.png&width=24&type=webp)
.png&width=24&type=webp)
Princeton University Athletics
Big Red Rallies For Overtime Win
March 09, 2001 | Men's Ice Hockey
March 9, 2001
Ithaca, N.Y. - David Kozier's overtime goal lifted Cornell to a 3-2 victory over Princeton in the first game of a best-of-three, first-round series in the ECAC hockey playoffs at Cornell's Lynah Rink. Princeton and Cornell will play Game 2 of the series Saturday at 7 p.m.
Cornell won the face-off to the right of Princeton goalie Dave Stathos. Sam Paolini slid a pass to Kozier, and his backhander at 7:25 of the extra period went high over Stathos' blocker as the Big Red erased the Tigers two-goal, third-period lead.
David Schneider and Shane Campbell scored early third-period goals 58 seconds apart as Princeton took a 2-0 lead, but a pair of Ryan Vesce power-play goals forced overtime.
"I thought we played fairly well," Princeton coach Len Quesnelle said. "After tonight's performance, I'm still confident that our team can win the series. We took too many penalties, and that's what cost us." "I'm a leader of the team," said captain Kirk Lamb, who took a costly double-minor penalty in the third period that led to the tying goal. "I accept responsibility for the power-play goal."
Two minutes after Campbell game Princeton a two-goal advantage, Vesce's centering pass from the right face-off circle deflected off Schneider's stick and behind Stathos. Midway through the period Lamb took a double-minor penalty, and Vesce made the Tigers pay again. This time the freshman winger took a pass from Larry Pierce at the Tiger blueline and skated around a defenseman before sliding a shot past Stathos.
Stathos played well, stopping 31 shots, but once again the Cornell power play proved to be the difference. The Big Red has scored seven goals in three games this season against the Tigers, five have been with the man advantage.
After two scoreless periods, Schneider broke free just 26 seconds into the third period when took a pass from George Parros, cut to the slot and put a backhander behind Cornell goalie Matt Underhill.
Less than two minutes later Campbell broke up the Cornell play at the Tiger blueline and skated untouched up ice. His forehand move fooled Underhill and Princeton held a 2-0 lead.
Despite not scoring through the first 40 minutes, both teams had quality opportunities. Lamb, back in the lineup after sitting out the final weekend of the regular season with an injury, had perhaps the Tigers' two best two chances in the first. Midway through the period he couldn't quite kick the puck to his stick while at the left of Underhill, and later his backhander from the slot slid just wide of the left post.
Late in the first period freshman Sharam Fouladgar-Mercer forced a turnover and drove to the net, crashing into Underhill and he was switching from his backhand to his forehand. The senior goalie smothered the puck as Fouladgar-Mercer cut across the crease.
Stathos was tested on several occasions in the first, stopping all 11 shots that he faced. Cornell's two best chances were by defenseman Mark McRae, who walked down the slot early in the period and later had a prime scoring opportunity on the power play.
Early in the second period Stathos robbed David Francis on the power play, one of his 13 saves in the period. Underhill was equally impressive at the other end of the ice. He made a sprawling save when Scott Prime attempted to put home a Lamb rebound at 7:34 of the second with the Tigers on the power play. Later Campbell led Tigers on a three-on-two break. Underhill stopped Campbell's initial shot and somehow kept out George Parros' rebound attempt from the crease.
The Tigers continued to pressure the Big Red as Underhill stopped Chris Corrinet from the goalmouth with four minutes remaining in the second period, and moments later the Big Red netminder made a right pad save off a shot from Brad Parsons.
Skating with four-on-three advantage, Stathos twice stopped Kozier in the second period. Stathos became entangled with congestion in the crease and was knocked down but made glove save on Mark McRae with 1:30 remaining in the period to preserve the scoreless tie.
Princeton killed off five penalties through two periods, and Ethan Doyle and Neil McCann blocked several shots in a penalty-killing role. In the third period, however, the Cornell power play was the difference.
Notes Cornell is a playoff-tested team, compiling a 62-30-4 (.667 winning percentage) postseason record, including an ECAC-high nine championships. The Big Red has made eight consecutive playoff appearances and advanced to Lake Placid four of the past five years.
Cornell's defense ranks No. 2 in the nation (2.21 goals per game).
Cornell's penalty-killing unit ranks fifth nationally (89.1%).
Matt Underhill entered the game ranked third nationally with a 1.91 goals-against average and seventh with a .949 save percentage.
Cornell now leads Princeton in postseason play, 3-2-1.
Princeton entered the game having held its prior six opponents to two or fewer goals, the first time that has happened since 1931-32,
Scoring Summary
1st period - scoring none penalties Stephen Baby, C (interference) 2:34, Josh Roberts, P (hooking) 7:31, Kirk Lamb, P (cross-checking) 12:46
2nd period - scoring none penalties Pete Zavodny, P (tripping) 1:44, Shane Campbell, P (hitting after the whistle) 7:34, Doug Murray, C (hitting after the whistle) 7:34, Neil McCann, P (interference) 10:19, Stephen Baby, C (slashing) 11:04, George Parros, P (holding), 13:49, Doug Murray, C (roughing) 13:49, Shane Campbell, P (holding the stick) 13:59,
3rd period - scoring 1. P David Schneider 11 (George Parros) 0:26, 2. P Shane Campbell 15 (unassisted) 2:24, 3. C Ryan Vesce 6 (power play) (Stephen Baby, Doug Murray) 4:28, 4. C Ryan Vesce 7 (power play) (Larry Pierce) 11:21 penalties Kirk Lamb, P (high-sticking) 4:16, Andrew McNiven, C (tripping) 7:44, Kirk Lamb, P (holding) (roughing) 10:11, Krzysztof Wieckowski, C (holding) 14:54, Ethan Doyle, P (cross-checking) 17:12
Scoring By Periods Princeton 0-0-2-0--2, Cornell 0-0-2-1--3
Shots By Periods Princeton 10-10-7-2--29, Cornell 11-13-9-1--34
Saves Dave Stathos (P) 11-13-7-0--31 (8-12-4), Matt Underhill (C) 10-10-5-2--27 (10-8-3)
Power Plays Princeton 0/5, Cornell 2/9
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.