#11 Men's Hockey Concludes Road Trip at #5 Quinnipiac, Princeton

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

PUCK DROP

• The 11th-ranked Cornell men’s hockey team (17-7-1, 12-5-1 ECAC Hockey) plays its final pair of road regular-season games of the season when it travels to No. 5 Quinnipiac (24-5-3, 15-2-1 ECAC Hockey) and Princeton (14-11-1, 10-8-0 ECAC Hockey).

• Both games are scheduled for 7 p.m. starts and will be streamed live on ESPN+.

TIME FOR A BREATHER?

• Cornell has a chance to earn an opening-round bye as early as this weekend for the 2026 ECAC Hockey Championship, which will begin three weeks from Friday.

• Should the Big Red clinch an opening-round bye this weekend, it would be Cornell’s eighth time in the last nine tournaments (since 2017) it will end up hosting a best-of-three quarterfinal series.

• Since the 2005-06 season, ECAC Hockey’s first year under its current format, the Big Red have a league-best 14 opening-round byes, two more than the second-place holder, Quinnipiac (12). The Big Red and Bobcats are the only two programs that have recorded at least 10 opening-round byes.

CHAMPIONS OF THE ANCIENT EIGHT

• With Brown’s 4-3 upset victory over then-No. 12 Dartmouth last Saturday at Meehan Auditorium, Cornell claimed its league-leading 27th Ivy League title. The Big Red have clinched the Ivy crown six times in the last eight seasons and won the Ancient Eight for the 12th time since 2002.

• Cornell’s 27 Ivy League titles are three more than the second-place holder, Harvard (24), which last won the Ivy League in the 2021-22 season. When including the Quadrangular League, which began in 1933-34, the Big Red’s 27 titles are just one behind the Crimson’s 28 titles.

• With a win against Princeton on Saturday night, Cornell will conclude Ivy League play with a 9-1-0 record. The Big Red would become the first team to register at least nine Ancient Eight wins since the Big Red went 9-0-1 during the 2017-18 campaign. It would serve as the 31st time since 1954-55 that the Ivy League champion has had nine-plus wins and only the sixth time this century, joining Princeton (2008), Yale (2009, 2010, 2011) and Cornell (2018).

COURNOYER NAMED SEMIFINALIST FOR MIKE RICHTER AWARD

• Freshman goaltender Alexis Cournoyer was named one of 10 semifinalists for the 2026 Mike Richter Award, it was announced by the Hockey Commissioners Association last Friday, Feb. 13.

• Cournoyer is Cornell’s third goaltender to reach the semifinal stage of the Mike Richter Award, which has been presented annually to the top goaltender in men’s Division I hockey since 2014. He is the first since Ian Shane ‘25 in 2024 and also joins two-time finalist Matthew Galajda (2018 and 2020).

• Joining Cournoyer on the list of semifinalists includes Michigan State’s Trey Augustine, Dartmouth’s Emmett Croteau, UMass’ Michael Hrabal, Michigan’s Jack Ivankovic, Augustana’s Josh Kotai, UConn’s Tyler Muszelik, North Dakota’s Jan Špunar, Minnesota State’s Alex Tracy and Northeastern’s Lawton Zacher.

• Three finalists will be selected and announced in early March, setting up the announcement of the winner during the weekend of the Men’s Frozen Four in Las Vegas in April.

THE ‘X’ FACTOR

• Freshman defenseman Xavier Veilleux enters this weekend with at least one point in nine of his last 12 games (2-12—14), 12 of his previous 16 (3-16—19) and 14 of his last 19 (4-17—21).

• Veilleux’s 23 points (5-18—23) are the most by a freshman defenseman this season, four more than Wisconsin’s Luke Osburn (5-14—19) and Penn State’s Jackson Smith (10-9—19), while serving as one of seven first-year rearguards with at least 16 points this season.

• Among active Division I blueliners, Veilleux joins Boston University’s Cole Hutson (7-20—27 in 2024-25) as the only defensemen who have registered at least 23 points within their first 25 career games.

• Over the last 20-plus seasons, Veilleux is one of 15 Division I defenseman to amass at least 23 points in his first 25 career games. Nine of the 15 instances have come over the last four-plus seasons and 11 have been over the last nine-plus campaigns. Veilleux is the first ECAC Hockey defenseman to have 23 points in his first 25 career games since Harvard’s Adam Fox (3-25—28) in 2016-17.

