Men's Hockey to Wrap Up Ivy League Play This Weekend at Brown, Yale

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

PUCK DROP

The Cornell men’s hockey team returns to the road following its weekend split against RPI and Union at Lynah Rink as its final pair of Ivy League contests this weekend on the road against Brown (11-10-2, 7-8-1 ECAC Hockey) and Yale (5-16-2, 4-10-2 ECAC Hockey).

Puck drop for both contests are slated for 7 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN+. Jason Weinstein will have the call over the airwaves on WHCU (870 AM, 97.7 FM, cortacatoday.com).

BEARS & BULLDOGS & WINS, OH MY!

Cornell has fared well against its Ivy League rivals recently, amassing 16 wins and going unbeaten in 18 of its last 19 meetings against Brown and Yale (16-1-2).

The Big Red has swept each of the last two regular-season trips to southern New England, outscoring the Bears and Bulldogs by a combined 20-3.

Should Cornell win both games this weekend, it will mark the second time since Brown and Yale became travel partners in the 2005-06 season that the Big Red has swept the Bears and Bulldogs in the road portion of the regular-season series for three consecutive seasons. The first occurrence happened during the initial three years of the travel partnership (2005-06, 2006-07, and 2007-08).

Across its last eight road games versus Brown and Yale, Cornell is 7-1-0 and has outscored the opposition by a gaudy 31-5 clip. The most goals allowed during the span was in a 2-1 loss to Brown (Feb. 1, 2022).

Over the last 16 road games against Brown and Yale, Cornell has posted an 11-2-3 record (.781), averaging 3.31 goals per game and allowing just 1.38 goals while logging six shutouts.

Dating back to the 2013-14 season, Cornell is unbeaten in 39 of its last 43 overall games against Brown and Yale, posting a 31-4-8 record (.814) and having a plus-73 edge in goals scored (140-67).

Senior goaltender Ian Shane has an 8-1-2 record with a 0.99 goals-against average and .941 save percentage in 11 career appearances against Brown and Yale.

HOCKEY HUMANITARIAN AWARD

After being one of 14 nominees for the 2025 Hockey Humanitarian Award, senior defenseman Hank Kempf was announced as one of five finalists on Wednesday afternoon by the Hockey Humanitarian Award Foundation.

Joining Kempf as finalists are Bemidji State’s Kendra Fortin, Boston College’s Keri Clougherty, Merrimack’s Raice Szott, and St. Lawrence’s Sarah Thompson.

Kempf is the fourth consecutive nominee from either Big Red hockey program and the sixth finalist from Cornell for the award. He joins former women’s hockey players Erin Schmalz (’99), Alyssa Gagliardi (’14), and Morgan Richardson (’16). Additionally, Sam Paolini (’03) is the only other men’s player to have been named a finalist, winning the award in 2003.

Since introducing the award in 1997, Kempf’s nomination marked the 10th time a Big Red player has been nominated for the Hockey Humanitarian Award. He is the lone Big Red student-athlete to be nominated multiple times. Kempf’s nomination was the fifth time a member of the Cornell men’s program was up for the prestigious award, joining Paolini, Topher Scott ‘08, and Andy Iles ‘10.

CZECH THIS POINT STREAK OUT!

Senior forward Ondrej Psenicka heads into this weekend with a six-game point streak, which ties him with four other UMass players for the seventh-longest active streak in Division I hockey. Additionally, Psenicka’s streak is the longest active point streak in ECAC Hockey.

Should Psenicka extend his point streak Friday, he would tie Colgate’s Max Nagel and Dartmouth’s Nikita Nikora for the eighth-longest point streak in ECAC Hockey this season while being the first Cornell player with a seven-game point streak since defenseman Ben Robertson opened his collegiate career last year with points in his first seven games. No Cornell forward has had a seven-game point streak since Matt Stienburg (11 games — Oct. 30, 2021, and Jan. 1, 2022).

With points in both games this weekend, Psenicka would enter a five-way tie for the fourth-longest point streak in ECAC Hockey this season. No Cornell player has had an eight-game point streak since former Big Red defenseman Sam Malinski had a 10-game point streak between Dec. 30, 2022, and Feb. 4, 2023.

KILL, RED, KILL!

Cornell’s penalty kill has excelled recently, killing 29 of its opponent’s last 34 power-play opportunities (88.2 percent), ranking as the seventh-best penalty kill in Division I hockey since Jan. 4.

