#8 Men's Hockey Entertains Princeton in ECAC Hockey Semifinals

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

PUCK DROP

• Making its fourth consecutive appearance in Lake Placid on championship weekend, the eighth-ranked and third-seeded Cornell men’s hockey team (22-9-1) squares off against fourth-seeded and fellow Ivy League foe Princeton (17-12-3) in the second semifinal of the 2026 ECAC Hockey Championship this evening at the 1980 Rink — Herb Brooks Arena.

LOOKING TO CHASE HISTORY

• Winners of the last two Whitelaw Cups, Cornell is seeking to become ECAC Hockey’s first program to three-peat since Union won three consecutive championships between 2012 and 2014.

• With two wins in Lake Placid this weekend, Cornell will become the first institution in ECAC Hockey history to win conference tournament championships in three consecutive years multiple times. The Big Red previously won four straight tournament titles between 1967 and 1970, followed by Boston University, which also won four in a row between 1974 and 1977, and Union’s three-year span from 2012-14.

CLEAR THE TROPHY CASE!

• It was a banner week for the Cornell men’s hockey program last week as five players earned ECAC Hockey all-league recognition across the All-Rookie, Second Team and First Team squads.

• Freshman defenseman Xavier Veilleux and freshman goaltender Alexis Cournoyer were both unanimously named to the ECAC Hockey All-Rookie Team last Monday — the sixth time in program history and third time in the last 18 years that Cornell has had multiple All-Rookie honorees, joining Jonathan Castagna and Ben Robertson in 2024 and Riley Nash and Mike Devin in 2008. The All-Rookie Team has been awarded since 1988.

• Veilleux was named to the All-ECAC Hockey Second Team last Wednesday, becoming just the third Cornell freshman to earn a spot on one of ECAC Hockey’s three main all-league teams, joining goaltender Matthew Galajda (first team in 2018) and Robertson (third team in 2023).

• The following day, Cournoyer was named the 2026 recipient of the Ken Dryden Award, presented annually to the top goaltender in ECAC Hockey, and was tabbed an All-ECAC Hockey First Team selection alongside Castagna. Since the Ken Dryden Award was first presented in 1996, Cournoyer is the seventh Big Red netminder to win it, joining Matt Underhill (2002), David LeNeveu (2003), David McKee (2005), Ben Scrivens (2010), Galajda (2018) and Ian Shane (2024). Cournoyer also became just the fourth true-freshman netminder to earn All-ECAC Hockey First Team honors and the first since Galajda in 2018, with Clarkson’s Don Sylvestri (1981) and Vermont’s Christian Soucy (1992) the only others to accomplish the feat.

• The dual First Team selections mark Cornell’s second time in three seasons with multiple First Team honorees — joining Gabriel Seger and Shane in 2023-24 — and the third time in the last 20 seasons, also done in 2010 with Brendon Nash and Scrivens.

• In Ivy League awards released last Wednesday, Cournoyer earned Rookie of the Year honors and was a unanimous All-Ivy First Team selection. Joining him as unanimous First Team honorees were Castagna and Veilleux. Junior forward Ryan Walsh and junior defenseman George Fegaras each earned honorable mention recognition, while junior defenseman Hoyt Stanley was named the Big Red’s Academic All-Ivy selection.

SURGING AT THE RIGHT TIME?

• Since its 7-2 victory at St. Lawrence on Dec. 6, Cornell is one of three programs nationally to rank in the top 10 in win percentage, scoring offense and scoring defense over that span, accompanying Providence and Western Michigan.

• The Big Red’s .750 win percentage (16-5-1) is tied for fifth nationally, alongside Michigan State (14-4-2) and North Dakota (16-5-1), while its 3.64 goals per game is tied for eighth, matching outputs produced by Merrimack and Western Michigan. Cornell’s 2.00 goals allowed per game is tied with Providence for third, trailing only UMass (1.42) and Western Michigan (1.95).