• After posting an assist in each game of last weekend’s trip to RPI and Union, Veilleux entered a tie with Chris Norton ‘88 (4-19—23 in 1984-85) and Ben Robertson (5-18—23 in 2023-24) for the program lead for points by a freshman defenseman.

• Veilleux’s five goals are tied with McRae (1999-00) and Robertson (2023-24) for the second-most by a Cornell freshman defenseman in program history. Only Joakim Ryan ‘15 had more in his first campaign with the Big Red, scoring seven goals in the 2011-12 season.

X GON' GIVE IT TO YA

• All five of freshman defenseman Xavier Veilleux’s goals this season have come on the power play, pacing the Big Red in that category. His five power-play goals are tied with Long Island’s Nick Bernardo, Colgate’s Isaiah Norlin and Clarkson’s Tate Taylor for the second-most power-play goals by a defenseman. He is also one of 15 freshmen with at least five power-play goals.

• Veilleux, who has already more than doubled the program record for power-play goals by a freshman defenseman, is the 14th blueliner (19th instance) in program history with at least five power-play goals.

• Another power-play goal by Veilleux would make him the first Cornell rearguard with six power-play goals in a season since Nick D’Agostino ‘13 (six) in 2011-12, while also becoming the 10th freshman overall in program history with at least six power-play goals and the first since Michael Regush (six) in 2018-19. The last Big Red player overall to record six power-play goals in a season was Dalton Bancroft (seven) in 2023-24.

22K MAGIC

• Cornell enters this weekend with four players having at least 22 points, highlighted by junior forward Jonathan Castagna (13-14—27) pacing the team in both goals and points, while freshman defenseman Xavier Veilleux (5-18—23), junior forward Ryan Walsh (6-16—22) and freshman forward Caton Ryan (8-14—22) all have exceeded the 22-point threshold.

• It is Cornell’s first time having at least four players with 22 points or more through its first 25 games in a season since 2001-02 (Stephen Bâby ‘03 — 6-17—23; Doug Murray ‘03 — 7-17—24; Sam Paolini ‘03 — 9-16—25; Ryan Vesce ‘04 — 7-16—23).

• Ryan and Veilleux, the 16th and 17th Cornell freshmen with at least 22 points in the first 25 games of a season and the first since Riley Nash (10-11—21) in 2007-08, are also the third Big Red freshman duo with at least 23 points in the team’s first 25 games of a season since first-years were eligible to play beginning with the 1975-76 campaign. Forwards Roy Kerling ‘82 (28-29—57) and Brock Tredway ‘81 (24-12—36) were the first to do it in 1977-78 before forwards Trent Andison ‘91 (18-17—35) and Doug Derraugh ‘91 (11-18—29) 10 years later.

• Entering this weekend, Cornell is one of eight Division I programs that have multiple freshmen with at least 22 points, joining Michigan State and Quinnipiac (three apiece) and Lindenwood, Merrimack, North Dakota, RIT and St. Thomas (two each).

SPECIAL TEAMS SPECIALIST

• Junior forward Jonathan Castagna is one of 11 Division I players who have scored multiple game-winning, power-play and short-handed goals this season, joining Bemidji State’s Oliver Peer, Boston University’s Jack Harvey, Miami’s David Deputy, Minnesota Duluth’s Max Plante, North Dakota’s Dylan James, St. Cloud State’s Tyson Gross and St. Thomas’ Alex Gaffney, Nathan Pilling and Lucas Van Vliet and Western Michigan’s Zaccharya Wisdom.

• Castagna, who has two game-winners, two power-play and three short-handed goals, is the fourth Cornell player to accomplish the feat since 1996-97 and the second to do so in as many seasons, joining Dalton Bancroft (2024-25). Mike Knoepfli ‘05 (2004-05) and Riley Nash (2008-09) are the only others to do so in the last 30 years.

• Current Cornell head coach Casey Jones ‘90 also achieved the feat as a sophomore in 1987-88, posting two game-winners, four power-play goals and two short-handed goals.

JONNY-ON-THE-DOT

• Junior forward Jonathan Castagna boasts the nation’s top faceoff win percentage among players with at least 250 faceoff wins, going 320-of-495 (64.7 percent).

• Castagna is one of six players this season with at least 250 wins and a success rate of at least 60.0 percent, while his 320 faceoff wins rank as the Xth-most in Division I hockey. The 12.80 faceoff wins per game average ranks second in Division I hockey, trailing only St. Cloud State’s Tyson Gross’ 13.72 average.

