The Colgate men’s hockey team got down early against 10th-ranked Rensselaer and dropped a 6-2 decision on the road in ECAC Hockey play.
The Raiders (4-6-1, 2-2-0 ECAC) were led by Tylor Spink and Andrew Black. Spink scored a power play goal in the second period, while Black had a nice backhander in the third frame.
The Engineers (6-2-2, 2-1-2 ECAC) saw Ryan Haggerty tally two goals and overall Rensselaer had five different goal scorers. Mark McGowan had a game-high three points with a goal and two assists, while Brock Higgs and Jacob Laliberte added a goal and assist each. Scott Diebold made 15 saves to earn the win.
The Engineers got out to the early lead at 6:55 into the first period with Higgs scoring on a wrap around behind the net. He went all the way around the net and Finn tried to make it across the crease and Rensselaer was up 1-0.
Colgate had a golden opportunity with a five-minute power play after RPI was called for a hit from behind. However, the Engineers scored a shorthanded goal on a crazy bounce that got behind Finn to make it 2-0. Guy Leboeuf cleared the puck out of the zone and it took an unusual bounce and past Finn.
McGowan gave Rensselaer a commanding 3-0 lead with under two minutes into the middle frame. Curtis Leonard put a shot on Finn that he pushed aside, but McGowan got to the open area and hit the net on the rebound.
Colgate was able to get to within two during a five-minute power play, which the Raiders had three on the night. Mike Borkowski slid the puck to Tyson Spink on the goal line and he fired the puck through Diebold and Tylor Spink was on the other end to rifle it home.
The Raiders had another chance on a five-minute major, but couldn’t get any puck luck. Colgate hit two posts around 20 seconds apart. Borkowski thought he had a goal, but hit the pipe with an open net chance.
The Engineers increased their lead to 6-1with three goals in the third. Colgate got one back on a beautiful backhand from Andrew Black that went just under the bar on a breakaway for his third of the season.
Colgate is back on the road next weekend with a trip to St. Lawrence and Clarkson.
