Box Score

OXFORD, Ohio (10/6/06) – Vermont scored three goals within 5:05 in the first period and never relented as the Catamounts downed No. 14 Colgate, 6-0, in the opening game of the Ice Breaker Tournament at Miami University in Ohio.

Although Colgate controlled the tempo of the game early on, putting five shots on UVM junior goalie Joe Fallon, it was the Catamounts who struck first at the 10:54 mark of the opening period capitalizing on their second power play of the game. Vermont set up in its offensive zone, and freshman Brian Roloff cycled the puck up to sophomore Kyle Kuk at the left point. Kuk passed across to senior Kenny Macaulay, who misfired on a one-timer. However, the puck went into the air and floated over the right shoulder of Raider junior goaltender Mark Dekanich (North Vancouver, B.C.) to give the Catamounts a 1-0 lead.

Vermont struck again just 21 seconds later when the teams were back at even strength. The Catamounts crashed the net, where they tested Dekanich, forcing him to make several saves at close range. During the flurry, however, Dekanich lost track of the puck and UVM senior Tom Collingham knocked it into the net of the goalie’s skate.

The Catamounts made it 3-0 with 4:01 to play. With Dekanich screened by one of his defenders, Kuk shot from the left faceoff circle, and the puck found nylon over Dekanich’s left shoulder. Roloff and UVM sophomore Corey Carlson set up the play.

Colgate was able to keep the Catamounts at bay in the second period, including killing off a five-minute major penalty with just under six minutes to play in the session. In his first collegiate game, freshman David McIntyre (Pefferlaw, Ont.) was called for a hitting from behind penalty, and left the ice with a game misconduct, leaving the Raider bench a player short for the remainder of the game.

Vermont used three power-play goals in the third period to finish the Raiders. Peter Lenes scored back-to-back man-up goals fed by Ryan Gunderson and Dean Strong 2:21 apart early in the session, and Strong netted the sixth goal of the night at the 13:12 mark.

Dekanich was relieved by freshman netminder Charles Long (Cleveland, Ohio) after UVM’s sixth goal. Long finished his first collegiate appearance with five saves in 6:34. Dekanich made 23 stops for the game, including nine in the first period and 10 in the third. Fallon registered 23 stops on the night.

Colgate will face No. 9 Denver in the consolation game on Saturday at 4:35 p.m. The Pioneers lost to No. 8 Miami, 5-2, in the dedication game for the RedHawks' new Steve Cady Arena at the Goggin Ice Center.