• Since Jan. 1, 2025, Castagna has won 63.3 percent of his draws (527-of-832), making him one of two active Division I players with at least 400 faceoff wins and a 60.0 percent win rate, joined by Colorado College’s Klavs Veinbergs (60.8 percent, 570-of-937).

• Castagna has won at least 13 faceoffs in 12 games this season, tied with Dartmouth’s Hank Cleaves and Michigan’s T.J. Hughes for the seventh-most games with at least 13 faceoff wins.

• Dating back to the beginning of his freshman year, Castagna’s 59.6 percent faceoff win rate (830-of-1392) leads all active players with at least 700 faceoff wins and is one of three players to have won at least 58.0 percent of his faceoffs, joining Veinbergs (767-of-1288, 59.5 percent) and Ferris State’s Josh Zary (910-of-1531, 59.4 percent).

SHORT-HANDED SPECIALISTS

• Junior forward Jake Kraft scored Cornell’s fourth short-handed goal in the Big Red’s 2-1 overtime victory over then-No. 10 Dartmouth on Jan. 23. The Big Red’s four short-handed goals — led by junior forward Jonathan Castagna’s three short-handed tallies — are tied with Air Force, Augustana, Bentley, Lake Superior State, Long Island and RPI for the ninth-highest total this season.

• Castagna enters this weekend tied with Michigan’s Josh Eernisse and St. Thomas’ Alex Gaffney and Nathan Pilling for the second-most short-handed goals (three). Penn State’s Dane Dowiak (four) paces the country in short-handed goals.

• With his short-handed goal on Jan. 11 against Alaska, Castagna became the 17th Cornell player (19th instance) with three short-handed goals in a season and just the fifth since 1980-81, joining Randy MacFarlane ‘85 (three in 1984-85), Doug Derraugh ‘91 (three in 1990-91),

• Brad Chartrand ‘96 (three in 1995-96) and Mike Iggulden ‘05 (four in 2004-05) — all of whom were seniors. Castagna is the first non-senior to tally three short-handed goals in a season since Roy Kerling ‘82 (three in 1979-80) as a sophomore.

• Should Castagna net another short-handed goal, he would become the seventh Cornell player in the program’s modern era (since 1957-58) with four short-handed goals in a season, joining Jim Stevens ‘64 (four in 1961-62), Doug Ferguson ‘67 (four in 1964-65), Dan Lodboa ‘70 (four in 1969-70), Jim Vaughan ‘77 (five in 1975-76), Lance Nethery ‘79 (four in 1977-78) and Iggulden (four in 2004-05).

• After also scoring four short-handed goals last season, Cornell’s eight short-handed goals over the last two seasons match the combined output between the 2014-15 and 2023-24 seasons (eight).

• With its next short-handed goal, Cornell will have its highest single-season short-handed goal total since 2011-12, when it tallied six goals while on the penalty kill.

(BIG) RED MEANS STOP

• Cornell enters this weekend with the best scoring defense in Division I, yielding 1.960 goals per game (49 goals in 25 games). The Big Red and Michigan State (1.964 — 55 goals in 28 games) are the only two programs in the nation averaging under two goals allowed per game.

• The 49 goals allowed by Cornell entering this weekend are the lowest total in Division I hockey, six fewer than the second-place holder Dartmouth (55).

• Cornell’s defensive excellence has been a consistent hallmark of the program, having finished in the top 12 nationally in scoring defense in each of the past eight seasons — the longest active streak in Division I. The Big Red have been in the top 12 in 10 of the last 11 seasons.

• Since 2016-17, Cornell has averaged 1.983 goals allowed per game, joining Minnesota State (1.907) as the only Division I programs under 2.00 in that span. The Big Red have not allowed 100 goals in a season since 1997-98, a 26-year streak twice as long as any other active run in the nation (Minnesota State and Providence each at 13 seasons).

ALEXIS-CELLENCE BETWEEN THE PIPES

• Freshman goaltender Alexis Cournoyer has been stellar through his first 20 collegiate games, posting a 14-6-0 record with a 2.01 goals-against average and .918 save percentage.

• Cournoyer is one of eight goaltenders in Cornell’s modern era (since 1957-58) to register at least 14 wins in his first 20 career appearances, joining Ken Dryden ‘69 (19), Brian Cropper ‘70 (17), Dave LeNeveu (16), Brian Hayward ‘82 and Matthew Galajda (15 each) and Dave Elenbaas ‘72 and Corrie D’Alessio (14 each).

