TROY, N.Y. – Nine different players recorded points for the Colgate University men's hockey team en route to a 3-2 victory over Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in the 44th Annual Big Red Freakout! on Saturday night at the Houston Field House. With the win, the Raiders improve to 12-14-3 (7-7-3 ECAC Hockey), while the Engineers drop to 13-18-3 (8-10-0 ECAC Hockey).

Graduate student Paul McAvoy (Richmond, KY / Surrey Eagles) opened the scoring for the visitors at 11:16 of the first, taking a feed in the left circle and rifling a shot into the top left corner of the net for his first goal of the season. Helpers went to junior Matt Verboon (Geneva, Switzerland / Salmon Arm Silverbacks) and senior Griffin Lunn (Lockport, NY / Sioux Falls Stampede).

RPI pulled even at 1-1 with under two minutes to play in the opening stanza, when a point shot by sophomore blueliner Jack Agnew (Oakville, ON / Boston College) snuck past Colgate graduate student goaltender Mitch Benson (Windsor, ON / Brooks Bandits) and just over the line. Agnew's first collegiate tally drew assists from senior captain Ture Linden (Great Falls, VA / Lone Star Brahmas) and junior Ryan Mahshie (Stoney Creek, BC / Brooks Bandits).

Colgate came out firing in the second period and wound up scoring the only two goals of the frame, while outshooting the Engineers, 15-6.

Junior Colton Young (Calgary, AB / Canmore Eagles) gave the Raiders a lead they did not relinquish just 1:26 into the stanza. Sophomore Alex Young (Calgary, AB / Canmore Eagles) and senior Josh McKechney (Calgary, AB / Brooks Bandits) earned the assists on Young's team-leading 13th goal of the season.

The Raiders then made it 3-1 at 18:15 of the period on a back door tap-in from sophomore Levi Glasman (Lacombe, AB / Powell River Kings). Classmate Ross Mitton (Copiague Harbor, NY / Omaha Lancers) flew up the right wing with the puck, before snapping a pass across to the left for Glasman for the goal.

Junior Mason Klee (Morrison, CO / Sioux Falls Stampede) took advantage of a fortuitous bounce at 10:59 of the third to score his first goal of the season. His shot from the right circle defected off the stick of a defender and over the shoulder of Benson to pull RPI within 3-2. Sophomore Dylan Davies (Traverse City, MI / Sioux Falls Stampede) and senior Jakub Lacka (Bratislava, Slovakia / Central Illinois Flying Aces).

RPI had a late 5-on-3 power play chance, which was followed by a 6-on-4 advantage after lifting freshman netminder Jack Watson (Toronto, ON / Coquitlam Express) with a minute to play, but could not find an equalizing goal.

Benson (4-3-2) finished with 22 saves to earn the victory in net, while Watson (5-5-0) had 28 stops at the other end of the ice.

The Engineers are back in action next weekend, when they travel to Brown and Yale for their final road ECAC Hockey weekend of the regular season. Colgate visits Brown for a makeup game on Monday (5pm).