Box Score

HANOVER, N.H. (11/16/07) – The Colgate men’s hockey team held leads of 1-0, 2-1, and 3-2, but was unable to maintain the advantage and had to settle for a 3-3 tie with Dartmouth on Friday, Nov. 16, at Thompson Arena.

The Raiders (3-6-2, 0-3-2 ECAC Hockey) were outshot 45-28 on the night, but were able to consistently battle for the lead thanks in large part to the play of senior goaltender Mark Dekanich (North Vancouver, B.C.), who finished the game with 42 saves, including stopping all five shots that he faced during the overtime period.

Dartmouth junior Connor Shields scored with 1:35 left in regulation to force overtime. Senior Jon Grecu had the puck along the left boards, then put a shot on net. The rebound came to freshman Peter Boldt in the right circle, who wound up for another shot. The puck was redirected in front by Shields’ stick into the open right side of the net.

Colgate’s persistence in its offensive zone paid off 8:37 into the game when it took the 1-0 lead. Junior Mark Anderson (Hastings, Neb.) broke senior captain Jesse Winchester (Long Sault, Ont.) out of the Raiders’ defensive end, and Winchester carried the puck through the neutral zone. He shook his defender just before hitting the blue line, then found classmate Tyler Burton (Langley, B.C.) on the right wing. Burton one-timed the puck five-hole from the circle for his third goal of the year.

Dartmouth answered with just under two minutes to play in the opening frame. The Big Green were set up on their second power play of the night, and a battle along the boards saw junior Connor Shields get the puck to senior Nick Johnson in front of the net. As Colgate sophomore David McIntyre (Pefferlaw, Ont.) was let out of the penalty box, Johnson shot from the low slot, but he was stopped by sophomore Jason Williams (Plattsburgh, N.Y.). However, Dekanich had dropped in anticipation of the shot, and when the puck came loose to the right of the crease, Dartmouth junior Rob Pritchard was able to tuck it between Dekanich’s skate and the post to tie the game at 1-1.

The Raiders re-took the lead 6:11 into the second period. After stymieing a Big Green scoring chance at the other end, Dekanich got the puck to Winchester, who sent an outlet pass to junior Peter Bogdanich (Burnaby, B.C.). Bogdanich carried the puck through the neutral zone and danced around his defender heading into the right corner. He regained control of the puck, then found Winchester in the low slot. Big Green senior goaltender Mike Devine stopped Winchester’s first shot, but the Raider captain picked up his own rebound and jammed it under Devine’s pad.

But Dartmouth fought back and established a 2-2 tie 6:59 into the third period. The Raiders withstood sustained pressure by the Big Green before regaining possession, but as Colgate was breaking out of its own end, the Raiders turned the puck over. Senior J.T. Wyman picked up the biscuit and skated into the right circle with no one standing between him and Dekanich. He hesitated for a fraction of a second, then ripped a shot over Dekanich’s glove for his sixth goal of the season.

The Raiders took a 3-2 lead 12:38 into the third period. Junior Tom Riley (Ottawa, Ont.) tipped the puck to freshman Brian Day (Danvers, Mass.) near center ice. Day skated with the puck through the neutral zone and over the blue line, where he was knocked off course. The puck came loose and went off the right boards where junior David Sloane (Ambler, Pa.) was waiting. He wound up, then launched the puck under the crossbar for his first goal of the year, and his third point in the last two games.

Devine finished the game with 25 saves. In a relatively clean contest, Dartmouth finished 0-for-2 on the power play and was not called for any penalties.

The Raiders conclude their four-game road swing at Harvard on Saturday, Nov. 17, where they will face the Crimson starting at 7:00 p.m.