• With a win in his next outing, Cournoyer would the 17th goaltender since 2005-06 with 15 wins in his first 21 career outings. If he appears and wins both games this weekend, he would become the 13th goaltender with 16 wins in his first 22 career games over the same span.

• Among Division I goaltenders who have played at least 33 percent of their team’s minutes this season, Cournoyer has the eighth-best goals-against average.

FRESH IMPACT

• Cornell’s 12-player freshman class has made an immediate impression this season, combining for 91 of the Big Red’s 223 points (40.8 percent). The Big Red are one of six Division I programs — four of which are ECAC Hockey programs — receiving at least 40 percent of their offensive production from first-year players.

• Cornell’s freshmen have also served as prolific goal-scorers this season, accounting for 46.3 percent of the team’s goals (38-of-82) — the fourth-highest rate in Division I. Only ECAC Hockey counterparts St. Lawrence (52.9 percent) and Quinnipiac (47.1 percent) and Lindenwood (46.4 percent) rank ahead of the Big Red.

• Leading the charge are forwards Gio DiGiulian (nine goals), Caton Ryan and Aiden Long (eight each), making Cornell one of five teams nationally with at least three freshmen scoring eight or more goals, joining Quinnipiac (four) and Lindenwood, Michigan and Michigan State (three apiece). Cornell is also one of three programs nationally with five freshmen scoring five or more goals, joining Arizona State and Clarkson, as forward Reegan Hiscock and defenseman Xavier Veilleux (five each) round out the group.

• With defenseman Xavier Veilleux (5-18—23) and forward Caton Ryan (8-14—22) already surpassing 22 points, it marks the seventh time in program history — and second time in three seasons — that Cornell has had multiple freshmen reach that threshold. The 2023-24 Big Red had three freshmen eclipse 22 points, including forwards Ryan Walsh (12-10—22) and Jonathan Castagna (11-14—25).

ON THE PLUS SIDE

• Senior forward Nick DeSantis enters this weekend with a career plus-minus rating of plus-47, tied with former Cornell and current Michigan defenseman Ben Robertson and Boston College forward Andre Gasseau for 10th among active Division I players.

• DeSantis, whose rating is also tied with Gasseau for sixth among active forwards, is one of 10 Division I forwards with at least a plus-40 career rating. Along with his teammate, junior forward Jonathan Castagna (plus-43), Cornell is one of three programs with multiple forwards having career plus-40 ratings, joining Denver (Lorenz — plus-51; Samu Salminen — plus-42) and Quinnipiac (Mason Marcellus — plus-65; Victor Czerneckianair — plus-54; Andon Cerbone — plus-40).

• DeSantis’ plus-47 rating is tied with Brenden Locke ‘21 for the fourth-highest rating by a forward and sixth overall in program history since the statistic began being officially tracked in the 2002-03 season. 

• Those ahead of DeSantis and Locke are Ondrej Psenicka ‘25 and Tim Rego ‘25 (both plus-58), Greg Miller ‘12 (plus-52), Travis Mitchell ‘23 (plus-51) and Kyle Penney ‘25 (plus-50).

JONESING FOR VICTORIES

• Casey Jones ‘90, who’s in his first season as Cornell’s head coach, enters this weekend with the third-best win percentage (.700) and third-most wins (17) through a Big Red head coach’s first 25 games. Only Dick Bertrand ‘70 (22-3-0, .870) and Brian McCutcheon ‘71 (18-7-0, .720) have better percentages and more wins.

• A sweep of No. 5 Quinnipiac and Princeton this weekend would push Jones’ record to 19-7-1 (.722), placing him in sole possession of the second-best win percentage through 27 games and tying McCutcheon for the second-most wins (19). 

• It would be Cornell’s 20th time reaching 19 overall wins by its 27th game and the earliest to that threshold since 2019-20, when it opened with a 19-2-4 record.

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 QUINNIPIAC

• Quinnipiac (24-5-3, 15-2-1 ECAC Hockey) enters this weekend tied with Michigan for the most wins among all Division I programs. The Bobcats are the lone unbeaten team on home ice this season, going 13-0-2 at M&T Bank Arena and unbeaten in their last 19 games there (17-0-2) — the longest active home unbeaten streak in Division I since Minnesota State went unbeaten in 25 consecutive home games between Oct. 29, 2021, and Nov. 5, 2022.