Among the teams with penalty kill percentages north of 88 percent since Jan. 4, Cornell is one of four ECAC Hockey programs to be ranked within the top seven, joined by Colgate (93.8 percent — 30-of-32), Quinnipiac (93.3 percent — 28-of-30), and Clarkson (89.7 percent — 26-of-29).

Since its 3-3 tie against Quinnipiac on Jan. 18, Cornell has gone 20-of-22 (90.9 percent) on the penalty kill, one of 12 programs to have at least a 90 percent success rate, five of which are ECAC Hockey programs.

The two power-play goals allowed by the Big Red since Jan. 18 are tied with eight other programs (Arizona State, Army, Clarkson, Holy Cross, Maine, Quinnipiac, Union, and Vermont) for the ninth-fewest in Division I hockey.

2K SHANE

Following his first save against St. Lawrence on Jan. 31, senior goaltender Ian Shane recorded his 2,000th save, becoming Cornell’s 10th goaltender to achieve the milestone, joining Andy Iles ‘14, Ben Scrivens ‘10, Jason Elliott ‘98, Mitch Gillam ‘17, Corrie D’Alessio ‘91, Brian Hayward ‘82, David McKee ‘06, Darren Eliot ‘83, and Matt Underhill ‘02.

Entering this weekend, Shane trails Eliot by 47 saves for the eighth-most stops by a Cornell goaltender in program history while ranking 15th among active Division I goaltenders for career saves.

Shane is one of eight active goaltenders to have recorded all of their saves with the same team, joining Bemidji State’s Mattias Sholl (2,573), Colorado College’s Kaidan Mbereko (2,306), Bowling Green’s Christian Stoever (2,297), Omaha’s Simon Latkoczy (2,208), RPI’s Jack Watson (2,125), Air Force’s Guy Blessing (2,064), and St. Thomas’ Aaron Trotter (2,059).

JONNY-ON-THE-DOT

Since the calendar year flipped to 2025, sophomore forward Jonathan Castagna has been one of Cornell’s go-to players for taking faceoffs.

Castagna has won 126 of the 201 draws he’s taken in the new year, leading to a 62.1 percent success rate that ranks as the third-best faceoff win percentage among Division I players with at least 110 faceoff wins during the timeframe, trailing Western Michigan’s Tim Washe (71.8 percent — 122-of-170) and Colorado College’s Klavs Veinbergs (64.0 percent — 110-of-172).

The 126 faceoff wins recorded by Castagna are tied with Denver’s Carter King, Harvard’s Casey Severo, and Robert Morris’ Cameron Garvey for the seventh-highest total in the new year, trailing Brown’s Max Scott (211), Air Force’s Clayton Cosentino (165), Wisconsin’s Gavin Morrissey (142), Niagara’s Tyler Wallace (133), Michigan State’s Charlie Stramel (129), and Michigan’s T.J. Hughes (127).

Castagna has won a team-leading 58.4 percent of the faceoffs (209-of-358) this season, ranking 13th among Division I players and third among ECAC Hockey players with at least 200 faceoff wins. Only Clarkson’s Ellis Rickwood (59.8 percent — 318-of-532) and Quinnipiac’s Victor Czerneckianair (58.5 percent — 258-of-441) have higher percentages.

LUCK OF THE DRAW

The success that sophomore forwards Ryan Walsh (260 faceoff wins, 55.2 percent) and Jonathan Castagna (209 faceoff wins, 58.4 percent) have had at the faceoff dot this season has led Cornell to be one of 10 Division I programs with multiple players that have tallied 200-plus faceoff wins and won at least 55 percent of the draws they’ve taken, joining St. Cloud State (three), Colorado College, Denver, Maine, Niagara, North Dakota, North-eastern, Penn State, and Wisconsin (two apiece).

Walsh’s team-leading 260 faceoff wins are tied with Northeastern’s Jack Williams for the 37th-highest total in Division I hockey and ranks fourth in ECAC Hockey, trailing Brown’s Max Scott (339), Clarkson’s Ellis Rickwood (318), and RPI’s Jakob Lee (274).

Walsh is averaging 11.30 faceoff wins per game, the 11th-best average in Division I hockey among players with at least 200 faceoff wins, while ranking third in ECAC Hockey, only behind Scott (14.74) and Rickwood (11.36).

JOINING RAREFIED COMPANY

With his appearance against Quinnipiac on Jan. 18, senior goaltender Ian Shane became the fourth Big Red goaltender in program history to appear in 100 career games with Cornell, joining Andy Iles ‘14 (118 games), Ben Scrivens ‘10 (117 games), and David McKee ‘06 (102 games).

