Cornell gets two goals from Mack, and uses their physical style to eliminate Maine from the NCAA Tournament

Published by %s
March 28, 2024

Sullivan Mack had two goals, including a second period game winner on Thursday night in leading the Cornell University Big Red to a 3-1 win over the Maine Black Bears in a First Round Men’s Hockey NCAA Tournament game at the MassMutual Center in Springfield, Massachusetts.

#6 ranked Maine, who was also the #2 seed in the regional and playing their first tournament game in 12 years, got off to a promising start. Donovan Villeneuve-Houle won a race for a puck in the Cornell zone, gathered it near the edge of the left faceoff circle, and then sent a pass to Harrison Scott in the low slot who fired a shot over the glove of Big Red goaltender Ian Shane at 5:43 of the first period for a 1-0 Black Bears lead.

 

Maine had a chance to extend their early lead when Cornell was called for a major penalty on a hit from behind on Bradly Nadeau at 6:38, giving the Black Bears a five minute powerplay but they were unable to convert despite five shots on goal. The Big Red would even it up later in the period after a Black Bears turnover in their own end. Gabriel Seger took the puck away after a check on Parker Lindauer, skated into the right circle and dropped it back to Kyle Penney who dangled into the low slot and wristed one past Victor Ostman at 13:56. Ostman was starting the game in net in place of freshman Albin Boija who had an illness and couldn’t play.

#12 Cornell (#3 regional seed) took the lead for good when Mack got his first of the night and the game winner 12:09 into the second period. After some Maine pressure on the other end, Mack kept the puck in at the Black Bears blue line turned with it and charged into the right circle beating Ostman with a great wristshot stick side off the post and into the net unassisted.

With the lead, Cornell would really start turning up their defensive intensity that has made them one of the best in the country and toughest to play against. The Big Red had only allowed 63 goals total on the season entering Thursday. They would pin in Maine and their hard checking and tenacity seemed to wear down the Black Bears. In the third period the Nadeau brothers tried to connect on a one-timer to find an equalizer, but when that didn’t work out Cornell went the other way with a 3 on 2 breakout and it was Mack finishing it off. Mack took it himself across the blue line and into the left circle where he fired another wristshot past Ostman at 9:29 that ended the scoring on the night.

Maine pulled their goalie for an extra attacker with 3:00 left to play trying to do anything to try to stay alive, but just couldn’t do quite enough in having their season come to an end. It was also their first loss to an ECAC team in the NCAA Tournament, now 5-1 overall.

Ostman made 15 saves in the loss in what was his first start since February 17, as Maine outshot Cornell 32-18. The Black Bears went 0-1 on the powerplay, which was that five minute major in the first period which with some success could of really built some big early momentum. Bradly and Josh Nadeau, who led the team in points on the season, were held to just one assist over the final two games after they each registered two goals and two assists in their 5-0 Hockey East quarterfinal win over UNH. Mack led the way for Cornell with his two unassisted goals, and Seger added an assist in the victory. Shane, who entered play with just a 1.70 goals against average, made 31 saves. The Big Red went 0-1 on the powerplay as well, in winning their sixth straight game improving to 22-6-6 on the season. They will face top seed and #3 in the country Denver in the regional final in Springfield on Saturday at 4 p.m. The Pioneers defeated UMass 2-1 in double overtime in the first semifinal on Thursday afternoon. Cornell is now 19-0-2 on the year when leading after two periods. Maine, who was picked ninth in Hockey East and finished third, had a great season in returning to the conference semifinals and the NCAA Tournament both for the first time since 2012. The Black Bears finish with a final record of 23-12-2.

Recap by Chris Lessner/Photos by Anthony DelMonaco/Video highlights courtesy of Maine Ice Hockey and CornellMHockey on Twitter

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