• Cornell has been equally dominant at the faceoff dot over that stretch, winning 54.797 percent of its draws — ranking fifth in Division I behind Quinnipiac (56.8 percent), North Dakota (55.1 percent) Robert Morris (54.828 percent) and RPI (54.827 percent) — while its 34.27 faceoff wins per game rank fourth, behind Niagara (35.64), Quinnipiac (35.24) and Michigan State (34.80).

• Rounding out the Big Red’s top-10 marks since Dec. 6, include scoring margin (plus-1.64) and its 11.9 shooting percentage, both of which rank fifth nationally. Just outside of the top 10 is the Big Red’s power play, converting at a 24.6 percent clip (16-for-65), ranking 12th.

FRESHMAN PHENOMS

• Cornell is one of just four Division I programs with multiple freshmen registering at least 20 points since Dec. 6, joining Quinnipiac’s Ethan Wyttenbach (15-18—33) and Antonin Verreault (11-15—26), Merrimack’s Parker Lalonde (8-18—26) and Justin Gill (11-12—23) and St. Thomas’ Lucas Van Vliet (8-12—20) and Nathan Pilling (10-10—20).

• Leading the way are forward Caton Ryan, who ranks sixth among all Division I freshmen in scoring over that span, and defenseman Xavier Veilleux, who leads all freshman defensemen by four points and ranks ninth overall.

• Ryan, who has 30 points entering tonight’s contest (11-19—30), is one of 12 freshmen in program history to reach the 30-point milestone and just the second Big Red player this century to accomplish the feat, joining Riley Nash (12-20—32 in 2008-09).

WALSH HIM GET POINTS

• Junior captain Ryan Walsh (9-22—31) has recorded consecutive 31-point seasons, the 10th time a Cornell player has accomplished the feat since Joe Nieuwendyk did it three times between 1984 and 1987, and the first time since Morgan Barron across 2018-20.

• Walsh is one of 10 players over the last 40 years to post at least 22-plus points in each of his first three seasons with the Big Red, joining Trent Andison and Doug Derraugh (1987-90), Kyle Knopp (1995-98), Ryan Moynihan (1996-99), Ryan Vesce (2000-03), Matt Moulson (2002-05), Topher Scott (2004-07), Riley Nash (2007-10) and Joel Lowry (2011-14).

• With 38 career goals, Walsh is tied with Colin Greening ‘10 for third on the Big Red’s all-time goals list among players through their first three seasons over the last 40 years, trailing only Moulson (53) and Andison (46). His next goal would give him sole possession of third place.

• Walsh’s 46 career assists also make him one of eight players with at least 35 goals and 35 assists in his first three Cornell seasons since 1986-87, joining Vesce (36-66—102), Nash (37-64—101), Moulson (53-47—100), Andison (46-49—95), Derraugh (36-51—87) and Greening (38-42—80).

JONNY-ON-THE-DOT

• Junior forward Jonathan Castagna leads the nation in faceoff win percentage among players with at least 300 wins, converting on 65.5 percent of his draws (368-of-569) this season.

• Castagna is one of five players with at least 300 wins and a success rate of 60.0 percent or better this season. His 416 faceoff wins rank seventh, while his 13.00 wins per game trail only St. Cloud State’s Tyson Gross (13.58) and Michigan State’s Charlie Stramel (13.17) in Division I.

• Since Jan. 1, 2025, Castagna has won 64.1 percent of the faceoffs he’s taken (623-of-972), one of two active Division I players with a 60.0 percent win rate and 500-plus wins, joined by Colorado College’s Klavs Veinbergs (60.6 percent, 636-of-1050).

• Castagna has won at least 13 faceoffs in 17 games this season, with nine of the 15 outings coming in his last 13 games. He enters this weekend’s series with the fifth-most games with at least 13 faceoff wins this season. Castagna posted a career-high 23 faceoff wins in the Big Red’s series-clinching win over Harvard on Sunday. His 23-for-29 performance at the dot was the most faceoff wins in a game ending in regulation since Dartmouth’s Luke Haymes went 25-for-28 against St. Lawrence on March 8, 2025.

