Box Score

ITHACA, N.Y. - Despite controlling play for a majority of the game, the Niagara men's hockey team (2-5-3) would eventually fall to the No.17 Cornell Big Red (6-2-0), 1-0 in front of a boisterous crowd at Lynah Rink Tuesday evening. 

After neither team saw a goal in the first two periods, the Big Red managed to sneak one past Niagara goaltender Colby Drost at the 10:57 mark of the final stanza.  A shot by junior forward Greg Miller into traffic was initially saved by Drost, but the rebound was swatted in defender Nick D'Agostino.   

"We had some unbelievable chances in the second period," said head coach David Burkholder.  "We outshot them for the game, I just don't think we got to the top of the crease which was our plan.  Colby was solid, but unfortunately they had the two extra powerplays in the third period and we couldn't kill the last one off."

Niagara had a brilliant opportunity to send the game into overtime with less than a minute to go as sophomore Patrick Divjak  saw his shot on an open net block by defender Braden Birch. 

"We played a great road game, but it just wasn't enough," added Burkholder.  "We get off the bus today to try and win a road game against a ranked team.  We've done it before at Colgate, we just fell one short here tonight." 

The first 40 minutes of play saw end-to-end action, but the game remained at a 0-0 deadlock.  Drost made his best save a man down with 19.4 seconds left in the opening period.  A rocket by forward Greg Miller rang off the left post and the rebound attempt by John Esposito was snagged by the sprawling Drost. 

The Purple Eagles saw the better of the chances in the second stanza.  Five minutes into the period, freshman Mike Benedict connected with a cross-ice pass and skated in on the breakaway, but goalie Andy Iles robbed him with a sprawling left pad save. 

Seconds after Niagara killed off the fourth Cornell powerplay, a two-on-one opportunity surfaced for the Purple Eagles.  Divjak picked up the puck at center ice and skated in with sophomore forward Scott Arnold, before tallying a shot that Iles pushed aside.  Freshman forward Isaac Kohls had a glorious opportunity right outside the crease to get the Purple Eagles on the board, but he could not lift the puck past a stretched out Iles. 

Drost finished the game with 22 saves.

The Purple Eagles are back on the ice this weekend when they face off against conference foe Sacred Heart.  The weekend series begins on Saturday, Nov. 26 at 7:05 p.m. and finishes the following day on Nov. 27 at 7:05 p.m.