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Women’s Team USA Falls to Canada

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Brianna Decker (Dousman, Wis./University of Wisconsin) and Gigi Marvin (Warroad, Minn./University of Minnesota) each scored third-period goals and goaltender Brianne McLaughlin(Sheffield Village, Ohio/Robert Morris University) stopped 26 shots, but the U.S. Women’s National Team fell to Canada, 3-2, here tonight.

“We came on as the game went on, but we want to start faster,” said Katey Stone, head coach of the 2014 U.S. Olympic Women’s Ice Hockey Team. “You can learn a lot in a loss, and you can learn a lot in a win. We just have to keep building and working hard. There are definitely positives you can take from a game like this, and the kids got the opportunity to play in a great building on a great stage.”

Canada jumped out to a 3-0 lead with two goals in the second period and one early in the third before the U.S. rallied in an effort to tie the score.

Decker put Team USA on the board at 11:05 of the final period when she batted a rebound in after a scramble at the edge of the crease. With Team USA on the power play, Meghan Duggan (Danvers, Mass./University of Wisconsin) and Alex Carpenter (North Reading, Mass./Boston College) created traffic in front of Canada goaltender Shannon Szabados and worked the puck to Decker at the side of the net. Her first attempt was stopped but she managed to get her stick on the rebound to cut the lead to 3-1.

Three minutes later, Marvin cut to the net and beat Szabados through the five-hole to bring the U.S. within one. After a quick breakout pass by Monique Lamoureux (Grand Forks, N.D./University of North Dakota) started a two-on-one, Jocelyne Lamoureux (Grand Forks, N.D./University of North Dakota) made a perfect pass to Marvin streaking down the middle of the ice and Marvin converted on the semi-breakaway.

The late bid to knot the score fell just short as several quality U.S. chances were stopped by Szabados in the closing minutes of the game.

Team Canada’s Caroline Ouellette opened the scoring 4:16 into the middle period when she was able to get a stick on a Jayna Hefford centering pass and direct it just past McLaughlin’s right leg. Then, 90 seconds later, Bailey Bram scored to increase Canada’s lead to 2-0.

Tara Watchorn recorded the eventual game-winning goal early in the third period on a power play before Team USA started its comeback attempt.

The U.S. will play Canada on Thursday (Oct. 17) in Montreal, Quebec, before resuming the Bring on the World Tour at the Four Nations Cup, held Nov. 5-9 in Lake Placid, N.Y. For ticket information, click here.

Lightning Strike for Cancer

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The Tonawanda Lightning Pee Wee Minor showed their support for some of the moms on the team and for others fighting the battle against breast cancer by taping their sticks pink and wearing pink ribbon decals on their helmets for the month of October.

Canisius Season Tickets On Sale NOW!

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Buffalo is a hockey town and Western New York embraces the sport like no other place in the country. Hockey is what WNY lives, sleeps, eats and breathes.

As a fan, give \ yourself the opportunity to enjoy  hockey at the collegiate level.

Canisius College moved to the national level last year and next season will be playing out of a new arena just across from the NHL Buffalo Sabres. If you want to be part of all this action, the Griffs have season tickets on sale now!

Did you know Canisius ranked 19th in the country last year after making it’s first NCAA Tournament appearance? Did you know the national leader in saves wore a Griffin on his sweater? His name is Tony Capobianco and he’s back for another year. In addition, the country’s 12th-ranked scorer, Kyle Gibbons, also returns.

What’s really neat is that the team plays 15 home games and you can see ALL of those games for $75.00! Not each game, but ALL of them!! And, when you buy your season tickets for this season, you will receive priority to purchase your ticket next year at the brand new HARBORcenter at a price less than will be offered to those who do not take advantage of this fabulous opportunity.

To order, click on the buy tickets tab and then buckle your seat belts as the Griffs take off on another wild ride. For additional information, call 716-888-2885.

Labatt Signs On As Frozen Frontier Sponsor

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The Rochester Americans and Red Wings jointly announced today that Labatt has joined the Frozen Frontier event as the presenting sponsor. The official name of the 10-day outdoor hockey festival at Frontier Field in December is the Greater Rochester Area Honda Dealers Frozen Frontier presented by LabattIt was also announced that two more hockey games will be played on Sunday, Dec. 15 at Frontier Field.

