In its only exhibition game of the season, Cornell defeated visiting Waterloo by a count of 4-3, in Lynah Rink on Saturday night.
The Big Red used a barrage of 54 shots on the Warriors’ goal to counter its opponents’ efficient power-play execution.
From the outset, Cornell tested Waterloo goalie Patrick Herman time and again, particularly on a 5-on-3 power play a little more than 10 minutes into the game. But Herman held strong, denying the Red on all of its 17 shots in the first period.
The Warriors, on the other hand, capitalized on their only chance the opening frame, when Brett Turner scored on an assist from Ryan Painter at 14:56. The goal came directly after a roughing penalty assessed to Cornell’s David Hovey at 14:09.
But the Red answered quickly, less than a minute into the second period. Krysztof Weickowski ripped a backhand shot off a rebound past Herman to tie the game at 1-1. The score came by way of assists from Greg Hornby and Shane Palahicky.
“Our guys kept plugging away, and they knew [a goal] was eventually going to come,” said Cornell head coach Mike Schafer.
At 3:40, the Red struck again, this time Stephen Baby sent a crisp pass from the right-hand corner to Matt McRae, who then blasted a shot past Herman’s stick side.
Just as it seemed that Cornell had stolen the momentum, Waterloo tied the contest at 2-2, when Mike Nixon fielded a pass at the edge of the Cornell goal mouth and sticked it in past Red netminder Chris Gartman at 6:22.
However, Cornell ended the second period by reassuming the lead. Dan Svoboda wrapped around the corner of the Waterloo goal and clanged the puck off the left post and into the net. The assists came from Matt McRae and Andrew McNiven.
Cornell scored an insurance goal at 5:36 of the third. David Franis skated into the Warriors’ zone untouched and fired a shot that slid between Herman’s legs.
After Waterloo pulled its goalie with 1:24 to go in the game, Painter scored with 10 seconds left on a 5-on-4 power-play to make it 4-3.
But on the ensuing faceoff, McNiven ran out the clock with the puck safely behind the net.
“We had some great opportunities,” Schafer explained. “I thought their [goalie] played really well.”
Waterloo only put six shots on goal, giving Gartmen very little action on the day.
“It’s a game you wished there was a little more pressure so you can get a little more evaluation,” Schafer said.
Cornell will take on Sacred Heart for its first regular-season game next Saturday, while Waterloo will take on York back in Canada on Sunday.