• The 60.4 career faceoff percentage (878-of-1532) posted by Castagna leads all active players with at least 800 career wins since the start of the 2023-24 season and is one of seven Division I players since 2010 to win at least 800 faceoffs at a 60.0 percent clip or better.

NO ROOKIE MISTAKE

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

• Presented annually since 2014 to the top goaltender in Division I men’s hockey, Cournoyer is the first Big Red goaltender to be named a semifinalist since Ian Shane ‘25 in 2024, joining two-time finalist Matthew Galajda (2018 and 2020).

• Through his first 26 collegiate games, Cournoyer has an 18-8-0 record with a 1.94 goals-against average and .919 save percentage. His 18 wins place him among eight Big Red goaltenders in the program’s modern era (since 1957-58) to have at least 16 wins in his first 23 career appearances, joining Ken Dryden ‘69 (25), Brian Cropper ‘71 (23), Dave LeNeveu (22), Galajda (20), Dave Elenbaas ‘72 (19), Brian Hayward ‘82 and Corrie D’Alessio ‘91 (18 each).

• Other semifinalists include 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 announced in early March, with the winner revealed at the Men’s Frozen Four in Las Vegas.

(BIG) RED MEANS STOP

• Cornell enters this weekend’s series with the best scoring defense in Division I, allowing just 1.906 goals per game (61 goals in 32 games). The Big Red and Augustana (2.000, 74 goals in 37 games) are the only two programs averaging two or fewer goals allowed per game.

• Cornell’s 61 goals allowed are the fewest in Division I — eight fewer than second-place Dartmouth (69) and one of four programs that have allowed under 75 goals, also joined by Augustana and Michigan State (74 each).

• Defensive excellence is a program hallmark: Cornell has finished in the top 12 nationally in scoring defense in each of the last eight seasons, the longest active streak in Division I, and in 10 of the last 11 seasons overall.

• Since 2016-17, Cornell has allowed 1.977 goals per game, joining Minnesota State (1.898) 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 streak of 26 seasons that is twice as long as any other active run (Minnesota State and Providence, each at 13 seasons).

POWER (PLAY) SURGE

• Cornell’s power play enters this weekend’s series ranked 13th nationally, converting at a 24.0 percent clip (23-for-96) that leads all ECAC Hockey programs by nearly one full percentage point (Union — 23.3 percent, 16th).

• The Big Red have scored seven more power-play goals (23) than last season’s total (16) in 13 fewer attempts, improving from its 14.7 percent rate from last season (16-for-109).

• Six Big Red players have multiple power-play goals this season, led by freshman defenseman Xavier Veilleux and junior forward Ryan Walsh, both with five apiece. Freshman forward Caton Ryan and sophomore forward Charlie Major (three each) and junior forward Jonathan Castagna and freshman forward Gio DiGiulian (two apiece) round out the group — the most Cornell players with multiple power-play goals since also having six in 2022-23.

• Veilleux and Walsh are the first pair of Big Red teammates to have at least five power-play goals in the same season since Max Andreev ‘23, Dalton Bancroft and Gabriel Seger ‘24 all had five goals while on the man advantage in 2022-23.

FRESH IMPACT

• Cornell’s 12-player freshman class has made an immediate impact this season, combining for 111 of the Big Red’s 294 points (37.8 percent), a rate that ranks eighth nationally and fourth among ECAC Hockey programs, trailing St. Lawrence (44.4 percent), Clarkson (41.9 percent) and Quinnipiac (41.8 percent).

• The Big Red’s freshman class has proved to be prolific goal-scorers, accounting for 44 of the team’s 107 goals (41.1 percent), good for eighth in Division I and fourth in ECAC Hockey, again trailing St. Lawrence (52.9 percent), Quinnipiac (47.8 percent) and Clarkson (46.9 percent).

