While most students headed home for the holidays, the Men’s Ice Hockey team geared up for two difficult league home match ups at Starr Rink. After hosting and dropping a contest to the defending National Champion Yale Bulldogs, the Raiders rallied the next day and picked up a victory over the Brown Bears. Competing against the Bulldogs, the Raiders knew they would have to fight hard against what many consider to be one of the top teams in the country. The Bulldogs ranked ninth nationally found their way on the board early and often in their 5-2 victory. Just eight minutes into the game Yale scored their first of the game to grab an early lead.

Eight minutes later, during what turned out to be a penalty-filled period for the Raiders, Yale finally scored on the power play after a tripping penalty from sophomore forward Tyson Spink. Extending their lead to 2-0, the Bulldogs stood comfortably in front as the first period came to a close. Near the halfway mark of the second period, the Raiders broke through with first-years helping to get on the board. Defenseman Jake Kulevich and forward Tim Harrison both worked to find Derek Freeman who put the puck in the back of the net to cut the lead to 2-1.

This slim lead would not last for long, however, as the Bulldogs got to work and within the next six minutes of play they had scored twice with one coming on the power play to extend their lead. The Raiders could not seem to stay out of the penalty box in this one, picking up six penalties on the night and allowing the Bulldogs to score twice.

Late in the second period, however, the Raiders got revenge with a power play of their own. With sophomore Tylor Spink out with a day-to-day injury, first-year Emilio Audi stepped in on the power play and found junior captain Spiro Goulakos. Goulakos worked to the front of the net where sophomore forward Kyle Baun tipped the puck past the goalie. Baun scored his team-leading fourth goal on the power play to cut the lead to 4-2. The third period remained uneventful with the Raiders failing to convert on a few power play opportunities to get back in the game. The Bulldogs added an empty net goal in the final minutes and the Raiders ended up with a league loss 5-2.

The Raiders, however, went right back out the next day and picked up a key victory against the Brown Bears. With Coach Vaughan rotating goalies depending on the game, first-year Charlie Finn drew the start against the Bears and came up with 38 big saves in the victory. The Raiders got the scoring action started early on in the first period with Baun scoring shorthanded. His team-leading seventh on the season put the Raiders out in front early. The Bears knotted up the game late in the first period only to lose the tie a minute later. Tyson Spink found sophomore center Mike Borkowski who shot the puck past the goalie to regain the lead for the Raiders. From there, the Raiders turned to the defensive end to hold their lead as the second period was scoreless.

The majority of the third period followed similarly as the Raiders tallied their third and final goal on an empty net as sophomore winger Darcy Murphy found the net. The Raiders picked up a win 3-1, one that was crucial to keep pace in the ECAC standings. The Raiders will hit the ice again this weekend as they travel to Ithaca, N.Y. to take on the Cornell Big Red in what should be a close ECAC matchup. The puck will drop this Saturday, December 7 at Lynah Rink at 7 p.m..

Contact Spencer Serling at [email protected].