafer's 561 career victories are 331 more than the second-place holder, Dick Bertrand '70.

Leaving an indelible mark on the Cornell men's hockey program, Schafer guided Cornell to 15 NCAA Tournament appearances, including a trip to the 2003 Frozen Four in Buffalo, N.Y., where the Big Red established the single-season program record for wins (30). Cornell ended up winning at least 20 games on 14 occasions and had 18 campaigns with a .600 win percentage, including each of the last eight seasons. In ECAC Hockey play, Schafer helped the Big Red win 10-plus conference games 24 times, including the previous eight campaigns.

"I couldn't be more proud of our hockey team," Schafer said. "If we played yesterday, we would have been without five guys. We unfortunately got hit with the flu while we're out here and the guys that sucked it up in this game never said a word, never batted an eyelash, played hard throughout the night. We gave it everything we possibly could. As a coach, that's all you ask of your players. I told them after the game all you ask is their heart and soul and their preparation to go out on the ice and give it everything they have, from blocking shots to back-checking and taking a hit. It's the adage as a coach, the commitment these guys have had, just their perseverance, and they had a shot at it.

"I'm grateful for my career, I'm grateful for Cornell for providing me the job. I'm not happy we lost; I'm very proud of our players and how they represent Cornell. In today's society, are they not the truest student-athletes? They pay to go to school and have a tough curriculum. They grinded out exams last night from 6-7:30 last night. They're the truest sense of a student-athlete in a world where it's chaos. How could you not be proud as a coach? That's why I've stayed at Cornell. It's the best job in the country. Best fans, best university, best combination of hockey and academics."

Cornell seemed to have scored the first goal of the game within the first seven minutes when Walsh deflected the rebound of junior forward Dalton Bancroft's shot from the left faceoff circle. However, the officials immediately disallowed the goal, stating that Walsh had deflected the puck into the net with his hand. The Big Red challenged the ruling, and it was ultimately overturned, awarding Cornell a 1-0 lead.

The Cornell lead would be short-lived as Boston University responded with a goal of their own 72 seconds later when Shane saved Copponi's shot, and a Cornell defender inadvertently knocked the loose rebound into the net.

Late in the first period, Walsh received a five-minute face-masking penalty following a lengthy video review that occurred during the final media timeout. Despite the man advantage being split into two segments due to a slashing penalty against Boston University's Devin Kaplan as the first period ended, Shane saved all six shots on goal from the Terriers.

Neither side scored on their 10 shots on target during the second period, but a penalty called as time expired allowed Boston University to start the third period with a power play. Cole Hutson scored on a shot from the goal line, beating Shane over his near-side shoulder to put the Terriers ahead just 34 seconds into the frame.

O'Leary tied the game up with 5:30 left in regulation as he wristed a shot from the mid-slot. Senior forward Sullivan Mack set up the play by taking the puck away from a pair of Boston University players at the half wall.

Both sides generated scoring chances in the opening 30 seconds of overtime, with Shane and Yegorov each making crucial stops to extend the game further.

Quinn Hutson solidified the Terriers' third consecutive trip to the Frozen Four after attempting a shot from the right point that evaded traffic in front of Shane and went into the bottom left corner of the goal.

WALSH'S TWO GOALS, RYAN'S MULTI-POINT NIGHT LEAD #20 MEN'S HOCKEY PAST YALE

BOX SCORE | RECAP | HIGHLIGHTS | POSTGAME INTERVIEWS

ITHACA, N.Y. (NOV. 22, 2025) — A newly formed line delivered the perfect exclamation point to the Cornell men's hockey team's four-game homestand sweep as juniors Luke Devlin and Ryan Walsh and sophomore Charlie Major combined for 10 points in their debut as a unit, powering the No. 19-ranked Big Red to a 6-1 rout of RPI on Saturday night at Lynah Rink.

Walsh distributed a career-high five assists, Major contributed a goal and two assists, and Devlin notched his first multi-goal game at Cornell as the Big Red improved to 6-2-0 overall and 5-1-0 in ECAC Hockey play.

Devlin praised his new linemates after the game, noting the immediate chemistry the trio displayed.

"I thought we clicked really well tonight. We worked off each other really well," Devlin said. "They make your life really easy. For me, I don't have to do too much, just have to make sure I'm working hard and keeping up with them. Then they make a lot of great plays."

Cornell opened the scoring just 3:54 into the first period when junior forward Jake Kraft found the back of the net. Devlin extended the lead to 2-0 at 7:23 of the opening frame before RPI's Matthew Buckley cut the deficit to 2-1 late in the period.

The Big Red seized control in the second period, scoring twice to build a commanding 4-1 advantage. Devlin netted his second goal just one minute into the frame, then junior Jonathan Castagna converted on the power play at 17:13.

The power-play tally extended Cornell's streak of scoring with the man advantage to four games and came on crisp puck movement. Freshman defenseman Xavier Veilleux started the sequence from the point, feeding Walsh at the left hashmark of the left faceoff circle. Walsh delivered a tape-to-tape pass to Castagna, who one-timed the puck past RPI goaltender Nate Krawchuk from the right hashmark.

"We're just executing what we planned before the game," Castagna said, crediting the power play's recent success to a focused approach. "We knew what we had to do. A focus of ours is getting more pucks to the net. Really focusing on just attacking all the time and we've been pretty successful at that. As long as we keep that up, we'll see continued success."

Major pushed the lead to 5-1 at 4:48 of the third period before Castagna sealed the victory with a short-handed goal with 6.2 seconds remaining. Sophomore defenseman Luke Ashton collected the puck and sent a long outlet pass to Castagna, who drew a slashing penalty on the play, and backhanded a shot into the top right corner.

Freshman goaltender Alexis Cournoyer continued his impressive start to his collegiate career, stopping 23 of 24 shots to improve to 6-1-0 on the season.

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 concludes the fall semester portion of the 2025-26 schedule next weekend when it travels to the North Country to face Clarkson (4-10-0, 1-5-0 ECAC Hockey) and St. Lawrence (2-11-1, 1-5-0 ECAC Hockey).

• Both games are scheduled for 7 p.m. puck drops, and will be streamed live on ESPN+ and be available to watch regionally on SNY.

• Friday's contest will be the first time Casey Jones '90 will be serving as the head coach against the team he served as the bench boss for 13 seasons, amassing a record of 234-185-56 (.552) with the Golden Knights, which included him winning the Tim Taylor Award, ECAC Hockey’s Coach of the Year, in 2019. While at Clarkson, the Golden Knights registered six 20-win seasons, four of which came during a five-year stretch between 2015 and 2020. Clarkson, who finished within the top 16 in pairwise ranking for five consecutive seasons (2017-22), made a pair of NCAA Tournaments in 2018 and 2019, and was poised for a third consecutive trip in 2020 before the COVID-19 pandemic halted those aspirations. The Golden Knights made the ECAC Hockey semifinals on three occasions (2018, 2019, 2022) under Jones, which included claiming the 2019 ECAC Hockey Tournament title.