• Leading the goal-scoring charge is forward Caton Ryan with his 11 goals, followed by fellow forwards Gio DiGiulian and Aiden Long with nine apiece. Cornell is one of five programs nationally with three freshmen scoring nine or more goals, joined by Lindenwood, Michigan State, Quinnipiac and St. Lawrence.

• The freshman scoring depth extends further as five first-year players have reached six or more goals, with defenseman Xavier Veilleux and forward Reegan Hiscock (six each) rounding out the group — tying Clarkson for the most first-years with six-plus goals scored this season.

• With Ryan (11-19—30), Veilleux (6-20—26) and Long (9-11—20) all reaching the 20-point plateau, Cornell has three freshmen with 20-plus points in the same season for just the second time in program history and second time in three seasons, joining the 2023-24 team, when forwards Jonathan Castagna (11-14—25) and Ryan Walsh (12-10—22) and defenseman Ben Robertson (5-18—23) accomplished the feat. It marks the 10th time overall that the Big Red have had multiple freshmen reach 20 points in a season.

X GON' GIVE IT TO YA

• Freshman defenseman Xavier Veilleux (6-20—26) enters tonight tied with Penn State’s Jackson Smith (11-15—26) for the highest point total among freshman defensemen in Division I this season. Veilleux is one of five first-year blueliners with at least 20 points this season, also accompanying Union’s Etienne Lessard (5-19—20), Wisconsin’s Luke Osburn (5-15—20) and North Dakota’s Keaton Verhoeff (6-14—20).

• Among active Division I defensemen, Veilleux joins Boston University’s Cole Hutson (11-25—36 last season) as the lone blueliners to register at least 26 points within their first 32 career games.

• Following his two assists in last weekend’s quarterfinal series against Harvard, Veilleux set the single-season record for assists by a freshman defenseman (20), besting the previous mark of 19, set by Chris Norton ‘88 (4-19—23) in 1984-85.

• With Veilleux’s second-period goal against St. Lawrence on Feb. 27, he officially broke his tie with Norton (4-19—23 in 1984-85) and Ben Robertson (5-18—23 in 2023-24) for the most points by a freshman defenseman in program history. Entering tonight’s contest, Veilleux’s six goals are the second-most by a Cornell freshman defenseman all-time, trailing only Joakim Ryan ‘15 (seven) in 2011-12.

THE ‘X’ FACTOR

• Five of freshman defenseman Xavier Veilleux’s six goals this season have come on the power play, pacing the Big Red and matching outputs from Long Island’s Nick Bernardo, Denver’s Boston Buckberger and Eric Pohlkamp, Colgate’s Isaiah Norlin and Clarkson’s Tate Taylor for the second-most power-play goals by a defenseman in Division I this season, trailing only Penn State’s Jackson Smith (seven).

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

• Another power-play goal would make him the first Cornell defenseman with six in a season since Nick D’Agostino ‘13 in 2011-12. He would also be just the 10th freshman in program history to reach that mark and the first since Michael Regush (six) in 2018-19. The last Big Red player with six power-play goals was Dalton Bancroft (seven) in 2023-24.

WHAT CAN BLUE(LINERS) DO FOR YOU?

• After registering two points in last weekend’s quarterfinal series against Harvard, junior blueliner George Fegaras (4-16—20) joined freshman defenseman Xavier Veilleux (6-20—26) in posting a 20-point season. It is the 12th time in program history that multiple Cornell defensemen have had at least 20 points in the same season, and the first since Mark McRae (9-19—28) and Doug Murray (5-20—25) in 2002-03.

• The Big Red is one of nine Division I programs to have multiple defensemen with 20-plus points this season, with North Dakota leading the way with three such players, with Air Force, Augustana, Boston University, Colgate, Denver, Union, and Wisconsin right behind with two apiece.