• The Bobcats lead the nation in faceoff percentage (.565), scoring margin (plus-2.34), assists (245) and points (385), while ranking second in scoring offense (4.38) and win percentage (.797) and third in scoring defense (2.03).

• Freshman Ethan Wyttenbach (21-30—51) paces the offense, leading all Division I skaters in scoring and becoming the eighth player since 2005-06 to reach 50 points through his first 32 career games.

• Quinnipiac is also the only Division I program with five 30-point scorers, with Antonin Verrault (33), Markus Vidicek, Chris Pelosi and Mason Marcellus (30 each) joining Wyttenbach.

• Dylan Silverstein (8-2-1, 1.52, .931) leads all qualified Division I goaltenders in goals-against average.

25 YEARS, 267 MILES, 56 MEETINGS

• Cornell holds a 28-22-6 advantage in the all-time series and is seeking its first win in Hamden since a 1-0 shutout on Feb. 25, 2022.

• Three of the last four meetings — and four of the last six — have gone to overtime.

• Friday will mark the 13th consecutive game Cornell will be playing a ranked Bobcats squad.

CORNELL - QUINNIPIAC CONNECTIONS

• Cornell equipment manager Sean Schmidt was on Team USA’s support staff at the 2023 World Juniors in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Moncton, New Brunswick, which featured Quinnipiac head coach Rand Pecknold as head coach. The Americans won bronze with an 8-7 overtime victory over Sweden.

• Ryan Walsh and Chris Pelosi were both on the U.S. Collegiate Selects team at last month’s Spengler Cup in Davos, Switzerland ... Luke Devlin and Quinnipiac’s Charlie Leddy, Sam Scopa and Dylan Silverstein all played on the 2021-22 U.S. NTDP Juniors ... Nick DeSantis and Matthew McGroarty played together on the 2021-22 Madison Capitols; Aiden Long also skated for the Capitols with Scopa last season ... Marian Mosko and Mason Marcellus were teammates on the Lincoln Stars from 2021-23; Mosko also played with Matej Marinov on the 2022-23 Fargo Force ... Donovan Hamilton and Andon Cerbone played together on the 2022-23 Omaha Lancers; Michael Fisher and Tyler Catalano also played with Cerbone on the Youngstown Phantoms that season ... Jake Kraft and Walsh skated for the 2022-23 Cedar Rapids RoughRiders with Scopa; Hamilton and Elliott Groenewold played together on the RoughRiders, along with Scopa, the following season.

THIRD-PERIOD SURGE LIFTS #7 QUINNIPIAC PAST #13 MEN'S HOCKEY

BOX SCORE | RECAP | HIGHLIGHTS

ITHACA, N.Y. (JAN. 17, 2026) — A three-goal third period powered seventh-ranked Quinnipiac to a 4-1 victory over 13th-ranked Cornell on Saturday night, snapping the Big Red's six-game winning streak before 3,643 at Lynah Rink.

Junior forward Luke Devlin scored the lone goal for the Big Red (12-5-0, 7-3-0 ECAC Hockey) in the setback, which marked Cornell's first home loss since falling 3-1 to No. 19 Clarkson on Feb. 21, 2025. Freshman goaltender Alexis Cournoyer made 23 saves in the losing effort.

"They might be the best team we've seen so far this year," Casey Jones '90, the Jay R. Bloom '77 Head Coach of Cornell Men's Ice Hockey, said. "They were consistent in the way they played. What we saw on tape, we expected to see, and they brought it."

Quinnipiac's Aaron Schwartz paced the Bobcats' offense with two assists, becoming just the eighth Cornell opponent to register a multi-point game against the Big Red this season. Andon Cerbone opened the scoring and was joined on the scoresheet by Ethan Wyttenbach, who tallied the game-winning goal, as well as Elliott Groenewold and Tyler Borgula. Matej Marinov stopped 20 of 21 shots in the victory for the Bobcats (18-4-2, 10-2-0), who have won 13 of their last 14 games.

After a sluggish offensive start that featured a combined five shots on goal in the opening 10 minutes, Quinnipiac broke through at 11:12 of the first period. Following an offensive-zone faceoff win by Chris Pelosi, Aaron Schwartz fired a shot from the left circle that Cerbone deflected in front of Cournoyer.

