OPENING FACE-OFF: After posting back-to-back three-point weekends on the road against Brown and Yale in consecutive seasons, Colgate returns home for the final time in 2009 as it hosts a pair of nationally ranked teams in 13th-ranked Quinnipiac (8-1-0, 4-0-0) and 19th-ranked Princeton (3-2-1, 2-1-1). The Raiders head into the weekend with a six-game unbeaten streak, which is tied for the second longest in the country. Colgate, 5-2-4 overall and 3-0-1 in league play, received votes in the most recent major national polls – 43 in the USCHO.com/CBS College Sports (third on the others list) and 4 in the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine (seventh on the list of others). This weekend will mark the last home games until the Raiders host non conference foe Robert Morris, January 22-23. Friday night's game not only features the top two programs in the ECAC Hockey standings at this point of the season, but two of the top 20 offenses in the country in Quinnipiac (2nd) and Colgate (17th). These two programs have played nothing but nail bitters over the last eight meetings. Saturday's tilt with the Tigers will be broadcasted over Time Warner Sports out of Syracuse. Both games are set for a 7 p.m. start.
ANNUAL CANNED FOOD AND TOY DRIVE TO BE HELD: Saturday evening, fans will get a chance to receive one free general admission ticket to the televised game with Princeton for bringing either a toy or two canned goods. Spearheaded by Ethan Cox, last year's drives raised over $1,000 in cash, 350 pounds of food and 200 toys. These funds and items were handed over to the Hamilton Food Cupboard and the Interfaith Holiday Council to help bring holiday cheer to families in the immediate Hamilton area.
MEET THE HEAD COACH: Don Vaughan is in his 17th year at the helm of the Colgate Raiders. The 1984 graduate of St. Lawrence enters the campaign as the program's all-time winningest coach with a 274-255-63 mark. On February 16, 2008, he became the all-time winningest coach with his 252nd victory as Colgate blanked Union 8-0. On November 11, 2007, former Colgate President, Rebecca S. Chopp, announced the creation of the Donald F. Vaughan Endowed Coaching Chair for Men's Hockey.
THESE DATES IN COLGATE HOCKEY HISTORY: The Raiders sport a combined 8-7-1 mark in games played on these two dates (5-2-1 on the 20th and 3-5-0 on the 21st). Colgate has posted two weekend sweeps on these dates beating Clarkson (10-3) and St. Lawrence (6-5) on back-to-back nights in 1987 and then Vermont (7-2) and Dartmouth (6-1) back in 1998.
November 20, 1987 (Colgate 10, Clarkson 3) – Rejean Boivin and Greg Drechsel each posted five-point evenings as Colgate dumped league rival Clarkson 10-3 in a penalty-fest in front of a packed 2,682 fans at Starr Rink. Boivin netted four goals and one assist, while Drechsel posted three goals and two helpers in the victory over the Golden Knights. It marked the 14th time in school history two Raiders had posted a hat trick in the same game. It also serves as the last time that has happened at Colgate. Both teams combined to go 6 of 17 on the power play in a game that saw 20 minor infractions called.
November 21, 1987 (Colgate 6, St. Lawrence 5) – Colgate rallied from a 3-2 deficit early in the third period to down visiting St. Lawrence 6-5 to complete the weekend sweep. Stephen Spott netted two goals and Steve Poapst posted a goal and an assist in the win. Goalie Wayne Cowley saved 39 shots and had a hand in Colgate's second goal of the game.
SERIES RECORDS VERSUS THE OPPOSITION: Colgate and Quinnipiac have played 15 previous times with the Raiders holding an 8-5-2 lead in the series that dates back to 2005. Last year, Colgate won three of five games overall, but lost a three-game series to the Bobcats in the opening round of the ECAC Hockey Tournament. Colgate is 4-2-1 in games played at Starr Rink, including winning a 3-2 game in overtime on February 7, 2009. The last four games of this rivalry have gone into overtime and the last eight clashes have been decided by one goal or less.
When Colgate battles Princeton, it will be the 93rd meeting between the two schools with the Raiders holding a 45-41-6 lead in the series that dates back to the first meeting in 1935. The Tigers have closed the gap in that series record as they have won the last six meetings, including two overtime victories against Colgate in the 2008-09 campaign. They were Princeton's only two overtime games during the regular-season. The Raiders will be looking to snap a three-game winless skid to Princeton at Starr Rink. Colgate's last win versus Princeton at home was a 3-2 win back on December 3, 2005. Sixteen of the games in the series have gone into overtime with six of them winding up in ties.