 

In addition to the Sabres/Amerks Alumni Game now scheduled for 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 15, the Geneseo Knights and Nazareth Golden Flyers men’s hockey teams will face-off against each other at 12:00 p.m. on Sunday and the Buffalo Junior Sabres of the Ontario Junior Hockey League will follow with a game against the St. Michael’s Buzzers at 2:30 p.m.

 

All tickets for both the Geneseo-Nazareth game and the Junior Sabres game are general admission and are available for purchase at FrozenFrontier2013.com or by calling the Red Wings front office at (585) 454-1001 for just $10.00. Students and faculty of both Geneseo and Nazareth can purchase tickets to the game for $7.00 on their respective campuses.

 

“This is an amazing opportunity for our team to be part of a totally unique event,” said Geneseo ice hockey coach Chris Schultz. “There aren’t too many hockey players that didn’t grow up outside on a pond in the middle of winter, so having a chance to do it again at this level will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It also gives us a way to connect with our fans in a new way while showcasing our program at what promises to be a tremendous venue.”

 

“We are excited to be a part of the first ever Frozen Frontier Hockey Showcase. It is a great opportunity for Nazareth College, our fan base and our student athletes to participate in such a unique event,” said Nazareth head coach George Roll.

 

Tickets for the Sabres/Amerks Alumni Game can be purchased for $10.00 (Limited View), $15.00 (100 level) or $25.00 (200 level) and are now available online at FrozenFrontier2013.com or by calling the Red Wings at (585) 454-1001.

 

With the addition of these two games, there will now be a total of six hockey games during the opening weekend of the Greater Rochester Area Honda Dealers Frozen Frontier presented by Labatt. The Rochester Americans kick-off the 10-day outdoor hockey festival with a game against the Lake Erie Monsters on Friday, Dec. 13 at 7:00 p.m. The following day features an RIT doubleheader as the RIT women’s hockey team plays host to Clarkson at 12:00 p.m. before the men’s team welcomes Niagara to Frontier Field at 7:00 p.m.

 

The Greater Rochester Area Honda Dealers Frozen Frontier presented by Labatt wraps up the weekend of December 21-22 with two full days of high school hockey featuring 10 rivalry games from around Section V.

 

Fans can ensure their tickets to every game by purchasing an All-Access Package which includes a ticket to ALL Frozen Frontier events, an official Frozen Frontier winter cap and one ticket voucher for both an Amerks (2013/14 season) and Red Wings (2014 season) game. This All-Access Package, valued at $195.00 (200 level), can be purchased for just $60.00 (limited view), $80.00 (100 level) or $110 (200 level).

 

For more information regarding the Frozen Frontier, including ticketing, merchandise, food and beverage, ice times, sponsorship and much more please visit FrozenFrontier2013.com.

 

Hobart Names Captains

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Hobart College Hockey Head Coach Mark Taylor announced that senior Tommy Fiorentino (New Hartford, N.Y.) will serve as the team captain and juniors Bronson Kovacs (Sault Ste Marie, Ontario)Terrence O’Neill (Kearny, N.J.) and Peter Ryan (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.) will be assistant captains for the 2013-14 season.

 

“All four of these guys have had an impact on the program both on and off the ice,” said Taylor. “I expect the same type of impact from them as recognized leaders.”

 

A forward, Fiorentino logged seven goals and nine assists for 16 points last season. He played in 25 games and finished the year tied for sixth in the ECAC West with two game-winning goals. Fiorentino played a key role in the Statesmen offense that ranked second in the conference in goals per game (3.85).  He logged a hat trick in an 8-1 victory over Hamilton, and produced a goal and two assists in a 6-2 win over Nazareth. Fiorentino is a two-time ECAC West All-Academic honoree.

 

A defenseman, Kovacs played in 25 games last year. He produced six goals and four assists for 10 points. Kovacs finished the year tied for fifth in the ECAC West with four power-play goals and tied for 15th in defenseman scoring. He notched a goal and an assist in wins over Salve Regina, Neumann and Utica. Kovacs was tabbed the ECAC West Player of the Week once and earned a spot on the conference All-Academic team. He was also selected to the ECAC West All-USCHO.com Rookie Team in 2012.