The Bobcats outshot Cornell 9-6 in the opening frame and killed off a Cornell power play late in the period to carry their 1-0 lead into the first intermission.

Neither team found the back of the net in a tightly contested second period, though Cornell held a slight 9-6 edge in shots on goal. The Big Red generated several quality chances but couldn't solve Marinov, while Cournoyer kept the deficit at one with several key saves for Cornell.

"It was a one-goal game going into the third period," Jones said. "The chances probably through that point in time were probably, give or take a little bit maybe. They might have had the benefit in the first. We might have had the benefit in the second. It was one of those games where it was right there for the taking."

The Bobcats wasted little time extending their lead in the final frame. Just 2:20 into the third period, Wyttenbach finished off a Mason Marcellus feed to make it 2-0, with the goal standing as the game-winner.

Two minutes later, Groenewold scored on a failed clearing attempt to push the lead to 3-0. Borgula capped Quinnipiac's offensive explosion with a power-play goal at 11:06 of the third period, beating Cournoyer short-side.

"I thought we looked a little bit young and made some mistakes in the third period," Jones said. "We didn't hold our composure and didn't play the game the right way. I thought our unforced turnovers were a big difference in the game. I thought we turned a lot of pucks over tonight that we haven't done."

Devlin spoiled the shutout bid with 2:33 remaining in regulation when he pounced on a loose puck after Michael Fisher took a shot from along the goal line.

SCOUTING PRINCETON

• Princeton (14-11-1, 10-8-0 ECAC Hockey) enters the weekend just one point behind Harvard for the coveted fourth-place spot in the conference standings. After winning six straight games between Dec. 5 and Jan. 9, the Tigers have struggled, winning just three of their last 11 games (3-7-1).

• Kai Daniells (15-14—29) and Jaxson Ezman (9-13—22) are tied seventh nationally in game-winning goals. Daniells leads the team in both goals and points, while David Jacobs (7-18—25) has the most assists.

• Arthur Smith (7-7-0, 2.55, .908) has become the workhorse in goal for Princeton, starting all 14 of his appearances. Conor Callaghan (7-3-1, 2.59, .899) has started 11 of his 12 outings.

124 YEARS, 232 MILES, 165 MEETINGS

• Cornell and Princeton will meet for the 166th time on Friday night. The Big Red owns a 103-54-8 lead over the Tigers — the 103 victories are the most against any opponent in program history, seven more than the 96 wins over Yale.

• Since being shutout 1-0 at Lynah Rink on Feb. 9, 2013, Cornell is 22-4-0 against Princeton with an average scoring margin of plus-2.18 (3.89-1.71). The Big Red has scored at least three goals in 21 of the last 26 meetings.

• The Big Red have won 11 of its last 13 games played at Hobey Baker Memorial Rink, scoring at least three goals in 10 of those contests (3.54 goals per game), while limiting Princeton to just 1.54 goals per game over the span.

CORNELL - PRINCETON CONNECTIONS

• Princeton head coach Ben Syer spent 14 seasons on Cornell’s coaching staff, including 13 as associate head coach, working alongside equipment manager Sean Schmidt for 13 seasons (2011-24) and then-assistant coach Sean Flanagan for eight seasons (2016-24) ... Princeton assistant coach Shane Talarico spent three seasons as Cornell’s director of hockey operations (2019-22) ... Cornell director of hockey operations Josh Robinson and Princeton assistant coach Connor Jones were teammates on the Bridgeport Islanders in 2016-17 ... Princeton athletic trainer Palmer Trolli and Cornell assistant coach Chris Brown spent four seasons together at Alaska (2021-25).