Shane is one of six active Division I goaltenders to have appeared in 100 career games, joining Western Michigan’s Cameron Rowe (120), Wisconsin’s Tommy Scarfone (113), Boston University’s Mathieu Caron (110), Clarkson’s Ethan Langenegger (109), Bemidji State’s Mattias Sholl (107), and Minnesota’s Liam Souliere (101).

Of the seven goaltenders with 100-plus appearances, Shane and Sholl are the lone two players to have played all their games with the same program.

SHANE'S WORLD, IT'S PARTY TIME, EXCELLENT!

Senior goaltender Ian Shane has excelled inside the blue paint during his time on East Hill. Over his 106 career appearances between the pipes for the Big Red, Shane has a 57-29-16 record with a 1.87 goals-against average and a .916 save percentage.

Shane’s 57 career victories rank sixth among Cornell goaltenders in program history. Entering this weekend, Shane is one win shy of tying Andy Iles ’14 for fifth in program history. The 57 wins are the third-highest total among active Division I goaltenders, trailing Western Michigan’s Cameron Rowe (68) and Wisconsin’s Tommy Scarfone (64), and is one of six goaltenders to have at least 50 victories, joined by Boston University’s Mathieu Caron (54), Denver’s Matt Davis (53), and Boston College’s Jacob Fowler (51).

After making 24 saves in a 5-0 victory over Princeton on Nov. 23, Shane earned his 12th career shutout, tying Scarfone for the most shutouts by an active Division I goaltender. Both netminders have two more shutouts than Bentley’s Connor Hasley.

With his next shutout, Shane would up his total to 13, matching Cornell Athletics and Hockey Hall of Famer Ken Dryden ‘69 for the fourth-most blankings by a Big Red goaltender in program history.

MAKING A NAME FOR HIMSELF

Senior goaltender Ian Shane boasts a 1.87 career goals-against average, the 15th-best figure in Division I hockey history. Shane is among 38 goalies who have played at least 1,500 minutes between the pipes and registered a sub-2.00 goals-against average.

Cornell has four of the top 10 career goals-against averages in NCAA history, one of two programs (Michigan State) with multiple representatives inside the top 10.

Shane and Ben Scrivens ‘10 (1.93) give Cornell six of the 38 sub-2.00 career goals-against averages in NCAA history — the highest number for any Division I program. Other Division I programs to have multiple sub-2.00 goals-against averages include Quinnipiac (four), Maine (three), and Denver, Miami, Michigan State, Michigan Tech, and Notre Dame (two each).

Among active Division I goaltenders with at least 1,500 minutes, Shane is one of three netminders with a career goals-against average below 2.00, joining Boija (1.78) and Boston College’s Jacob Fowler (1.98).

Shane’s .9165 save percentage enters this weekend ranked as the 12th-highest figure for an active Division I goaltender with at least 1,500 minutes played. He ranks second among eligible ECAC Hockey netminders, trailing Brown’s Lawton Zacher (.920).

THAT'LL LEAVE A MARK…

Sophomore defenseman Hoyt Stanley blocked a career-high five shots in Cornell’s loss to Dartmouth on Jan. 25, marking the fourth time he absorbed at least four shots in a game this season. 

Per data from College Hockey News’ Stats Customizer, Stanley is tied with Reece Willcox (2014-15 & 2015-16), Alec McCrea (2017-18), Yanni Kaldis (2017-18), Matthew Nuttle (2018-19), and Tim Rego (2023-24) for the 10th-most games with four-plus blocked shots by a Cornell player in a season since 2012-13.

With another game with four-plus blocked shots, Stanley would be the first player to have five games with four-plus blocked shots since Hank Kempf last season.

ON THE PLUS SIDE…

Entering this weekend’s contests, senior forward Ondrej Psenicka has a career plus-minus rating of plus-52, making him one of nine Division I players with a figure north of plus-50. Psenicka is tied with Minnesota’s Luke Mittelstadt for the eighth-highest career plus-minus rating among active Division I skaters.

Senior defenseman Tim Rego is right behind Psenicka with his plus-49 rating, tied with Denver’s Boston Buckberger and Western Michigan’s Brian Kramer for the 10th-highest career plus-minus rating.

With Psenicka and Rego’s plus-minus ratings, Cornell is one of four programs (Minnesota — four; Boston College — three; Denver — two) with multiple players with plus-minus ratings of at least plus-45.

