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Date: December 10, 2005
Contact: Bill Sodoma

 

Bowdoin edges Colby 7-6 despite 51 saves from Cook

BRUNSWICK, Maine --- Andy Cook made 51 saves for the Colby College men's hockey team, but Bowdoin College rallied for a 7-6 win over the Mules to win for the second straight night on Saturday night at Dayton Arena.

Bowdoin rallied from three goals down to beat the Mules and held the lead for only the final 3:25. The Polar Bears (7-1-0) are ranked seventh in the latest national poll, while Colby (7-2-0) stands ninth. Bowdoin took a 3-2 win over the Mules Friday night at Alfond Rink.

Colby got on the board first as a loose puck in the Bowdoin defensive zone came to the stick of Todd O'Hara, who wristed a shot to the top-left corner for a 1-0 Colby lead just 2:20 into the game.

A thrilling exchange late in the period saw the Mules increase their lead when Greg Osborne knocked home a loose puck at 16:59 to make it 2-0 Mules. Moments later, Bowdoin got one back on the power play at 18:32 with a put-back goal from Jon Landry. But Colby responded eight seconds later when a collision in front of the Bowdoin goal resulted in the puck crossing the line and a goal for the Mules at 18:40, giving Colby a 3-1 lead after one period.

The second period featured a furious display of hockey as the teams combined for five goals, 34 shots and 32 penalty minutes. The Mules increased their lead right away in the stanza, scoring 34 seconds into the frame on a poke-home goal by Osborne.

After a flurry of penalties against both squads, Bowdoin took advantage of a power play chance as Brian Ciborowski knocked home a loose puck at 7:42 to make it a two-goal game. Bowdoin drew one goal closer at 11:58, when Landry came open on the wing and skated in on Andy Cook. Landry deked Cook out of position and backhanded the puck into the net to make it 4-3.

Following consecutive slashing calls against Bowdoin, Colby scored on a 5-on-3 power play as Josh Reber pounced on a rebound to give the Mules a 5-3 lead. Bowdoin was not done in the period, however, as Landry slipped the puck past Cook to draw the Polar Bears within a goal at 16:34.

Colby extended their lead back to two goals just 1:11 into the final frame, as Osborne knocked home a one-timer off a pass from T.J. Kelley. Bowdoin didn't waste time cutting it back to a one-goal contest as James Gadon slipped the puck inside the right post to make it 6-5 Colby with 17:59 remaining.

Bowdoin tied the game up at 14:27 when a scrum in front of the goal saw the a shot by Andy Nelson deflect off Cook into the air and land over the line, tying the game at six apiece with less than six minutes to go.

Following a Mule penalty with under five minutes to go, Greg McConnell pounced on a rebound and backhanded the puck past Cook for the game-winner.

Papachristopoulos made 28 saves in net for Bowdoin. The teams combined for 78 penalty minutes and the Polar Bears held a 58-34 advantage in shots.