QUINNIPIAC IN BRIEF: The Bobcats, 8-1-0 overall, come to Hamilton riding a four-game win streak, including a weekend sweep of Dartmouth (4-2) and Harvard (5-1). Quinnipiac, ranked 13th in both polls, boasts the second best scoring offense in the country (4.22). The Bobcats have three players with over 10 points at this stage in Eric Lampe (9-5-14), Scott Zurevinski (7-6-13), and Brandon Wong (4-9-13). Three goalies have combined for a 2.22 goals against average and a .930 save percentage. Dan Clarke (5-0-0, 2.20 gaa, .937 sv%) has seen the most action in the cage for Rand Pecknold's Bobcats.
LAST YEAR AGAINST THE BOBCATS: Colgate won three of five games versus Quinnipiac, but lost a three-game series to the Bobcats in the first round of the ECAC Hockey Tournament. The Raiders prevailed 1-0 on November 7 in Hamden. Colgate converted on a two-man advantage as Francois Brisebois scored at 8:43 of the third period. Charles Long posted 19 saves to get his first collegiate shutout. The Raiders swept the regular season with a 3-2 overtime victory at Starr Rink on February 7. Peter Bogdanich scored twice, including the game winner 55 seconds into the extra session to send the Raiders home with the victory. Bryan Bessette posted a career-high 33 saves to get his first collegiate victory. The three-game series saw three overtime games. Quinnipiac raced back from a 2-0 deficit and posted a 3-2 win on a goal by Brandon Wong 10:29 into overtime. In the second game, Colgate got a late goal in regulation and Austin Smith netted his game winner 54 seconds into overtime to force a third game. The freshman tallied a career-high four points and posted his first hat trick of his career. Long turned aside a then career-high 39 saves in the victory. Wong scored the game winner at 13:13 in overtime to second the Bobcats into the second round of the ECAC Hockey Tournament. Colgate held a 2-1 lead after the first period. Trailing 3-2, Smith scored his fourth of the series at 16:13 to help force overtime.
COLGATE SKATERS VERSUS QUINNIPIAC: Colgate has seven players on the roster with at least a point against Quinnipiac, five of them have at least one goal. David McIntyre is tops among Raider skaters versus the Bobcats with three goals and eight points, while Brian Day (2-3-5) and Austin Smith (4-1-5) are tied for second. Smith has the lone hat trick scored by a Colgate skater versus the Bobcats. On March 5, 2009, he posted three goals and an assist, including scoring the game winner as Colgate tallied a 5-4 overtime win to force game three of an opening round ECAC Hockey match-up
LONG VERSUS QUINNIPIAC: Should Charles Long get the call in net for the Raiders versus the Bobcats, the senior is 2-2 with a 2.499 goals against average in his four starts versus Quinnipiac. Last year, he played a little over 264 minutes of action and surrendered 11 goals. Long stopped 116 of 127 shots thrown his way (.913 save %), including posting his first career shutout with a 19-save performance with a 1-0 victory in Hamden. Bryan Bessette is the only other goalie to see action against the Bobcats. In his collegiate debut, he saved 33 of 35 in a 3-2 overtime victory at Starr Rink.
PRINCETON IN BRIEF: The Tigers, ranked 19th in the nation, head to their match-up in Ithaca with a 3-2-1 record. Princeton has already played in three overtime games this year, one more than it had in the regular-season in 2008-09. The Tigers tallied a 2-1 victory over Dartmouth and then tied Harvard 3-3 last Saturday. Mike Kramer (3-3-6) is leading the offense through six games, while Dan Bartlett (2-2-4) and Matt Arhontas (2-2-4) are tied for second on the team in scoring. Princeton has the second best combined special teams in the country – ranking seventh on the power play (.259, 7-27) and second in penalty kill (.931, 27-29). The Tigers have played two goalies on the year – Zane Kalemba (1-2-1, 2.72 gaa, .917 sv%) and Alan Reynolds (2-0, 0.99, .964 sv%).