Senior forwards Kyle Penney (plus-44) and Jack O’Leary (plus-40) join Psenicka and Rego in having at least plus-40 ratings, enabling Cornell to be tied with Boston College and Minnesota for the Division I lead for the most players with plus-40 ratings. Denver (three) and Minnesota State (two) are the other programs with multiple players with plus-40 ratings.

Psenicka’s plus-52 rating is tied with Greg Miller ‘13 for the highest career plus-minus rating in program history, dating back to 2002-03, when plus-minus ratings were first fully tracked for an entire season.

SPREADING THE WEALTH

Cornell saw scoring contributions from nearly every skater who appeared in at least one game last season. Of the 23 skaters who appeared in at least one contest last year, 21 registered at least one point (91.3 percent), and 19 players (82.6 percent) recorded at least two points.

Across its first 23 games this season, Cornell has succeeded in maintaining the scoring levels achieved from last year, with 20 of the 24 skaters who have appeared in at least one game having at least one point (83.3 percent), and 19 have recorded at least two points (79.2 percent).

The senior class leads the team in goals scored (25), having two more than the sophomore class (23), and has accounted for 69 points, one more than the sophomore class’ 68 points (23 goals, 45 assists).

Among Division I programs, Cornell’s 40.7 percent of points from sophomores is the sixth-highest average, trailing Robert Morris (116 of 220 points — 52.7 percent), Army (109 of 225 points — 48.4 percent), Notre Dame (96 of 211 — 45.5 percent), RIT (77 of 178 points — 43.3 percent), and Brown (67 of 161 points — 41.6 percent).

WHAT CAN BLUE(LINERS) DO FOR YOU?

Of the Big Red’s 167 points recorded this season, 53 (eight goals, 45 assists) have come from defensemen (31.7 percent of scoring production).

Cornell has the highest percentage of points coming from defensemen entering this weekend, ahead of  ECAC Hockey rival Colgate by 18-hundredths of a point (31.6 percent — 77 of 244). 

Among Division I programs, Cornell is one of seven teams with at least 30 percent of its scoring production from blueliners. Along with Colgate, the others include Colorado College (31.4 percent — 66 of 210 points), Merrimack (31.3 percent — 56 of 179 points), Princeton (30.9 percent — 43 of 139 points), Robert Morris (30.5 percent — 67 of 220 points), and Notre Dame (30.3 percent — 64 of 211 points).

The 45 assists by Cornell blueliners (43.3 percent of its overall assist total) are the highest average among Division I hockey programs this season and is one of two programs with at least 40 percent of its assists coming from blueliners (Merrimack — 56 of 179 — 40.9 percent).

Senior defenseman Tim Rego (3-11—14) and sophomore defenseman George Fegaras (1-9—10) are having standout seasons for the Big Red. Rego has established career-highs in goals (3) and points (14), while Fegaras has already more than doubled his scoring production from last year in just 17 appearances this season.

ALL HE DOES IS WIN, WIN, WIN

Mike Schafer ‘86, the Jay R. Bloom ‘77 Head Coach of Cornell Men’s Ice Hockey, is one of four active Division I men’s hockey head coaches with at least 550 career victories, joined by Quinnipiac’s Rand Pecknold (659), Mercyhurst’s Rick Gotkin (611), and Notre Dame’s Jeff Jackson (598).

Schafer is also one of six Division I head coaches with at least 500 career wins, accompanied by Air Force’s Frank Serratore (518) and Ferris State’s Bob Daniels (507), who will also retire following the season.

Among all active NCAA hockey head coaches, Schafer’s 551 victories rank sixth, trailing St. Norbert’s Tim Coghlin (678), Pecknold, Fitchburg State’s Dean Fuller (614), Gotkin, and Jackson.

Schafer’s 551 wins rank as the 18th-most victories by a Division I head coach in college hockey history. Schafer is four wins shy of tying longtime Michigan Tech head coach John MacInnes, who registered 555 wins while coaching the Huskies from 1956-82.

With his victory over Harvard on Jan. 24 at Lynah Rink, Schafer became the 10th Division I men’s hockey head coach to win at least 550 games with a single program, joining Jack Parker (Boston University), Red Berenson (Michigan), Bob Peters (Bemidji State), Pecknold, Jerry York (Boston College), Ron Mason (Michigan State), Gotkin, Richard Umile (New Hampshire), and MacInnes.

