NEW HAMPSHIRE FALLS TO CORNELL, 5-2

ESTERO, Fla.- The No. 2 ranked University of New Hampshire men's hockey team fell to No. 10 ranked Cornell University, 5-2 in the opening day of the Florida College Classic on Friday, Dec. 29 at Germain Arena, home of the ECHL's Florida Everblades.

With the loss, the Wildcats (13-3-1) snap their 12-game unbeaten streak and Cornell improves to 9-3-1 on the year.

The Big Red upped the lead to 4-2 with 13:03 left in the game on a goal by Colin Greening. Cornell's Tony Romano added a power play goal to end the game with just 13 seconds remaining.

Cornell scored two goals in the second period, including one with only 35 seconds left to take a 3-2 lead. Cornell's Raymond Sawada tallied his second goal of the game and his seventh goal of the season to end the period for the Big Red. Senior blueliner Chris Murray (Dover, Mass.) tied the game at 2-2 with his fifth goal of the season on the power play goal with 58 seconds left in the period. Jamie Fritsch connected with Brett Hemingway's stick in the left circle who then found Chris Murray just inside the blue line.

Senior forward Jacob Micflikier (Winnipeg, Manitoba) tied the game a 1-1 with 9:32 remaining in the second period with his fourth goal of the season on the power play. Micflikier collected the loose puck and fired a shot past the left shoulder of Cornell goalie Troy Davenport. Senior forward Brett Hemingway (Surrey, B.C.) and junior forward Mike Radja (Yorkville, Ill.) tallied the assists on the Micflikier goal.

UNH went into the locker room down, 1-0 at the end of the first period. Cornell's Sawada scored his sixth goal of the season just two minutes and 38 seconds into the game. The Wildcats killed off five of six power plays in the opening period. UNH was outshot 8 to 2 in the first period.

Junior goaltender Kevin Regan (South Boston, Mass.) made 23 saves in his 56th career start, while Davenport totaled 17 saves in the win for the Big Red.

The Wildcats return to action in the consolation game of the Florida College Classic on Saturday, Dec. 30 against CCHA foe Western Michigan. Game time at Germain Arena is 4:35 p.m. Maine defeated the Broncos, 8-4 in the opening game of the tournament.