Colgate 2025-26

No revelations in this post, just a mid-week recap as we continue wrapping up ECAC regular season series...

Colgate vs. ECAC Hockey opponents:

Colgate 1, Dartmouth 4.
Colgate 5, Harvard 6.
Harvard 3, Colgate 1.
Dartmouth 2, Colgate 5.

Yale 3, Colgate 4, OT.
Brown 0, Colgate 4.
Colgate 3, Brown 3, OT.
Colgate 6, Yale 3.

Regular Season Series:

Colgate vs. Dartmouth… 1-1.
Colgate vs. Harvard… 0-2.
Colgate vs. Yale... 2-0.
Colgate vs. Brown... 1-0-1.

Times getting short !

Watching on ESPN from home tonight...
watching on PPV is just so different from being there in person... it is like an out-of-body experience... you're watching, but you're not really connected.
Brown takes a 3-0 lead early in the first period with a Short-Handed Goal, an Even-Strength Goal, and a Power-Play Goal. Bobby Metz deflected a Robby Newton shot late. Also, from Tyson Doucette.
Brown 1, Colgate 1, minor penalties after one.
Brown 19, Colgate 10, shots after one.
Brown 17, Colgate 11, faceoffs-won after one.
Brown 12, Colgate 6, SOG after one.
Brown 3, Colgate 1, score after one.

Cornell 3-1 after one. Quinnipiac 3-0 after one.

This week, Brown coach Brendan Whittet announced that he was stepping down on February 20 due to cancer striking within his family. Tonight, the Brown coaches all were wearing pink ribbons in support of cancer research and coach Whittet. I just saw a shot of Colgate coach Mike Harder and there was a pink ribbon on his lapel, too. Pretty kewl. Pretty classy.

Colgate hasn't given up. Simon LaBelle with Colgate's second goal, from Ryan Sullivan and Max Nagel.
Colgate 3, Brown 2, penalties after two.
Brown 36, Colgate 30, shots after two.
Brown 31, Colgate 22, faceoffs-won after two.
Brown 21, Colgate 15, SOG after two.
Brown 3, Colgate 2, score after two.

Cornell 4-1 after two. Quinnipiac 5-0 after two.

According to the Brown announcer, Whittet's Brown Bears are 103-14 when leading after two. Yikes!

Colgate 3, Brown 3, score after regulation.
No matter what happens, we put ourselves in this position by going down 3-0 after just 5 SOG against us in the first period.

3-3 tie for the NCAA and me. I don't have a huge problem with this final score. Neither team deserved to win it.

Princeton 3, Clarkson 1. Cornell 5, Yale 2. Quinnipiac 7, Saint Lawrence 0. Harvard 3, RPI 1. Dartmouth 4, Union 2. Predictable ECAC Hockey.

Well, thank God we're not playing Stonehill tonight...three weeks in a row where we have literally stuck up the ice in the first period...coaching, anyone?

Two points are a hell of a lot better than none...but we need more than just one line scoring...

I braved the cold weather and drove to Providence for last night's game.

About 3 minutes in, we got a power play. Then 50 seconds later, we give up a shorthanded goal. Repeat, a shorthanded goal. That is probably the worst thing you can do in a hockey game.

Then 8 minutes into the game we're down 3-0. I was fortunate to miss Brown's 3rd goal while signing up for the free chuck-a-puck that took place at the end of the 2nd period.

Had we not given up that shorty, we might have gotten 3 points last night. Had the rest of the game been exactly the same we would have been up 3-2 late in the 3rd with Brown pulling the goalie for an extra attacker. But we salvaged 2 points when it looked like we would get zero. As the team skated off the ice at the end of the game, there were no celebrations, and Coach Harder had a facial expression reminiscent of Bill Belichick - we may have "won" but there was nothing satisfying about it.

This team is still a riddle wrapped within an enigma. Right now all I care about is getting our first playoff win since winning the ECAC Championship in 2023.