#PRORED CHECK-IN

Former Cornell defenseman Jacob MacDonald ‘15 continued his torrid stretch on Tuesday night, scoring a hat trick in the Colorado Eagles’ 6-3 victory over the San Jose Barracuda at Blue Arena.

MacDonald scored two first-period goals before scoring the latter of Colorado’s two empty-net goals to solidify the Eagles’ victory while increasing his goal total to 20, to lead all American Hockey League defensemen and is tied for the seventh-most goals in the AHL. The 20 goals — which matches MacDonald’s career-high from the 2017-18 season with the Binghamton Devils — are nine more than San Jose blueliner Luca Cagnoni, who assumes second place for goals by a blueliner.

Of MacDonald’s 20 goals, 10 have come while the Eagles have been on the power play, one shy of tying Rochester’s Brett Murray for the AHL lead.

“The shot is a huge asset. He can play and score from different positions on the power play,” Colorado’s head coach Aaron Schneekloth said. “He’s scored some nice goals from up top, some on the one-timer, nice goals off the rush. Twenty goals, leading the league for defensemen, and leading the league in power-play goals; he’s a big weapon for us on the power play.”

MacDonald has totaled six goals over his last three games, which includes scoring at least once in each contest. Across his last 12 games, the 31-year-old has 13 points, highlighted by his 11 goals.

Through 40 games this season, MacDonald ranks second on the Eagles in points (33), while his 20 goals are six more than Matthew Phillips, who leads the team with 36 points (14 goals, 22 assists). MacDonald’s 33 points are eight more than the Eagles’ next highest-scoring defenseman, Calle Rosén (7-18—25).

SCOUTING BROWN

Brown enters this weekend’s series with an 11-10-2 overall record and 6-8-1 mark in ECAC Hockey play and is just three points behind Cornell in the conference standings.

The Bears have surged of late, winning seven of its last eight games (7-1-0), serving as one of four programs with at least seven victories since Jan. 17, joining Holy Cross (8-0-0), Boston College (7-0-0), and Western Michigan (7-1-0).

Brian Nicholas (10-13—23) paces Brown’s offense, while Tyler Kopff (4-17—21) has the team lead in assists. Max Scott (12-8—20) has scored a team-leading 12 goals on the season.

Lawton Zacher has shined between the pipes for Brown this season, posting an 11-6-2 record, which includes winning each of his last seven games in goal. Zacher leads all goaltenders in ECAC Hockey with his 2.05 goals-against average and .934 save percentage, which ranks sixth among all Division I goaltenders who have appeared in at least a third of his team’s games. Ahead of Zacher is Bowling Green’s Christian Stoever (.948), Augustana’s Josh Kotai (.943), Western Michigan’s Hampton Slukynsky (.942), Minnesota State’s Alex Tracy (.941), and Boston College’s Jacob Fowler (.936).

Over Zacher’s last seven games, he has amassed a 1.98 goals-against average and stopped 190 of the 204 shots he has faced (.931 save percentage).

65 YEARS, 326 MILES, 140 MEETINGS

Friday will be the 141st meeting between the two Ivy League rivals since the inaugural meeting between the programs on Feb. 21, 1959. Cornell owns an 88-44-8 lead in the series against Brown and is unbeaten in 22 of the last 23 meetings (19-1-3) while outscoring the Bears by 53 goals, 82-29.

The Big Red has won the last five games against Brown, outscoring the Bears 23-3. Cornell has also prevailed in nine of the previous 10 against Brown with a plus-32 edge in goals, 40-8. Eight of Cornell’s last nine victories over the Bears have been by at least two goals.

Cornell has an 8-1-2 record in its last 11 games at Meehan Auditorium, which features the Big Red scoring five-plus goals in the previous two contests and outscoring Brown by a 12-1 clip.

Should Cornell allow two goals or fewer on Friday, it would extend the Big Red’s streak of holding Brown to under three goals to 11 games, tying for the fifth-longest streak in program history and the third-longest active stretch (18 games — St. Lawrence; 12 games — Vermont).

CORNELL - BROWN CONNECTIONS

Ben Robertson and Ryan St. Louis played on the 2020-21 United States Under-17 Team ... Marian Mosko and Max Scott were teammates on the 2021-22 Lincoln Stars ... Ethan Mistry spent the 2021-22 Nanaimo Clippers with Jack O’Brien and Sean Donaldson ... Jackson Munro was teammates with Jimmy Rayhill (2019-20 Alberni Valley Bulldogs) and Kyle Penney (2020-21 Chilliwack Chiefs) ... George Fegaras and Jack Hewitt teamed together on the 2021-22 North York Rangers ... Tyler Shea was teammates with Nick DeSantis (Madison Capitols) and Parker Murray (Wenatchee Wild) during the 2021-22 season.

