HAMILTON - The Raiders were down 2-0 midway through the second period on Saturday at the Class of 1965 Arena, with their playoff hopes slipping away, but goals from
Antonio Fernandez and
Michael Neumeier leveled the score before
Simon Labelle slotted home the winner to give Colgate a 3-2 victory over Yale in the ECAC Opening Round.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Both teams had chances in the opening minutes, but as the first period moved along, Colgate began establishing themselves as the stronger attacking force. However, it was the visitors who would find the back of the net first. At 8:55, Iisai Pesonen, assisted by David Chen and Micah Berger, scored from close range to give Yale a 1-0 lead.Â
In search of an equalizer, the Raiders continued to push forward, but the period would end without another goal as Colgate went to the intermission trailing by one.
Yale goaltender Noah Pak picked up where he left off to begin the second period, saving what looked to be a sure goal for Simone Dadiè to preserve the slim lead for the visitors. Pak's heroics set the stage for Yale's second goal of the game, when Ronan O'Donnell scored at 6:46, assisted by Chen and David Andreychuk, to make it 2-0 to the visitors.
Colgate finally got on the board at 10:55, when Antonio Fernandez, assisted by Michael Neumeier and Ryan Spinale, scored to cut the Raider deficit to one. The Class of 1965 Arena crowd wouldn't have to wait long for an equalizer. Neumeier fired home from the right side at 14:45, assisted by Jake Schneider and Luke Malboeuf, to level the score at two apiece.
Though no more goals were scored after Neumeier's equalizer, scraps continued between the two teams. A chippy second period ended 2-2, with the Raiders holding the momentum going into the final 20 minutes.
Neither side was able to establish an advantage in the early minutes of the third period as the game remained tied with under five minutes remaining.
The Raiders grabbed their first lead of the night at 15:57, when Simon Labelle, playing his final career home game, scored on the breakaway to put Colgate up 3-2.
With just over four minutes remaining, Colgate's defense, led by Reid Dyck, stepped up and secured a thrilling 3-2 victory, sending the Raiders to the ECAC Quarterfinals.
GAME NOTES
- Antonio Fernandez's opening goal was the 10th of his Colgate career.
- With a second period assist, Ryan Spinale grabbed his 15th career point.
- Michael Neumeier scored his 15th career goal in the second, and added an assist, giving him five points in the last two games.
- Simon Labelle logged his 12th goal and 27th point of the season with his game-winning goal, giving him the outright Colgate lead in both categories.Â
- Reid Dyck made 23 saves and earned his first career postseason win.
- Mike Harder earned his first playoff victory of his career.
UP NEXT
The Raiders (12-18-4, 9-10-3 ECAC) head to two-seed Dartmouth for a best-of-three ECAC Quarterfinal matchup, starting next Friday. The series will air on ESPN+, with puck drop in game one set for 7 p.m.
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