ITHACA, N.Y. — Freshman forward Tristan Mullin and senior forward Jared Fiegl scored goals for the 18th-ranked Cornell men’s hockey team, but Ottawa scored an extra-attacker goal with 43.6 seconds remaining in the third period to scratch out a 2-2 tie on Sunday night at Lynah Rink in the Big Red’s second and final exhibition of the season.
Ottawa — which already has an exhibition victory against nationally-ranked Penn State under its belt — opened the scoring at the 12:41 of the first period on a goal from defenseman Jean-Robin Mantha, but Cornell equalized 34 seconds later. Freshman forward Kyle Betts worked beautifully on a cycle with his former junior teammate Mullin, setting up the latter’s second goal in as many games.
Fiegl gave Cornell the lead just past the midway point of the second period on a goal in transition. Ottawa won a faceoff in the Big Red zone, but a shot hit traffic and freshman defenseman Alex Green started the rush. He dished off to Fiegl on the left wing, and he pulled up for a shot from the left circle that zipped past the glove of Ottawa’s second goalie of the night, Graham Hunt.
After a slow start, the Big Red dominated the game in terms of possession — but it couldn’t take advantage of a handful of odd-man rushes when it had a one-goal lead. That kept the visiting GeeGee’s within striking distance, and the tying goal came late. Mathieu Newcomb’s shot from the right point was deflected in from the top of the crease by Cody Drover to cap the night’s scoring.
Cornell will return to the ice at 7 p.m. Saturday with the annual Red/White Game, then it will start the regular season with a two-game non-league series Oct. 27-28 against visiting Alabama-Huntsville.