BANCROFT GUIDES #6 MEN'S HOCKEY TO VICTORY OVER BROWN

BOX SCORE I RECAP | HIGHLIGHTS | POSTGAME INTERVIEWS | PHOTO GALLERY

ITHACA, N.Y. (NOV. 9, 2024) — Junior forward Dalton Bancroft factored in all three goals for the No. 6-ranked Cornell men's hockey team, which included netting the game-winning goal with 53.3 seconds in the third period, as it defeated Brown, 3-1, before a sold-out crowd of 4,267 at Lynah Rink on Saturday night.

Bancroft scored twice and assisted on sophomore forward Ryan Walsh's empty-net goal en route to his fourth career three-point game. Senior goaltender Ian Shane made 18 saves in the victory for the Big Red (3-0-1, 1-0-1 ECAC Hockey).

Max Scott tallied Brown's lone goal on the night as Tyler Shea made 28 saves in his season debut for the Bears (0-2-0, 0-2-0 ECAC Hockey).

"It was a good win for us," said Mike Schafer '86, the Jay R. Bloom '77 Head Coach of Cornell Men's Ice Hockey. "I thought we were getting frustrated at not being able to score goals. Both nights, we had a ton of chances around the net. [Shea] played well in net. He saw a lot of shots and made some big saves. They're a hard team to play; they always are. I was happy with the win."

Brown took the lead late in the first period as a shot from the near half-wall by Ryan St. Louis was stopped by Shane and Scott was sitting at the far post to deposit the rebound into the back of the net.

Cornell leveled the game in the second period at exactly the eight-minute mark as Bancroft netted his first goal of the night. Bancroft had his initial shot attempt blocked by Brown defenseman Brett Bliss, the younger brother of former Cornell defenseman Ryan Bliss '18, and sent his rebound attempt past Shea to even the score.

After both teams were held scoreless for over 31 minutes, Cornell thwarted any chance of the game needing overtime as Bancroft scored the game-winning goal with 53.3 seconds left and Walsh tacked on an empty-net goal 17 seconds later.

Bancroft one-timed a backhand pass from sophomore Ben Robertson on the left side of the crease, thanks to a setup by senior forward Kyler Kovich. Kovich carried the puck from the Big Red defensive zone, maneuvered behind Brown's net, and carried it along the far half-wall before dropping it off for Robertson.

"Anytime you score that late in the game and go up, it's really exciting," Bancroft said. "Ben made a great play backdoor and kudos to him for finding me."

Brown won the ensuing draw, which caused the Bears to dump the puck into their offensive zone and empty their net. A fanned one-timer led to Bancroft scooping the puck up and dishing it off to Walsh for the empty-net goal to seal the victory.

SCOUTING YALE

Yale enters this weekend with a 5-16-2 overall record and a 4-10-2 mark in ECAC Hockey play. The Bulldogs have lost their last three games and are winless across their last five games (0-4-1).

Ronan O’Donnell (11-8—19) paces the Bulldogs offense, leading the team in goals and points. Zach Wagnon (2-11—13) has the team lead in assists.

Jack Stark has started in all 17 of his appearances in goal for Yale this season, registering a 3-11-2 record with a 3.70 goals-against average and .880 save percentage. Noah Pak (2-3-0, 3.35, .891) has made four starts and Luke Pearson (0-2-0, 4.36, .855) has started twice.

122 YEARS, 259 MILES, 165 MEETINGS

Cornell owns a 92-62-10 lead in the series with Yale and is 10-1-4 across the previous 15 games versus the Bulldogs. Across the last 15 games, the Big Red has scored at least three goals all but four times, averaging 3.47 goals per game while holding Yale to just 1.73 goals per game.

The Big Red has dominated the series lately, posting a 7-0-2 record over the last nine games with Yale and having a plus-23 edge in goals, 32-9. Cornell’s defense has stymied the Bulldogs during its unbeaten streak, holding Yale to two or fewer goals in all contests and logging a trio of shutouts.

