Boston University
7-7-1
Cornell
6-3-0
No. 19/20 Terriers Reclaim Kelley-Harkness Cup with 2-1 Win Over No. 17/16 Cornell
November 29, 2025 | Men's Ice Hockey
NEW YORK - Sophomores Kamil Bednarik and Cole Eiserman both lit the lamp while classmate Mikhail Yegorov made 28 saves to lead the No. 19/20 Boston University men's ice hockey team to a 2-1 win over No. 17/16 Cornell on Saturday night in the 10th edition of Red Hot Hockey in front of 17,478 fans at Madison Square Garden.
Eiserman broke a 1-1 tie early in the third period to ensure that BU (7-7-1) reclaimed the Kelley-Harkness Cup for the first time since 2015. He also assisted on Bednarik's third goal of the season. Junior captain Gavin McCarthy and freshman Charlie Trethewey also added assists in the win.
Cornell had a golden chance to equalize after BU took a penalty with 1:54 remaining in regulation, but the Terriers' penalty kill dug deep and killed 1:48 of 6-on-4 time during that span to secure the victory.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Yegorov went post-to-post for a crucial save late in Cornell's first power-play chance of the game to keep the contest scoreless.
- BU cashed in on its first power play of the game just 6:17 into the proceedings when Bednarik redirected an Eiserman shot at the top of the crease.
- The Big Red outshot BU, 11-6, in the opening 20 minutes but Yegorov maintained the Terriers' one-goal advantage.
- Yegorov was sharp again in the second stanza, particularly at the midway point when he made two nifty left-pad stops.
- The Big Red finally broke through with 5:00 left in the frame to send the teams to the third period tied at 1-1.
- Eiserman restored the Terriers' lead at 5:24 of the third. Trethewey collected the puck in the neutral zone and dished ahead to Eiserman, who gained the zone and went five-hole for his seventh goal of the season.
- The Terriers killed off 3:38 of Cornell power plays in the final five minutes to hold on for the win, including that aforementioned 6-on-4 opportunity, to finish the game 4-for-4 on the penalty kill.
- This is the Terriers' first win at Red Hot Hockey since 2013; the Terriers claimed the 2015 contest via a shootout.
- The last five BU-Cornell contests have been decided by a single goal, with the Terriers going 4-1 in that span (including two NCAA regional final victories).
- Each of the last 13 games between the longtime rivals have been decided by two goals or fewer.
- Eiserman has now lit the lamp in three different NHL rinks during his Terrier career (TD Garden, Enterprise Center, Madison Square Garden), with two of those goals proving to be the game-winner.
- This was the second straight year BU won a trophy on Thanksgiving weekend, as the Terriers claimed the Belpot at the Friendship Four in Belfast last November.
- BU president Melissa L. Gilliam and Cornell president Michael I. Kotlikoff performed the ceremonial puck drop on Saturday.
UP NEXT
- BU will return home to Agganis Arena for a weekend series against Vermont on Dec. 5-6.