• Both Veilleux and Fegaras have been on offensive surges in the new year, as Veilleux’s 19 points since Jan. 1 are tied with Sacred Heart’s Mikey Adamson (1-18—19) for the nation’s lead, while Fegaras’ 15 points (4-11—15) is tied for 11th over that span. Cornell is one of three programs (Quinnipiac and Sacred Heart) with multiple defensemen with at least 15 points since Jan. 1.

• Fegaras alone is averaging a point per game over his last seven contests (1-6—7), recording at least one point in six of his last seven outings. He is one of eight players with at least seven points since Feb. 20 and is in a four-waytie for the fourth-most by a Division I defenseman over that span.

JONESING FOR VICTORIES

• Casey Jones ‘90, in his first season as Cornell’s head coach, enters tonight’s game with the second-best win percentage (.703) and tied for the second-most wins (22) through a Big Red head coach’s first 32 games, alongside the coach he played for, Brian McCutcheon ‘71 (22-10-0). Only Dick Bertrand ‘70 (27-5-0, .844) had a better win percentage and more wins through that mark.

• A win over Princeton tonight would push Jones’ record to 23-9-1 (.712), joining Bertrand (28), McCutcheon (23) and his predecessor, Mike Schafer ‘86 (21), as the lone Cornell head coaches with at least 21 wins within their first 33 games.

LIGHTING THE LAMP (CARNELIAN) RED

• Cornell has averaged at least three goals per game in each of the past seven seasons, dating back to the 2017-18 season. The Big Red’s seven-year streak stands as the second-longest active run in Division I hockey, trailing Western Michigan’s nine-season stretch.

• During the same timeframe, Cornell owns the 12th-best scoring offense, averaging 3.22 goals per game, one of 18 Division I programs to average three goals per contest. The Big Red’s average ranks second in ECAC Hockey, trailing Quinnipiac (3.516, fifth).

• Entering this weekend’s series, Cornell has scored at least one goal in each of its last 55 games, the fourth-longest streak in program history and its best stretch without being shut out since going 76 straight games between Dec. 28, 1995, and Jan. 31, 1998.

• The Big Red’s current 55-game goal-scoring streak is tied with Michigan for the fifth-longest active streak in Division I hockey, trailing only Arizona State (125), Ohio State (100), Dartmouth (82) and UConn (60).

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 PRINCETON

• Making its first trip to Lake Placid since 2018, Princeton enters tonight’s game coming off a sweep of fifth-seeded Union at Hobey Baker Memorial Rink with a pair of 5-2 victories last weekend. The wins were a fitting cap to a dominant home season for the Tigers, who set a program record for home victories with a 14-2-1 mark at Hobey Baker, surpassing the previous mark of 13 set in 2008-09. Away from home, however, Princeton has been a different team, posting just a 3-10-2 road record this season. The Tigers will be seeking their first win away from Hobey Baker Rink since Jan. 30.

• Kai Daniells (19-18—37), Princeton’s leader in goals and points, was named ECAC Hockey’s Laurel Lake Placid Player of the Week on Monday following his five-point weekend against the Garnet Chargers, highlighted by his hat trick and four-point performance in the Tigers’ series-clinching win last Saturday.

• David Jacobs (9-26—35), the Tigers’ team leader in assists, was named one of three finalists for ECAC Hockey’s Best Defensive Forward on Tuesday, joining Cornell forward Jonathan Castagna and Dartmouth’s Cam MacDonald.

• Princeton head coach Ben Syer was named a finalist for ECAC Hockey’s Tim Taylor Coach of the Year award on Wednesday. After registering the second-most wins by a Princeton first-year head coach last season, Syer has led the Tigers to a 17-12-3 record so far this season — the most wins since 2017-18, when Princeton won 19 games and claimed its most recent Whitelaw Cup.

• Arthur Smith (10-8-2, 2.42, .913) has become the workhorse in goal for Princeton, starting all 20 of his appearances. Conor Callaghan (7-3-1, 2.59, .899) has started 11 of his 12 outings.

