This story will be updated.
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Princeton, N.J. — Men’s hockey started the first leg of its ECAC opening road trip on a high note on Friday night. The Red (1-2, 1-0 ECAC) defeated Princeton (0-2, 0-2 ECAC), 3-1, in front of a sold out Hobey Baker Arena.
The result was welcomed by the road crowd, which was filled with Cornell fans. Princeton goaltendender Ethan Pearson was subject to the same harassment on his home ice that he might have received at Lynah.
Despite the hostile crowd, Pearson played well, making up for the Tigers’ lackluster defense early on. Pearson finished with 34 saves on 36 shots.
Cornell dominated possession in the first period. The Red’s efficiency on the forecheck and in the neutral zone resulted in plenty of opportunities in its offensive zone. Cornell outshot Princeton 17-6 in the first period, but neither team got on the board in the first twenty.
Cornell finally broke through on its third power play of the game, and twelfth of the season. Senior forward Max Andreev and junior forward Gabe Seger crashed the net and collected senior forward Ben Berard’s rebound. Andreev poked it to Seger, who buried it to give Cornell a 1-0 lead with eight and half minutes left in the second period.
Cornell extended its lead half a minute later. Andreev fed sophomore defenseman Tim Rego from along the boards in Cornell’s defensive zone and sent Rego on a breakaway. Rego brought the puck all the way down the ice before wrapping around Princeton’s goal and sneaking it in to put Cornell in front by two with eight minutes to go in the second.
The Tigers ended sophomore goaltender Ian Shane’s shutout bid nearly seven minutes into the third period on a power play goal. The goal cut Cornell’s lead to 2-1.
Shane finished with 15 saves on 16 shots.
Cornell defended its 2-1 lead down the stretch before senior defenseman Travis Mitchell’s empty net goal put the finishing touch on the Red’s first win of the season.
The Red returns to action on Saturday night at No. 7 Quinnipiac.