Seems like they're never ready to play early Friday nights, what's with that ? Right now forget about finishing 1-4, we're fighting for a home playoff spot at 5-8, especially if we lose tonight !

Frankly, another period were the overall team performance is embarrassing...inability to clear the puck is awful...Norlin, who has played pretty well this year, looked pathetic in Yale's first (counted) goal...this could be 3-0...we'll see if we can regroup, but this has been, and continues to be, a very disappointing year...my goal is to stay engaged until 8:30, then head to bed (as usual)...

Andrew Takacs in goal for Colgate.
Jack Stark in goal for Yale.

Yale scores. Mike Harder challenges for an offsides call. Successful. No goal. Harder has a good record of challenges.
Yale scores.

Colgate continues taking penalties. Not much new in that regard.

Colgate 2, Yale 1, minor penalties (called against) after one.
Colgate 11, Yale 7, faceoffs-won after one.
Yale 20, Colgate 15, shots after one.
Yale 13, Colgate 9, SOG after one.
Yale 1, Colgate 0, score after one.

Yales scores.

Ryan Sullivan injured and goes to dressing room.

Finally, Owen Neuharth scores for Colgate, from Luke Malboeuf and Davide Patella.
A fairly good cheering section for 'Gate tonight.

Ryan Sullivan returns to the bench.

31 seconds remaining in the period and Max Nagle rifles one past Stark. From Ryan Sullivan and Jacob Napier.

Game has been chippy.

Colgate 2, Yale 2, score after two.

Ryan Sullivan deflects the puck to earn a PPG, from Tyson Doucette and Jacob Napier.
18 seconds later, Easton Wainwright scores for Colgate, from Simone Dadie and Antonio Fernandez.
Colgate scores... Jacob Napier from Simon LaBelle and Max Nagel.
Colgate scores... Michael Neumeier from Robby Newton and Ryan Spinale.

Yale coach challenges for a 5-minute penalty (contact to the head) against Colgate. Unsuccessful.

Yale scores.

Colgate 6, Yale 3, final score.

For the life of me I can't figure this team out...does Harder have to threaten physical violence to get them to play hard 100 percent of the time? I'm 75, I can't take this much longer...

After tonight, it seems to me that…

a) Dartmouth, Quinnipiac, Cornell and Harvard will get ECAC Hockey tournament first round byes,

b) Saint Lawrence, Brown and RPI will be traveling in that first round,

c) Princeton and Colgate will be hosting in that first round, and

d) thus, the real battle going forward will be between Clarkson, Yale and Union. Two of those schools will host and one will be traveling in that first round. But which one will travel?

Of course, for all 12 teams, every point matters and every position matters for seedings in the first and second rounds.

Turned it off at 2-0 Yale early second, that's two nights in a row, ffs ! We looked abysmal to that point. Like friday night I checked back in early third and it was 2-2. Then we scored two quickies in less than twenty seconds up 4-2. Six or seven minutes later we scored two more goals in less than twenty seconds up 6-2 now. We were absolutely dominating the third period looking like a talented team ! Even the Pro Yale announcers were commenting on how much talent we have !
I just don't get it. I did notice we were sending in two forecheckers and kept our foot on the gas in the third. Did anyone notice any changes we made in the second half of the game ?
Alas....Our biggest weekend coming up, we better not start slow like this past weekend.

Oldtimer said:

Mike’s style of play is really fun to watch when we score in volume, but a lot more frustrating when we don’t as it’s so vulnerable when they can’t get back to defend.

Click to expand...

After the 6-3 win against Yale last night, I had to go back and find this quote as it is so true from a fan's perspective.

I know Mike lets Neumeier and Norlin rush the puck, and other dmen too. What else does his loose style of play allow ?

My friend Zach Lamont recently stated Colgate's lack of success on Friday nights this season, and Shabby also mentioned it.
Since it's not something that I keep track of, I thought that I would take a closer look today (while watching the Beanpot on ESPN).
While we started the season with one win in five Fridays, I think we've turned that around as we have been 4-3-1 in opening games since then.

