November 30, 2001

Hockey Teams Take on Yale, P'ton

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After splitting a weekend series with No. 5 perennial powerhouse Boston University last weekend the men’s hockey team was anointed with a No. 10 ranking. The Red will look to build on Sunday 4-2 doubling of the Terriers when it takes to the road for the third consecutive weekend to face ECAC and Ivy League foes Yale and Princeton. Cornell is currently 2-2 on the road swing.

The Red’s opponents split a home and home set last week, week, with the home teams emerging victorious. The Eli’s 6-1 thumping of Princeton on Nov. 24 halted a five game winless stretch. Yale was led by Dennis Nam who potted two goals in a strong effort anchored by solid play from stalwart goalie Dan Lombard who turned aside 26 Tigers shots. Lombard has been a force for the Bulldogs posting a 2.65 goals against average. Nam, who tallied a pair of assists on the evening as well, was among four players who found the back of the net for the first time in the season. Yale has shown promise defensively; surrendering just 19 goals, but its power play has been anemic, converting on just five of 32 opportunities. The Red has been anything but anemic on the man advantage, sporting the second best power play percentage in the nation.

The Elis victory followed a 2-1 defeat earlier at Princeton’s Baker Arena.

The Tigers, fell behind 1-0, but scored a late equalizer before winning the game in the overtime session. It was the first occasion on which Princeton has outshoot its opponents.

Yale’s roster boasts an impressive freshman class. The rookies have accounted for five of the team’s 19 goals. Newcomer Chris Higgins leads the Elis with eight assists on three goals.

The Yale-Cornell series celebrated its centennial anniversary last year as

the team’s split the series. The Red earned a 4-3 victory at Lynah Skating

Rink, before falling later in the season in New Haven in a disappointing 1-0

overtime loss. If the circumstances of the defeat weren’t inauspicious enough

for the Red, the squad also lost defensive standout Doug Murray to injury

that night as well. Overall, Cornell owns a 65-47-1 advantage in the series.

The Red will look to halt a five game winless skid at Hobey Baker arena,

including a 4-1 slapping administered by the Tigers last season. Cornell

topped the Tigers three times in Ithaca though, with a 3-0 blanking followed

a sweep in the quarterfinals of the ECAC playoffs. Princeton has struggled to

find offensive consistency this season, having been outshoot in eight of its

nine games. Like the Elis, Princeton’s success rests largely on the shoulders

of goaltender Dave Stathos who has written his name in the Tigers record

books in several categories. He ranks number one in school history with a

.901 goals against average. Washington Capitals draft choice defenseman Matt Maglione has anchored the Princeton defense, and has also recorded a pair of crucial goals in the Tigers’ two most recent contests. On the other end of the ice, sophomore George Parros has been the club’s premier offensive weapon notching four goals and two assists on the young season.

Archived article by Gary Schueller