SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – The fifth-seeded Cornell men's hockey team edged fourth-seeded Union, 3-2, Saturday evening at Messa Rink to take the ECAC Hockey quarterfinal series in two games. Stephane Boileau (Blainville, Que.) led the Dutchmen, who wrap up the season with a 15-14-6 record, the best finish since the 1996-97 season (16-13-3).

Cornell (18-13-3) tested Union netminder Corey Milan (Great Barrington, Mass.) right away, registering four shots within the opening minutes of the game before Union took control, outshooting the Big Red, 16-7, in the first period.

Milan set up the offense with a lengthy clearing pass to Jason Walters (Renfrew, Ont.) as Cornell was changing lines. Walters collected the pass at the Big Red blue line and fed Josh Coyle (Brooklyn, Ohio) as the senior crashed the net, but he couldn't get his stick on it in time.

The Dutchmen took the lead on their first power play of the night when Boileau knocked in a rebound at 8:16. Matt Cook (Belle Mead, N.J.), who was stationed high along the right boards, sent the puck down to Adam Presizniuk (Calgary, Alb.) below the circle. Presizniuk paused before shooting a low-angle attempt at Cornell goaltender Ben Scrivens. The netminder made the save, but the puck came loose out in front for Boileau to poke it in for the 1-0 lead.

Cornell evened the game as the second period opened when Patrick Kennedy's high shot from the slot sailed past Milan. Riley Nash connected with Colin Greening below the goal line before the sophomore slipped the puck out to Kennedy between the tops of the circles at 2:18.

The teams traded penalties, with the Dutchmen recording eight shots on a pair of power plays before the Big Red took a 5-on-4 advantage at 9:50.

Cornell took the lead with 20 seconds left on Union's penalty when Blake Gallagher slipped in a rebound at the netfront. Riley Nash fed Brendon Nash in the high slot. Milan saved Brendon Nash's original shot, but the puck bobbled out to the goalie's right. Gallagher found the puck and slipped it inside the near post for the lead at 11:30.

Union threatened late in the second period and claimed a 15-8 lead in shots in the frame. Lane Caffaro (Slave Lake, Alb.) carried the puck from deep in Union's zone all the way to the other end of the ice before firing from the right circle. Scrivens made the save, but John Simpson (Boxborough, Mass.) picked up the puck to the left of the net and poked the puck at the goalie as time was winding down, but Scrivens covered it to end the threat.

Caffaro tied it up just over three minutes into the third stanza with his third goal of the season. Boileau sent a long cross-ice pass to Caffaro who tucked his shot from below the left circle at 3:16.

The teams traded penalties again, but after Union was whistled for too many men on the ice while already a man down, Cornell nabbed the game-winner with a five-on-three advantage. Evan Barlow netted the tally through traffic in front of the Union net off feed from Gallagher and Greening.

Union kept the pressure on and outshot the Big Red, 12-6, in the final frame. Walters fired a quick shot as he crossed the slot from right to left with under four minutes left, but Scrivens snagged it with his glove.

With Milan pulled in favor of the extra attacker with over two minutes remaining, Caffaro fired a slapper from the right point that bounced off Scrivens' leg pads out to Michael Beynon (Nepean, Ont.) at the opposite point. Beynon ripped a shot that was blocked by Mugford at the hashmarks.

Milan finished with 18 saves, while Scrivens earned the win with 41. Union was 1-for-6 on the power play, while Cornell went 2-for-6.

Cornell will face the highest remaining seed in the first semifinal game of the ECAC Hockey Bank of America Championship on Friday, March 21.