Men's Hockey | 10/26/2012 9:19:00 PM

Box Score Click here for game stats

HAMILTON, NY – The RIT men's hockey team (1-4-0) jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead just 2:22 into Friday night's contest at Starr Rink in Colgate, but the Raiders (3-3-0) responded with five straight goals to hand the Tigers their fourth straight defeat, 6-3.

Jeff Smith (Spokane, WA/Tri-City Storm), Greg Noyes (Lucan, Ontario/Salmon Arm Silverbacks), Matt Garbowsky (St. George, Ontario/Powell River Kings) scored for RIT, who out-shot Colgate 32-30, including 12-6 in the third period. The Tigers had a few golden chances early in the final period down 5-3, but could not convert.

Smith now has a point in all five games this season.

Josh Watson (Lititz, PA/Powell River Kings) made 24 saves in the loss for RIT. He falls to 1-2-0 this season.

Spiro Goulakos, Tylor Spink, and Tyson Spink had a goal and an assist to lead Colgate, while Kyle Baun, Robbie Bourdon, Mike Borkowski, and Thomas Larkin tallied a pair of assists apiece. John Lidgett, Darcy Murphy, and Kurtis Batliff also scored for the Raiders.

Eric Mihalik made 29 saves for the Raiders.

Special teams were the big difference tonight, as Colgate was 3-for-8 with the man-advantage, while RIT was 1-for-4. Colgate had six straight power-plays spanning the first and second period, which turned the momentum in their favor.

Despite tonight's result, RIT Head Coach Wayne Wilson was much more pleased with his team's effort.

“Our effort was much better tonight,” said Wilson. “I thought we played a great third period but didn't get the result we wanted. We got off to a great start and played a strong first period. Colgate was able to get momentum with all of the power-plays. We have a lot of talent, but have a ways to go with intangibles right now. A lot of guys played well tonight and hopefully we can build off that.”

Both teams scored twice in a quickly played first period of play, where Colgate out-shot RIT 13-10.

RIT jumped out to a 2-0 lead just 2:22 into the contest, as Smith and Noyes hushed the Starr Rink faithful.

Smith scored his fourth goal of the season just 1:11 into the game, as good cycling down low by Josh Mitchell (Osoyoos, British Columbia/Alberni Valley Bulldogs) and Ben Lynch (Blaine, MN/Lincoln Stars) got the puck to Smith below the goal line. Smith made a spin move to get around his defender, walk out in front and put the puck past Mihalik off the left post and in.

Just 1:11 later, Noyes tallied his second goal of the season, as he was the recipient of a past from Andy Miller in the high slot. Noyes fired a high wrist shot from the left face-off circle over the shoulder of Mihalik and in. Anthony Hamburg (Phoenix, AZ/Omaha Lancers) also assisted on the goal. The assist was Miller's first collegiate point.

Colgate cut the RIT lead in half at the 7:45 mark, as Spink netted his first of the game after a scramble in front of the RIT net. Spiro Goulakos fired a shot from the point that Watson stopped, but he nor the RIT defense could corral the rebound and it laid in the crease for Spink to tap in.

RIT ran into penalty problems late in the period, taking three straight, leading to two short Colgate 5-on-3 advantages. Finally, with 1:22 left in the period, Colgate took advantage of a failed RIT clearing attempt and Tyson Spink was there to put the puck in for his second of the game.

Brad McGowan (Langley, British Columbia/Surrey Eagles) had a golden chance with under a minute left in the period, but was denied in tight by Mihalik as he tried to go high.

The Raiders scored three of the four second period goals to take a 5-3 lead after two periods of play. Once again, RIT got themselves into penalty problems and the Raiders made them pay.

At the 6:24 mark of the period, Bartliff completed a nice passing play on a 3-on-2 rush, roofing a backhander over Watson and under the crossbar after taking a cross-ice feed from Bourdon.

RIT was handed a hooking penalty on that goal and Colgate made RIT pay on the ensuing power-play 31 seconds later, as Goulakos fired a wrist shot from the point that went through a screen and beat Watson between his arm and body.

Colgate added its third power-play goal of the game at the 13:54 mark, as RIT could not clear and Murphy completed a nifty passing play. Bourdon fed Thomas Larkin who fired a cross-crease pass to Murphy, who was alone on the doorstep to tap the puck past Watson.

RIT finally received a power-play after taking six straight penalties and capitalized, as Garbowsky tallied his first goal of the season from in front at the 15:33 mark. Chris Saracino (St. Louis, MO/Green Bay Gamblers) spun around a player and fired a shot from the slot that Mihalik stopped. The rebound came to Adam Hartley (West Vancouver, British Columbia/Surrey Eagles) who fed Garbowsky who was all alone at the side of the Colgate net.

RIT had a golden chance to cut the Raiders lead in half moments later, as Hartley took advantage of a turnover and came in alone on Mihalik from the slot. Hartley tried to deke to the forehand, but Mihalik stayed with him and slid his pad across the crease to keep the puck out.

Descoteaux was robbed early in the third by Mihalik. Colgate put the game away with 5:38 left, as Lidgett pushed in a shot from in close just after a Colgate power-play ended.

RIT is 1-8-0 all-time against Colgate, 0-3 at the Division I level. The two teams last met on Oct. 10, 2009, when Colgate defeated RIT, 3-2 at Blue Cross Arena during Brick City Weekend. On Oct. 13, 2007, Colgate defeated RIT 6-5 at Starr Rink in Hamilton.

Last night, the Tigers dropped their Ritter Arena and conference opener to Robert Morris, falling by a score of 6-4 in front of 1,604 fans. Adam Mitchell (Crofton, MD/Baystate Breakers) scored a pair of goals before exiting due to an injury after the second period. Hamburg and Descoteaux also scored for the Tigers. Descoteaux added a pair of assists, while Brad Shumway (Lafayette, CO/Chicago Steel) dished out three assists.

RIT has now allowed 26 goals in five games this season.

The Tigers return to action next weekend with a pair of Atlantic Hockey Association games at American International on Friday and Saturday. Both games begin at 7:05 p.m.