LAST YEAR VERSUS PRINCETON: Colgate dropped a pair of overtime games to the Tigers in the 2008-09 campaign. Kevin Lohry scored at 2:16 of the extra session to pace #9 Princeton to a 2-1 victory at Hobey Baker Rink, November 8. Trailing 1-0, Austin Smith knotted the game with his second career goal at 15:34 of the third period. Charles Long made 32 saves in net for the Raiders. On February 6, Princeton capitalized on a power play goal at 4:18 of overtime from Cam Ritchie to post a 3-2 win. Colgate, which trailed 2-0 in the early stages of the second period, fought back with even strength goals from Francois Brisebois and David McIntyre to tie the contest. Long had 28 saves in the loss.
COLGATE SKATERS VERSUS THE TIGERS: Seven Raiders have scored at least a point in their respective careers versus Princeton with Ethan Cox (0-2-2), David McIntyre (1-1-2), Austin Smith (1-1-2), and Jason Williams (1-1-2) sharing the lead.
LONG VERSUS PRINCETON: Charles Long is the only goalie on the roster to see previous action versus the Tigers. The senior is 0-2-0 in his career, both losses coming in overtime. Long has a .923 save percentage (60-65) and a 2.37 goals against average in his two outings versus Princeton.
NON LOSING STREAK: Colgate stretched its non-losing streak to six games with a win at Brown and a tie at Yale. Michigan State (6-0-1) currently has the longest non losing streak heading into its home and home series versus Notre Dame, while Colgate (4-0-2), Miami (4-0-2) and RIT (6-0-0) each share the second longest non losing streak at six games
A TEAM OF STREAKS: First, it was eight overtime games in a row. Next, it was 14 consecutive games determined by one goal or less. Now, it's a six-game non losing skid. The last time this happened was in the 2003-04 season when the Raiders reeled off a stretch of eight games without a loss. In that stretch between January 16 and February 7, Colgate posted six consecutive wins and the streak continued with a pair of ties. The streak came to an end in a 3-1 loss to Yale on February 13.
ANOTHER ONGOING STREAK: Colgate has scored three goals or more in seven consecutive games. The last time a Raider team had this type of streak was back in 1999-2000 when they opened the season with 11-consecutive games of three or more goals. The streak came to an end in the 12th game in a 2-0 loss at Yale, The 2001-02 and 2005-06 squads had a stretch of six consecutive games of three or more goals. During this recent streak, Colgate has scored 27 goals, or 3.86 goals per game.
LAST WEEKEND RECAP: Colgate posted its first victory at Meehan Auditorium in five tries in a 5-3 victory over Brown, Friday evening. Leading 2-0 after the first period, the Raiders scored three times less than a two-minute span to take a commanding 5-0 lead in the early moments of the third period. Colgate received goals from five different sources – one being Corbin McPherson, who not only posted his first collegiate goal, but first collegiate multi-point game of his career. Jason Williams, Austin Smith and Brian Day each joined McPherson with a goal and an assist. Charles Long saved 29 in the victory.
Saturday evening, Colgate battled to a 3-3 draw with #11 Yale. The Raiders had two two-goal leads of 2-0 and 3-1 before the Bulldogs fought back and got the equalizer with 8:07 remaining in the third. Yale outshot Colgate 44-22. Charles Long stood on his head and made a career-high 41 saves, besting his former career high of 39 set last year. Colgate's three goals were scored three different ways – Brian Day on the power play in the first period; Jason Williams short handed in the first period, and Robbie Bourdon on the power play in the second. The Raiders converted on their lone power play of the game, which gave them at least a power play goal in six consecutive games. Yale went one of four on the power play.
RUN DMS: The line of Brian Day, David McIntyre and Austin Smith has combined for 26 points over the last six games. The trio posted 13 points in the weekend sweep of Harvard and Dartmouth. During this stretch, Smith has exploded for 11 points (5-6), while McIntyre (2-7) and Day (3-3) each have nine and six points respectively during this period of time. Individually speaking, Smith has scored at least a point in seven consecutive games (5-8-13); McIntyre has an on-going six-game point streak (2-8-10), while Day has at least a point in his last four outings (3-3-6).
FREE WILLY: Jason Williams might have had his best overall ECAC Hockey weekend of his career with a two-goal, one-assist effort at Brown and Yale. The senior posted his ninth multi-point game of his career with a goal and an assist versus Brown. Williams returned on Saturday to register his first collegiate shorthanded goal of his career in a 3-3 tie at Yale. With his three-point weekend, he surpassed the 50-point barrier for his career.