• Princeton junior defenseman Ian Devlin is the younger brother of Cornell junior forward Luke Devlin ... Winter Wallace and David Ma played three years together at Shattuck St. Mary’s (2017-20) on both the 16U AAA and 18U Prep teams ... Jack O’Brien and Sean Donaldson played with Kai Daniells on the 2021-22 Nanaimo Clippers; Donaldson and Brendan Wang played on the 2018-19 Prince George Spruce Kings ... Justin Katz and Drew Garzone played at Deerfield Academy in 2020-21; Katz and Tyler Rubin played on the 2021-22 West Kelowna Warriors ... Jake Kraft and Nick Marciano played together at Kent School (2020-21) ... Ryan Walsh and Seamus Latta played at Salisbury School (2021-22); Hudson Gorski and Latta also played there (2022-23) ... Tyler Catalano (2020-23), Michael Fisher (2022-23), and Wallace (2020-21) all played on the Youngstown Phantoms with Miles Gunty ... Luke Ashton played on the 2022-23 Vernon Vipers with Julian Facchinelli. Marian Mosko and Carson Buydens played on the Lincoln Stars in 2022-23, while Kraft, Walsh, and Josh Karnish also played with Buydens on the RoughRiders that season ... George Fegaras and Xavier Veilleux played on the 2022-23 Muskegon Lumberjacks with Conor Callaghan. Charlie Major, Gorski, and Hans Martin Ulvebne played on the 2023-24 Chicago Steel; Gorski (2023-25) and Major (2023-24) also played with Chris Reiniger on the Steel ... Donovan Hamilton also played with Ulvebne on the RoughRiders (2023-25) ... Connor Arseneault, Latta, and Dan Moor played on the Omaha Lancers last season ... Chase Pirtle and Reegan Hiscock played with Malcolm Green on the Victoria Grizzlies (2023-25); Hoyt Stanley (2021-23), Hiscock (2022-24), and Pirtle (2023-24) also played on the Grizzlies with Luc Pelletier ... Nick DeSantis and Arthur Smith played on the 2021-22 Madison Capitols.

STANLEY'S LATE HEROICS LIFT #13 MEN'S HOCKEY PAST #18 PRINCETON

BOX SCORE | RECAP | HIGHLIGHTS | POSTGAME INTERVIEWS

ITHACA, N.Y. (JAN. 16, 2026) — Junior defenseman Hoyt Stanley picked an opportune time for his first goal of the season as his tally with 3:09 remaining in regulation lifted the 13th-ranked Cornell men's hockey team to a 2-1 victory over No. 18 Princeton before 3,473 at Lynah Rink on Friday night.

Stanley's goal, which also snapped his 21-game goalless drought, propelled the Big Red (12-4-0, 7-2-0 ECAC Hockey) to its sixth straight win while improving to a perfect 9-0-0 at home and extending its home winning streak to 11 games. Freshman forward Chase Pirtle also scored for Cornell, which received a 22-save performance from freshman goaltender Alexis Cournoyer.

Princeton's Arthur Smith made 26 saves in the setback for the Tigers (11-6-0, 7-4-0 ECAC Hockey), which have lost consecutive games for the first time since being swept by Bowling Green on Nov. 28-29.

"That was an extremely competitive game," said Casey Jones '90, the Jay R. Bloom '77 Head Coach of Cornell Men's Ice Hockey. "I thought we had some good scoring chances in the first two [periods] that we didn't hit the net on, but I thought in the first period we lacked a little bit of poise. It was a big game. I think we showed maybe a little bit of nerves in the first. We settled down between periods and I thought our game took off from there. Really liked our second and it was a dogfight in the third."

Jaxson Ezman put Princeton ahead early, scoring 2:56 into the contest as he capitalized on a rebound. Nick Marciano's shot from the point was initially saved by Cournoyer, but Ezman was in position to bury the loose puck.

Despite trailing after 20 minutes, Cornell dominated the faceoff circle in the opening period, posting a commanding 15-2 advantage. Junior forward Jonathan Castagna went 9-for-11 at the dot in the first period alone, helping the Big Red control possession even as it searched for the equalizer.

"I think the response was big," Stanley said. "[Princeton] came out flying, were all over us. We weathered the storm, kept calm and collected. Even at the intermission, everyone was kind of stepping up, saying, 'We got this. Everyone just hang in there, do the best they can.' I think we just put our heads down and got to work each shift and went from there."

Cornell completely flipped the script in the middle frame, dominating play with 17 shots on goal compared to Princeton's five while generating 27 shot attempts to the Tigers' nine. The Big Red also won 13 of 22 faceoffs in the period as it pressed for the tying goal.

After Princeton successfully killed Cornell's first two power plays of the night to extend its streak to 18 consecutive penalty kills, Pirtle snapped the Tigers' streak at 11:46 of the second period. With just five seconds remaining on the Big Red's man advantage, Pirtle tallied his third goal of the season, redirecting a shot from the top of the slot by fellow freshman forward Caton Ryan to tie the game, 1-1.

"I thought our second was one of our better periods of the year," Jones said. "Right guys were talking, right guys took charge of the locker room. We came out and I thought we were ready."

