@CORNELL 3, Colgate 2 [OT] … Box Score | Game Recap | Video Highlights
@Colgate 6, CORNELL 3 … Box Score | Game Recap
We played completely different games Friday night at Lynah Rink and Saturday night at Colgate. In these two games, we trailed by two goals three separate times. In Friday night’s game, we were down 2-0 even though we did a great job controlling play. I was happy with all aspects of our play, following a simple game plan, and we were consistent on offensive and defense.
On Friday night, the first period had just nine combined shots on net. Colgate took a 1-0 lead at 6:56, when their top scorer tallied on a wrister to extend his Division I, leading-point-streak to eleven games. We controlled the rest of the period, holding the visitors to zero shots over 13-minutes.
Less than two minutes into the second period, we were back on the power play, but managed only one shot-on-goal. Colgate is a good defensive team, well coached, and they play hard. The Raiders made it 2-0 at 13:08 with a power-play goal. They are the top power-play team in the ECAC. After that goal, we out shot the visitors, 21-3, for the rest of the game.
With a minute left in the second period, sophomore forward Jonathan Castagna took a pass and skated toward the Colgate goal. As he skated through the high slot, he sent a backdoor pass to senior forward Jack O’Leary whose goal made it 2-1.
Nine minutes into the third period, sophomore forward Ryan Walsh tied the game at 2-all, roofing a shot from the base of the left faceoff circle. Assists were awarded to first year forward Charlie Major and sophomore defenseman George Fegaras. Regulation time expired with the game tied, 2-2.
Halfway through overtime, senior forward Ondrej Psenicka picked up a loose puck and led a 2-on-1 breakaway with Major. With Lynah Rink going nuts, Psenicka passed the puck to Major who buried it for his first collegiate goal. It was a fitting ending to the overtime that saw us give up a 2-on-1, we had a 2-on-1, we gave up a 3-on-1, and then scored on the 2-on-1. It didn’t represent hockey in any way shape or form. It was crazy.
Senior goaltender Ian Shane made eight saves all night, and the Colgate net minder stopped 28 shots. We were 1-for-4 on the power play, and Colgate was 1-for-2.
I really don’t know what happened between Friday and Saturday, but we turned over pucks and didn’t play our simple game or tight defense. It is also the first time I can remember when Ian Shane was not his normal outstanding self.
Colgate opened the scoring at 14:58 of the first period, but three minutes later, we tied the score. Senior forward Kyler Kovich buried a shot from the slot for his first goal of the season. At 5:34 of the second period, Colgate took the lead again, adding another goal at 15:04. Just before the end of the second period, we narrowed the margin to 3-2, when Ondrej Psenicka deflected a Fegaras shot from the point past the goaltender.
Just 1:42 into the third period, Psenicka scored again on another assist from Fegaras to tie the game, 3-3. We tied the game only to face a 5-minute major penalty kill. Colgate challenged a play, and we received the 5-minute major for butt ending. The Raiders capitalized with two goals and that was the ballgame. After that, I pulled Ian who had allowed five goals on 13 shots. Remington Keopple played nine minutes, forty seconds with three saves. Colgate added an empty net goal with 8-seconds left. The Raiders goaltender stopped 17 of our shots.
A lot of inconsistency. We weren’t patient, turned over a lot of pucks, and lacked discipline. This basically has been the story of our early season. It is disappointing to go into the Christmas break on that sour note. While tough to enter the break this way, it couldn’t have come at a better time. We need time for players to heal from injuries and deal with our inconsistent play.
We have a long break for final exams and Holidays before traveling to Tempe, Arizona in early January for the Desert Hockey Invitational. We play UMass in the first game of a two-game tournament that includes Robert Morris and host team, #19 Arizona State. Looking forward to seeing many of the Cornell Alumni from the Southwest.
Happy Holidays to the Cornell Faithful from the 2024-25 Big Red team and coaching staff!