Yale beats No. 16 Cornell men’s hockey 3-1, ending 13-game series drought

Kyle O’Leary scored early in the third period to break a tie as Yale defeated No. 16 Cornell 3-1 Saturday night at Ingalls Rink, ending the Bulldogs’ 13-game winless stretch against the Big Red.

Caton Ryan scored Cornell’s only goal, and Mathis Rousseau made 18 saves in New Haven, Connecticut, according to Cornell Athletics’ recap. Cornell fell to 2-4-0 overall and 1-3-0 in ECAC Hockey, while Yale improved to 3-2-0 overall and in conference play.

Yale had not beaten Cornell since a 5-2 victory on Feb. 16, 2019. Coming after Friday’s 3-1 loss at Brown, Saturday’s defeat left Cornell swept on its annual Brown-Yale road trip for the first time since Feb. 25-26, 2011. Yale rebounded from a 6-1 loss to Colgate the previous night.

Cornell’s early pressure produces one goal

The Big Red outshot Yale 13-5 in the first period and kept the Bulldogs without a shot on goal for the opening 13 minutes, 30 seconds. Ryan put Cornell ahead midway through the period, sending a shot from the left faceoff circle between Jack Stark’s pads for his third goal of the season.

Chase Pirtle earned the lone assist in his season debut. The point ended a 17-game pointless stretch dating to a goal against Princeton on Jan. 16. It was his first assist in 19 games, since Jan. 9 against Alaska.

Yale drew even on a late first-period power play. Rousseau stopped O’Leary’s close-range one-timer, but Ronan O’Donnell converted the rebound. Cornell captain Ryan Walsh hit the pipe in the period’s closing seconds, leaving the teams tied 1-1.

Yale takes the lead as Cornell’s power play stalls

Neither team scored in the second period. Early in the third, O’Leary’s initial attempt was blocked by a teammate before he scored from a sharp angle near the goal line to give Yale a 2-1 lead. He finished with a goal and an assist.

Cornell appeared to tie the game on Aiden Long’s power-play goal midway through the period, but the goal was disallowed after video review. Coach Casey Jones said in Cornell’s recap that his staff had not seen the overhead camera angle and would need to review it.

The Bulldogs blocked four of Cornell’s six attempts during that third-period power play and limited the Big Red to three shots on goal over the final 20 minutes. Yale finished with 21 blocked shots, including seven by defenseman Henryk Lasky.

Cornell pulled Rousseau for an extra attacker in the final two minutes. Iisai Pesonen intercepted a pass in the slot and scored into the empty net from the other end of the ice in the closing seconds.

Stark made 24 saves as Cornell finished with a 25-21 shots advantage. The Big Red went 0-for-3 on the power play, extending its scoreless stretch to 19 opportunities. Yale converted one of its three power plays and won 30 of 55 faceoffs. Each team took three penalties for six minutes.

Jones said he saw improvement from Friday’s performance but wanted Cornell to create more chances closer to the net and generate rebounds. He also praised Pirtle’s return to the lineup.

“We’re going to have to score more than one goal to win hockey games,” Jones said.

Cornell returns to Lynah Rink to face Clarkson at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 20. Clarkson is 5-4-1 overall and 2-0-0 in ECAC Hockey. ESPN+ will carry the game, with a regional simulcast on SNY.

Staff Report

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