Cornell took its first lead of the night with 3:09 left in regulation on Stanley's game-winner. Freshman defenseman Xavier Veilleux sent a pass to Stanley at the right point, leading the junior defenseman to balance the puck at the blue line before using his feet to beat his defender and cut into the slot, where he backhanded a shot past Smith, who was screened by junior forward Tyler Catalano.

"The puck was kind of bobbling on the D-to-D pass, which I had been bobbling all night at the blue line," Stanley explained. "I just said to myself, 'I gotta do something here.' So I did a few tight turns, saw that I had some speed, beat him, and then just kind of put my head down and went backhand. I can't even look at the goalie, so I'm lucky it went in."

When asked about his initial reaction, Stanley smiled: "I don't know, not a whole lot. Just hyped up, I guess. My first reaction was just to start screaming at the student section."
 
"We give our guys a rope," Jones added. "I want them to protect the puck and use their feet to escape. That's a big-time play. That's one he'll remember. That's his first goal of the year, too. It was a nice one."

The Big Red held off a late Princeton push as the Tigers pulled Smith for an extra attacker with 2:37 remaining. A series of offsetting penalties in the final minutes created a chaotic finish, with Princeton briefly enjoying a 6-on-4 advantage for nine seconds before the situation reverted to 6-on-5 for the final 37 seconds. Cournoyer and Cornell's defense stood tall to preserve the one-goal lead and secure the victory.

#9 MEN'S HOCKEY CLAIMS 27TH IVY TITLE DESPITE LOSING TO UNION

BOX SCORE | RECAP

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. (FEB. 14, 2026) — The ninth-ranked Cornell men's hockey team secured its 27th Ivy League title Saturday, but not before enduring a tough 4-1 road loss to Union at M&T Bank Center.

Brown's 4-3 upset of No. 12 Dartmouth in Providence clinched the Ivy crown for the Big Red (17-7-1, 12-5-1 ECAC Hockey), its sixth league title in the last eight seasons and 12th since 2002.

The celebration, however, was muted as Union's Ben Muthersbaugh scored twice and the Garnet Chargers rode their recent offensive surge to hand Cornell its third straight game without a victory.

When Union's seventh-best scoring offense in the nation met Cornell's top scoring defense, the Garnet Chargers' momentum proved decisive. Muthersbaugh paced Union's offense, scoring two goals for the second consecutive night. Parker Lindauer tallied an empty-net goal to punctuate his multi-point night. Goaltender Cameron Korpi shined in goal for the Garnet Chargers (18-10-2, 8-9-1 ECAC Hockey), making 28 saves.

Sophomore forward Charlie Major scored Cornell's lone goal on the night. Freshman goaltender Alexis Cournoyer earned the start for Cornell, making 15 saves before being pulled after allowing Union's third goal. Senior goaltender Remington Keopple stopped all 17 shots he faced in relief.

Muthersbaugh broke open a scoreless game with two goals 1:42 apart spanning the first and second periods to give the Garnet Chargers a 2-0 lead.

He opened the scoring with 26.8 seconds remaining in the first after corralling a loose puck in the mid-slot after defenseman DJ Hart fanned on a shot from the point. Cornell challenged the goal for goaltender interference, but the call stood. Just 1:16 into the second period, Muthersbaugh pounced on a loose rebound after Cournoyer's made a toe save on defenseman Will Felicio's shot from the point.

Past the halfway point of the period, Union upped its lead to 3-0 as Nate Hanley scored following an offensive-zone takeaway on a forecheck. Hanley's shot handcuffed Cournoyer, beating him to his high blocker side, prompting head coach Casey Jones '90 to bring Keopple in off the bench.

Cornell thwarted Union's shutout aspirations with 2:39 remaining in the third period as Major deposited a loose rebound of a one-timer by freshman defenseman Xavier Veilleux from the point off a feed from junior forward Ryan Walsh.

Lindauer tallied his empty-net goal with 27.9 seconds remaining to solidify the win for Union, which posted its first ECAC Hockey weekend sweep of 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 will return to Lynah Rink next weekend to conclude the regular-season portion of the schedule when it hosts St. Lawrence (5-22-3, 4-13-1 ECAC Hockey) and Clarkson (12-15-3, 6-9-3 ECAC Hockey). Both games are scheduled for 7 p.m. starts and will be streamed live on ESPN+.

• The Big Red split its trip to the North Country, defeating St. Lawrence, 7-2, after suffering a 4-1 setback to Clarkson the night before.