Box Score / Post-Game Comments

HAMILTON, N.Y. – Freshmen Scott Diebold made 49 saves, while
classmate Mark McGowan notched two goals and an assist to lead
the Rensselaer men's hockey team to a 4-2 victory over Colgate, this
evening in ECAC Hockey action from Starr Rink.

Colgate (17-13-3, 11-9-1 ECAC) had Austin Smith score his 50th point
with an assist on the first goal by the Raiders. Chris Wagner came up
with two assists and now has 31 helpers on the year. Rookies Joe
Wilson and Spiro Goulakos netted goals and Jeremy Price had an assist.
Eric Mihalik made 19 saves in the loss.

The Engineers (6-21-3, 6-12-3 ECAC) got a great start from
Diebold in net as he stole the show with 49 saves, including 19 in the
third period. McGowan led the offense with a pair of goals and a
helper, with one coming shorthanded. C.J. Lee and Jacob Lalliberte
also scored for Rensselaer.

After a scoreless first period where Colgate outshot the Engineers
18-6, Rensselaer was the first get on the board as McGowan stuffed
home a shorthanded goal with help from CJ Lee. On a clearing by the
visitors, Mihalik went to play the puck behind the net and Lee swooped
in to steal it and found McGowan in front for the score.

Colgate answered with 4:13 remaining in the second with Wilson putting
home his own rebound. Wagner hit Smith in the slot, who found Wilson
at the side of the net. After his initial shot way stopped by Diebold,
he slipped the puck between his pads to tie the game. The Raiders
increased their lead to 2-1 with a 5-on-3 goal from Goulakos. Colgate
had a great chance with Smith early in the play, but he missed a tip.
The puck came to Price, who switched spots on the blueline with
Goulakos and Goulakos ended up with the puck. He blasted home a shot
from the point that beat Diebold.

The Engineers fired back with their second goal of the period, which
was a power play goal and came with two seconds left in the frame.
Colgate took a penalty with six seconds left and Laliberte tipped home
a Nick Bailen shot from the point to tie the game at 2-2.

The third period started for Rensselaer like the second ended. The
Engineers got a goal from Lee just 16 second into the final frame to
give the lead back to the visitor. McGowan had the puck behind the net
and hit Lee in stride at the opposite circle and he beat Mihalik with
a wrist shot.

Colgate had its chances with 19 shots in the third period, including
one great chance for Robbie Bourdon as he received a pass in the slot
and was alone with Diebold in front. He moved to his backhand, but
Diebold stretched out the pads to deny the junior forward.

Rensselaer added an insurance goal with 1:58 remaining in the game as
McGowan netted his second of the game that beat Mihalik from the
faceoff dot on the blocker side to close out the scoring at 4-2.

Colgate dominated in shots with a 51-23 shot advantage. The Raiders
had nine chances on the power play and scored once. They had 16 shots
on the man advantage, but Diebold stopped 15 of them. Rensselaer went
1-for-4 on the power play with four shots.

The Raiders need one point tomorrow night to clinch a first-round bye
in the upcoming ECAC Hockey playoffs. Colgate can finished anywhere
from third to sixth depending on other games in the league tomorrow
and the result of Colgate's own game. Union will be coming to Starr
Rink with a chance for the Cleary Cup as they lost to Cornell tonight.
Colgate takes on the Dutchmen at 7 p.m. at Starr Rink.