ITHACA, N.Y. (2/3/06) - The No. 5/5 Cornell hockey team recorded the first six shots on goal, and No. 17 Colgate was left to play catch-up the rest of the game as the Big Red skated to a 4-1 win on Friday, Feb. 3, at Lynah Rink in Ithaca, N.Y.
Although the Raiders had their share of offensive chances, they didn’t record a shot on goal until there was 5:13 left in the first period. Junior Liam Huculak (Lethbridge, Alta.), back from injury, brought Cornell goalie David McKee into the game, and Colgate posted the final six shots of the period to even them at six-all. The Raiders skated the final 44 seconds of the frame with a two-man advantage, but couldn’t get anything past the Big Red netminder.
Cornell broke the scoreless deadlock 6:23 into the middle frame. Colgate had the puck in its end and was attempting to clear, but a turnover just inside the blue line proved to be costly. Raymond Sawada let loose a wrister from above the left faceoff circle that beat Colgate goalie Mark Dekanich (North Vancouver, B.C.) glove-side.
Minutes later, it appeared that Colgate had tied it up. Raider freshman Peter Bogdanich (Burnaby, B.C.) shot in, and he and sophomore Ben Camper (Rocky River, Ohio) scrambled after the rebound. Camper thought he had found a seam, but the goal light never went on.
Cornell got the next goal to grab a 2-0 lead. Topher Scott skated the puck in from the far blue line, and passed to Evan Salmela, who dumped it into the left corner. Byron Bitz sent it around behind the net back to Salmela, whose shot headed toward the far post. While Dekanich was down making the save on the initial shot, Samela put in his own rebound into the top left corner.
The Big Red nearly opened up a 3-0 gap with 44.1 seconds on the clock. Another Colgate turnover in the defensive zone gave Cornell its chance. Dekanich made the save on Daniel Pegoraro’s shot and covered up, but as the Big Red jammed at it, the puck squirted loose. However, the referee blew his whistle before Cornell managed to get the puck over the goal line.
Cornell eventually got the 3-0 lead with 5:59 left in the game. The Big Red were set up on the power play, and Matt Moulson cycled the puck to Scott, who held it behind the net. He waited until Sawada found a spot in the low slot, then passed around to him, and Sawada one-timed it past Dekanich.
Colgate avoided being shut out when it got on the board with 1:49 on the clock. McKee made an impressive save on sophomore Jesse Winchester (Long Sault, Ont.) after he danced in on net, and the rebound went out to the left boards. Winchester picked up the puck again, and this time he beat McKee with his 11th goal of the season.
Colgate head coach Don Vaughan pulled Dekanich in favor of the extra skater with 1:07 left, and Cornell capitalized by tacking on an empty-net goal with 45.9 seconds on the clock. Cam Abbott’s shot was blocked by the Raider defenseman, but Daniel Pegoraro put in the rebound.
Dekanich finished with 24 saves, while McKee made 22 to earn the win. Cornell earned the edge in the faceoff circle, 43-35, and the Big Red outshot the Raiders 28-23.
The rematch, which will determine first place in the ECACHL standings, is set for Saturday night at Starr Rink. Colgate enters the game with a one-point lead over Cornell for first place. The game will be televised nationally on ESPNU and regionally on Time Warner Sports Ch. 26 starting at 7:00 p.m.
