The Colgate Raiders got three goals in the first period en route to a 4-2 win in the opening game of the 56th Rensselaer/Bank of America Holiday Hockey Tournament. With the win Colgate moves to the Championship Game to face Niagara.
The Raiders got on the board with three quick goals in the first period – two on five-on-three advantages. The Raiders scored with a two-man advantage just 2:36 into the game. Marc Fulton was found all alone in the left circle and wrested one past Joseph Palmer.
Then four-on-four Ben Camper stole the puck from a Buckeye defenseman and then sent it quickly over to Mike Werner. Werner took a backhand shot that eluded Palmer for the 2-0 lead.
Then another five-on-three goal from Tom Riley made it 3-0 when he put one between the pads of Palmer.
The Buckeyes got one back in the second period when Corey Elkins backhanded one over Mark Dekanich on an Ohio State five-on-three advantage.
In the third period Jesse Winchester made it 4-1 when he backhanded one over Palmer in a four-on-four situation. But Ohio State got one back with their own five-on-three goal to make it 4-2.
Sean Collins took a pass in the high slot and blasted one past Dekanich.
Ohio State (4-7-2) will take on host Rensselaer in the consolation game while Colgate (5-7-2) will go for the Championship.
The game featured 12 power play for each team, with each team succeeding twice, both with two-man advantages.
“We needed something good to happen,” said Raider head coach Don Vaughan. “Last weekend was a plus for us and it carried over to tonight.
“The guys are feeling a lot better now. We weren’t playing well and now we’re getting some guys into the lineup.”