PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The Colgate men’s ice hockey team scored a pair of power-play goals but could not complete the comeback Saturday night at Schneider Arena as the Raiders fell, 3-2, to the Providence Friars.
The Raiders put on a lot of pressure late, including a power-play goal from Jake Kulevich (Marblehead, Massachusetts) that cut the Friars lead to 3-2 with just 5:31 left to play in the final frame. After a Jared Cockrell (Byfield, Massachusetts) shot, Tim Harrison (Duxbury, Massachusetts) and Derek Freeman (Newburyport, Massachusetts) swiped at the puck before Kulevich ultimately buried it.
Kulevich extended his point streak to a career-long four games with his second goal of the year and is now tied with Adam Dauda (Kitchener, Ontario) for the team lead with nine points.
Colgate outshot Providence 10-7 in the third period, and nearly won the game in the final minute with a flurry of opportunities after goaltender Colton Point (North Bay, Ontario) was pulled for the extra attacker. Kulevich had a shot denied by Providence goaltender Hayden Hawkey’s outstretched pad with Harrison waiting on the back door for the juicy rebound after the final buzzer sounded.
Sebastian Weberg (Oslo, Norway) scored his third power-play goal of the season with a second period tally that tied the game, 1-1, for the Raiders 3:37 into the period. John Snodgrass (Eagan, Minnesota) dug out a loose puck in front of the crease and worked it up to Brett Corkey (Calgary, Alberta) at the left point. Corkey shifted it across the blue line to Weberg, who skated back to the high slot and wristed the puck through traffic past Hawkey.
Weberg’s goal was his third of the season as well as the Raiders’ junior set a new career-high for goals in a single season after scoring two in his sophomore campaign. Four of Weberg’s five career goals have come on the power play.
Corkey’s assist is his fourth point in the past five games while Snodgrass tied Kulevich for the team-lead with seven assists.
The Friars took a 1-0 lead on a power-play goal from Anthony Florentino with 2:47 left in the first period. Jacob Bryson worked the puck to Josh Wilkins on the right wing. Wilkins shifted the pass to Florentino at the point where he blasted the puck through traffic and off the post past Point.
After Weberg tied the game for the Raiders, Tyler Penner (Winnipeg, Manitoba) had a chance to give the Raiders a lead, as he became the first player in program history to attempt two penalty shots in a career. Penner lost control of the puck and missed the shot with 14:04 left in the second period.
Josh Wilkins then regained the lead for the Friars on a delayed penalty goal with 9:24 left in the second period. Wilkins was tripped on his way towards the goal with a shot going wide. Scott Conway collected the loose puck and fed Wilkins in the slot wear he buried the shot past a sprawling Point.
Providence took a 3-1 lead with 9:46 left in the third period as Erik Foley chased down a loose puck in the offensive zone and shot it low past Point for his team-leading sixth goal of the season before Kulevich pulled Colgate within a goal.
BOTTOM LINE
Providence 3, Colgate 2
WON-LOST RECORDS
The Friars have now split their last four games and improved to 5-5-2 (1-3-1 Hockey East) with the win while the Raiders drop their second straight, falling to 3-7-4 (2-3-1 ECAC Hockey).
KEY RAIDER INFO
-Kulevich scored his second goal and tied for the team-lead with his ninth point of the season
-Weberg has now scored all three of his goals on the power play this season and four of his five career goals with the man advantage
-Corkey picked up an assist and has now scored a point in four of the last five games
-Harrison picked up a point for the second straight game
-Snodgrass tied Kulevich for the team lead with seven assists this season
-Point recorded 22 saves in his second career start for the Raiders
-Penner made Colgate men’s ice hockey history as he became the first player to attempt multiple penalty shots in a career
FACTS AND FIGURES
-Providence outshot Colgate 25-22 despite Colgate’s 18-15 edge in the final two periods
-The Raiders were 2 for 4 on the power play, their fifth game with two power-play goals this season and 11th game with a power-play goal
-Colgate also went 4 for 5 on the penalty kill
-The Raiders won the faceoff battle, 27-25, with Dauda leading the team with 10 faceoff wins
UP NEXT
Colgate has a quick turnaround as they host the Cornell Big Red Tuesday night at Class of 1965 Arena with puck drop set for 7 p.m. Tuesday will be Colgate’s teddy bear toss and fans are encouraged to bring a teddy bear to toss during the second intermission. Teddy bears will also be sold at the arena through the first period.
