@CORNELL 4, RPI 2 … Box Score | Game Recap | Video Highlights
Union 4, @CORNELL 1 … Box Score | Game Recap | Video Highlights
On Friday night in the first period, we controlled the puck with 13 shots on goal to the visitors six and took a 1-0 lead at 15:28 when sophomore forward Nick DeSantis fired a shot that ricocheted off two RPI skates into the back of the net for a power-play goal. That’s what you want on the power play. You want to put pucks towards the net. It was so important to get off to a great start because RPI has been a tremendous road team all year long, and they put up a good fight.
In the second period, we limited RPI to just three shots on goal, while we had seven, including a goal by senior forward Kyle Penney at 16:36 to make it 2-0. It was great to have Kyle back in action because of his leadership, energy, and scoring that goal was a plus.
RPI scored at 3:22 of the third period to make it, 2-1, but we didn’t falter and kept the pressure on them. At 13:03 of the third, DeSantis sent a highlight reel behind the back pass to senior forward Jack O’Leary on the goal doorstep, and O’Leary buried the puck to make it 3-1. Our opponents didn’t back off and made it 3-2 with three minutes remaining in the game. But a little over a minute later, senior forward Ondrej Psenicka scored a one-timer that put the game out of sight.
Senior goaltender Ian Shane made just 16 saves, and the RPI goaltender stopped 26 shots. We were 1-for-4 on the power play and they were 0-for-3.
We controlled the game all night long. It’s always a good recipe when you get good goaltending, win the special team battle, and score first. One of the good things about Friday night’s game was anytime RPI tried to mount a push, we responded.
On Saturday night, our Achilles heel has been consistency, and once again, we did not start the game with the intensity needed. We gave up a goal at 1:49 of the first period, and didn’t have the intensity we had shown the night before. On top of that, we gave up a hat trick at Lynah Rink for the first time since 1999! Union definitely controlled play in the first period, as Shane made eleven saves in the first 20 minutes.
The visitors increased their lead at 4:53 of the second period, 2-0, when their nationally-ranked power play converted. This was only the third man-down goal we had given up in 2025. We were chasing them the entire game but narrowed the gap to 2-1, at 5:31 of the second period. Senior forward Kyler Kovich fired a shot that hit a post, collected his own rebound and buried the puck for his third goal of the season, and his first ever at Lynah Rink. We played well in the second period and took a 20-18 lead in shots after two periods of play.
A defensive error resulting in Union’s third goal was a killer coming right after a Big Red power play. It was a defensive mistake that the ‘D-pair’ hadn’t made all year long. Union scored into our empty net to cap the score at 4-1.
Shane made 20 saves and the Union goaltender stopped 30 shots. We were 0-for-3 on the power play and they were 1-for-3.
Though analytics were slanted heavily in our favor with puck possession and scoring chances, as a coach you can feel it when your team doesn’t have the winning edge. It’s hard to describe when you are not on the bench or in the locker room.
We are back on the road this coming weekend for a games against ECAC/IVY foes Brown and Yale. We always have great support on the road and look forward to your support this weekend.