BOX SCORE

HAMILTON, N.Y. (12/11/10) – Senior Francois Brisebois finished with three points, but Niagara scored 40 seconds into overtime as the Colgate men's hockey team fell by a score of 4-3 on Saturday night.

Colgate (3-10-1) saw Brisebois tie his career-high for goals with two and points with three after earning an assist on the second score of the night, while sophomore Thomas Larkin netted the other goal for the Raiders. Sophomore Kurtis Bartliff added a career-high three assists and the three points were also a best in the loss. Junior goaltender Alex Evin fell just four saves shy of his career best with 39 stops.

Niagara (10-6-2) got the gamewinner from Ryan Rashid, while Paul Zanette had a goal and an assist. Scott Arnold and Bryan Haczyk also had a goal and an assist for the winners. Goaltender Chris Noonan made 24 stops for the Purple Eagles and posted an assist on the gamewinner.

Colgate struck first at the 12:20 mark of the opening period with a goal from Brisebois. Bartliff was able to get to the dump in and slipped a pass to Smith, who found Brisebois at the far post for the score to make it 1-0.

Niagara evened the score at 1-1 less than three minutes later as Arnold struck to tie the game. He received a pass from Patrick Divjak at the red line and skated into the offensive zone. He wasn't picked up and went top shelf on Evin for the goal.

The Purple Eagles took their first lead of the game at 2-1 on Haczyk's 10th of the season on the power play. David Ross took a shot from the right point that was tipped by Paul Zanette over to a wide-open Haczyk at the far post and he didn't miss the net. The goal came at the 17-minute mark of the second.

At the 15:03 mark, Colgate came back to tie the game at two. Brisebois made a nice play at the defensive blueline to chip the puck up to Larkin. He then went in on a rush and put the puck just inside the far post and past Noonan.

The third period started off with a bang for the Raiders as they were on a 5-on-3 advantage and Brisebois made the Purple Eagles pay for the mistake. He scored his second of the night 17 seconds into the period to get the lead back at 3-2. The assists went to Bartliff and rookie Anthony Hamburg. It was the third career point for the freshman.

Paul Zanette showed why he led the nation in goals coming into the game and added to his total at the 8:28 mark to tie the game at 3-3. He scored his 16th goal of the year in front of the net after a blocked shot. Matt Williams fired a shot from upper slot that was blocked, but Zanette wrestled the puck through Evin's pads to tie the game.

Colgate went into only its second overtime game of the season and had a great first rush with two point-blank shots, but Noonan pushed them both aside. On the same play, he slid the puck to Arnold, who then rushed the puck up ice. He got to the right circle and connected with Rashid at the opposite circle. Rashid was all alone and hit the open net to give the Purple Eagles the win just 40 seconds into overtime.

Both teams scored on the power play with Niagara going 1-for-7 and Colgate earning one goal in four opportunities. The Raiders were outshot for only the third time this year and it was by a 43-27 margin.

Colgate will be back in action next weekend for a two-game set at Robert Morris, beginning on Saturday, Dec. 18.

NOTES: Brisebois had three points for the second time this season with the other outing coming against Lake Superior, where he had a career-high three assists … it was his first two-goal game since Union on Feb. 27 of last season … it was the third time this year that Colgate had a skater reach two scores … Bartliff tied a season-high with two helpers … the game featured two sets of brothers with Paul and Marc Zanette, while Jack McNamara and Kevin McNamara were playing on the Starr Rink ice for the first time … Niagara swept the season series and has won the last three matchups.