Dutchmen top Big Red in series opener, 4-2

Box Score

by Ryan Fay

ITHACA, N.Y -- Union scored three goals in the second period en route to a 4-2 win over Cornell in game one of the teams' best-of-three ECAC Hockey tournament first-round series at Lynah Rink.

The tenth-seeded Dutchmen (17-16-2) can secure a spot in the league's quarterfinal round with a win in game two, scheduled for Saturday at 7. If necessary, game three will be played at the same time on Sunday.

After a scoreless first period, Union grabbed a 1-0 lead at 7:36 of the second when Max Novak knocked in a rebound from Nick DeSimone's shot from the point. Matt Wilkins extended Union's lead to 2-0 just under seven minutes later after he one-timed a shot off a Mike Vecchione faceoff win.

Daniel Ciampini pushed the Dutchmen's advantage to 3-0 at 16:39. With Union on a two-on-one break, Novak made a cross-ice pass to Ciampini, who lifted it past Cornell goalie Mitch Gillam. The goal was Ciampini's NCAA-leading 26th of the year, moving him one shy of tying Jeremy Welsh's single-season program record, set in 2011-12.

Union chased Gillam from the game after Vecchione's shorthanded goal gave the Dutchmen a 4-0 cushion at 8:39 of the third. The shorthanded tally was Union's eighth such goal of the season, a new single-season program mark.

Seventh-seeded Cornell (11-13-6) scored twice late in the third -- a power play goal from Christian Hilbrich at 13:07 and an extra-attacker goal from Matt Buckles with 30 seconds left.

Colin Stevens turned aside 28-of-30 shots for Union, which moved to 13-0 all-time in ECACH tournament action under fourth-year head coach Rick Bennett.

The Dutchmen have won three games in a row for the first time since starting the season 5-0.

End notes:
Defenseman Jeff Taylor returned after missing five games with an upper-body injury.... he had an assist on Novak's goal.... Wilkins returned after sitting out two games with a lower-body injury.

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