Should Cornell hold Yale to under three goals on Saturday, it would mark the 10th time in program history it has held a Division I opponent to two goals or less in 10 consecutive games. The streak would become either the third or fourth active streak, joining an 18-game span against St. Lawrence and a 12-game stretch versus Vermont. The Big Red’s 10-game streak against Brown could also be extended on Friday.

Without allowing three goals on Saturday, it would be Cornell’s second time holding Yale to two goals or less in 10 straight contests in program history as the Big Red held the Bulldogs to under three goals in 17 consecutive games between Feb. 10, 2001, and Jan. 26, 2008.

CORNELL - YALE CONNECTIONS

Jack Stark was teammates on the Chicago Steel with Ian Shane (2020-21) and Charlie Major (2022-23) ... Bayard Hall played on the Youngstown Phantoms for two seasons (2020-22) with Tyler Catalano and Winter Wallace ... Sullivan Mack and Tucker Hartmann played on the 2020-21 Salmon Arm Silverbacks ... Will Dineen played on the Sioux Falls Stampede with Nick DeSantis (2019-20) and Sean Donaldson (2020-21) ... Micah Berger also spent time with Donaldson in Sioux Falls during the 2021-22 season ... Berger and Parker Murray played with the Wenatchee Wild in 2022-23 ... Kieran O’Hearn was teammates with Donaldson for two years on the Trail Smoke Eaters (2017-19) ... Kalen Szeto and Hoyt Stanley were teammates on the 2021-22 Victoria Grizzlies ... Elan Bar-Lev-Wise and Justin Katz played on the 2021-22 West Kelowna Warriors ... Jimmy Rayhill and Luke Pearson played on the 2019-20 Alberni Valley Bulldogs.

#6 MEN'S HOCKEY TIES WITH YALE, FALLS IN SHOOTOUT

BOX SCORE I RECAP | HIGHLIGHTS | PHOTO GALLERY

ITHACA, N.Y. (NOV. 8, 2024) — The No. 6-ranked Cornell men's hockey team and Yale battled to a 2-2 tie in front of a sold-out crowd of 4,267 at Lynah Rink on Friday night. Yale earned the extra point in the ECAC Hockey standings as freshman defenseman Hughie Hooker was the lone player to score in the best-of-three shootout.

Junior forward Dalton Bancroft and senior forward Jack O'Leary scored for the Big Red (2-0-1, 0-0-1 ECAC Hockey) and senior goaltender Ian Shane made eight saves in the draw.

Donovan Frias scored the first two goals of his collegiate career — both power-play goals — to pace the offense for Yale (0-2-1, 0-0-1 ECAC Hockey). Zach Wagnon chipped in a pair of assists, while Ronan O'Donnell and Rhys Bentham also notched helpers. Sophomore goaltender Jack Stark shined between the pipes for the Bulldogs, making 31 saves, which included stopping the last 20 shots he faced.

"I'm really disappointed," stated Mike Schafer '86, the Jay R. Bloom '77 Head Coach of Cornell Men's Ice Hockey. "I'm disappointed in the way our guys prepared. [Yale] bent but didn't break throughout the game. They didn't take the penalties they took against Denver [last weekend]. Tip your hat to them and their goaltender for playing well."

Bancroft opened the scoring early for the Big Red, netting the first goal eight seconds into the contest. It was the fastest goal to begin a game in Schafer's 30 years as Cornell's head coach, besting a 16-second goal by defenseman Ryan O'Byrne against St. Lawrence on Feb. 25, 2005. The tally was the fastest goal to open a game since Doug Derraugh '91 also scored eight seconds into a game against Princeton on Nov. 10, 1990.

Frias responded with the first of his two power-play goals, capitalizing on a 5-on-3 opportunity halfway past the first period. His latter goal came at the 8:47 mark of the second period to give Yale a 2-1 lead.

O'Leary evened the game with under seven minutes left in the middle stanza, redirecting a shot from the left point by senior defenseman Hank Kempf. Sophomore forward Jonathan Castagna logged the secondary assist on the tally.

Over the final 20 minutes of regulation and in the five-minute 3-on-3 overtime period, Cornell registered 32 shot attempts compared to Yale's five and had an 18-1 advantage in shots on goal.

The first three shooters in the shootout — Bancroft, O'Donnell, and Major — all had their shots saved or missed the net, leading to Hooker forcing the game to be on sophomore forward Ryan Walsh's stick. Stark halted Walsh's shot as the Bulldogs took the shootout victory.

