FAIRFIELD, Conn. – This was a draw that felt good for the home team. The career-high 40 saves by Sacred Heart's rookie netminder Ajeet Gundarah also made Pioneer faithful proud.

Captain John Jaworksi hit the net early to give SHU the lead, and No. 18 Cornell answered almost 12 minutes later before the goalies took over in a 1-1 overtime tie before a big crowd at Martire Family Arena.

Gundarah, who had 13 saves in the second and seven in the overtime, stopped two of three attempts in the shootout and was easily the game's first star recipient as the Pios were outshot 41-18.

Jaworski took a pass on his backhand in the middle of the right circle and then switched it over to his forehand before flicking a rising wrist shot over the shoulder of Cornell goalie Ian Shane at 5:46 of the opening period.

"The puck got rimmed around and Trudeau (Felix) made a nice pass out to me. I threw it at the net, and it went in," said Jaworksi, who notched his seventh goal of the year.

The visitors evened things with 2:34 left in the first and finished the frame with a 9-5 edge in shots on target.

The second period was scoreless, but the SHU penalty kill was busy. There were 44 seconds of 5-on-3 and a total of three advantages with seven shots on Gundarah.

The kill of the short two-man advantage was good preparation for a full one that came with 12:12 on the clock in the third. Reid Pabich and John Driscoll were called for simultaneous penalties. Two clears, four saves and one pipe shot later, the Pioneers were back in business with a chance to take the lead.

However, it almost went the way of the visitors in regulation. With 6:01 left, the SHU goalie stopped first line center Charlie Major from the middle slot on a quality opportunity.
Still, the home team had a chance to break through in regular time. Charles Tardiff came in through the left circle with 16 seconds left and fired a shot off Shane before the teams went to 3-on-3 in the extra session.

Gundarah stood on his head with two amazing, back-to-back saves midway through the overtime on Jack O'Leary, who broke in alone on Gundarah and fired a shot from the inside of the circle before following up on his rebound.

"They (Cornell) are a really good team, and we have to stay out of the box, but we battled hard and had a good overall effort," said Jaworski.

There has never been so much red skating around Martire Family Arena. When the Cornell Band chanted "Let's Go Red," some on the ice and in the stands may have mistaken that for home team cheering. The Pios and Big Red faceoff again tomorrow at 5 p.m., which follows a noon SHU Alumni Game.