THE PUCK DROP
• Making its first appearance in the Division I Men's Ice Hockey Championship since the 2018-19 season, the No. 12-ranked Cornell men's hockey team takes on No. 4-ranked Denver in the semifinal of the Manchester Regional at SNHU Arena on Thursday evening.
ROAD TO TAMPA
• Cornell is appearing in its 23rd Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Championship this season. It is the 10th-most appearances by any program in the NCAA Tournament and is the second-most by a member of ECAC Hockey, trailing Harvard (27).
• The Big Red are joined in the regional in Manchester, N.H., with the No. 4 overall seed Denver (32nd appearance), Boston University (38th appearance), and Western Michigan (8th appearance).
• In Cornell's last tournament appearance in 2019, the Big Red defeated Northeastern, 5-1, before falling to Providence, 4-0, in the Providence Regional final.
• The Big Red will be playing its second-ever game in Manchester, N.H., on Thursday. Cornell's other instance of playing at the SNHU Arena came in 2017, when it lost to UMass Lowell, 5-0, in the regional semifinal.
THAT'S A LOT OF RINGS
• Of the four regionals this season, Manchester has the most combined titles of the four programs.
• The four teams in the regional have a combined 16 national championships (Denver 9, Boston University 5, and Cornell 2). Allentown, Pa., is second with a combined 12 titles (Michigan 9, Michigan Tech 3), while Fargo, N.D. (5), and Bridgeport, Conn. (1) have six titles combined between the two sites.
NOT HIS FIRST RODEO
• Mike Schafer '86, the Jay R. Bloom ‘77 Head Coach of Men’s Hockey, will be coaching in his 13th NCAA Tournament as the head coach at Cornell.
• Schafer, who coached his first NCAA Tournament game in his first year as the Big Red's coach in 1995-96, has an overall record of 9-12 (.429) in the NCAA postseason.
• The Big Red has made one Frozen Four under Schafer, which came in 2003 when it was held in Buffalo, N.Y.
• A 1986 Cornell graduate, Schafer is one of six head coaches in this year's tournament to be coaching their alma mater in this year's NCAA Tournament.
• Ironically, four of the six head coaches will located at the Manchester Regional, joined by Denver's David Carle, Western Michigan's Pat Ferschweiler, and Boston University's Jay Pandolfo. Harvard's Ted Donato and Michigan's Brandon Naurato are the other two head coaches who will be behind the bench of their alma mater's squad this weekend.
MALINSKI NAMED TO FIRST TEAM ALL-ECAC
• For the second time in as many years, senior defenseman Sam Malinski was named a First Team All-ECAC selection, it was announced by the ECAC last Thursday before the conference’s semifinals in Lake Placid, N.Y.
• Malinski is the first Cornell player to garner First Team All-ECAC honors in consecutive seasons since Morgan Barron in 2018 and 2019. No Big Red blueliner had accomplished the feat since Doug Murray in 2002 and 2003.
• To be named a First Team All-ECAC selection in consecutive years as a defenseman is a rare feat as Malinski became just the sixth Big Red blueliner to earn the distinction, joining Harry Orr (1965-67), Bruce Pattison (1967-69), Dan Ratushny (1989-91), Steve Wilson (1995-97), and Doug Murray (2001-03).
SAM'S THE MAN
• Senior defenseman Sam Malinski has the fifth-most points by an ECAC Hockey blueliner this season. His 26 points (eight goals, 18 assists) are six shy of matching Quinnipiac's Zach Metsa for the lead.
• Malinski's 26 points are the most by a Cornell defenseman since Yanni Kaldis (4-24—28) in 2018-19.
• Earlier this season, Malinski recorded points in 10 straight games, matching former NHLer Matt Moulson for the second-longest point streak by a Cornell player under Mike Schafer, dating back to 1995-96.
• The 10-game point streak is the second-longest by a Division I defenseman this season, trailing Boston University freshman blueliner Lane Hutson (11). Malinski had 20 points during his streak (7-13—20), while Hutson registered 19 (3-16—19).
HAVING AN EYE FOR THE GOAL
• With its 109 goals this season, Cornell has surpassed the century mark in scoring in each of its last five years of competition, dating back to the 2017-18 campaign.