 

Also a defenseman, O’Neill played in 25 games and tallied three goals and 13 assists for 16 points. He tied for sixth in the conference in defenseman scoring. O’Neill chipped in two assists in wins over Neumann and Nazareth and logged a goal and an assist in a victory over Elmira. He earned a spot on the 2013 ECAC West All-Academic team and was selected the 2012 ECAC West Co-Rookie of the Year. O’Neill was also named to the All-ECAC West Rookie Team in 2012.

 

A defenseman, Ryan played in 14 games in 2012-13. He earned an assist in the victory over the Continentals. Ryan played a key role in the Hobart defense that finished the year atop the ECAC West with 48 total goals allowed and 1.85 goals allowed per game. Ryan also garnered ECAC West All-Academic honors last year.

 

The Statesmen will begin the 2013-14 season on Nov. 1, when they host Manhattanville for an ECAC West game at The Cooler at 7 p.m.

Colgate Beats RIT

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The Colgate men’s hockey team broke a 1-1 tie with two goals in a span of 22 seconds in the second period to send the Raiders to a 4-1 win on the road on Thursday night.

 

Colgate (2-1-0) got four goals from four different skaters. Mike McCann led the way with a goal and an assist to tie a career-high with two points. Mike Borkowski and Andrew Black continued their hot starts with goals, while Joe Wilson tallied his first of the year. Eric Mihalik made 16 saves in net to earn his second-straight win.

 

RIT (0-1-0) was led by goalie Jordan Ruby, who made 32 saves and the game could have been much worse for the home team. Ben Lynch scored the lone goal for the Tigers with assists to Nolan Descoteaux and Brad Shumway.

 

“Offensively, we wanted to work the boards and chip and receive and we did that tonight,” head coach Vaughan said. “We want to control the boards and be able to roll guys back as well and we did a good job of that tonight.”

 

The Tigers earned the first lead of the contest with a 5-on-3 power play goal. RIT worked the puck to the top of the circles and Shumway fired a shot on net that Mihalik blocked aside, but Lynch was open in the slot and hit the open net. There was nothing Mihalik could do as the puck hit Lynch’s stick on the rebound and he didn’t miss.

 

The special teams continued to make an impact in the first period and this time it was Colgate making it count on its side. After the top unit was robbed by Ruby a couple of times, McCann got one by the netminder to tie the contest at 1-1. The only senior forward for the Raiders just put a shot on net from the left circle and with Darcy Murphy screening in front and Ruby couldn’t pick up the puck. Brett Corkey and Ryan Johnston were given assists on the goal and for Corkey it was his first collegiate point.

 

The penalty-filled first period continued after McCann’s goal as Colgate had two power plays, while Goulakos sat for five minutes, while RIT earned one during the train to the penalty box. The Raiders had the advantage in shots at 16-6.

 

The Raiders took control of the game with two goals in a span of 22 seconds to gain a 3-1 lead. Borkowski gave Colgate its first lead of the game with a blast from the slot after a Tiger turnover in its own end. Tyson Spink collected the puck at the half boards and slid a pass to Borkowski for the goal.

 

Black put the Raiders up 3-1 with his second goal of his young career. Darcy Murphy shoveled the puck to Black, who wasted no time getting the puck on net. The shot came just outside the faceoff dot on the left side. Ruby had no shot as the one-timer went high glove side and Colgate had a two-goal lead.

 

Wilson gave the Raiders even more insurance with his first goal of the season on Colgate’s fifth chance on the power play. He collected a lose puck at the faceoff circle with his back to the goal and fired a spinning shot that surprised Ruby to give the Raiders a 4-1 win.

 

“I was pleased with how we played defensively, especially in the third period,” Vaughan said. “A lot of that was because we kept them 200 feet away from their net and that was a good sign for us.”

 

The Raiders dominated in the shot advantage by a 36-17 margin.

 

Colgate is on the road next weekend with a visit to Bowling Green for a two-game set beginning on Friday night. The Raiders are back at Starr Rink against St. Cloud State onOct. 25 and 26. Fans can purchase tickets by logging onto bleedcolgatemaroon.com or by calling the Colgate Ticket Office at 315-228-7600.

