HAMILTON - The Raiders went down two goals in the opening minutes on Saturday night, but in front of a Senior Day crowd at the Class of 1965 Arena, Colgate went on a scoring rampage, taking home a 7-3 victory and setting up a home ECAC Opening Round matchup next weekend.
HOW IT HAPPENED
After a cagey opening stretch of play, St. Lawrence jumped in front first on Saturday night. Isaac Tremblay scored at 11:12, assisted by Sam Frandina and Nicholas Beneteau, to give the Saints a 1-0 advantage midway through the first.Â
St. Lawrence refused to let up, adding a second just over a minute later when Sam LeDrew, assisted by Filip Juricek, scored at 12:23 to double the lead for the visitors.
Not to be outdone, the Raiders needed only 14 seconds after St. Lawrence's second to get a goal back. Tyson Doucette scored off assists by Jack Brandt and Michael Neumeier to cut the Colgate deficit to one.
It wouldn't take the Raiders long to level the score. Jake Schneider, assisted by Jacob Napier and Daniel Panetta, scored from close range at 14:03 to make it 2-2. The goals kept on coming for the Raiders. Just 27 seconds later, Isaiah Norlin gave Colgate a shocking 3-2 lead from assists by Simone Dadiè and Schneider to cap off a dominant stretch of hockey for the Raiders.
Befitting the madness, St. Lawrence would level the score once again at 17:22 when Rasmus Svartstrom bundled one in, assisted by Jan Olenginski and Cooper Pierson, making it 3-3. A frantic opening period featuring six goals would end there, with both teams getting a well-deserved break.
Colgate continued the scoring in the second period, retaking the lead when Dadiè scored at 5:20, assisted by Panetta and Norlin, to give the hosts a 4-3 advantage. The Raiders doubled their lead at 10:30 when Bobby Metz, celebrating his senior night, scored off of assists by Ryan Spinale and Easton Wainwright to make it 5-3.
The Raiders couldn't stop scoring on Saturday night, getting their sixth of the evening when Neumeier found the back of the net at 15:23, assisted by Norlin and Ryan Sullivan to put Colgate in front by three goals as the game passed the halfway mark.
Despite more pressure, the rest of the second period passed without another goal, giving the Raiders a 6-3 lead with 20 minutes remaining.
With a three-goal lead to defend, Colgate shifted back, killing two penalties and absorbing St. Lawrence pressure for the first 15 minutes of the period. Back on the power play, the Raiders scored their seventh of the evening when Brandt scored at 15:45, assisted by Neumeier and Wainwright, to put Colgate in front by four.
From there, Colgate's defense continued to exert control, and the Raiders skated out the remainder of an emphatic 7-3 Senior Night win.
GAME NOTES
- Tyson Doucette scored his fifth career goal to open the scoring for the Raiders.
- Jack Brandt's first period assist was the 25th point in his Colgate career.
- With a goal and assist in the first period, Jake Schneider passed the 40-point plateau in his career.
- Jacob Napier earned his 10th point of the season with his first period assist.
- Simon Labelle's assist was his 15th of the season.
- Michael Neumeier logged his 15th assist and 20th point of the season in the win,Â
- Isaiah Norlin provided three assists on Saturday, giving him the team lead with 21 this season. Norlin also leads the Raiders with 28 points.
- With his second period assist, Easton Wainwright grabbed his 10th career point.
UP NEXT
The Raiders (12-18-4, 9-10-3 ECAC) begin their postseason run with an ECAC Opening Round matchup against No. 10 Yale next Saturday. The game will air on ESPN+ and
WRCU, with puck drop set for 7 p.m.