• It is the first time the Big Red has netted 100-plus goals in five consecutive seasons since doing so over 27 straight seasons, beginning with the 1964-65 season and ending in 1990-91.
• The 109 goals scored by Cornell are tied for the 28th-most in a single season, joined by the 1982-83 and 1989-90 teams.
• Despite netting 100-plus goals in the last four campaigns, the 109 markers are the most by the Big Red since potting 111 tallies in 35 contests in 2004-05 (3.17 goals per game).
• This year's 3.41 goals-per-game average — which ranks eighth nationally — is the highest by a Cornell team with at least 30 games played since the 2002-03 team recorded 133 goals over 36 games (3.69 goals per game).
SPREADING THE WEALTH
• Cornell has had 22 goal scorers this year, matching the program record for the most in a season (1982-83).
• The 22 different goal scorers mark the seventh consecutive season the Big Red has had 20-plus players register at least one goal. It is the longest streak in program history, with the only other significant stretch being four seasons (1976-80).
• This year, Cornell has 13 players with at least five goals, which is the most by a Big Red team since the 2002-03 team had 14 players score at least five goals.
• No Cornell team has had at least 12 players score six-plus goals since the 1976-77 team had 13 players find the back of the net at least six times.
IVY LEAGUE CHAMPS
• Cornell claimed its 25th Ivy League title with its 5-1 win over Yale on Feb. 25. The Big Red's 25 points (8-2-0) in edged Harvard's 24 points (9-1-0).
• It was the Big Red’s first Ivy League title since 2019-20, and the Big Red has claimed three of the last four Ancient Eight titles (2018-19 and 2019-20). Harvard won the only other Ivy title in the stretch (2021-22).
• The Big Red’s 25 Ancient Eight titles are second among the six Ivies that field programs. Harvard has the most championships with 28, while Yale is behind Cornell in third with 15.
• Since Princeton won the Ivy League in 2007-08, the trophy has been in possession by Cornell (six times), Yale (also six times), and Harvard (three times).
NONE SHALL PASS…
• Cornell boasts one of the nation’s top-scoring defenses. The Big Red has yielded 64 goals allowed this year, standing as the second-fewest by a Division I program this season. Only ECAC Hockey rival Quinnipiac has allowed fewer (59).
• Historically, Cornell has boasted one of the nation’s stingiest defensive units in Division I hockey. The Big Red has ranked in the top 10 in scoring defense in each of its last five seasons of competition. Since the 2016-17 season, Cornell has yielded 386 goals, which is the fewest by a Division I team in the span.
• Over its last six games, Cornell has allowed just five goals while not giving up multiple markers in a game. It is the longest streak without giving up two-plus goals in a game since also having a six-game stretch during the 2009-10 season.
• Should Cornell hold Denver to one goal or less, it would mark the first time in the Big Red’s program history that it held its opponent under two goals in seven straight games. The other six-game streaks happened from 1906-08 and in 2005-06 and 2009-10.
POINT SEGER
• Junior forward Gabriel Seger, who could be playing in his 100th collegiate game Thursday against Denver, has a team-leading 22 assists and 29 points this season. Both figures are also career highs for Seger.
• With his next point, Seger will become the first Cornell player to register a 30-point season since Morgan Barron (14-18—32) in 2019-20.
• No Cornell player has logged 30-plus points in their first year with the Big Red since Riley Nash had 32 points (12 goals, 20 assists) in his freshman campaign in 2007-08.
• Seger's 22 assists are currently the eighth-most helpers by a player in ECAC Hockey this season. It is the most helpers by a Cornell player since defenseman Yanni Kaldis had a 24-assist season in 2018-19.
• Seger is the first Cornell forward with at least 20 assists in a season since Greg Miller had 25 assists in 2010-11, and is the first Big Red player with 20-plus assists in his first season donning Cornellian Red since Nash's 20 assists in 2007-08.
SHANE'S WORLD
• Goaltender Ian Shane has had a stellar sophomore season for Cornell this year, posting a 1.76 goals-against average that ranks second nationally. The lone player ahead of Shane is his ECAC Hockey counterpart, Yaniv Perets of Quinnipiac, who has a nation-leading 1.52 figure.
• Over Shane's last six games, the Manhattan Beach, Calif., native has posted some gaudy numbers, posting a 4-2-0 record with a 0.83 goals-against average and .957 save percentage. Shane has stopped 110 of 115 shots he has faced in the stretch.
