NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. (10/9/09) – Wade Poplawski (Winnipeg, Man.) scored with less than two minutes left in regulation and nothing was settled with an extra five minute period as Colgate and Niagara battled to a 4-4 tie in men's hockey action Friday evening at the Dwyer Center.
Colgate, 0-0-1, rallied from a two-goal deficit in the final five minutes to notch its eight consecutive overtime appearance dating back to last season. The Raiders broke a national record with 19 overtime games in 2008-09. It marks only the sixth time Colgate has gone into overtime in the season-opener, the last being a 3-3 draw at Northeastern to open the 2003-04 campaign.
“I was happy to see the guys find a way to battle back and get a tie against a hard skating Niagara team on the road,” said Colgate head coach Don Vaughan. “We weren't sharp early and the young guys made some mistakes, but they made some plays down the stretch and forced overtime. However, I don't think we should have been in that situation to begin with.”
Trailing 4-2 with a little less than five minutes left, Brian Day (Danvers, Mass.) scored his second goal of the game at 16:14 from Corbin McPherson (Folsom, Calif.) and Ethan Cox (Richmond, B.C.) to pull the Raiders to within one. It was his sixth career multi-goal and 15th multi-point game at Colgate. Poplawski teamed with fellow defenseman Kevin McNamara (Chestnut Hill, Mass.) at 18:39 to knot the game at 4-4. It was the junior's fourth career goal and first goal since the 2008-09 season opener versus UMass-Lowell, while it was McNamara's first point since the 2007-08 season.
The Purple Eagles, who were receiving votes in the preseason USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Poll, got off to a quick start. Killing a power play, Niagara got on the board at 3:15 of the first as Dan Baco connected for his first of the year from Jim Burichin and Tyler Gotto. The lead grew to 2-0 at 6:41 as Brent Vandenberg posted an unassisted score.
Colgate solved Adam Avramenko at 17:24 of the opening period as Day netted his first from All-American candidate David McIntyre (Pefferlaw, Ont.).
Niagara scored the first two goals of the second period as Ryan Olidis and Mark Zanette netted goals at 8:12 and 11:24 respectively to give the Purple Eagles their largest lead of the contest at 4-1. Close to a minute left in the period, junior Francois Brisebois (Montreal, Que.) lit the lamp with his first of the season at 18:51 to pull the Raiders within two. Fellow Montrealian, Nick Prockow collected an assist.
Colgate failed to capitalize on six power play attempts, while Niagara was held scoreless on three man advantage opportunities.
Charles Long (Cleveland Heights, Ohio) stopped 25 shots in the draw. The senior saved eight in the first, nine in the second and eight more in the third. Niagara failed to get a shot on goal in the overtime period. Avramenko stopped 26, including three in overtime. Colgate outshot Niagara 30-29 on the evening.
With the tie, it marks the fourth time in 10 meetings these two schools have gone into overtime. In addition, it's the eighth time in the series that the game has been determined by one goal or less.
The Raiders return to action, Saturday evening as it travels to face RIT in Rochester. The game, which is set for a 7 p.m. start, will be played at Blue Cross Arena and will be broadcasted by Time Warner Sports in the Rochester and Syracuse markets.
Box Score