 

NOTES: Colgate has posted power play goals in all three games this season … the Raiders have won their last six games against AHA teams … Borkowski is one goal away from his goal output from a season ago … lone game against an Atlantic Hockey team this season … Last game for the Raiders at Ritter Arena as RIT is building a new rink …  first Thursdaygame for Colgate since 2010 when the Raiders took on Boston College at the Ledyard Bank Classic at Dartmouth.

Girls–Try Hockey For Free This Weekend; USA Team Plays in Vermont

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Nearly 120 locations across the United States will help celebrate the third annual International Ice Hockey Federation World Girls’ Ice Hockey Weekend this Saturday and Sunday (Oct. 12-13). As part of the festivities, the U.S. Women’s National Team will take part in a youth hockey clinic, on Sunday (Oct. 13) at 11:40 a.m. ET at Cairns Arena, in South Burlington, Vt. USA Hockey will donate 12 sets of OneGoal starter equipment to the local association of choice of each member of the U.S. Women’s National Team.
The IIHF World Girls’ Ice Hockey Weekend is an opportunity to celebrate female participation in the sport. The goal of the event is to grow the game through a variety of events that aim to introduce beginners to basic skills in a positive, fun, and safe environment; provide more opportunities to play ice hockey; teach fair play, sportsmanship, and teamwork; create new friendships; and develop a lifelong love of the sport.
“USA Hockey is proud to be a leader in the continued advancement of girls’ and women’s hockey,” said Dave Ogrean, executive director of USA Hockey. “It’s terrific to see all the activity happening around the country this weekend and we’re most grateful to all the volunteers who are dedicated to helping grow the game.”
Events being hosted include youth hockey clinics featuring the America Development Model, hockey jamborees, Try Hockey for Free opportunities, female-only tournaments, introductory informational sessions about the sport, and numerous other hockey-themed gatherings.
Those taking part in the festivities this weekend are encouraged to share their experiences by posting photos and stories on USA Hockey’s Facebook page and on Twitter using the hashtag #girlshockey.
Some 30 states are hosting activities as part of the third annual IIHF World Girls’ Ice Hockey Weekend. To inquire about an event occurring in your area, contact Shannon Webster at [email protected]. For more information on the IIHF World Girls’ Ice Hockey Weekend, click here.

AHL Taps Four for Hall

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Slaney made his fifth career All-Star Classic appearance in 2006, and on Jan. 21, 2007, he became the first defenseman in AHL history to reach 500 career points. Slaney, who finished his playing career in Europe, returned to the AHL as an assistant coach with the Portland Pirates in 2011 and remains in that position today.

At the time of his last game, Slaney’s career totals of 166 goals, 353 assists and 519 points were all career records for an AHL defenseman.

Skate at Bill Gray’s IcePlex Monday

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BILL GRAY’S REGIONAL ICEPLEX ANNOUNCES
FAMILY DAY SKATE EVENT FOR COLUMBUS DAY

 

Rochester, New York – Bill Gray’s Regional Iceplex announced today plans to host a Family Day Skating Event on the Columbus Day holiday – Monday October 14th.

The popular event will offer families two optional sessions to choose from, one from1:00pm to 2:50pm and one from 3:00pm to 4:50pm.

For $20.00 a family of four will receive admission to the skate, free rental skates (if needed), one free public skating pass per family member valid for a future public skate session, a large pizza (cheese or pepperoni) and a pitcher of soda.

Quality food provided by Bill Gray’s Restaurant and Tap Room, which is located inside the Iceplex.  Additional food is also available for purchase, including ice cream from Abbott’s Frozen Custard.

For more information, or to view the full public skating schedule, visitwww.billgraysiceplex.com

Zigo-Maniacs in Rochester

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AMERKS’ MIKE ZIGOMANIS BRINGS HIS “ZIGO-MANIACS” PROGRAM TO ROCHESTER

 

(ROCHESTER, N.Y.) – Rochester Americans forward Mike Zigomanis, the winner of the 2012-13 Yanick Dupre Memorial Award as the American Hockey League’s Man of the Year, has brought his “Zigo-Maniacs” program to Rochester this season.

