COLGATE CATCHES THE BOUNCES IN 2-1 GOVERNOR'S CUP WIN

Oct. 26: Bounces had a huge influence on Friday’s first semifinal game in the Citizen’s Bank Governor’s Cup between St. Lawrence and Colgate University as the Raiders took advantage of theirs to advance to Saturday’s championship game.

 

St. Lawrence, which has now lost three straight, dominated the game and outchanced the Raiders, but had several of its best scoring chances go wide, high or hit a skate in front. Colgate tied the game on a strange bounce off the end glass early in the third period and won it when junior forward Tom Riley dove into the crease and poked a loose puck into the net after the puck had trickled out from under Saint goalie Justin Pesony’s pads.

 

“That was the kind of game that sometimes happens in this sport, but it is still a pretty frustrating loss,” said Saint coach Joe Marsh. “We played a pretty solid game, but didn’t finish on some great chances in front and it came back to haunt us.

 

“We’ll need to come out strong again on Saturday and get things rolling a little bit before we head into league play,” Marsh added.

The Saints had some good chances in a scoreless first period, but either missed the net or had them turned away by Raider goalie Mark Dekanich. Jared Keller had a walk-in and was stopped from point blank range five minutes into the game and Mike McKenzie had his stick tied up as a puck was sent into the slot with Dekanich out of position midway through the period.

 

Pesony didn’t see as much action in front of him, although the shots on goal after one were 8-7 in the Saints favor, but did have to come up big on a drive by Jesse Winchester to keep it a scoreless game through 20 minutes.

 

The scoring chances kept piling up for the Saints, who held Colgate with out a shot on goal for the first 8:32 of the second period, and they finally cashed in just after killing off a Colgate power play.

 

Jordan Hack picked up a bouncing puck just outside the Colgate blue line, stepped around a Colgate defender and snapped a shot behind Dekanich and inside the far post from just inside the right faceoff dot at 12:23.

 

Colgate picked things up after the Saint goal, but Pesony kept it a 1-0 game with several saves including two in a flurry at the goal mouth with 6:08 to play and another on a point blank stop on Dustin Gillanders with 2:43 left.

The Raiders tied the game 2:03 into the second, cashing in on a lucky bounce off the glass behind the Saint net and right after the Saints missed on a chance to take a 2-0 lead.

 

Mike McKenzie was all alone in front and shot high and Colgate turned the puck around on the attack. A Saint defenseman cleared the puck behind the net and along the glass, but it hit a support and bounced right out into the slot and onto the stick of Ben Camper. While Pesony was able to make the first save, freshman Brian Day was right there and tucked the rebound away to tie the game.

 

The game winner was scored on a seemingly innocuous play as Tyler Burton broke into the slot and sent a soft backhand toward goal. Pesony closed his pads on it, but the puck trickled out from underneath the goalie and a diving Riley poked it into the net to give the Raiders the lead.

 

The Saints pulled Pesony for an extra attacker with 1:40 to play in the game and while they had a couple of shots on net, the litany of shots just wide or high continued and they were unable to tie the game.