PASSING THE CENTURY MARK: With his career-high four-point evening versus Harvard, David McIntyre became the 48th player in the program's history to surpass the 100-point milestone. He heads into the weekend with 105 career points, which ranks 40th on the all-time point list. He passed Richard Johnson last weekend and needs four more to move into 39th.
NATIONALLY SPEAKING: As of November 17, Colgate had a strong presence in national statistical categories as eight players were ranked among the top 50 in the country. Austin Smith is ranked among the top 25 in four categories – 20th in points per game (1.36), tied for fourth in shorthanded goals (1); tied for 25th in goals per game (0.67), and tied for sixth in game winning goals (2). David McIntyre is tied for seventh in assists per game (1.00); Brian Day is tied for 21st in power play goals (3) and tied for 25th in goals per game (0.67); Jason Williams is tied with Smith for fourth in short handed goals (1), and Charles Long is 18th in goalie win percentage (.714).
PK STILL RANKED AMONG TOP 20: Despite surrendering two power play goals in seven attempts versus Brown and Yale, the Colgate penalty kill is still ranked among the top 20 nationally. The Raiders have killed off 48 of 56 opponent power plays (.857), which ranks 20th overall. Two ECAC Hockey foes – Cornell (.933) and Princeton (.931) hold down the top two spots nationally,
47TH IS GOOD: Usually, when talking about being ranked nationally, the lower number is better. In the case of penalty minutes, it's just the opposite. Heading into the showdowns versus Quinnipiac and Princeton, Colgate ranks 47th out of 58 schools in penalty minutes per game (11.6). Alaska leads for fewest minutes per game (8.0). In comparison, Ferris State (22.9) leads the nation in penalty minutes per performance.
IN SEASON AWARDS: Following a two-goal, five-point weekend against Harvard and Dartmouth, David McIntyre was named the ECAC Hockey Player of the Week on November 9. The senior posted a career-high four-point evening in the win over the Crimson with a goal and three assists. His three assists tied a personal best set last season in a 5-4 overtime victory over Lake Superior State. On the same day, Thomas Larkin was named the league's rookie of the week for the first time in his career. The freshman played an important role in Colgate's come from behind victory over Harvard with a goal and an assist. It was his first multi-point game of his career. Larkin got Colgate on the board in the second with the Raiders' first goal. He later assisted on Austin Smith's first of two goals of the game which brought the score to 4-3.
FIRST WEEKEND SWEEP IN A WHILE: When Colgate downed Harvard and Dartmouth to open its 2009-2010 ECAC Hockey slate, it was the first four-point weekend since February 15-16, 2008 when the Raiders blanked Rensselaer 4-0 and Union 8-0. Colgate's last non-conference weekend sweep was over Robert Morris on December 1-2, 2007.
LONGER CONTINUES TO DOMINATE DARTMOUTH: Charles Long continued to put up great numbers against Dartmouth in Colgate's 3-2 victory Saturday. The junior net minder improved to 2-1 all-time against Big Green with a 38-save performance, one shy of his all-time career high. In his three starts versus Dartmouth, Long has saved 88 of 91 shots he has faced for a .967 save percentage.
SPREADING THE WEALTH: After 11 games, Colgate has 19 players with at least one point and 14 players with at least one goal. Austin Smith enters the weekend with a team best 15 points on seven goals and eight assists. Right behind him is returning first team all-ECAC Hockey honoree and first team All-American David McIntyre, who has 13 points on two goals and a team-high 11 assists. Brian Day moved into double figures in points with a two point weekend (7-3-10).
FRESHMEN IMPACT: After 11 games, the Colgate freshmen have integrated themselves rather well as far as posting points. The freshman class is averaging two points per game at this juncture with a combined 9 goals 13 assists. Earlier, there was a four-game stretch where a freshman collected his first collegiate goal of his career. Kurtis Bartliff netted his first goal in the 1-1 tie with nationally ranked Nebraska-Omaha, while Christian Long found the back of the next the following night against the Mavericks. Against UMass-Lowell, it was Robbie Bourdon's turn to light the lamp and then it was Jeremy Price opening the scoring versus Army. Bourdon leads the class with four goals, three coming in his last four games. Thomas Larkin got into the act with his first goal against Harvard as well. He is tied for 29th nationally in points by a rookie and tied for 38th in points per game by a defenseman (0.67 ppg)
AHEAD OF PACE: Some people thought it was hilarious, while others shook their collective heads in disbelief regarding Colgate's national record 19 overtime appearances during the 2008-09 season. Don't look now, but the Raiders are ahead of their record pace of a year ago. Colgate posted its fourth overtime game in the year's first 11 games at Yale. In the record-setting season, the Raiders tallied their fourth overtime game of the year in a 3-3 tie versus Clarkson on December 6, 2009 – the 15th game.
