VANCOUVER (6/24/06) - Colgate University sophomore goaltender Mark Dekanich (North Vancouver, B.C.) has been selected by the Nashville Predators in the fifth round of the NHL Entry Draft. The Predators took Dekanich with their third pick, and the draft’s 146th overall selection.

Dekanich won the Ken Dryden Award as the ECACHL’s Goaltender of the Year after he backstopped Colgate to a share of the league’s regular-season title last season. He finished league play with a conference-leading 1.98 goals against average and .934 save percentage. Overall, Dekanich recorded a 2.29 goals against average, which ranked 16th in the nation, and a .924 save percentage, which ranked 10th in the country.

Dekanich’s future teammate, incoming freshman David McIntyre (Pefferlaw, Ont.), was drafted by the Dallas Stars with the 138th overall pick, just eight selections before Dekanich.

Dekanich, McIntyre and their Colgate teammates return to the rink when the Raiders open the 2006-07 season at the Ice Breaker, Oct. 6-7, in Oxford, Ohio. Colgate will play the first-ever game at Miami (Ohio)’s new Goggin Ice Center against former league-mate Vermont. Recent two-time national champion Denver is the fourth team in the tournament, which is sponsored by the Hockey Commissioners Association.