 

Zigomanis has purchased a suite at The Blue Cross Arena for all Amerks home games this season and will provide the tickets to various local organizations that focus on assisting underprivileged youth or children who are battling illness. Following each game, Zigomanis will spend time with the guests. The 13-year veteran began the program in Toronto when he was a member of the Marlies.

 

Members of The Boys & Girls Clubs of Rochester attended the Amerks Home Opener on Friday in the Zigo-Maniacs Suite and met with Zigomanis, one of Rochester’s alternate captains, following the game.

 

Tickets for the Zigo-Maniacs suite will be distributed by the Amerks Front Office. Children’s charities that are interested in attending a game can contact the Amerks Front Office at (585) 454-5335.

 

The Amerks’ next home game is Friday, Oct. 11 at 7:05 p.m. versus the Utica Comets. Full-Season, Half-Season, Freedom Packs and 12-Game ticket packages, along with individual game tickets, for the 2013-14 season are now on sale. For more information, visit www.amerks.com or call 1-855-GO-AMERKS.

Teichroeb Takes AHA Honors

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HAVERHILL, Mass. – Freshman goaltender Jackson Teichroeb  of the Niagara hockey team was awarded with Atlantic Hockey Association weekly honors, pocketing Travel Team USA Player, Goaltender and Rookie of the Week announced by the league on Tuesday morning.

Despite dropping his first career start for the Niagara hockey team on Saturday against Clarkson, the rookie goaltender had a superb showing between the pipes.

The London, Ont. native made 39 saves against the Golden Knights in his debut in Purple and White in 59:16 minutes of play.  After one game the 6-foot-1 netminder owns a .951 save percentage and a 2.02 goals-against average.

Teichroeb also picked up his first career point assisting on Mike Conderman’s power play goal.

Teichroeb and the Purple Eagles resume play on Saturday, Oct. 12 when Niagara hosts the Canisius Golden Griffins in the season’s first AHA contest of the season.  Puck drop is schedule for 7 p.m.

Get your tickets for Saturday’s game by calling the Niagara Ticket Office (located inside Dwyer Arena) at 716-286-TIXX, visitwww.PurpleEagles.com/TIckets or by emailing [email protected].

Players to Watch–Paralympic Winter Games 2014

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The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has included six ice sledge hockey players on its Ones to Watch list, which was revealed on Tuesday (8 October) with exactly 150 days to go until the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games.

The six players included are: Canada's Greg Westlake and Brad Bowden, USA's Steve Cash and Josh Pauls, Russia's Dmitry Lisov and Norway's Rolf Pedersen. More athletes from the sport may be added to the Ones to Watch campaign following the conclusion of the IPC Ice Sledge Hockey Qualification Tournament, which takes place from 20-26 October in Torino, Italy.

The IPC's Ones to Watch initiative for Sochi 2014 will showcase the top winter athletes around the world, with all of the selections having won medals on the international stage, in addition to strong appearances in the media.

Westlake headlines the list, having captained Canada to gold and being named Best Forward at the 2013 IPC Ice Sledge Hockey World Championships A-Pool in Goyang, South Korea. In his career, Westlake has racked up more than 230 points on the ice, and he was part of Canada's last gold-medal Paralympic performance at the Torino 2006 Games.

Westlake said: "I am completely honoured to be included in the Ones to Watch. Not only are there so many great players in the world already, but the sport's popularity is constantly growing and players are getting better every year.

"It is becoming increasingly more difficult to stay on this list, so anytime you can make a list like this with some other tremendous athletes it is a really special thing to be a part of.

"I know that everyone on this list and many more who could have been included will be working hard to give their country the best possible chance to win a gold medal in Sochi, so making this list is also a reminder to keep training at a high level."

