After trailing by a single score for most of the game, a game-tying goal in the third period briefly gave the Red hope. But Cornell unraveled late to lose 5-1 to its Upstate New York rival, Colgate, on Friday.
The Raiders (31-6-1, 18-4-0 ECAC) went on to win the ECAC tournament the next day by defeating Clarkson 3-0.
Cornell (24-7-1, 17-5-0 ECAC) may get the chance for revenge, as it was placed in Colgate’s region for the NCAA tournament, which begins March 14.
The first game of ECAC Championship Weekend began in front of 1135 fans at the Class of 1967 Arena in Hamilton, NY. The action started quickly, and within the first minute of play, freshman goaltender and Ivy League Rookie of the Year Annelies Bergmann was called upon to stop a Raider two-on-one rush, which she did successfully.
For most of the first period, the home-team Raiders dominated play, firing 17 shot attempts total and 10 shots on goal over the first 20 minutes. The first goal of the game came after sophomore defenseman Alyssa Regalado was called for interference with 3:41 to go in the first period.
Just 19 seconds into the power play, a Danielle Serdachny shot slipped between Bergmann’s legs to give the Raiders the lead. It was the NCAA-leading 44th power play goal for Colgate.
When the horn sounded on the first period, Cornell was behind in the score, 1-0, and was substantially outshout –– Bergmann tallied nine saves in the opening frame to Kayle Osborne’s two.
The second period began much like the first, with Colgate pressing for a second goal but Bergmann holding strong. 6:51 in, Serdachny was called for tripping and Cornell had its first skater advantage of the afternoon.
While the power play helped slow Colgate’s momentum, Cornell was unable to convert. The shot disparity continued in the second, with Colgate totaling 19 shots on goal to the Red’s 10 over the course of the period.
The action exploded in the game’s final period. 5:01 into the frame, an Osborne pass from behind the Raider net was intercepted by freshman forward Karel Prefontaine. The puck eventually worked itself to senior forward and ECAC Player of the Year Izzy Daniel in the slot. With Osborne still returning from behind the net, most of the goal was open for Daniel, but her shot –– Cornell’s best scoring chance up to that point –– hit the left post.
Undeterred, the Red’s offense pressed on and was rewarded just over a minute after Daniel’s missed attempt. After the Red forced a turnover while forechecking, junior forward Claudia Yu’s shot was stopped by Osborne, but during the ensuing scramble for the rebound, the puck was pushed across the line by sophomore defenseman Grace Dwyer.
Though Colgate had dominated for much of the game, Cornell had tied the score and seized the game’s momentum. Under a minute after the goal, a Raider skater was called for tripping and the Red had its second power play of the game.
Unfortunately for the Red, the upset would not happen –– after killing the penalty, Colgate resumed its attack. An intercepted pass from Bergmann was collected by the Raiders, and moments later, a Dara Greig shot found the back of the net to retake the lead.
This goal kicked off a Colgate run, in which the Raiders proceeded to score three goals in five minutes with the help of two Cornell penalties committed by the worn-out Red defense. A tie game with 13:57 left in the third quickly turned into a 5-1 Colgate blowout crushing the Red’s ECAC championship hopes.
An impressive 39-save effort from Bergmann was not enough, and, for the third time this season, the Raiders had bested the Red.
However, the Red may get a fourth chance. Cornell earned an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament and will take on the Stonehill Skyhawks back in Hamilton. The winner of that matchup will face off against Colgate with a trip to the Frozen Four on the line.
Thursday’s matchup against Stonehill will take place at 7 p.m. and will be streamed live on ESPN+.