Box Score

NORTHFORD, Conn. (11/17/06) – Colgate junior goaltender Mark Dekanich (North Vancouver, B.C.) made 38 saves, but the Raider offense generated just one goal on 27 shots as the men’s hockey team lost to Quinnipiac, 3-1, on Friday, Nov. 17, at Northford Ice Pavilion.

Dekanich single-handedly kept Colgate in the game in the first period by making a season-high 20 saves as his Raiders were outshot 20-6. Colgate didn’t put a puck on Bobcat goalie Bud Fisher until more than 12 minutes had elapsed in the game, and by the time the Raiders got a shot on goal, Quinnipiac had already put 17 on Dekanich.

The Bobcats’ persistence paid off midway through the second period. Just as a Quinnipiac penalty expired, the Bobcats gained the zone and streaked in on goal. Freshman Brandon Wong brought the puck in on net from the left, then slipped it across the crease to junior Ben Nelson, who scored backdoor.

Quinnipiac nearly made it 2-0 with 4:30 left in the middle stanza. The Raiders were on the penalty kill, and got caught on a line change, allowing the Bobcats to skate two men in on Dekanich uncontested. CU’s netminder was up to the task, however, as he knocked down a shot by junior Jamie Bates with his glove, and then stuffed Wong on the rebound before his teammates managed to clear it out.

The Bobcats eventually scored that second goal 12:04 into the third period with their first power-play score of the night. Dekanich made the initial save on Matt Sorteberg, but the rebound came to David Marshall on the right side of the goalmouth, and he swept it into the open net was Dekanich was still down in the crease.

With just over a minute left in regulation, Colgate pulled Dekanich in favor of the extra skater. The Raiders struggled to keep the puck in the zone, but eventually worked it down low where junior Tyler Burton (Langley, B.C.) found classmate Jesse Winchester (Long Sault, Ont.) in the right face-off circle, and Winchester beat Fisher for his second goal in as many games at the 19:23 mark.

On the ensuing faceoff, which was won by the Raiders, Dekanich again retreated to the bench to put the extra man on the ice. However, Quinnipiac gained control in its own end with just over 10 seconds to play, and worked the puck up to Wong who sent a shot down the ice from the neutral zone that rolled into Colgate’s empty goal to set the final score at 3-1.

Fisher finished with 26 saves on the night as his Bobcats outshot the Raiders 41-27, including 18 shots on five power-play opportunities through the first two periods. Colgate earned the edge on faceoffs, 39-33.

Colgate continues on to Princeton for a 7:00 p.m., game on Saturday, Nov. 18. Fans can follow the action online through the Tigers’ live video stream, as well as hear Skip Barlow call the plays on WKXZ and WMCR in Central New York or online via TeamLine. Live stats will also be available for the game.