CANTON, N.Y. – The Raiders generated chances, scored a shorthanded goal, went ahead, and came from behind.
However, the Colgate men's hockey program fell in a 5-4 overtime decision to St. Lawrence in the ECAC Semifinals. With the result, the Raiders' season comes to a close with a 6-11-5 overall record and a 5-9-4 mark in ECAC Hockey.
HOW IT HAPPENED
It was a quick start as St. Lawrence crashed the net and was able to gain an early 1-0 lead just 4:17 after the drop of the puck. The Raiders drew back-to-back power play opportunities, but despite solid pressure with the man advantage, St. Lawrence held onto its 1-0 lead.
In a game where special teams was key, it was on Colgate's first kill that they sped down the ice and was able to score one of its own as
Josh McKechney notched a shorthanded tally to tie the game at 1-1. Keeping the pressure in the St. Lawrence zone for the remainder of the period, the Raiders battled for the go-ahead but it closed out as an even slate.
Opening the second with strong play, Colgate had a steady presence in the SLU zone. Offensively and defensively, the Raiders were strong even as
Ross Mitton benched a Saint with a hit along the boards. Going on another power play opportunity, Colgate had the pressure of the man advantage before
Jeff Stewart scored shortly after time expired for a 2-1 lead.
In continued special team action, St. Lawrence was able to convert on their next power play to tie the game at 2-2. As the clock ticked down on the period, Colgate crashed the zone and it was
Evan Tschumi who cleaned up the puck under the pad of the netminder for a 3-2 lead, one that stood through the horn of the second.
Early into the third period, St. Lawrence scored with a pick off the faceoff to tie it up yet again at 3-3 before adding another just 1:10 later for a 4-3 edge.
However, the swing didn't stall the Raiders. Just as the clock ticked into the final 10:00 of regulation,
Tyler Jeanson scored with a backhanded pop up top to make it 4-4. Both teams continued to battle, but the horn would sound on regulation.
Heading into extra playoff hockey for the second straight season, Colgate hammered the St. Lawrence zone. Even after an outstanding few minutes by the Raiders, they were able to head onto a power play to generate even more chances at the net.
Despite the Raiders outshooting St. Lawrence 9-1 in the extra session, all it took was one for the Saints as they found the five-hole to claim a 5-4 overtime win to conclude Colgate's season in the ECAC Semifinals.
COLGATE SCORING PLAYS
• Period 1 | 11:39 – Starting out on the penalty kill,
Elliott McDermott chipped the puck around the back of the net after the clean faceoff win. Picking it up along the boards,
Colton Young sped down the sheet before centering it to
Josh McKechney in the slot. His quick tap to the top shelf beat the glove of the netminder on a 2-on-1 and evened the game at 1-1.
• Period 2 | 6:17 – In a cycle in the Saints zone, St. Lawrence tried to break up a pass across the zone, before
Pierson Brandon recovered it at the right circle. He passed it down low to
Jeff Stewart, who's wide-angle shot ricocheted off the goalie into the back of the net.
• Period 2 | 15:17 – McKechney fought his way into the St. Lawrence zone along the right boards, taking into the paint.
Tyler Jeanson crossed in for the rebound, before
Evan Tschumi hammered it home under the pad for a 3-2 advantage.
• Period 3 | 10:13 – After Tschumi and
Nick Anderson did the work along the right boards, they centered it to Jeanson low at the edge of the crease. He swiveled with a backhanded flip at the net and scored to make it 4-4.
STATISTICAL STANDOUTS
• Colgate recorded a season-high of 43 shots on goal, including a total of 70 attempted shots. The 43 shots on goal are the most since Colgate's 43 since Nov. 9, 2019 (vs. Brown).
• The overtime loss is the first for the Raiders since Jan. 5, 2018, snapping a 26-game unbeaten streak (8-0-18) over that span.
• With the opening goal, senior
Josh McKechney scored his third shorthanded goal of the year and added an assist for his fourth multi-point night of the season.
• Behind his goal, junior
Jeff Stewart scored his third of the season and second in the last three games. In the circle, Stewart also led the squad with a stunning 81.3 faceoff win percentage as he went 13-for-16 on his faceoffs.
• Senior
Evan Tschumi's goal marked his second in the last four games, while he recorded his second multi-point night of the season after adding an apple on Colgate's fourth goal.
• Scoring for the second straight game was senior
Tyler Jeanson, after scoring his first of the season in the 4-3 win over Quinnipiac (March 6).
• The ECAC Best Defensive Defenseman
Pierson Brandon recorded his team-leading 10th assist of the season. He becomes the fifth Raider to hit double-digit points this season.
• Overall, eight different Raiders recorded points on the night, while senior captain
Paul McAvoy led the squad with a career-high of six shots on goal.
HEAD COACH DON VAUGHAN'S TAKE
"The game can be cruel sometimes and tonight was one of those times. I'm proud of our guys and the work they put in this year. Obviously, it was a crazy season but our guys did their part to make it happen. It didn't go the way we wanted tonight but the season overall was an incredible learning experience for our young players. I really like the direction we are heading."
SEASONAL STAT NUGGETS
• In postseason awards,
Pierson Brandon collected the Best Defensive Defenseman award from the ECAC, a first in program history since the award's inception in 1962.
•
Josh McKechney was named to First Team All-ECAC honors, a first since Austin Smith in 2012. He became just the 19th First Team member in program history.
• By being named to the All-Rookie Team,
Alex Young and
Pierson Brandon are the first honorees to the squad since
Nick Austin in 2018. It also marks the first time since Tyler Spink and Kyle Baun in 2013 that the program has had two members on the All-Rookie Team.
• Overall, Colgate played 14 games against teams ranked in the top-15 in the country throughout the season.
• The four shorthanded goals are the most in a season since notching five in the 2012-13 campaign's 36 games.
• The 2-0 victory at Clarkson (Feb. 4) marked the first shutout win of the Golden Knights in program history. It was just the second shutout of Clarkson in program history after a 0-0 tie back in the 2007-08 season.
• Colgate's 4-4 tie against RIT (Dec. 29) featured
Paul McAvoy recording a trio of goals for the first hat trick since
Bobby McMann's on Nov. 25, 2017.
• His third being shorthanded, McAvoy also marked the first shorthanded goal for the Raiders since
Tim Harrison on Jan. 21, 2017.
• The RIT game marked number 1,000 on the Colgate bench for head coach
Don Vaughan.
•
Alex Young had scored his first career goal in his first collegiate game with the lone tally against Clarkson (Nov. 22).
• Overall, 19 Raiders earned a point this season, 17 scored, while five Raiders notched double-digit points on the year.
• The Raiders graduate seven players to the Class of 2020 in
Paul McAvoy,
Josh McKechney,
Nick Austin,
Tyler Jeanson,
Trevor Cosgrove,
Evan Tschumi, and
Henry Marshall.
• For the 2021-22 season, Colgate is slated to return 20 of 27 players, all four goaltenders, and four of the program's top-5 point scorers from the 2020-21 campaign.
THE BOTTOM LINE
• St. Lawrence 5, Colgate 4 – OT
RECORD UPDATES
• Colgate had a 6-11-5 record, and earned a 5-9-4 mark in ECAC Hockey action.
• St. Lawrence is 5-8-3 overall on the season and went 4-8-2 in ECAC play.
FOLLOW THE RAIDERS
For more information on the Colgate men's hockey program, follow the Raiders on Twitter @ColgateMIH and Instagram at colgate_mih.
