Box Score

CANTON, N.Y. (3/9/07) – St. Lawrence scored six unanswered goals within a span of 29:08 as the No. 12 Saints men’s hockey team defeated Colgate 6-1 in the first game of their ECACHL Quarterfinal series on Friday, Mar. 9, at Appleton Arena. The win gave SLU head coach Joe Marsh the 400^th of his career, while the loss puts Colgate one game away from elimination.

The Raiders (15-20-4) were without the services of reigning ECACHL Goaltender of the Year Mark Dekanich (North Vancouver, B.C.), whose status is day-to-day with an injury. Freshman Charles Long (Cleveland, Ohio) started in his place.

Colgate got the first goal of the game, 1:37 into the opening period. Senior Marc Fulton (Vancouver, B.C.) picked up the puck off a turnover in the defensive end, then streaked down the left boards. He took a hard shot that SLU freshman goalie Alex Petizian found hard to handle, and the puck popped out into the crease to his right. Freshman Jason Williams (Plattsburgh, N.Y.) swooped in on the right and swept it in for his second goal of the playoffs.

St. Lawrence needed just 2:04 before it evened the score at one-all. On the power play, the Saints exerted pressure on the Raider net, forcing Long to come up with several big saves. However, SLU sophomore Casey Parenteau managed to slip the puck under Long’s pad from close range.

The Saints earned their first lead of the game at the 11:10 mark of the first period. Long made a stretching pad save on senior Kyle Rank, and freshman Mike McKenzie took the rebound behind the net to the right side. While still behind the goal line, McKenzie attempted to pass to a teammate, but the puck deflected off a Raider player next to the crease and into the cage.

Less than two minutes later, St. Lawrence went up 3-1. Freshman Travis Vermeulen sent a pass through the crease that Long followed, stick flush to the ice surface, but Parenteau was quick on the shot, and he lifted the puck over Long’s stick for his second goal of the game. Colgate quickly called a timeout to regroup, but Long returned to the net. He finished the first period with eight saves as his Raiders were outshot 11-4.

Long stayed in net for the first 47 seconds of the second period, before SLU sophomore Kevin DeVergilio scored on a rebound from a shot by senior Max Taylor. At that point, he was replaced by junior Justin Kowalkoski (Young America, Minn.).

Colgate paid dearly after junior Dustin Gillanders (Kyle, Sask.) and freshman Ethan Cox (Richmond, B.C.) took penalties 37 seconds apart midway through the second period. The Saints scored two goals on backdoor plays 43 seconds apart, the first coming while the teams skated 5-on-3. The second goal completed the first career hat trick for Parenteau, who had scored just three goals during the entire regular season.

Long left the game after making nine saves. Kowalkoski made 13 stops during the remainder of the game. Petizian earned the victory after making 21 saves, while his Saints outshot the Raiders, 28-22. St. Lawrence finished 3-for-9 on the power play, while Colgate was unable to capitalize on four extra-man opportunities.

Colgate will try to equalize the series when the teams face off for Game 2 on Saturday, Mar. 10, starting at 7:00 p.m.