Brown Skates to a Draw Against 15th Ranked Cornell

Brown news release…

ITHACA, N.Y. – Max Willman (Barnstable, Mass.) and Zack Pryzbek (Niagara on the Lake, Ontario) scored back-to-back third period goals to gain a one-goal lead, but No. 15 Cornell notched the equalizer in the final seconds of regulation as the two teams skated to a draw, 3-3, Friday night at Lynah Rink.

Brown moves to 4-16-5, 2-12-4 ECAC, while Cornell stands at 12-7-5, 7-6-4 in the conference.

Facing a one-goal deficit midway through the third period, Willman and Pryzbek scored a pair of goals within a four-minute span to move in front, 3-2. Cornell took advantage of a late Brown penalty and then pulled goalie Mitch Gillam to set up Christian Hilbrich’s 6-on-4 power-play goal at 19:50 to force overtime.

Tommy Marchin (Algonac, Mich.) also scored for the Bears to round out the scorers. Tim Ernst (Pickering, Ontario) made 29 stops in net for Brown, while Gillam had 30 saves on the other end.

Brown outshot the Big Red, 33-32.

Marchin put Brown on the board with a power-play goal at 16:55 to open up the scoring. Cornell gained possession near the end of the power play, but Sam Lafferty (Hollidaysburg, Pa.) caught the puck to disrupt the clear and quickly found Mark Naclerio (Milford, Conn.), who hit Marchin on the right circle. Marchin’s first shot was blocked, but he put back the rebound to give Brown the one-goal advantage.

Brown outshot the Big Red in the first period, 12-10.

Cornell enjoyed a quality chance midway through the second period, using numbers to give Anthony Angello a point blank shot in front, but Ernst turned away the one-timer to preserve the lead.

The Big Red broke through late in the second period when Trevor Yates scored at 17:37. Dwyer Tschantz went for a wraparound attempt that was stopped, but Yates was ready for the rebound to even the score at 1-1. The teams were even at 10 shots apiece in the second period.

Angello scored with 20 seconds remaining on Cornell’s previous power play to give the Big Red a 2-1 lead 1:12 into the third period.

From there, Willman scored his second goal of the season at 10:18, using a nifty move in front of the net to beat Gillam, and even the score at 2-2. Pryzbek scored the go-ahead goal at 13:46 for his fourth of the season.

After Hilbrich’s extra-attacker goal forced overtime, Cornell outshot the visitors by a 5-1 margin in the extra frame, but the Brown defense stood tall to fend off a late attack and secure the draw.

Brown was 1-for-3 on the power play, while Cornell was 2-for-3 with the man advantage.

Brown wraps up its home slate next weekend against Clarkson (2/19) and St. Lawrence (2/20).