HAMILTON, N.Y. (10/7/05) - Junior Marc Fulton (Vancouver, B.C.) recorded his first career four-point game to lead the No. 18 Colgate hockey team to a 6-2 victory against 16th-ranked UMass-Lowell in the season opener for both teams on Friday, Oct. 7, at Starr Rink. The win marked the first time Colgate has beaten UMass-Lowell since the 1996-97 season.
Sophomore goaltender Mark Dekanich (North Vancouver, B.C.) earned his first victory of the season with 32 saves, including 20 saves through two scoreless periods.
The Raiders dominated in the face-off circle, winning 46 draws to Lowell’s 28. Freshman Tom Riley (Nepean, Ont.) won eight of his nine attempts, and sophomore Tyler Burton (Langley, B.C.) won 17 of his 23 draws.
Fulton opened the game’s scoring with 1:52 left in the first period. Senior Ryan Smyth (Clarence Creek, Ont.) beat his defenseman outside the zone and centered the puck to Fulton. Fulton one-timed it in from the far side under goalie Peter Vetri’s blocker.
Fulton and Smyth teamed up again 6:58 into the second period. Smyth won the puck out of the corner and centered it to Fulton, who was waiting in the slot. Fulton went five-hole on Vetri to make it 2-0 in favor of the Raiders. It was the first time in his career that Fulton scored more than one goal in a game, and he tied his career best with his two assists.
Freshman defenseman Nick St. Pierre (St. Etienne, Que.) earned his first career point with an assist on Colgate’s third goal, which was a power-play score by sophomore Jesse Winchester (Long Sault, Ont.) 9:01 into the second period. St. Pierre passed the puck out of the corner to Winchester. His initial shot was saved, but he got his own rebound and put the puck over the goalie’s blocker.
Senior assistant captain Kyle Wilson (London, Ont.) got his first goal of the season with 3:11 left in the middle session. Junior defenseman Mike Campaner (Thunder Bay, Ont.) picked up the puck in the neutral zone. He passed it to Fulton along the boards, who tipped it to Wilson. Wilson took it in by himself on a breakaway, and scored low on the blocker side.
Burton made it a 5-0 Colgate lead 3:03 into the third period. Senior captain Jon Smyth (Markham, Ont.) walked the puck around from behind the net and centered it to Burton, who one-timed it over Vetri’s blocker. Winchester was also credited with an assist, giving him his first career multiple-point game.
Lowell got on the board 52 seconds later. Dekanich was knocked out of position by one of his own defensemen, and Mark Pandolfo came around from behind the net and put the puck over his blocker.
Wilson scored Colgate’s sixth goal 14:58 into the final period on the power play. Fulton passed to Wilson, who came around from the side of the net and put the puck over Vetri’s shoulder. It marked Wilson’s fourth career two-goal game, and his third career three-point effort.
Lowell’s second goal, and the final goal of the night, came when Jeremy Hall redirected a shot by Kim Brandvold with 3:38 left in the game.
Vetri finished the game with 29 saves, including 11 in the second period when the Raiders out-shot the River Hawks 14-6.
Colgate plays a pair of games on the road against Lake Superior State, Oct. 14-15, in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. Friday night’s game is scheduled to start at 7:35, while Saturday’s game begins at 7:05 p.m.
