Harvard Arms No. 7 Cornell First Lack of the Season

This story has been up to date.

In a extremely anticipated matchup, No. 7 males’s hockey (4-1-1, 2-1-1 ECAC) earned its first lack of the season towards Harvard (1-1-3, 1-1-3 ECAC). The three-2 loss was highlighted by particular groups struggles and errant penalties that price Cornell the chance to stay undefeated on the season.

“Particular groups allow us to down [tonight],” stated head coach Mike Schafer ’86. “[And] that’s been an actual energy for us all yr lengthy.”

Highlighted by the traditions of this historic rivalry, fish had been flying, chants had been shouted and Lynah was packed.

Regardless of being on the receiving finish of flying fish, Harvard got here out robust, scoring only a minute into the sport.

Already 1-0 up, the Crimson largely dominated possession, nevertheless, Cornell had the primary energy play alternative minutes later after Harvard’s Kyle Aucoin went to the field for high-sticking. Regardless of not with the ability to convert on the facility play, the man-advantage gave Cornell some life.

The Crimson started dominating with some good probabilities. Nevertheless, Derek Mullahy made crucial saves to maintain Cornell off the board. The Crimson obtained its second alternative on the facility play after Aucoin went to the field as soon as once more, this time for hooking.

Cornell was as soon as once more unable to money in, however simply minutes after the penalty expired, Luke Devlin snuck one proper previous Mullahy to get the constructing shaking. It was the freshman forwards third objective of the season, and his first in entrance of the raucous Lynah Trustworthy.

It was proper again to work for Cornell as sophomore ahead Winter Wallace was referred to as for hooking, forcing the Crimson on the penalty kill lower than a minute and a half later.

Harvard’s Alex Gaffney scored on the facility play to present the Crimson the 2-1 lead.

Cornell earned its third energy play of the evening within the dying seconds of the primary interval when Harvard’s Christian Jimenez went to the field on an interference name.

With time remaining on the Jimenez penalty, the Crimson opened up the second body on the man-advantage. The 5-on-4 didn’t final lengthy as freshman ahead Ryan Walsh obtained referred to as for 2 simultaneous penalties, one for hooking and the opposite for oblique contact to the top. Harvard had 2:38 on the person benefit remaining after the Jimenez penalty expired.

Shane and the remainder of the PK unit stood agency, blocking shot after shot, together with an in depth one which simply obtained in and barely crossed the objective line earlier than being kicked out by Shane.

After efficiently killing off the penalty, it was all Crimson, enjoying bodily and protecting the puck virtually solely within the Harvard defensive zone. Whereas each groups had good probabilities, neither had been capable of finding the again of the web.

With about seven minutes remaining, junior ahead Kyler Kovich was referred to as for slashing, placing Cornell’s PK unit to the take a look at as soon as once more.

The Crimson was capable of kill it off, however momentum shifted in favor of the Crimson who started to dominate within the Cornell defensive zone.

Harvard had a possibility so as to add its lead on a breakaway, nevertheless, Shane made a giant pad save to maintain the Crimson from discovering the again of the web.

With time winding down within the second, each groups had nice probabilities, however Mullahy and Shane stood agency, not permitting any to move by means of.

The Crimson discovered the equalizer lower than two minutes into the second, when freshman ahead Jacob Kraft discovered an open web for his first collegiate objective.

Cornell had a possibility to take its first lead of the sport when a shot by Castagna hit the put up and bounced out.

In one other penalty-heavy evening, junior defenseman Michael Suda was referred to as for slashing, giving Harvard its fifth energy play of the evening.

Gaffney as soon as once more cashed in on the facility play, giving the Crimson the 3-2 lead. The Crimson tried to problem the objective on goaltender interference, nevertheless, it was unsuccessful, leading to a lack of a Cornell timeout.

Shortly after, the Crimson had a possibility to strike after Ben MacDonald went to the field on a slashing name. Fifteen seconds into the 5-on-4, Jimenez was additionally referred to as for slashing, leading to a 5-on-3 benefit for the Crimson.

Cornell as soon as once more was unable to capitalize as time expired on the facility play.

“I believed the facility play for the primary time this yr obtained egocentric,” Schafer stated. “[They] didn’t actually transfer the puck round and open up seams and lanes … all they needed to do is simply solely shoot pucks.”

In a single remaining push to tie it up, with 1:30 remaining, Cornell opted to drag Shane in favor of an additional attacker.

The Crimson was unable to seek out the equalizer regardless of the man-advantage, and the clock ran out at hand Cornell its first loss.

“Guys needed to win tonight, however general, we didn’t play as a workforce,” Schafer stated. “[It was] a giant sport [with] loads of stress they usually needed to win dangerous tonight … we couldn’t keep centered on the job at hand and that was to play collectively as a workforce.”