The Cornell Big Red used two goals in each of the first two periods to build a 4-1 lead and end the nation’s second-longest unbeaten streak with a 4-2 victory over Brown in ECAC Hockey League play on Friday night at Meehan Auditorium.
Cornell has now won five of its last six games and earned its first season sweep of the Bears since 2001-02. Brown had gone 6-0-1 in its last seven contests.
Daniel Pegoraro tallied a goal and an assist for his second multiple-point game of the season. Doug Krantz added a pair of assists for the first multiple-point game of his career, and Paul Varteressian scored his second game winner of 2004-05.
The Big Red (9-3-2, 5-1-1 ECACHL) got off to a slow start in the first period, giving up a goal to Brown (7-5-2, 4-4-2 ECACHL) Cory Caouette with just 1:22 gone in the gone. Cornell turned the puck over in the Bears’ zone, and Jeff Prough chipped it from the right circle to Caouette in the slot.
The squad kicked it into gear after going down by a goal, however. Ten minutes later, Raymond Sawada launched a shot from just above the left circle that deflected off a Brown defenseman and got by national rookie of the month Adam D’Alba to even the score at 1-1. Krantz and Pegoraro assisted on the play.
D’Alba notched 23 saves, but took the first loss of his career after starting out 6-0-1. The Big Red continued to have success on the power play. After going 3-for-4 against Maine in the consolation game of the Florida College Classic, Cornell was kept off the board on its first attempt early in the period, but struck with the man-advantage at the 18:55 mark.
The Bears attempted to clear the puck, but Ryan O’Byrne collected it in the neutral zone and fed Shane Hynes, who skated in along the right boards. Hynes then dumped the puck to Matt Moulson who was skating one-on-one in the middle of the ice. Moulson beat the one defender and netted his seventh power-play goal of the season to give Cornell a 2-1 lead after one period.
The visitors held a 16-2 shots on goal advantage after 20 minutes as well. The Big Red finished the night 2-for-4 on the power play. Cornell came out firing again in the second period, scoring the first two goals of the frame. At the 5:49 mark, Mark McCutcheon broke away down the right boards. A Brown defender challenged, forcing McCutcheon to fire across ice to Varteressian, who was trailing the play. Varteressian knocked the puck home for his third goal of the season. Chris Abbott also got an assist.
Less than seven minutes later, Cornell converted its second power play of the game. Charlie Cook started the play inside the blue line. He passed to Krantz, who unloaded a shot from the left circle. D’Alba turned away that shot, but Pegoraro was there for the rebound goal.
The Bears cut the deficit to 4-2 on a power-play goal from Antonin Roux. Brian McNary got credit for the assist.
Cornell played keep away for much of the third period, limiting Brown’s chances to draw even. Cornell goalie David McKee made 12 stops and earned his ninth win of the season.
