BY: JOSH BROWN
Colgate University goaltender Charlie Finn faced 52 shots from Northeastern over the course of the team’s two games this past weekend in upstate New York. The sophomore saved every one, leading the #6 Raiders (3-1) to a pair of 3-0 wins against a Huskies team who have started the year 0-3 for the first time since 1990.
“I thought he [Finn] played very well,” said Northeastern coach Jim Madigan. “He’s very agile. He also has a pretty good team defense right in front of him, and they play very tight so their’s not a lot of second and third opportunities.”
After both team’s failed to score in the first period of Friday’s game , freshman Mike Panowyk scored the first goal of the series for the Raiders mid-way through the second period to give them a 1-0 lead.
Northeastern, who had a ton of chances all night but just could not beat Finn, fell behind 2-0 at the 8:14 mark of the third period, before Colgate sealed it with an empty net goal with just under a minute to play in the game.
Huskies goalie Clay Witt finished with 18 saves on the night. Record wise that was not the only loss for Northeastern, the team also saw junior defenseman Colton Saucerman leave the game with what Madigan called a “lower body injury” and would not play in Saturdays game.
Derick Roy would get the start in net Saturday night for Northeastern, in what ended up being a very similar game to the night before.
After another scoreless first period, which saw Northeastern sophomore Zach Aston-Reese ejected from the game for a checking from behind penalty, the Huskies would be forced to play without their first line right winger for the rest of the game.
“We went in short handed without Saucerman,” Madigan said, “and when you lose one of your top forwards you’re scrambling for the rest of the game.”
“But I thought our guys sucked it up,” Madigan continued, “I thought we showed some good resolve by killing off the five minute major.”
Unfortunately for Northeastern the Raiders came out flying in the second period, scoring a quick goal by Derek Freeman just under two minutes into the period to take a 1-0 lead.
Third period goals by Mike Borkowski and Kyle Baun sealed the deal for Colgate, sending the Huskies on the long bus ride home empty handed.
Roy ended his first start of the season with a career high 38 saves on the night.
“I thought Derick Roy played exceptionally well,” Madigan said, “He stepped up and was very good.”
Madigan said despite the losses he liked the effort his team played with, an improvement from the team’s 6-2 setback against Vermont on opening night.
“We’re not obviously happy loosing two games here against a quality opponent,” Madigan said. “But this is a team we need to beat if we want to get to where we want to be. We need to play a little bit smarter and execute a little bit better.”
“We had some breakdowns, and those three or four breakdowns over the weekend cost us.”
The Huskies will be looking for their first win of the season when they lost Umass-Amherst Friday night at Matthews Arena. The game can be heard on WRBB where Josh Brown, Jeremy Leopold and Dan McLoone will have the call.