HAMILTON, N.Y. (2/20/09) – Austin Smith (Dallas, Texas) scored with 35 seconds remaining in the third period as Colgate rallied to post a 2-2 overtime tie versus visiting Union, Friday evening at Starr Rink.
After pulling Charles Long (Cleveland Heights, Ohio) with 1:15 left in regulation, from behind the cage in the offensive zone Brian Day (Danvers, Mass.) found Smith out in front and the freshman tapped the puck into the right side of the goal – down low for his 12th goal of the campaign. The score marked the first time Colgate has scored with an extra attacker with its goal crease empty since Jason Fredricks (Eagle River, Wisc.) notched a second period goal versus Princeton on February 22, 2008.
The Dutchmen, now 15-13-3/8-9-2, capitalized on its first power play opportunity with 7:19 left in the opening period as Adam Presizniuk and Matt Cook worked the puck to Jason Walters and the junior poked it over the right shoulder of Long into the back of the cage. The junior netminder made three key saves down the stretch in the opening period to keep the Raiders within one goal heading into the first intermission.
After a scoreless second, a period in which Colgate failed to convert on a two-man advantage, Ethan Cox (Richmond, B.C.) got the Raiders on the board at 14:13 of the third as the junior fired a slap shot from the left side and beat Corey Milan for his second goal of the season. Senior defenseman David Sloane (Ambler, Pa.) got the puck to Cox for his fourth assist of the year.
Almost three minutes later, Union regained the lead as Mike Harr and Luke Cain found Kelly Zajac in the left circle and freshman connected for his sixth of the year at 17:14.
Long finished the game with 35 saves including collecting 14 stops in the opening period. The performance left him two saves from his career high he set versus Harvard two years ago. Milan stopped 25 shots for the Dutchmen.
Union, which outshot Colgate 37-27, went one of six on the power play, while Colgate was scoreless in three opportunities.
The overtime period was Colgate's 13th of the season, which leads the country. With the draw, the Raiders tied a school record with six ties (2005-06 and 2007-08). With the tie, Colgate moved to 21-1-1 versus Union in games played at Starr Rink. Since a 6-0 loss back in 1998, the Raiders are 10-0-1 in their last 11 meetings against the Dutchmen in Hamilton.
Colgate, now 9-16-6 overall and 4-11-4 in league play, returns home for its final regular season home game of the year as it plays Rensselaer. Opening face-off is set for 7:07 p.m.
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