On the other side of the puck, American goaltender Steve Cash will also be entering his third Paralympics. At the Vancouver 2010 Games, Cash lived up to his nickname "Money," as he didn't allow a single goal in the entire tournament en-route to the USA winning gold. Last season was one of Cash's best, posting his best goals against average (GAA) of his career at 0.79 to go along with a .926 save percentage and five shutouts. Lisov, meanwhile, has been a star for a Russian team that's on the rise. He has helped Russia qualify for their first Paralympics in the sport after starting up a team just three years ago, and he led them to a bronze-medal finish at last season's World Championships. Despite being 44, Pedersen is still considered one of the game's all-time greats as he prepares for his fourth Paralympics in the sport. He's still searching his first ice sledge hockey Paralympic gold, though, having won silver twice and bronze once with the Norwegian team. Pauls, a rising star forward on Team USA, is coming off a masterful season on the sledge, in which he scored nine goals and recorded 11 assists to lead his squad.

He's become known among the media as "Spudsy," as he's a very superstitious athlete who can often be seen looking towards a Mr. Potatohead figure before each game. Bowden rounds out the list as Canada's assistant captain and two-time Paralympic gold medallist - once in ice sledge hockey and once in wheelchair basketball. He led his team in scoring at last year's World Championships. For more information on these athletes and the sport, please visit the IPC Ice Sledge Hockey website at www.ipc-icesledgehockey.org.

Colgate Faces RIT–Game Notes

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After earning a split last weekend against Ferris State, the Colgate men’s hockey team is playing its lone game of the week on Thursday night at 7 p.m. against RIT at Ritter Arena.

The game is going to be live on Time Warner Cable Sports Channel 2 in Central New York (Ch. 324), however RIT will be live streaming the game as well through America One.

COLGATE HOCKEY ON TWITTER
Colgate men’s hockey is on Twitter. Fans can follow along for behind the scenes photos and facts, while also getting game day updates and alumni stories. Search for the Twitter handle @Colgate_Hockey and follow the Raiders today.

THIS WEEK: THURSDAY NIGHT HOCKEY AT RIT
Colgate is on the road for the first time this season next Thursday night, but it isn’t a long road trip as the Raiders head to Rochester. This is the first time since 1985-86 that these two upstate schools will play in back-to-back years. Colgate defeated the Tigers last season by a 6-3 score. This will also be the first time since 1983-84 that Colgate is playing on RIT’s campus after playing in downtown Rochester the last three meetings away from Starr Rink. The game is the lone one for the Raiders against Atlantic Hockey this year.

NEXT WEEK: HITTING THE ROAD TO BGSU
The Raiders are back on the road next weekend with a long trip to Bowling Green, Ohio, to take on the Falcons of Bowling Green State University. The Raiders are returning the favor of a long trip after the Falcons came to campus last year. The two-game series was split with Colgate taking the second game by a 4-2 score. Bowling Green, like Ferris State, is now a part of the new WCHA. The Falcons face Union this weekend at Messa Rink and then host Ohio State next week prior to taking on the Raiders.

RAIDERS ON TV
Colgate is set to be on television twice this season with next week’s matchup against RIT on Time Warner Cable Sports Channel 2 (Ch. 324 in CNY). The next time the Raiders will be on the tube, will be at Minnesota on Jan. 4 on the first day of the Mariucci Classic, as Colgate takes on the Golden Gophers. The home dates for televised games has yet to be announced.

CORNWALL SOUTH
The Raiders have done a lot of their recruiting in Cornwall the last couple of years, and it has resulted in five players making the trip to Hamilton. Anthony Sanniti joined the Spink twins, Kyle Baun and Mike Borkowski as Cornwall alums on the team. All five started at least once last weekend and the four sophomores combined for 10 of the 15 points recorded over the weekend.

SECOND GAME SHUTOUT
Eric Mihalik and his defense played solid on Saturday night against Ferris State and earned a 1-0 shutout victory. It was the fourth career shutout for the senior netminder and first as a 1-0 victory. He made 25 saves in the win.

NOT MISSING A BEAT
The sophomore class that made a huge impact as rookies is back and got off to a great start last weekend. Kyle Baun and Mike Borkowski each had a goal and an assist for three points with Baun tallying a power play goal in game two, which was the gamewinner. The Spink twins added two points with a goal and an assist each. Two of the four goals scored by the class were power play tallies.

FAST START
Colgate wasted no time getting on the board in the first game against Ferris State with two goals in the opening eight minutes. The Raiders played good defense in the first period as they did not give up a goal in both games last weekend.

