Box Score ITHACA, N.Y. – Colgate University tallied a three goal second period en route to a 4-2 victory over Cornell in the second game of the best of three ECAC Hockey Quarterfinal series. The win forces a winner take all elimination game on Sunday.
 
Colgate came out strongly putting the first four shots of the game on net in the first two minutes of action. A Cornell cross checking penalty 5:45 into the game gave the Raiders a power play of which they took advantage. Alex Young riffled a shot past Cornell goalie Ian Shane to the short side upper corner from the right faceoff dot with 12:39 remaining.  Nick Anderson and Colton Young assisted for the 1-0 first period lead.
 
Colgate goal keeper Mitch Benson was again impenetrable in the period making 11 saves as the Raiders killed a pair of Big Red power play opportunities. Cornell had a slight 11-10 edge in shots on goal in the period and won 12 of 20 faceoffs.
 
The second period was the most active of the series thus far with four goals scored and five penalties, including a five-minute major against Cornell for a hit to the head, called. Colgate opened the scoring on a goal credited to Ross Mitton that went off the skate of Cornell's Matt Steinberg. Ryan McGuire and Pierson Brandon had the helpers with 15:21 remaining in the period. Cornell got the goal back just four seconds after the end of a power play opportunity as Ben Berard was able to beat Benson in the upper right-hand corner at 12:58.
 
A minute and 23 seconds later Jeff Stewart scored Colgate's second goal on four shots in the period as he worked the puck from the right side of the crease on a rebound of a shot by Ethan Manderville. Manderville was credited with the assist leading to Cornell to making a goalie change to Joe Howe.
 
Howe fared little better than Shane as Matt Verboon nailed a one-timer past him from the right faceoff dot on assists by Anderson and Alex Young with 7:47 left in the period.
 
The only third period goal was registered late by the Big Red. With just 1:44 left in the game Steinberg got the goal back that went off his skate. With an extra attacker on the ice Steinberg beat Benson from the left side of the crease off feeds from Jack Malone and Ondrej Psenicka.
 
Game statistics were close with Colgate registering 25 shots on goal and Cornell 27. The Raiders won 32 of 59 faceoffs in the game. Colgate was 2-7 on power plays while the Big Red was 0-4 with a man advantage. Benson had a second consecutive strong night between the pipes making 25 saves on 27 Big Red shots. In the two games against Cornell Benson has made 65 saves while allowing only four goals.

UP NEXT
Colgate (17-17-4) will play the rubber game of the three-game ECAC Hockey quarterfinal series at Lynah Rink at 4:00 Sunday. The winner will advance to the ECAC Hockey Semi-Finals next weekend in Lake Placid.