125 YEARS, 232 MILES, 166 MEETINGS

• Cornell and Princeton will be meeting for the 167th time this evening. The Big Red owns a 103-55-8 lead over the Tigers, with the 103 victories serving as the most against any opponent in program history, seven more than the 96 wins over Yale.

• After beating the Big Red, 4-1, on Feb. 21, Princeton is vying for consecutive victories over Cornell since going 2-0-1 across a three-game stretch between Jan. 14, 2012, and Feb. 9, 2013. Since that streak, Cornell is 24-5-0 against Princeton and has outscored the Tigers 111-52.

• Tonight will be the first time Cornell and Princeton are meeting in the postseason since the Tigers’ 4-1 upset over the second-ranked Big Red in Lake Placid before winning the 2018 Whitelaw Cup. The Big Red are 7-3-1 against Princeton in the ECAC Hockey Championship. The only other meeting in the ECAC Hockey semifinals between Cornell and Princeton came in 2009 in Albany, where Colin Greening ‘10 scored 9:54 into double overtime to lead the Big Red to its 4-3 win.

PRINCETON NETS THREE UNANSWERED GOALS TO DEFEAT #11 MEN'S HOCKEY

BOX SCORE | RECAP | HIGHLIGHTS

PRINCETON, N.J. (FEB. 21, 2026) — Three unanswered goals helped Princeton erase a 2-1 deficit and hand the 11th-ranked Cornell men's hockey team a 4-2 defeat before a standing-room crowd of 2,192 at Hobey Baker Memorial Rink on Saturday night.

Brendan Gorman tied the game on a fortuitous bounce in the first period, David Jacobs added a short-handed goal in the second and Malcolm Green potted his first collegiate goal in the third to put the game away for the Tigers (15-11-2, 11-8-1 ECAC Hockey), who improved to 12-2-1 at home this season.

Junior forwards Ryan Walsh and Tyler Catalano staked Cornell to a 2-1 lead with first-period goals, but the Big Red (18-8-1, 13-6-1 ECAC Hockey) were held scoreless over the final 40 minutes despite registering 21 shots on goal in that span. Tigers goaltender Arthur Smith finished with 26 saves, including 22 straight to close out the game. Freshman netminder Alexis Cournoyer stopped 24 shots in the loss.

Cornell wasted little time getting on the board, with Walsh converting just six seconds into the team's first power play of the night five-plus minutes into the game. Taking a pass from sophomore forward Charlie Major at the half wall, Walsh's attempted pass from below the goal line to freshman defenseman Xavier Veilleux at the opposite faceoff circle ricocheted off a Princeton defender and found the back of the net.

Princeton pulled even with 8:18 remaining in the first period when Joshua Karnish beat Cournoyer to the high glove side on a breakaway. The Big Red answered swiftly, reclaiming the lead just 37 seconds later as freshman forward Reegan Hiscock fed Catalano at the near-side post for a backhand finish.

Only 1:45 after Catalano's go-ahead tally, Gorman's errant shot rattled off the stanchion behind the net, caromed off a Cornell defender on the edge of the crease and trickled past Cournoyer for a power-play goal to even the score at 2-2. Junior forward Jonathan Castagna had threatened moments earlier on a short-handed breakaway, but Smith turned him aside.

The Tigers took their first lead of the game in the second period after Jacobs denied Cornell an offensive zone entry while on the power play, carrying the puck from his own blue line and skating in alone on Cournoyer, beating him to the high blocker side.

Green put the game out of reach just past the midway point of the third, winning a foot race to a loose puck, beating two Big Red defenders and burying his first career collegiate goal to extend the Princeton lead to 4-2.

Cornell pulled Cournoyer for an extra attacker with roughly four-and-a-half minutes remaining, generating eight shot attempts — four of which Smith turned aside — before an interference penalty with 27 seconds left ended the skater advantage and sealed the outcome.