• Shane's career 1.75 goals-against average ranks second among goaltenders in this year's tournament, while his .921 save percentage is the fifth-best figure.
• Earlier this year, Shane was nominated for the Mike Richter Award and was Cornell's lone nomination for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award.
• Despite not being named a semifinalists for the either award, Shane became Cornell's goaltender to be named to the Richter Award watch list in consecutive years since Matthew Galajda in both 2018-19 and 2019-20.
BLANKING TOP-10 FOES
• Sophomore goaltender Ian Shane is one of three goaltenders at the Division I level to record a pair of shutouts against opponents ranked who were ranked in the top 10 of the USCHO.com poll at the time of the shutout.
• Joining Shane in the rare feat this season is Wisconsin's Jared Moe, who shutout Minnesota Duluth (Oct. 22) and Ohio State (Jan. 20), as well as St. Cloud State's Jaxon Castor, who did so against Minnesota (Jan. 7) and Denver (Jan. 21).
• This season, 12 Division I goaltenders from 11 institutions have recorded shutouts against top-10 opponents. On the list includes Colorado College’s Kaidan Mbereko, Harvard’s Mitchell Gibson, Maine’s Victor Ostman, UMass’ Luke Pavicich, Miami’s Ludvig Persson, Minnesota’s Justen Close, Minnesota State’s Alex Tracy, Northern Michigan’s Beni Halasz, Omaha’s Simon Latkoczy and Jake Kucharski, Penn State’s Liam Souliere, and Quinnipiac’s Yaniv Perets.
‘SPECIAL’ IN SPECIAL TEAMS
• Cornell has killed off its last 15 penalties, dating back to Feb. 17, and has successfully killed 18 of its last 19 penalties (94.7 percent) since Feb. 11.
• On the other side of special teams, Cornell is fourth nationally in power play percentage, converting 26.4 percent of its man advantages. Minnesota State paces the nation at a 28.1 percent clip, while North Dakota (27.4 percent) and Thursday's opponent, Denver (27.2 percent), are ahead of the Big Red.
• Following Cornell scored six power-play goals against Union on Feb. 4, the Big Red converted on just three of its last 28 power plays (10.7 percent).
• Despite the low conversion rate as of late, the Big Red has scored a power-play goal in 11 of its last 19 games, converting on 30.8 percent of its chances (20-of-65).
RANKING IN THE TOP 10
• Cornell is one of six programs ranking in the top 10 in scoring offense and defense.
• Of the six programs, three are from ECAC Hockey, as Quinnipiac and Harvard join Cornell.
• The Big Red has the eighth-highest scoring offense this season with a 3.53 goals-per-game average while ranking third in scoring defense, averaging 2.03 goals allowed per contest.
OFFENSIVE DOMINANCE
• Cornell has excelled in the opening 40 minutes of games this season, outscoring its opponents by an 80-41 margin, good for a plus-39 goal advantage.
• In comparison, Cornell has only outscored its opponents by eight goals, 29-21, in the final period of regulation. Over its last five games, the Big Red has bucked the trend, outscoring its opponents 8-3 in the final 20 minutes.
• Since Cornell’s 6-0 victory over then-No. 6-ranked UConn at the Frozen Apple on Nov. 26 at Madison Square Garden, the Big Red has outscored its opponents by 35 goals in the first two periods, 63-28.
• Not only has Cornell been scoring a lot over the opening 40 minutes of play, but the Big Red has also been generating many more shots on goal than its opponents. Cornell has a plus-225 advantage in shots on goal (646-421). In the final regulation period, the Big Red has a plus-57 advantage in shots (280-223), leading to an overall plus-282 edge in shots on goal (932-653).
• The Big Red has been darlings analytically this season when it comes to its Corsi number this season. Cornell’s Corsi (total shot attempts compared to its shots allowed) is 57.3 percent, ranking fourth in Division I hockey. Only Minnesota State (61.9 percent), Quinnipiac (59.8 percent), and Providence (58.3 percent) have higher percentages than the Big Red.
• Cornell has a 59.8 shots-for percentage at even strength this year, ranking third behind Minnesota State (60.8 percent) and Quinnipiac (60.1 percent).
