Game 1 in the Cornell and Princeton series

Game 1 in the Cornell and Princeton series
CHH Relevant Rewind Header

The first year of varsity hockey at both Princeton and Cornell occurred during the 1900-01 season. Coincidentally, the first-ever meeting on the ice between these programs took place at the end of their respective inaugural seasons on Saturday, March 2, 1901. Princeton became a member of the Intercollegiate Hockey Association of America upon inception and had played a full schedule against those conference opponents as well as other hockey clubs and schools. Princeton lost to Brown the night beforehand in New York City in the conference semifinals. Cornell had also played the night before when they were victorious over Pennsylvania. Their program was considered an Independent that would eventually gain membership into that conference prior to the 1909-10 season.

This first hockey game between the schools took place on neutral ice at the West Park Ice Palace in Philadelphia (that would meet its demise in a fire later that year.) Going into the game, Princeton was sporting a 7-5 record while Cornell had two games under its belt without a loss. Cornell jumped out to a 2-0 lead by halftime as there were two halves played during this era of hockey. The Ithacans – as Princeton referred to them at the time – held a 4-0 lead until the final minutes of the game when Princeton was able to net two goals and prevent a shutout. It wasn’t enough as Cornell won the first hockey game between these programs 4-2 and ended its first season with a perfect 3-0 record.

Starting lineups for Princeton and Cornell for the first-ever hockey game between these programs March 2, 1901.

The Cornell and Princeton’s men’s hockey teams will meet tonight at Hobey Baker Rink in Princeton, New Jersey. It will be the 164th game in this series that dates back almost 124 years.

Photo Credit: 1900-01 Cornell Team Photo, The 1901 Cornellian Yearbook. Secondary photo: Daily Princetonian, Vol. XXVI, No. 3, March 4, 1901