Colgate University (10-16-6, 5-11-4 ECAC) topped the Rensselaer Engineers (7-23-2, 6-13-1 ECAC) 2-1 in overtime on senior night at Starr Rink. Junior centerman David McIntyre netted his 18th and 19th goals of the season to give Colgate a win in its 14th overtime game.
“Mc[Intyre]’s reputation precedes him,” said Colgate coach Don Vaughan. “He gets a lot of attention. He handles it all well and continues to make big plays when we need him. That is the definition of a great player.”
The clincher came at 3:59 in the overtime period when a Nick St. Pierre shot was saved by RPI freshman goaltender Allen York, but the captain followed in for his own rebound and managed to force the puck behind the net to Peter Bogdanich, drawing York around his left post. Bogdanich quickly walked behind the cage and found McIntyre on the right post. York dove across the crease, but not before McIntyre lifted a shot into the back of the net to send Colgate to victory.
“Allen [York] was outstanding tonight,” said Rensselaer coach Seth Appert. “We need to get production out of our top lines and power play. It was our fourth line that scored the goal.”
In the first period, dominated by the Raiders, first blood was drawn by the Engineers, at 15:49. The Colgate forwards turned up ice anticipating a clean breakout, but senior wingman Kurt Colling intercepted a Colgate clearing pass at the circle to Charles Long’s right. The puck bounced in behind the net where Jordan Watts corralled it and passed back to Colling before being pinned on the boards. Colling’s pass found the tape of Joel Malchuk at the dot to Long’s left. Malchuk shot into Long’s left shoulder and the puck dribbled down the goaltender’s back just inside the left post for Malchuck’s first career goal.
Colgate’s answer came at 14:25 in the second when McIntyre picked up a mishandled puck at his own blue line behind the RPI defender. Backchecking Engineers looked to intercept the streaking McIntyre, but his quickness assured his opportunity for a breakaway on York. McIntyre flew in on York’s right side, sidestepped across the slot and found an open five-hole for his 18th of the season.
“We had good energy all night,” Vaughan said.
Colgate skated through a very physical contest featuring 10 penalties; one a five-minute major for boarding by Rensselaer’s Garrett Vassel that resulted in Jason William’s being carted off the ice on a stretcher with seven seconds left in the second period. He is said to be undergoing further tests at Hamilton Hospital, but Vaughan said “it looks like he is going to be OK.”
Appert said “We skated hard and penalty killed well; we had to given the amount of penalties, but that wasn’t enough tonight.”
“It is good to win a league game,” said Vaughan. “We had been 1-4 in league games that went to overtime this year. I am glad the seniors go out with a win [in the home finale], but we have more hockey to play.”
Both teams are back on the ice next Friday, February 27; the Engineers return home to the Huston Field House in Troy, NY to host the Golden Knights of Clarkson University (9-16-7, 7-9-4 ECAC). Colgate travels to the Ingalls Arena in New Haven, CT to take on the league leading Bulldogs of Yale University (19-6-2, 14-4-2 ECAC).
