Colgate University men’s ice hockey team began postseason play with a 3-2 victory over the Yale Bulldogs in the opening round of the ECAC Hockey Tournament on Saturday, March 7. With the support of a devoted home crowd, the Raiders erased a two-goal deficit to secure a comeback win and advance to the quarterfinals.
The Raiders entered postseason play with momentum after a strong finish to their regular season, capped by a 7-3 win over the St. Lawrence Saints on Saturday, Feb. 28. The team’s victory not only provided a boost in the standings, but also gave the Raiders confidence and energy as they prepared for the high-stakes environment of the single-elimination round.
The matchup against St. Lawrence University was also Colgate’s Senior Day game, which marked a meaningful moment for the team’s veteran players who have spent years contributing to the program. With many family members and supporters in attendance, the atmosphere at the Class of 1965 Arena was emotional and celebratory. This fueled the Raiders, who used the energy to dominate in a 10-goal thriller.
For senior forward Daniel Panetta, the day carried special significance beyond the result on the scoreboard.
“Senior Day is always an exciting time to have with the guys that have been by my side for four years now,” Panetta said. “Getting to share that moment on the ice with our parents and family members will be one I remember for a very long time.”
After falling behind 2-0 midway through the first period, the Raiders refused to give up, scoring three goals in less than three minutes to take the lead. The Saints briefly tied the game at three during the second period before Colgate regained control with an additional three goals to build a comfortable lead. Colgate added a power-play goal late in the third period to secure a 7-3 Senior Day win.
Points came from across the lineup, with seven different Colgate players finding the back of the net in the victory. The balanced scoring effort highlighted the team’s depth and chemistry as the Raiders closed out their regular season, entering the opening round with their season on the line.
The ECAC Hockey Tournament includes all 12 teams in the conference, where the top four seeds — this year, Quinnipiac University, Dartmouth College, Cornell University and Princeton University — receive an automatic bye to the quarterfinal round. Seeds five through 12 play in the first round, which is single-elimination, where winners move on to the quarterfinals for a best-of-three series.
First-year standout forward Easton Wainwright shared how the team prepared for postseason play.
“The message throughout this week has been oriented on sharpening up our systems both five-on-five and in special teams to fully be prepared for the ECAC tournament,” Wainwright said. “Watching film, emphasizing execution and making sure we are fueling our bodies is all in the preparation to gear up for playoff hockey.”
Wainwright shared that the team has become closer as a group on and off the ice this season, fostering chemistry and trust during games. This is particularly important for a high-stakes environment, where players must rely on each other for success.
In anticipation of Saturday night’s game against No. 10 seed Yale University, Wainwright shared aspects of play that would be particularly important for the Raiders, the No. 7 seed in the ECAC bracket.
“Making sure we capitalize on our special team chances and limiting theirs is huge,” Wainwright said. “Another important factor is our physicality and energy we bring to games. The more times you go into battles and create some physicality, it gets energy to the bench and to yourself, which is huge for us, especially in these high-pressure situations.”
Colgate survived three Yale power plays, giving no ground to the Bulldogs after three shots on goal. The Raiders had one power play opportunity during the third period, but they were unable to score and registered just one shot on goal.
Colgate’s energy in this game was hard to miss as they rallied back to erase Yale’s 2-0 lead in the second period. Junior defenseman Antonio Fernandez scored Colgate’s first goal, assisted by sophomores Michael Neumeier and Ryan Spinale. Shortly after, Neumeier evened the score by sinking a goal into the net, with assists from junior Jake Schneider and first-year Luke Malboeuf. Senior forward Simon Labelle scored an unassisted goal late in the third period, which gave the Raiders the lead for good and prompted an eruption of cheers from the crowd.
Head Coach Mike Harder shared his thoughts about the rollercoaster weekend.
“There are few things better than playoff hockey games, and this weekend we hosted a great one,” Harder said. “We were super happy to see so many students and community members come out and have fun at the Class of ’65. The energy in the rink helped us come back from two goals down to win.”
Colgate will face No. 2 seed Dartmouth College for their first best-of-three game in the ECAC Tournament Quarterfinals on Friday, March 13, in Hanover, N.H., at 7 p.m.
