LAKE PLACID, N.Y. (Interstat) — The Yale Bulldogs erupted for three third-period goals to break open a close game and defeat the Cornell Big Red 7-2 in a women’s NCAA Division I hockey game Friday afternoon at Olympic Center.

A crowd of 1,818 saw the Bulldogs, ranked among the nation’s top teams, improve their record to 26-7-1. Cornell fell to 20-11-2.

The game was a rematch of a Jan. 17 contest in New Haven, which Yale won 3-1, and it followed a similar script of special teams dominance and offensive depth from the Bulldogs.

Yale opened the scoring just over two minutes into the first period. Emma McGowan converted a setup from Ella Klinkhammer and Avery Muhn to give the Bulldogs an early lead. Cornell responded midway through the period when Avi Adam netted her first goal of the season, assisted by Karel Prefontaine, to tie the game at 1-1.

The Bulldogs regained the lead before the first intermission. Defenseman Molly Boyle fired a shot from the point that found its way through traffic, with McGowan earning the primary assist, making it 2-1.

Yale extended its lead in the second period with a power-play goal. With Cornell’s Delaney Fleming serving a slashing penalty, Carina DiAntonio capitalized on the advantage, scoring her first of the afternoon with helpers from Klinkhammer and Jordan Ray.

Cornell cut the deficit to 3-2 early in the third period. Fleming atoned for her earlier penalty by scoring a goal, assisted by Mckenna Van Gelder, to bring the Big Red within one.

The Bulldogs quickly snuffed out any momentum. Just 20 seconds after killing off a tripping penalty to Klinkhammer, Stephanie Stainton scored a crucial goal at the 8:20 mark of the third, assisted by Ray, to restore Yale’s two-goal cushion at 4-2.

Yale then put the game out of reach with a late flurry. DiAntonio netted her second goal of the game with 5:15 remaining, and Avery Peters sealed the 7-2 final with an empty-net goal in the closing seconds, assisted by Sage Smith and Kennedy Walker.

Yale goaltender Samson Frey earned the win with 26 saves on 28 shots. The Bulldogs’ offense was paced by DiAntonio’s two-goal, nine-shot performance. McGowan finished with a goal and an assist, while Ray contributed two assists. Boyle added a goal from the blue line.

For Cornell, Adam and Fleming each scored, while Van Gelder notched an assist. The Big Red were outshot 28-26.

The game was a showcase of Yale’s potent attack and ability to pull away in the final frame. The Bulldogs’ victory exceeded the projection from Interstat’s game simulator, which had forecast a 7-4 Yale win. Their ELO system had given Yale a 51.7 percent probability to win.

Cornell’s next scheduled game is against Quinnipiac on Sept. 22, 2026, also at Olympic Center in Lake Placid.