Rensselaer Defeated by Colgate

Photo by Sara Melikian

TROY, N.Y. - Fransois Brisebois scored the game-winning goal and added an assist to lead Colgate University to a 5-3 victory over Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in an ECAC Hockey game at the Houston Field House. Colgate improves to 7-5-4 overall and 5-3-1 in the league, while the Engineers fall to 8-8-1 and 3-3-0.

Brisebois (Montreal, PQ/St. Paul's School) scored at 2:17 of the third period with the score tied 3-3. His goal, the seventh of the season, came from between the circles after crisp passing by his linemates, Nick Prokow (Montreal, PQ/Berkshire Academy) and Robbie Bourdon (Ile Bizard, PQ/Taft School). Senior David McIntyre (Pefferlaw, ON/Newmarket) added an insurance goal at 18:01 for the Raiders.

RPI jumped out to an early lead when junior Joel Malchuk (Brandon, MB/Dauphin Kings) found the puck loose just outside the crease and chipped it past Colgate netminder Alex Long (Cleveland Heights, OH/Brockville) just 2:02 into the contest. Freshman Marty O'Grady (London, ON/Wellington Dukes), who threw the puck toward the goal, and sophomore Alex Angers-Goulet (St. Augustin, PQ/Langley Chiefs), who forced a turnover, earned the assists.

Rensselaer's lead was short-lived as the Raiders tied it with a Brian Day (Danvers, MA/Governor's Academy) power play goal just 3:14 later. The junior earned his tenth of the season when he scored on a rebound of a Brisebois shot from close range. Thomas Larkin (Cocquio Trevisago, Italy/Phillips Exeter Academy) also assisted on the play.

Colgate went ahead at 7:01 of the first when freshman Christian Long (Cleveland Heights, OH/Brockville) beat RPI sophomore Allen York (Wetaskiwin, AB/Camrose Kodiaks) from the bottom of the left faceoff circle. Sophomores Matt Firman (Fayetteville, NY/Northwood School) and Austin Smith (Dallas, TX/Penticton) garnered the assists on the goal, Long's third of the season.

The Raiders went ahead by two goals, 3-1, in the second period when freshman Kurtis Bartliff (Clinton, ON/Nanaimo) stole the puck and scored an unassisted goal on a wrist shot.

The Engineers fought back to tie the score before the period ended, however, on goals by Patrick Cullen (Washington, DC/Indiana Ice) and Tyler Helfrich (Calgary, AB/Prince George Spruce Kings). Cullen's goal, a slap shot off the post, came at 8:09 and Helfrich's marker was scored at 16:28. On RPI's third goal, Cullen found Goulet streaking down the left wing. He drove to the net before passing across the crease to Helfrich, who stuffed it into the back of the net.

RPI, which was outshot 16-5 in the first period, held a 13-6 advantage in shots in the middle stanza. The Engineers outshot the Raiders, 11-6, in the third period.

Long finished with 26 saves for the win, while York stopped 23 shots.

RPI returns to the ice on Wednesday night when it hosts area-rival Union College in an ECAC Hockey contest at 7pm. The Raiders are idle until December 20 when they travel to Canisius for a non-league game (5pm).