No. 17 Cornell men’s hockey opened ECAC play with a 3-1 road victory over Harvard on Friday night at Bright-Landry Hockey Center. Junior forward Jonathan Castagna scored twice, including a late short-handed goal, while freshman Gio DiGiulian found the net for the third straight game.
Harvard (1-1-1, 0-1-0 ECAC) struck first midway through the opening period when Aidan Lane capitalized on a turnover to give the Crimson the lead. Cornell (2-1-0, 1-0-0 ECAC) responded with steady pressure and strong defense, anchored by freshman goaltender Alexis Cournoyer, who made 30 saves to earn his second win.
Castagna tied the contest midway through the second period, finishing a give-and-go play with defenseman Hoyt Stanley to shift momentum in Cornell’s favor. Cournoyer stood tall in net, stopping all 17 Harvard shots in the frame to keep the game level.
Early in the third, DiGiulian continued his scoring streak, cleaning up a rebound from a Caton Ryan shot to put the Big Red ahead 2-1. Cornell’s penalty kill then sealed the win in the closing minutes, as freshman Aiden Long blocked a shot to spring Castagna for a short-handed breakaway that he buried to make it 3-1.
Cornell closes its four-game road trip Saturday, November 8, at undefeated Dartmouth (3-0-0, 1-0-0 ECAC). Puck drop at Thompson Arena is set for 7 p.m.
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to [email protected].