Cornell Overwhelms Niagara

Photo by Joe Bell/Ithaca Journal Staff

Boxscore

ITHACA, N.Y. -- The Cornell men's hockey team opened 2008 in style, posting its largest offensive output since Feb. 17 of last season with a 6-0 shutout of Niagara on Friday night at Lynah Rink. The Big Red got a pair of goals apiece from Michael Kennedy and Evan Barlow, while netminder Ben Scrivens posted 17 saves for his second straight home shutout.

Cornell, which evened its record at 5-5-2 on the season, came out ready to play in each period, scoring four of the six goals within the first five minutes after coming out of the locker room. Chris Fontas got the Big Red started with his first goal as a Cornellian just three minutes into the first period. Dan Nicholls started the play with a hit in the offensive zone, chipping the puck out to Fontas near the blue line. Fontas fired a wrist shot that beat Niagara goalie Adam Avramenko high to the stick side.

The Big Red carried the 1-0 lead into the intermission, but it took just 1:36 after the break for the Big Red to add to the lead. Barlow came down on the forecheck and made a hit along the side boards, and the puck popped out into the faceoff circle to Avramenko's left. Barlow picked up the loose puck and ripped a shot high to the upper left corner.

The Cornell power play also had a strong night, converting on two of its five chances. At the 14:24 mark of the second period, Kennedy struck for his third goal of the season, ripping a shot from between the faceoff circles as the Big Red had an extended 5-on-3 advantage. Justin Krueger and Topher Scott assisted on the play as the Big Red took a 3-0 lead into the second intermission.

In the third, it was Barlow adding to the lead just 2:18 into the period. Fighting through traffic, Barlow tallied his fifth goal of the season after taking a feed from Tyler Mugford and Blake Gallagher. Less than two minutes later, Kennedy joined his classmate in the multiple goal column, taking a pass from Scott and ending Avramenko's night with his fourth goal of the season.

Both Barlow and Kennedy picked up a third point on the evening as Riley Nash provided the final tally for the Big Red on the power play with 8:02 gone in the third period.

Cornell finished the night 2-for-5 on the power play with seven shots, while Niagara was 0-for-3 on the man advantage. Scrivens picked up 17 saves to extend his home shutout streak to 152:15, dating back to the Big Red's 5-3 win over Quinnipiac earlier this season. The last goal allowed at Lynah Rink by the sophomore netminder came on Mike Atkinson's penalty shot goal with 7:15 to play in the second period on Nov. 3. The six goals scored by the Big Red was Cornell's largest offensive output since an 8-4 win over Princeton on Senior Night last season.

Avramenko finished with 21 saves in goal for Niagara, while Juliano Pagliero picked up six saves in 15:56 of relief. Niagara drops to 10-6-1 on the year with the loss.

The two teams will meet again on Saturday night at Lynah Rink in a game that will be televised throughout much of New York State. Fans in the Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse and Albany areas can see the game on their local Time Warner Sports station (channel 26 on Time Warner Cable in Ithaca).  Saturday night's game is set for a 7 p.m. faceoff.