HAMILTON – Fourth-ranked Colgate scored three times in the first period to cruise to a 4-0 victory over visiting Mercyhurst in collegiate men’s ice hockey action Friday at Starr Rink.
Senior Joe Wilson and freshman Mike Panowyk scored in the opening 10 minutes of the contest to stake the Raiders to an early 2-0 lead. Junior Mike Borkowski wrapped up the first-period scoring with a goal in the final 80 seconds of the frame and added an insurance marker late in the third period to determine the final margin.
Colgate sophomore Charlie Finn made 23 saves as he recorded his NCAA-leading third shutout of the season.
How It Happened
– Wilson staked Colgate to a 1-0 lead at the 4:35 mark of the first period when he deflected a slap shot from senior Spiro Goulakos past Mercyhurst keeper Jimmy Sarjeant on the power play for his second goal of the season. Sophomore Derek Freeman also picked up an assist on the play.
– Panowyk quickly doubled the Raiders margin to 2-0 just before the 10-minute mark of the first period. Junior Tyson Spink started the sequence with a feed to sophomore Jake Kulevich, who fired a shot from the left point that found the post and dropped to the stick of Panowyk. Panowyk quickly shoveled it home from the doorstep for his second goal of the campaign.
– Borkowski tallied the first of his two goals with just 79 seconds remaining in the first period, putting home a rebound on a shot from junior Kyle Baun to make it 3-0 Colgate. Junior Darcy Murphy earned a secondary assist on the goal.
– After a scoreless second period, Borkowski put the game out of reach with his second goal of the night as he deflected a shot from junior Ryan Johnston into the cage with under four minutes remaining in the contest. Murphy picked up his second helper of the evening on the insurance tally.
Key Raider Information
– Baun saw his goal-scoring streak come to a close at four, but his assist extended his point-scoring streak to five games. He continues to lead the team in scoring with eight points (5 G, 3 A).
– Goulakos picked up his team-leading seventh assist with his helper on the first goal of the evening. Six of his seven assists have come on the power play.
– Borkowski has tallied a point in each of the last four games as he is now tied with Goulakos for second on the team’s scoring chart with seven points (3G/4A).
– Colgate scored a power play goal for the sixth straight contest as it is now 8-for-30 (.267) with the man advantage this season. The Raiders have scored on eight of their last 24 power play opportunities as they were 0-for-6 with the man advantage to open the season before notching their first power play goal of the season (at St. Cloud State – Oct. 11).
Finn Still Perfect At Home This Season
– Colgate sophomore goaltender Charlie Finn recorded his NCAA-leading third shutout of the season Friday as he made 23 saves to keep the Lakers off the scoreboard.
– All three of Finn’s shutouts this season have come at Starr Rink. He opened the home portion of the 2014-15 schedule with a pair of 3-0 wins over Northeastern Oct. 17 & 18.
– Finn has recorded a total of 75 saves in Colgate’s three home contests this season.
Inside The Box Score
– Colgate out-shot Mercyhurst, 37-23, in the contest. The Raiders held the edge in all three periods, highlighted by a 11-6 margin in the first.
– The Raiders were 1-for-1 on the power play while Mercyhurst was 0-for-3 as there was a total of just four minor penalties called in the contest.
– Mercyhurst held a 28-26 edge at the faceoff circle. Borkowski (10-of-18) and Panowyk (10-of-15) both recorded double-digit wins at the dot for the Raiders.
Borkowski led all players with six shot attempts while Kyle Dutra attempted four to pace the Lakers.