FISHER NETS FIRST GOAL WITH BIG RED AS #9 MEN'S HOCKEY RALLIES PAST HARVARD

BOX SCORE | RECAP | HIGHLIGHTS | POSTGAME INTERVIEWS

ITHACA, N.Y. (MARCH 15, 2026) — Three unanswered goals across the first and second periods aided the ninth-ranked Cornell men's hockey team to turn a 1-0 deficit into a 3-1 lead before holding off a third-period surge by sixth-seeded Harvard as the third-seeded Big Red defeated the visiting Crimson 5-2 in the decisive third game of the ECAC Hockey quarterfinals before a sold-out crowd of 4,267 at Lynah Rink on Sunday afternoon.

Sophomore defenseman Michael Fisher's first goal as a member of the Big Red, and his first NCAA tally in 57 games, capped the string of goals for the Big Red (22-9-1), which secured its spot in ECAC Hockey's annual championship weekend in Lake Placid for a fourth straight year.

Freshman forward Reegan Hiscock and junior forward Ryan Walsh tallied the markers to set up Fisher for what proved to be the game-winner. Junior forwards Jake Kraft and Jonathan Castagna tallied empty-net goals in the final minute.

"After a tough start on Friday, we really found our way to bounce back on Saturday," Walsh said. "They're a really good team, so to be on the winning side of it feels pretty good."

Harvard (16-16-2) drew first blood on a power-play goal by Lucas St. Louis, who redirected a Michael Callow pass from the left faceoff dot past Cornell freshman goaltender Alexis Cournoyer for his first goal of the season.

Hiscock answered just 1:15 later, finishing a 2-on-1 rush set up by sophomore forward Charlie Major, who powered past two Harvard defenders, who ended up colliding into each other, to spring the odd-man break.

Walsh put Cornell ahead on the power play in the second period, redirecting a shot by freshman defenseman Xavier Veilleux from the top of the right faceoff circle into the far post.

Fisher, who transferred to Cornell after a season away from Division I hockey, capped the unanswered run with a shot from the right faceoff circle that beat Harvard goaltender Ben Charette to his near side.

Harvard trimmed the deficit to 3-2 in the third period when Will Hughes pounced on a loose puck after Justin Solovey's shot was blocked by Walsh on the edge of the crease, but Cournoyer had already kept the deficit at two with a key breakaway stop on freshman forward Richard Gallant minutes earlier.

The Crimson had 25 shot attempts compared to Cornell's 11 after Hughes' goal, but the Big Red blocked 10 of those attempts and finished the period blocking 12 of its 21 shots overall.

Walsh credited Cournoyer, who was named ECAC Hockey's Ken Dryden Goaltender of the Year on Thursday, for keeping Cornell ahead.

"Courns stood on his head," Walsh said. "He made a bunch of really good saves down the stretch. It's good to see guys rally around the team."

"The breakaway save was huge for us," said Casey Jones '90, the Jay R. Bloom '77 Head Coach of Cornell Men's Ice Hockey. "That's what you want from goaltending — you want saves when you need them. He just swallows pucks up. He doesn't give a lot of second-chance opportunities, which is a real difference-maker in those situations."

Kraft and Castagna put the game on ice with their empty-net goals in the final minute.

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.

• With a win Friday, Cornell will advance to the ECAC Hockey championship game for the third consecutive season, facing the winner of the first semifinal between Clarkson and Dartmouth.

• Puck drop on Saturday from the 1980 Rink — Herb Brooks Arena is scheduled for 5 p.m. Game action will be streamed live on ESPN+.

• If Cornell loses to Princeton on Friday, it will have to wait until Sunday to find out if it gets selected for this year's NCAA Division I Men's Hockey Championship. If chosen, the Big Red would compete at one of four regional sites: Albany, N.Y., Loveland, Colo., Sioux Falls, S.D., or Worcester, Mass. All games will be streamed live on ESPN+ and broadcast on select ESPN channels.