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| Colorado's John Brunkhorst collides with Colgate goalie Steve Silverthorn during third-period action Friday in Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Mich. (Photo by Timothy Sofranko) |
The Colgate men's hockey team ended its season with a 25-11-3 mark, the second most wins in the 75-year history of the program.
The 2004-05 campaign did not come to a quiet end, but rather it featured a Raiders team that clawed back repeatedly against Colorado College on Friday night in an NCAA Midwest Regional matchup in Grand Rapids, Mich.
With just under five minutes left in the contest, though, Hobey Baker candidate Brett Sterling scored the game-winning goal to lift top-seeded Colorado to a 6-5 victory against No. 4-seed Colgate at Van Andel Arena.
"Colgate didn't quit," Colorado coach Scott Owens told The Denver Post. "We made mistakes and they capitalized. We knew they would be a tough draw. Their goaltender (Steve Silverthorn) is very talented and made some key plays at key times."
Silverthorn finished the night with 33 saves while the Tigers' Curtis McElhinney made 12 stops.
Colorado got on the board first with a power play goal at 2:29 of the first period. Brian Salcido blasted a shot over the shoulder of Silverthorn.
Colgate answered with one of its own at 8:16 as junior Jon Smyth stole a Colorado College pass in the neutral zone and skated in alone on McElhinney, beating him glove side for the shorthanded goal.
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| Colgate’s Adam Mitchell (right) and Kyle Wilson get ready to skate off the ice after Friday's game. (Photo by Timothy Sofranko) |
The Tigers regained the lead 2-1 at 12:26 when Aaron Slattengren one-timed a Braydon Cox pass.
Colorado struck again at 13:15 on Marty Sertich’s 26th goal of the season for a 3-1 Tigers lead. Sertich took a Polaski pass behind the net and wrapped it around and under Silverthorn.
The Raiders erased the two-goal deficit at 14:01 on Smyth’s second of the game when he beat McElhinney from the right point.
The Tigers took a 4-2 lead at 8:02 of the second period on a goal by Lee Sweatt. Sweatt took a cross-ice pass from Crabb and fired a slap shot from the right face off dot and over Silverthorn's shoulder.
Senior captain Adam Mitchell connected on Colgate’s second shorthanded goal of the night at 10:56 of the second period to cut the lead 4-3. Mitchell cut off a Colorado College pass at the blueline and raced the length of the ice for his 12th goal of the season.
Sterling got his first goal of the night at 5:56 of the third period to put Colorado ahead 5-3 taking advantage of a two-man power play situation.
Colgate came back again at 10:17 when senior defenseman Eamon Del Giacco rifled a pass from behind the Colorado net and found classmate Justin Spencer alone in front.
The Raiders tied the game at five at 14:13 as Mitchell stuffed the puck in the net following a scramble in front of McElhinney.
But the Tigers would strike just 75 seconds later when Sterling scored his second goal of the game (his 34th this season).