A RECAP OF THE OVERTIME STREAK: Colgate entered the 2009-2010 campaign having played seven consecutive overtime games, which dated back to the end of 2008-09 season. The Raiders went 3-2-2 down the stretch in these games – the two losses coming to Quinnipiac in a best of three series in a first round ECAC Hockey Tournament clash in Hamden, Conn. The streak began at home with a 2-2 tie versus Union on February 20. Colgate would go on to beat Rensselaer (2-1); tie Brown 3-3 in Providence and then upset #11 Yale (3-2) in front of a national TV audience in New Haven all before the meetings with the Bobcats. Quinnipiac won the opener 3-2; then Colgate rallied from a two-goal deficit late in the game for a 5-4 victory to force a third game. The Bobcats prevailed 4-3 in the final game of the series. The Raiders stretched the streak to eight with a 4-4 tie at Niagara last Friday evening, but was broken the following night in a 3-2 regulation victory at RIT. It was Colgate's first regulation victory since a 1-0 defeat of Dartmouth on Valentines Day at Thompson Arena.
SHOULD OVERTIME HAPPEN: If it happens, eyes need to focus on two of Colgate's best ever goal scorers in overtime in David McIntyre and Austin Smith. McIntyre is tied for second all-time with three over-time game winners. He needs one more to tie Jon Smyth for first. One of McIntyre's goals lifted Colgate by Clarkson in the third and final game of an ECAC Hockey quarterfinal as the Raiders advanced to the Final Four as the seventh seed. Smith is tied for sixth having scored two overtime winners as a freshman last season versus Lake Superior State and Quinnipiac. McIntyre has six overtime points (3 goals, 3 assist) and five of them came last season. The only game he didn't record a point in a game winner was Colgate's 5-4 victory over Quinnipiac in the second game of the three-game series.
PRESEASON HONORS: David McIntyre has been named a pre-season first team all-ECAC Hockey honoree by the coaches and media. In addition, the senior has been named as a preseason first team all-American by Inside College Hockey and once again named to the all-College Hockey News first team. In 2008-09, McIntyre finished with 21 goals and 43 points, both ranked among the leaders nationally. His point total was the highest for a single season since Andy McDonald's 58 in 1999-2000. He was a first team all-league honoree; a finalist for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award, a first team AHCA/Reebok Eastern All-American, a first team all-American by Inside College Hockey and was a selection to the all-College Hockey News team. In addition, McIntyre is one of 20 candidates for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award for men's ice hockey.
GETTING DRAFTY: Colgate has six NHL draft picks on its 2009-2010 roster. David McIntyre was drafted in the fifth round of the 2006 Draft by the Dallas Stars. Last year, his rights were traded twice in two months and now stands property of the New Jersey Devils. Corbin McPherson (New Jersey, 3rd, 2007), Brian Day (New York Islanders, 6th, 2006), Austin Smith (Dallas Stars, 5th, 2007), Jeremy Price (Vancouver Canucks, 4th, 2009), and Thomas Larkin (Columbus Blue Jackets, 5th, 2009) round out the Raiders' draft picks.
BLUELINE SHUFFLE: Colgate will have a revamped defense for the 2009-2010 season. Don Vaughan's squad lost five defensemen to graduation that combined to play close to 600 collegiate games. With the return of Corbin McPherson, Wade Poplawski and Kevin McNamara, the Raiders have 132 games of collegiate experience. Newcomers will need to make an impact on the blueline this season.
OH BROTHER: Charles and Christian Long are the first set of brothers to play for Don Vaughan at the same time. They hail from Cleveland Heights, Ohio and played junior hockey for the Brockville Braves of the CJHL. Charles and Christian have played three years together at different levels including helping St. Edwards High School to an Ohio State High School title.
