Ivan Zadvernyuk scored against his former team, but No. 16 Cornell could not overcome a two-goal deficit and lost 3-1 to Brown on Friday night at Meehan Auditorium in Providence, Rhode Island.
Brown goalie Eli Pulver made 24 saves and stopped all six Cornell power plays, ending the Big Red’s eight-game winning streak against the Bears, according to Cornell Athletics’ recap. Cornell fell to 2-3-0 overall and 1-2-0 in ECAC Hockey, while Brown improved to 1-3-0 overall and in conference play.
The victory in Brown’s home opener was its first under coach Tom Upton. Cornell had not lost to the Bears since a 2-1 defeat in Providence on Feb. 1, 2022.
Brown builds its lead in the second period
Neither team scored in the opening period, though Cornell freshman Brad Gardiner earned a penalty shot after being taken down on a breakaway. Pulver turned aside Gardiner’s backhand with his right pad. It was Cornell’s first penalty shot since Sullivan Mack scored against Colgate on Dec. 2, 2023.
Cornell also killed two first-period penalties, surrendering only one shot on goal during those opportunities. Mathis Rousseau stopped that chance by Matteo Danis from the slot.
Danis put Brown ahead midway through the second period, finishing a pass from Charlie Gollob in the low slot. Gollob carried the puck below the goal line before finding Danis for the one-timer.
Cullen Emery doubled the lead three minutes later with his first collegiate goal. After Pulver handled the puck behind his net, Kevin Fitzgerald moved it to Emery in the neutral zone. Emery entered Cornell’s end and scored on a wrist shot from the top of the faceoff circle.
Two Brown tripping penalties gave Cornell a two-man advantage lasting 1:36 late in the period. The Big Red used a timeout, but Pulver stopped captain Ryan Walsh’s one-timer, and Cornell generated no further shots on goal during the advantage.
Cornell’s third-period push falls short
After killing a penalty that carried into the third period, Cornell cut the deficit to 2-1. Zadvernyuk redirected Luke Ashton’s shot from the left point, with Coco Armstrong also assisting. It was the junior forward’s first game against Brown since transferring to Cornell.
The Big Red outshot Brown 16-8 in the third period and led 28-13 in shot attempts over those final 20 minutes. Brown had held a 12-9 shots advantage through two periods.
Cornell pulled Rousseau with just over two minutes remaining. A Brown hooking penalty with a minute left created a 6-on-4 opportunity, but Griffin Erdman sent a shot from his own zone into the empty net with 53 seconds remaining. It was the Northeastern transfer’s first goal for Brown.
Pulver stopped two more shots before the game ended. Cornell finished with a 25-20 shots advantage, while Rousseau made 17 saves.
Cornell has gone 16 power-play chances without scoring. Brown finished 0-for-5 on the power play, and the Big Red has killed 23 of its past 25 penalties dating to last season’s conference quarterfinal series against Harvard.
Cornell coach Casey Jones criticized his team’s preparation for the first two periods and accepted responsibility for the performance. He credited Brown’s energy and said Cornell needed to prevent a repeat.
The Big Red visits Yale at 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14, at Ingalls Rink, with coverage on ESPN+. Yale fell to 2-2-0 overall and in ECAC Hockey after losing 6-1 to Colgate on Friday. Kyle O’Leary scored its only goal, and Jack Stark made 20 saves on 23 shots after replacing Noah Pak late in the first period.
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