.png&width=24&type=webp)
.png&width=24&type=webp)
Princeton University Athletics
Cornell Ends Princeton's Hockey Season
March 10, 2001 | Men's Ice Hockey
March 10, 2001
ITHACA, N.Y. - Cornell showed why its defense is ranked second nationally as the Big Red defeated Princeton two games to none in the first round of the ECAC hockey playoffs at Lynah Rink. After falling 3-2 in overtime in Game 1, the Tigers came up one goal short, 2-1, in Game 2 of the best-of-three series.
Cornell got the early lead, and goalie Matt Underhill made it stand. The Big Red entered the weekend yielding just slightly more than two goals per game, and Underhill is in the nation's top 10 in goals-against average (1.91) and save percentage (.924).
After being outplayed and outshot nearly two to one throughout the first two periods and trailing 2-1, Princeton played with a sense of desperation in the third, firing 15 shots at Underhill. The Tigers had a man advantage in the final 1:08 and pulled goalie Dave Stathos to give them six skates compared with Cornell's four. Princeton managed to get the puck to the front of the net on several occasions, but the Big Red defense prevented the Tigers from getting a quality shot. Their best chance came with 15 seconds remaining when Kirk Lamb sent a centering pass through the slot but slightly out of the reach of Ethan Doyle.
Stathos, a junior, held Princeton in the game, stopping 30 shots in the first two periods. But when Cornell has a lead after two periods, its defense nearly guarantees a victory as the Big Red are now 8-0-1 when taking a lead into the third.
"In order to win in the playoffs you need three things," said Princeton coach Len Quesnelle, "solid goaltending, good penalty killing and a potent power play. We had two of those, but our power play wasn't effective."
Princeton concludes its season 10-16-5, while Cornell improves to 15-11-5 and advances to Lake Placid for the ECAC Final Five.
It was another close playoff loss for the Tigers, as they dropped their fourth consecutive one-goal decision. Only one of Princeton's last 11 postseason games has been decided by more than one goal.
"We always believed that we would get the tying goal," said Shane Campbell. "As a senior, playing in what could be my last game, I poured everything I had in to the last period."
Trailing 2-0, Campbell gave the Tigers life midway through the second period when he walked out from the left wing corner and stuffed a backhander between Underhill's pads at 10:15. Ethan Doyle picked up the only assist on Campbell's 16th of the season, which gave him a goal in each of his last four games.
Princeton played well the first six minutes of the game, but Cornell began to take the body and dominated the next 14 minutes, firing 16 shots at Stathos.
Denis Ladouceur gave Cornell a 1-0 lead at 13:45 of the first period when he converted a turnover in the Princeton zone. Sam Paolini applied the forecheck to Tiger defenseman Neil McCann, and when defensive partner Peter Zavodny came in to help out, the three became entangled. Paolini managed to chip the puck to Ladouceur, who skated in alone on Stathos.
Matt Maglione had the Tigers' best opportunity of the first period, but Underhill managed to get his left shoulder on the shot from the right-wing circle.
Paolini's gave the Big Red a two-goal led early in the second period when he tipped Doug Murray's power-play shot from the point at 2:32. Doyle had broken his stick blocking a prior shot, and Ryan Vesce was able to complete a pass to Murray, who blasted a shot from the center point.
Brad Parsons nearly tied the game with 25 seconds left in the second period. Uncovered in the Cornell slot, Parsons one-timed a Maglione pass from the left wing boards, but Underhill got his left pad on the shot as Cornell held a 2-1 lead after 40 minutes.
Stathos was forced to make 15 saves in both the first and second period, stopping 30 of 32 shots through two periods.
Midway through the third period Underhill stopped Sharam Fouladgar-Mercer's two-on-one break slap shot from between the face-off circles.
With 3:13 remainder Josh Roberts took a retaliatory cross-checking penalty, but on the ensuring power play Ladouceur was called for roughing Steve Slaton. The Tigers had a power play for the final 1:08, but couldn't get anything by Underhill.
Scoring Summary
1st period - scoring 1. C Denis Ladouceur 6 (Sam Paolini) 13:43 penalties Shane Campbell, P (roughing) 8:28, Shane Palahicky, C (roughing) 8:28, Ethan Doyle, P (tripping) 9:29
2nd period - scoring 2. C Sam Paolini 7 (power play) (Doug Murray, Ryan Vesce) 2:32, 3. P Shane Campbell 16 (Ethan Doyle) 10:15 penalties Pete Zavodny, P (slashing) 1:20, Alex Gregory, C (slashing) 12:19
3rd period - scoring none penalties Josh Roberts, P (cross-checking) 16:47, Shane Campbell, P (10-minute misconduct), Denis Ladouceur, C (roughing) 18:18
Scoring By Periods Princeton 0-1-0--1, Cornell 1-1-0--2
Shots By Periods Princeton 6-11-15--32, Cornell 16-16-5--37
Saves Dave Stathos (P) 15-15-5--35 (8-13-4), Matt Underhill (C) 6-10-15--31 (11-8-3)
Power Plays Princeton 0/2, Cornell 1/3
Attendance 3,027
Officials Tim Kotyra (referee), Jeff Fulton, Andy Petrus
Complete box score and statistics are available at www.spfldcol.edu/ecachockey. Audio broadcasts and complete coverage of Princeton hockey is available at www.GoPrincetonTigers.com.