Posted: Dec 01, 2013
The Colby men's ice hockey team defeated the Suffolk University Rams 6-3 in the first of two Sunday games to conclude the Colby-Bowdoin Faceoff Classic.
The Mules improve to 3-2-2, while dropping the Rams to3-5-1.
Suffolk opened the game in a man down situation after being assessed a protocol penalty during warm-ups, which Colby took quick advantage of. Brendan Cosgrove took a hard shot from the point, with the rebound loose on the left side, Ben Chwick poked the puck in to take the 1-0 lead just 54 seconds into the period. Suffolk evened the score with 2:14 remaining as Stanton Turner skated down the left side, past the red line, a flicked a quick back pass to an unmarked Richard Woodworth. Woodworth wristed a shot top-shelf to best Colby's Ben Csiernik and tie the game 1-1.
The Mules regained the lead for good at 6:25 into the second period. Ray Zeek took a hard shot from the top of the left circle. Brandon Smolarek made a save on the initial bid, but left the puck loose on the right post where Nick Lanza stepped up and poked it home for the 2-1 lead. Less than two minutes later Colby tacked on another goal as Tyler Lingel skated down the right side and flipped the puck far post. The Rams answered in the 12th minute when Tim Sprauge skated uncontested down the left side and wristed the puck top right corner on Csiernik. With 1:47 remaining Colby scored their fourth of the game, taking the 4-2 lead, with a shot from the slot by Jack Burton.
Colby continued stretched the lead with a third period goal from Burton. Collecting his own rebound off the initial shot, Burton put the Mules up 5-2 with 12:09 to play. The Rams were not done, as Charlie McGinnis netted his team's third of the game with ten minutes remaining. McGinnis corralled Simon Leahy's feed and sent the puck top shelf to round out Suffolk's scoring. Colby tacked on one final goal with only seconds remaining as Chwick's power play score closed out the game.
Smolarek made 35 stops in net for the Rams, as Csiernik made 22 saves for the Mules to collect his first win of the season.
Colby's next matchup will be against Tufts on December 6 with a 7:00 PM start in Waterville. Suffolk travels to Franklin Pierce on Saturday, December 7, with a 7:00 PM puck drop.
(Story courtesy of Colby College Sports Information)