ITHACA, N.Y. — Harvard's Ben MacDonald scored a short-handed goal late in the second period to break open a 1-1 tie before punctuating his two-goal night with an empty-net goal to lead the visiting sixth-seeded Crimson to a 3-1 victory over the ninth-ranked and third-seeded Cornell men's hockey team before a sold-out crowd of 4,267 at Lynah Rink on Friday night.

The defeat, which snapped Cornell's nine-game win streak in ECAC Hockey Championship play and ended the Big Red's four-game winning streak and seven-game unbeaten run against its bitter rival, was set in motion early. Harvard freshman forward Heikki Ruohonen won an offensive-zone faceoff coming out of a TV timeout back to defenseman Matthew Morden, whose shot missed the net. The rebound settled in the area between the bottom of the faceoff circle and the goal line, where Michael Callow finished from the sharp angle at 10:21 to give Harvard (16-14-2) an early lead.

"I thought we looked like we had two weeks off to start the first period," said Casey Jones '90, the Jay R. Bloom '77 Head Coach of Cornell Men's Ice Hockey. "We were a step behind. I thought we settled in in the second. I didn't mind our game."

Sophomore defenseman Luke Ashton tied the game for Cornell (20-9-1) in the second period, one-timing a feed from junior defenseman George Fegaras following an offensive-zone faceoff win by junior forward Jonathan Castagna.

But MacDonald's short-handed strike with the game tied changed the complexion of the contest. A Cornell skater lost his footing in the offensive zone, sparking a Harvard rush initiated by Crimson freshman forward Richard Gallant. His stretch pass caromed off the boards to MacDonald, whose shot found its way between the blocker and right side of Cornell freshman goaltender Alexis Cournoyer, who had been named the Ken Dryden Goaltender of the Year just one day earlier, to put the Crimson ahead 2-1.

"Our kid just fell — it's just a blown edge," Jones said. "It wasn't deflating. I didn't think that sucked the air out of us at all. I thought we started to assert ourselves in terms of O-zone time, but still not where it needs to be."

Despite a third-period push, the Big Red were unable to solve Crimson netminder Ben Charette, who turned aside 30 shots. A centering pass from behind the net was deflected by Charette and MacDonald collected the loose puck and sent a shot from in front of the crease into the empty net, completing his two-goal night and sealing the victory.

"We certainly had chances around the net," Jones said. "I thought we lacked poise to make the additional play, threw pucks away. Could've shot it, didn't shoot. Could've passed it, didn't pass it. It was one of those nights where we were fighting it a little bit. We're pushing and pressing and trying to make the right play."

GAME NOTES
• Along with ending Cornell's four-game winning and seven-game unbeaten streaks, the Crimson registered its first road postseason win over the Big Red, spoiling Cornell's 9-0-1 all-time record against Harvard in home postseason games. Cornell continues to lead the overall series 85-72-14.

• Fegaras' primary assist on Ashton's second-period goal increased his career-long point streak to five games, the longest stretch with a point by a Big Red defenseman since Ben Robertson opened his collegiate career with assists in his first seven contests from Oct. 27, 2023, to Nov. 17, 2023 (0-8—8). It is the ninth time Cornell has had a five-game point streak by a defenseman since the 2005-06 season.

LONGEST POINT STREAKS BY A CORNELL DEFENSEMAN
Since 2005-06
• 10 games, Sam Malinski (7-13—20), 2022-23
• 8 games, Patrick McCarron (2-8—10), 2016-17
• 7 games, Ben Robertson (0-8—8), 2023-24
• 6 games, Yanni Kaldis (0-7—7), 2018-19
• 6 games, Alex Green (3-5—8), 2019-20
• 5 games, Nick D'Agostino (6-2—8), 2011-12
• 5 games, Joakim Ryan (0-7—7), 2013-14
• 5 games, Reece Willcox (1-5—6), 2015-16
• 5 games, George Fegaras (1-5—6), 2025-26

• Junior forward Ryan Walsh won a career-high 22 faceoffs, going 22-for-34 at the dot (64.7 percent). Walsh tied Castagna, Bowling Green's Jaden Grant and Colorado College's Klavs Veinbergs for the most faceoff wins in a single game this season. Both Walsh and Castagna registered their faceoff totals in games ending in regulation.

UP NEXT
Cornell will look to stave off elimination from the 2026 ECAC Hockey Championship on Saturday night when it returns to the ice for the second game of this weekend's best-of-three series against Harvard. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. Game action will be streamed live on ESPN+.