Cornell journeyed to the University of Toronto's Varsity Arena to partici- pate in the Toronto Can-Am Cross/Border Hockey Challenge Classic Tournament (the name has gone through various incarnations -- Cross/Border Hockey Challenge seems to be the agreed-upon moniker, at least for now) and came away with a split. The points were costly, however, as four more names were added to the Big Red's list of injured players. Partial box scores and some more notes below: Toronto 3, Cornell 2 Cornell 1 0 1 -- 2 Toronto 0 2 1 -- 3 First period -- Scoring: C Steve Wilson (Bill Holowatiuk, Tyler McManus), 4:20 (PP) 1-0 Second period -- Scoring: T Sandy Sajko (Davidson), 0:40 (PP) 1-1 T Sajko (Jamie Coon, Davidson), 11:02 1-2 Third period -- Scoring: T Tim Welsh, 4:24 1-3 C Matt Cooney (Mark Scollan, Holowatiuk), 7:27 2-3 Shots on goal: Cornell 15-26-15 -- 56, Toronto 22-??-?? -- 50 Power play: Cornell 1 of 7, Toronto 1 of 3 Goaltending: C Jason Elliott (47 saves, 50 shots) T Scott Galt (out at 2:09 of third period, 42 saves, 43 shots), Ryan Spring (in at 2:09 of third period, 12 saves, 13 shots) Notes: Both teams put the pedal to the metal in this one, as there were officially a total of 106 shots on goal. The fact that such a high number of shots resulted in only five goals might make one guess that the stars of the game were the goaltenders, and indeed they were. Cornell freshman Jason Elliott, in his fourth straight start, had 47 saves on the night, but as outstanding as that performance was, he was outshone by the Varsity Blues' Scott Galt, who turned aside 42 of 43 shots before being forced out of the game with an injury 2:09 into the third period. Ryan Spring took over for Toronto and did a terrific job himself, with 12 saves. Toronto put some heavy pressure on Elliott in the opening period, but the Big Red netminder responded brilliantly, stopping all 22 Varsity Blue shots. The Big Red was busy taking pot shots at Galt at the other end of the ice, and it paid off at 4:20 of the first, when Steve Wilson converted a 5-on-3 power play for his team-leading fourth goal of the season. Wilson took a pass from Bill Holowatiuk and fired a shot over the left shoulder of a screened Galt. That was the only goal of the first period, and in the second, Toronto defenseman Sandy Sajko struck twice to give the Blues the lead. Both goals were a bit controversial. Forty seconds into the second, with the Big Red trying to kill off a penalty, Sajko unleashed a rocket from the point that found the back of the net. Teammate Tim Welsh crashed into Elliott as Sajko was shooting; it was unclear whether Welsh skated in of his own accord or he was pushed into the crease, but in any event, the goal stood. At the 11:02 mark, Sajko put the Blues up 2-1, blasting a 50-footer past Elliott. Sajko took a feed from Jamie Coon and appeared to be off-sides, but no whistle was blown and, again, the goal was allowed to stand. Cornell peppered Galt with 26 shots in the middle period but could not dent him. Galt was knocked down during a goal-mouth scramble 2:09 into the third and had to be helped off the ice. The Big Red tried to tee off on Spring, who had to come into the game cold, but Toronto responded with the eventual game-winning goal at the 4:24 mark. Tim Welsh converted a 2-on-1 break, firing a shot high over Elliott's left shoulder as he was being hauled down by a Cornell defender. Matt Cooney cut the deficit to one with a hard wrister at 7:27 of the third, picking up his first collegiate goal in the process. The Big Red kept the pressure on in an attempt to get the equalizer, but they were unable to get the puck past Spring again. Cornell 6, York 3 Cornell 1 2 3 -- 6 York 0 1 2 -- 3 First period -- Scoring: C Jake Karam (Mark Scollan, Chad Wilson), 9:44 1-0 Penalties: C Matt Cooney (tripping), 1:45; Y Paul Pachis (holding), 5:18; Y Ricci (interference), 6:34; C Mike Sancimino (roughing), 7:45; Y Pachis (roughing), 7:45; C Geoff Lopatka (interference), 8:07; Y Ben Davis (hooking), 8:57; C Steve Wilson (roughing), 12:31; Y Jason Hicks (roughing), 12:31; C C. Wilson (hooking), 15:44; C Bill Holowatiuk (interference), 18:44 Second period -- Scoring: C Scollan (Karam, Jamie Papp), 12:02 2-0 Y Shawn Costello (Pachis, Davis), 16:11 (PP) 2-1 C Papp (Scollan, Karam), 19:26 3-1 Penalties: C Cooney (roughing), 3:11; Y Alphonse D'Alessio (roughing), 3:11; C Tony Bergin (interference), 5:53; Y Wright (slashing), 6:49; Y Derek Mann (roughing), 10:01; C Jason Kendall (roughing), 12:44; Y Mike Feasby (roughing), 12:44; C Jason Weber (cross-checking), 14:49 Third period -- Scoring: Y Mike Kerekes (Jason Hicks), 0:17 3-2 C Bergin (Karam), 1:35 4-2 Y Pachis (Brdarovic, Jason Pain), 7:41 (PP) 4-3 C Lopatka (Andre Doll, Christian Felli), 9:48 (SH) 5-3 C Lopatka (S. Wilson, Doll), 18:48 6-3 Penalties: C Lopatka (roughing), 2:32; Y Feasby (roughing), 2:32; Y D'Alessio (cross-checking), 4:28; C C. Wilson (high-sticking), 4:50; C Doll (holding), 6:51; C Joel McArter (hitting from behind served by C. Wilson, game misconduct), 9:31; C Bergin (delay of game), 15:49; Y Dungey (delay of game), 15:49; C Jiri Kloboucek (spearing double minor), 18:48 Shots on goal: Cornell 12-19-10 -- 41, York 13-17-8 -- 38 Power play: Cornell 0 of 7, York 2 of 9 Goaltending: C Andy Bandurski (38 shots, 35 saves) Y Joe DiMaline (41 shots, 35 saves) Notes: With a jumbled-up lineup, the Big Red had its best offensive performance of the young season, putting six goals on the board against a physical York team. Senior goaltender Andy Bandurski had his first start of the season and responded with a 35-save effort, while team tri-captain Jake Karam figured in Cornell's first four scores (one goal and three assists) and was named to the All-Tournament team. Once again, the game was a wide-open affair, as the teams combined for 61 shots over the first two periods and 79 for the game. The Big Red got on the board first at 9:44 of the opening period, when Karam swatted home a Mark Scollan feed. Scollan gave Cornell its first two-goal lead of the 1994-95 season at 12:02 of the second. With a Cornell power play winding down, Scollan and Karam skated up the ice on a 2-on-1 break. Karam held the puck deep in the Yeoman zone, then feathered a nice cross-ice pass to Scollan, who had most of the net to shoot at. Scollan's shot went off the heel of his stick but had enough gas on it to hit the left post and bounce into the net. The Yeomen fought back at the 16:11 mark, as Paul Pachis slapped one from the left point that Shawn Costello redirected behind Bandurski. York dominated the final five minutes of the second period, but it was the Big Red getting the next goal, with 34 seconds remaining before intermission, when Jamie Papp poked a rebound through goalie Joe DiMaline's pads. But once again, York responded, making it 3-2 just 17 seconds into the third period. Mike Kerekes and Jason Hicks skated into the Cornell zone on a 2-on-1 break, and when Hicks rolled the puck in front of the net, Kerekes was there to flip it over Bandurski's shoulder. However, it did not take long for Cornell to re-establish their two-goal lead. Tony Bergin skated behind the York net and tried to send the puck back out front; however, it bounced off Yeoman defenseman Jason Pain's leg, hit DiMaline in the arm, and sailed over the goal line at the 1:35 mark. A few minutes later, Karam had a chance on a short-handed breakaway, but Di- Maline came up with an outstanding glove save. This seemed to spark the Yeomen, as they closed the gap to 4-3 at 7:41 of the third. Pachis took the puck at the left point and slowly drifted toward the net, then suddenly unleashed a blast that sailed over a surprised Bandurski's blocker pad and caught the net inside the crossbar. Cornell seemed to be reeling, but they regained control of the game at the 9:48 mark thanks to a nice give-and-go by Geoff Lopatka and Andre Doll that resulted in a short-handed goal. Lopatka outskated a York defenseman down the ice and passed to Doll, who immediately returned the puck to Lopatka for a hard wrister that eluded DiMaline. The Big Red had their fourth two-goal lead of the night, and this time they didn't relinquish it. Lopatka closed out the scoring nine minutes later with a great individual effort, tracking down a loose puck at center ice, skating between the circles, and beating DiMaline with a high shot. After that goal, York's Mike Feasby belted Jiri Kloboucek three times in the head; Kloboucek responded by spearing Feasby, for which he got a double minor (hmm, the rules are apparently a bit more lenient Up North). Anyway, DiMaline wound up stopping 35 of 41 shots. Injury notes: An already depleted Big Red team, missing Vinnie Auger (out indefinitely with a concussion and a broken toe), P.C. Drouin (separated shoulder against Brown), and Brad Chartrand (separated shoulder last week in practice), got quite a bit more unwelcome news this weekend. Less than a minute into the game against Toronto, freshman center Ryan Smart broke a bone in his left hand and is expected to be out four to six weeks. Winger Tyler McManus hyperextended a knee late in the Toronto game, and then the Big Red lost forwards Mike Sancimino (deep thigh bruise) and Matt Cooney (possible broken wrist) in the game against York. McManus and Sancimino are listed as day-to-day, though they may very well see action this weekend. -- Disclaimer -- Unless otherwise noted, all opinions expressed above are strictly those of: Bill Fenwick | Send your HOCKEY-L poll responses to: Cornell '86 and '94.5 | [log in to unmask] LET'S GO RED!! DJF 5/27/94 "You know that organ donor form on the back of your driver's license?... I'm leaving my eyes, but I don't think anyone will thank me. I mean, they're getting the eyes that didn't see the other car in the first place." -- Elayne Boosler