Colgate’s Brad D’Arco assisted on three goals as the Raiders ran their unbeaten streak to eight games Friday night with a 5-3 win over Vermont at Gutterson Fieldhouse.
Colgate broke a 3-3 tie midway through the third period when Scooter Smith scored on a rebound at 9:34. D’Arco and Dmitry Yashin, who had a goal and an assist on the night, assisted on the game-winner for Colgate (12-13-2, 9-6-2 ECAC). Smith added an unassisted goal in the final minute.
Vermont (3-21-2, 3-13-1 ECAC) got on the board just 30 seconds into the game when Gerard Miller scored from the blue line. Oriel McHugh and Ryan Miller assisted on the goal, which came after McHugh’s original shot was blocked by a Colgate player. The puck caromed to Miller at the left point, and he skated in two strides before letting a low shot go.
Colgate tied the game at 1-1 at 18:32 of the first period when Ben Bryce scored from the left circle, with D’Arco getting the assist.
The Catamounts took a 2-1 lead at 7:56 of the second period when Patrick Sharp took a terrific headman pass from Gerard Miller and broke in alone, beating David Cann. The play started when Colgate made a rush through the neutral ice before losing the puck. Miller, skating backwards, threaded a pass through center to Sharp, who picked it up just before the blue line and broke in on Cann before getting off a low shot that trickled over the line.
The Raiders tied it again at 12:11 of the second when Rob Brown scored on the power play, with Matt Nicholson and Dave Thomas getting assists. After the goal, Tim Peters replaced Shawn Conschafter in the Vermont net.
Colgate took a 3-2 lead late in the second period when Yashin snapped a wrist shot from the left circle that beat Peters high to the glove side. Kyle Doyle and D’Arco assisted on the goal, Yashin’s eighth of the season.
The Cats tied it at 3-3 at 8:23 of the third period when Ryan Miller scored on the power play, with assists going to Mark Gouett and Sharp. That set up Smith’s game-winner midway through the third period.
Conschafter made 17 saves for Vermont and Peters stopped 16 after coming on in relief, while Cann stopped 20 for Colgate.
