Colgate Opens Season Hosting Golden Gophers, Drops 3-1 Decision
The Colgate women’s hockey team celebrates its first period goal against the nation’s top-ranked Minnesota Golden Gophers Friday night. (Photo by Bob Cornell)
By Kat Castner
(Hamilton, NY – Oct. 5, 2013) Colgate skated hand in hand with the two-time defending national champions and No. 1-ranked Minnesota here Friday night but eventually fell 3-1.
The Raiders and Golden Gophers were knotted at 1-1 through two periods until Minnesota tallied two in the final frame to take the victory.
“I was really happy about the way our team played tonight,” Colgate head coach Greg Fargo said. “We thought we came out really strong and ready to play. It was nice to get the power-play goal and get up first against a team like that but the thing I liked the most about tonight’s effort was that we didn’t stop. From the minute the puck dropped in the first period to the very end, I was really proud of the effort from our entire team.”
Colgate (0-1-0) received its lone goal from rookie Liz Trautz. The marker was her first career goal and the Raiders first of the 2013-14 season. Junior Miriam Drubel and sophomore Nicole Gass were awarded assists on the play. Colgate’s netminder, Ashlynne Rando pushed aside 32 shots, including 14 in the third period alone.
Minnesota (1-0-0) saw Rachel Bona net two of its three goals, both coming in the final period. The Golden Gophers also recorded a goal by Hannah Brandt, which tied the game at 1-all in the first frame.
Colgate tallied its goal just two minutes into the opening period. Following a Minnesota tripping penalty, the Raiders were awarded a power-play opportunity and they didn’t waste very much time converting on it. After Minnesota’s goaltender Amanda Leveille made a save on a Gass’ shot from the right faceoff circle, she wasn’t able to fall on the puck as Trautz found the rebound for the 1-0 advantage.
The Raiders continued their strong performance in the defensive zone, blocking three shots right in a row.
With 9:41 remaining in the first period, Colgate was called for hooking, putting Minnesota on the power-play. The Golden Gophers worked the puck around the back of the net before firing a shot from the right side. Rando came up with a brilliant save to keep her shutout alive. The Raiders were able to kill off the rest of the penalty without conceding the tying goal.
At the 15:21 mark, the defending national champions found the equalizer off a rebound. Rando made an initial save on Bona but couldn’t fall on the puck before Brandt found the back of the net, shooting it past Rando’s right shoulder.
Colgate started the second period just as strong as the first, deflecting shot after shot.
The Raiders were called for tripping 1:18 into the period, giving the Golden Gophers another power-play chance. Colgate wasn’t fazed by the man-down opportunity as the home side killed off another Minnesota advantage.
In the eighth minute, Gass almost found Stephanie Giannopoulos for the go-ahead goal. Through traffic, Gass slid the puck forward past the last defensemen but Giannopoulos couldn’t get her stick on.
Colgate stayed on the attack firing three shots right in a row, but each time Leveille made stellar stops to keep the game knotted at 1-1.
The Raiders earned a 5-on-3 advantage after back-to-back penalties on Minnesota. Colgate had a great chance on net when Gass found Kueber in the right faceoff circle. Kueber then slid the puck to Trautz, who fired the redirection on net. Leveille came up with a brilliant save, however, to rob the Raiders of a goal. Colgate had two more chances on net before the Golden Gophers killed off the opportunity.
The game remained tied early in the final frame with both teams earning chances on goal.
But the Golden Gophers would notch the go-ahead marker with 17:45 remaining in the game. Brandt had the puck deep in the Raiders’ defensive zone. She found an open Bona on the right side of the crease, where the junior curled it in past a sliding Rando.
With three minutes remaining in the contest, Rando made two stellar stops in a row. Kelly Terry passed the puck to Brandt, who was wide open on the backside of the net. Rando sprawled out to make the initial save and then followed that up by blocking the second shot with another impressive save.
The Raiders were given a power-play opportunity in the final two minutes of play, but it would be Minnesota that would net its insurance marker despite the disadvantage. The Golden Gophers’ short-handed goal came at the 18:09 mark following a faceoff win by Bona. She collected the puck and skated down the ice for a breakaway. She shot the puck past Rando’s top right shoulder to ultimately secure Minnesota’s win.
Colgate killed off all six Golden Gophers’ power play chances while the Raiders converted on one of their own.
Minnesota held the advantage on shots, 35-22, but Colgate controlled the middle frame outshooting the Golden Gophers 11-9.