BUHR'S HAT TRICK LIFTS UNION PAST MEN'S HOCKEY

BOX SCORE | RECAP | HIGHLIGHTS

ITHACA, N.Y. (FEB. 8, 2025) — Union junior forward Brandon Buhr scored two third-period goals to punctuate his second hat trick of the season and spark the visiting Garnet Chargers (16-9-3, 9-5-2 ECAC Hockey) to a 4-1 victory over Cornell (9-8-6, 6-6-4 ECAC Hockey) before 3,893 at Lynah Rink in ECAC Hockey action on Saturday night.

Buhr became the first visiting player to score three goals in a game at Lynah Rink since St. Lawrence's John Poapst recorded a natural hat trick in a 3-1 victory over the Big Red on March 5, 1999. It was the first overall hat trick allowed by Cornell since Nov. 5, 2016, when Harvard's Lewis Zetter-Gossage had a hat trick at the Bright-Landry Hockey Center in Cambridge, Mass.

Joining Buhr in scoring for Union was Josh Nixon, who tallied a second-period power-play goal. Junior goaltender Kyle Chauvette made 30 saves between the pipes for the Garnet Chargers, logging his seventh 30-save performance on the year.

Senior forward Kyler Kovich potted the lone goal for the Big Red as fellow seniors Ondrej Psenicka and Tim Rego registered the assists. Senior goaltender Ian Shane stopped 20 Garnet Charger shots in the setback.

"I didn't like the way we started the game," said associate head coach Casey Jones '90, who assumed Cornell's head coaching duties for the weekend as Mike Schafer '86 attended his son's wedding. "I didn't think we had the same pop that started the game yesterday. We had tremendous momentum at certain points in the game. We just needed one to go in for us."

Union wasted no time taking the lead as Buhr opened the scoring 1:49 into the contest, pouncing at a loose rebound in the mid-slot after freshman Ben Muthersbaugh's shot from the far half-wall was saved by Shane.

Both teams had a chance on the power play in the opening 20 minutes but could not convert. Union had three shots on goal during its first power play, which included six shot attempts. Cornell had a pair of shots on goal during its man advantage.

The Garnet Chargers extended their lead 4:53 into the second period, 48 seconds into their second power play of the game. Nixon scored with a snapshot from the left side of the right faceoff circle, beating Shane to his short side.

Union's two-goal lead was short-lived when Kovich responded with his third goal of the season just 38 seconds later. He took advantage of a rebound after redirecting shot taken by Psenicka from the middle of the point, which hit the crossbar. Rego also earned his 11th assist of the season.

Cornell maintained possession of the puck in its offensive zone for several minutes during the second period as it hoped to tie the game but was ultimately held off the scoreboard.

"I thought we had a ton of momentum," Jones said of the Big Red's play in the second period. "We had unbelievable opportunities to mount that attack. When you have guys healthy, it's emblematic of the hockey you want to play, shift after shift after shift, sustaining momentum. I thought we had a lot of times they had that in the third period, too."

Buhr regained the Garnet Chargers' two-goal lead 2:13 into the third period, one-timing a backhanded pass by Nate Hanley past Shane following a breakout from Union's defensive zone.

Cornell nearly cut Union's lead in half for a second time on the night 20 seconds into its third power play. Sophomore defenseman Ben Robertson sent a centering pass from the near half-wall to sophomore forward Ryan Walsh, who was at the right side of the crease. However, Chauvette made an impressive sprawling cross-crease glove save, denying Walsh a power-play goal.

With 1:50 remaining in the contest, Buhr potted his third goal of the night into an empty Cornell goal to solidify Union's victory.

2024-25 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 reresurrected 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 will return to Lynah Rink for its final pair of regular-season home games when it welcomes Clarkson (16-9-3, 10-5-1 ECAC Hockey) and St. Lawrence (8-18-2, 4-10-2 ECAC Hockey) to East Hill.

The Big Red won a shootout over the Golden Knights on Feb. 1, following a 3-3 tie at Cheel Arena. Jack O'Leary had a career night for Cornell, assisting on all three goals scored on the night. Sullivan Mack chipped in a goal and assist in the draw.

St. Lawrence defeated Cornell, 2-1, at Appleton Arena on Jan. 31. Senior defenseman Hank Kempf scored the lone goal of the night for the Big Red in the setback.

Friday night's game will have a 7 p.m. start, while Saturday's Celebrating Schafe and Senior Night contest will begin at 6 p.m. Both contests will air live on ESPN+ and will be carried over the airwaves on WHCU (870 AM, 97.7 FM, cortacatoday.com).