PENALTY KILL IMPACT
On Friday night, the penalty kill for Colgate gave up a pair of power play goals, but responded in Saturday’s game by shutting out the Bulldogs on five chances. The biggest moment in the game was a 5-on-3 chance for Ferris State late in the second period. However, the Bulldogs were unable to get on the board and then Colgate held them off twice in the third period to perserve the shutout.

RAIDERS PICK 9TH IN BOTH POLLS
ECAC Hockey released it preseason polls on Sept. 24 and the Colgate men’s hockey team was slated to finish ninth in the media and coaches’ polls. This year looks wide open for the league with six different teams earning first-place votes in the coaches poll with Yale leading the way with four votes, followed by Rensselaer, Quinnipiac and Union with two votes.  The media poll also featured a lot of parity with Rensselaer earning the top spot with 18 first-place votes.

SCOUTING THE TIGERS
RIT welcomes Colgate on Brick City Homecoming and Family Weekend and the Raiders will be playing the final home opener at Ritter Arena as the team will move the new 4,500-seat Gene Polisseni Center in 2014-15. The Tigers played an exhibition matchup against Queen’s last weekend and lost by a 2-1 decision. RIT was picked to finish fifth in the Atlantic Hockey Association Preseason Poll. They finished behind Niagara, Mercyhurst, Air Force and Canisius.

The Tigers return a lot of experience with 19 skaters coming back from a season ago. Twelve of the returners are forwards, while six defensemen are back and Jordan Ruby, the starting netminder. Captain Matt Garbowsky is back as the top scorer from 2012-13 as he had 33 points on 11 goals and 22 assists. Joining Garbowsky as the top scoring threats are Mike Colavecchia, who scored 12 goals and added 18 assists, and Greg Noyes on defense. Noyes had 29 points for seventh in the nation among defenseman. Overall, eight of the 10 top scorers are back from last season.

In goal, Ruby will be the primary starter for the Tigers after playing in 21 games a season ago and earning a 8-10-1 record. He posted a 3.05 goals against average and a .911 save percentage. Josh Watson graduated, so Ruby is the most experienced goalie for the Tigers and is not going to share time to start the year.

SERIES HISTORY
Colgate is 8-1-0 against RIT all-time and has not played at Ritter Arena for the last 30 years with the last meeting coming in 1983-84. Colgate is undefeated at RIT’s home rink and has won the last four meetings, including a 6-3 win a season ago at Starr Rink. The lone win for the Tigers came in 1985-86 season with RIT shutting out the Raiders by a 3-0 score.

Kevin Allen to Receive Lester Patrick Award

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One of the most respected and prolific chroniclers of the game for nearly four decades, USA Today’s national hockey writer Kevin Allen has been named the recipient of the 2013 Lester PatrickTrophy for outstanding service to hockey in the United States.

The award, one of the most prestigious in hockey, was presented to the National Hockey League by theNew York Rangers in 1966. It honors the memory of Lester Patrick, who spent 50 years in hockey as a player, coach and general manager and was a pioneer in the sport’s development.

Allen will be honored during the annual U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame induction celebration in Detroit on Dec. 2.

Allen has been USA Today Sports’ national hockey writer since 1986. The Wayne, Mich., native has penned stories on about 600 NHL playoff games, 26 Stanley Cup Finals, seven Olympic Games, plus Canada Cups, World Cups and World Championships during his career.

He also has written 16 hockey books — including Why is the Stanley Cup in Mario Lemieux‘s Pool andStar-Spangled Hockey, which chronicles the history of hockey in the United States. His latest book, written with former NHL player Darren McCarty, will be distributed this fall.

Allen’s first NHL story was published in the late 1970s when he was still a student at Eastern Michigan University. After taking a job with the Port Huron (Mich.) Times Herald, he wrote stories about theDetroit Red Wings from 1982-83 to 1985-86.

Universally respected by hockey executives, coaches and players, he also is widely admired by his peers. He was elected president of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association in 2003 and has served in that capacity for the last 10 years.

Tickets to the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Induction Dinner & Ceremony will be available online beginning Oct. 15.