Cornell Win Streak Hits Four
ITHACA, N.Y. – It took sophomore goalie Andy Iles more
than a year to get his first collegiate shutout, but only 24 hours
to nail down his second. The Big Red men’s hockey team struck
three times in the second period, then held off Quinnipiac the rest
of the way behind Iles’ 32 saves on Saturday night to run its
winning streak to four consecutive games with a 4-0 victory in
front of another sold-out crowd at Lynah Rink.
Iles’ back-to-back shutouts were the first by a Cornell
goalie since Ben Scrivens ’10 had three in a row in March
2010 during the Big Red’s playoff run to its 12th ECAC Hockey
championship. While Iles was only called upon to make 15 saves in
Friday’s 4-0 victory over Princeton, he had to make 13 saves
in the first period alone Saturday just to keep the game
scoreless.
No. 18 Cornell (5-2, 5-1 ECAC Hockey) finally broke through 3:12
into the second period on junior Nick D’Agostino’s
fifth goal of the season. Sophomore forward Dustin Mowrey and
freshman defenseman Joakim Ryan worked the puck around the top of
the Quinnipiac (7-6-2, 1-4-2) zone to set up
D’Agostino’s dash down the slot. As a defender
descended to the ice to try to block the shot, D’Agostino
fired the puck past the blocker of Quinnipiac goalie Dan Clarke to
stake the hosts to 1-0 lead. D’Agostino continues to lead the
nation in goals per game for blueliners (0.71).
The Big Red extended the lead at the 7:50 mark with senior
alternate captain Sean Collins converted for the second straight
night. Freshman forward Joel Lowry dug the puck free on the
right-wing halfwall in the offensive zone, then classmate John
McCarron whipped a quick shot toward Clarke that caromed to an
opportunistic Collins the slot.
Excluding a four-second power play in the first period, the Big
Red had just one opportunity with the man advantage compared to
Quinnipiac’s six. But it was Cornell which clearly won the
special teams battle – a key factor in the victory, according
to head coach Mike Schafer.
The Big Red killed off all six of the Bobcats’ power plays
and scored on its lone power-play chance. Brian Ferlin was the
goal-scorer with just 1:25 remaining in the second period, with
junior forward Greg Miller and D’Agostino drawing assists.
The helper gives Miller points in all seven of Cornell’s
games this season, and also pushes Ferlin’s point streak to
six straight.
Junior forward Vince Mihalek then wrapped up the scoring with an
unassisted, short-handed empty-netter in the game’s final
minute – his first goal of the season and second in his
collegiate career.
Resting on top of the ECAC Hockey standings, the Big Red takes a
break from league play this week. Atlantic Hockey’s Niagara
visits Lynah Rink on Tuesday night before Cornell departs for New
York and the highly anticipated showdown with Boston University on
Saturday at Madison Square Garden.















