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HAMILTON, N.Y. (12/30/11) – Both teams combined to score six special teams goals and one 4-on-4 strike and it was the No. 11/12 Colgate men's hockey team that came out on top by a 5-2 score on Friday night against Canisius.

Colgate (12-4-2) got two goals and an assist from Robbie Bourdon, while Austin Smith extended his point streak to nine games with a goal and two assists for three points. Corbin McPherson scored his first of the season and Austin Mayer added a shorthanded goal in the third period and also had an assist. Eric Mihalik pushed aside 22 shots to earn his eighth win.

Canisius (4-11-3) saw Taylor Law and Kyle Gibbons record goals, while Doug Jessey put up two assists. Tony Capobianco did his best in the net with 30 stops in the loss.

Colgate took advantage of three power plays in the first period with two power play goals. Bourdon gave the Raiders a 1-0 lead with a goal coming nine minutes into the frame. He connected with Wagner and his shot deflected off a Canisius skate and past Capobianco for the first goal. He then increased the lead to 2-0 with his eighth of the season. It also came on the power play as Bourdon and Smith played a give-and-go and the junior buried the puck for the two-goal lead. Spiro Goulakos was also credited with an assist.

The special teams onslaught continued in the second period as all four goals scored in the frame came on power plays. Canisius started the scoring with Law cutting the Colgate lead to 2-1, just 1:50 into the period. Ben Danford wound up and fired a shot that Law tipped past Mihalik for the score. The Golden Griffins then tied the score 21 seconds later with a traditional power play goal coming from Gibbons. He received a pass from Taylor Law and skated across the slot and beat Mihalik short side.

The Raiders retook the lead with 7:12 remaining in the period as McPherson scored his first of the season. He fired a shot from the left point and it found its way through Matt Firman, who was infront, and into the net. Mayer was given an assist on the play and he then got back the two-goal advantage with a shorthanded goal with 2:16 left in the second. It was Colgate's seventh shortie of the year, which leads the nation.

The third period was up-and-down the ice and became chippie between the two teams. Smith then tallied his nation's leading 19th goal of the season coming with a 4-on-4 opportunity, which came one second after the Raiders failed on a quick power play. Jeremy Price fed the puck to Smith at the far post on a beautiful pass and the senior stuffed it home. Wagner was given an assist for his second of the night.

Colgate outshot the Griffs 35-24 and hit the post four times during the contest. The Raiders tallied three goals on the power play with seven chances. Canisius finished 2-for-4 on the man advantage.

The Raiders begin a two-week road swing with a visit No. 11/12 Ferris State next weekend for a two-game set.

NOTES: Smith added his ninth multi-point game of the season and only his second multi-assist game … he has 134 points for 23rd all-time on Colgate's scoring list … Bourdon posted his first two-goal game of the season and second of his career … McPherson scored for the first time in exactly 365 days and Colgate is 5-1-0 when the defenseman scores during his career ...  the Raiders have won 20 games in the calendar year of 2011 … 10-0-0 when leading after two periods … seven-game unbeaten streak for the first time since 1999-2000 … outscoring opponents 23-9 during the streak and no team has scored more than two goals against the Raiders … 12-1-0 when scoring three or more goals … at the conclusion of the game, Colgate was ranked fourth in the nation in winning percentage (.722).