Colgate’s Opening Game Results:

Friday, October 10, at Boston University, 2-6, Loss
Friday, October 17, Canisius, 2-4, Loss
Friday, October 24, at Maine, 3-2, Win
Friday, October 31, RIT, 1-3, Loss
Friday, November 7, at Dartmouth, 1-4, Loss
Friday, November 14, Yale, 4-3 OT, Win
Friday, November 21, RPI, 2-1, Win
Wednesday, November 26, at Michigan State, 2-5, Loss
Friday, December 5, at Saint Lawrence, 4-2, Win
Saturday, January 3, at New Hampshire, 3-2, Win
Friday, January 16, Quinnipiac, 1-5, Loss
Friday, January 23, Harvard, 1-3, Loss
Friday, January 30, at Brown, 3-3 OT, Tie

Home: 2-4-0
Away: 3-3-1
Overall: 5-7-1
vs. Non-Conference: 2-4-0
vs. ECAC Hockey: 3-3-1

Hard for people to post here, you don't know which team will show up. I wonder if Colgate will have some half assed promotion friday night ? I see it's "whiteout" night. Iowa you will fit right in with your white Gate jersey.

iowabasedtraveler said:

My friend Zach Lamont recently stated Colgate's lack of success on Friday nights this season, and Shabby also mentioned it.
Since it's not something that I keep track of, I thought that I would take a closer look today (while watching the Beanpot on ESPN).
While we started the season with one win in five Fridays, I think we've turned that around as we have been 4-3-1 in opening games since then.

Colgate’s Opening Game Results:

Friday, October 10, at Boston University, 2-6, Loss
Friday, October 17, Canisius, 2-4, Loss
Friday, October 24, at Maine, 3-2, Win
Friday, October 31, RIT, 1-3, Loss
Friday, November 7, at Dartmouth, 1-4, Loss
Friday, November 14, Yale, 4-3 OT, Win
Friday, November 21, RPI, 2-1, Win
Wednesday, November 26, at Michigan State, 2-5, Loss
Friday, December 5, at Saint Lawrence, 4-2, Win
Saturday, January 3, at New Hampshire, 3-2, Win
Friday, January 16, Quinnipiac, 1-5, Loss
Friday, January 23, Harvard, 1-3, Loss
Friday, January 30, at Brown, 3-3 OT, Tie

Home: 2-4-0
Away: 3-3-1
Overall: 5-7-1
vs. Non-Conference: 2-4-0
vs. ECAC Hockey: 3-3-1

Click to expand...

Biggest weekend of the year and noone here ? With the cold forecasted what kind of crowd might we have ? Go Raiders !

Shabby, I thought the same as you... this thread is pretty quiet leading up to our rivalry weekend.

While I want to see Colgate sweep Cornell (or even split), I honestly don't see those as realistic scenarios this year.
There is a reason that they are ranked number 7 in the nation right now, and we are ranked number 46.
They are tied for second in the ECAC Hockey standings (one point out of first), and we are sixth of twelve teams.
I am not trying to be a Debbie Downer on here, but we own our record-to-date. I hope they prove me wrong (again) tonight and/or tomorrow night.

Another prediction that I will make... I think both teams will double their average Penalties In Minutes (PIM) numbers this weekend.
Right now, Colgate averages 9.63 PIM per game and Cornell averages 7.90 PIM.
There has never been any love lost between these travel partners.
Like Quinnipiac, the chippy stickwork and against-the-boards physicality of Cornell usually frustrates Colgate.
And frustration only leads to more penalties. We'll see.

In the meantime, Go 'Gate!!

Andrew Takacs in goal for ‘Gate tonight.
Alexis Cournoyer in goal for Cornell.
Sign on door says ‘Sold Out.’

Colgate on the board first… Antonio Fernandez with a snipe, from Easton Wainwright.

Exactly one minute later, Cornell scores off the faceoff.

Media timeout… Cornell SOG 6-3 lead.

Matching penalties (roughing). Killed.

Cornell pinged one off the pipe.

Cornell scored.

Another Cornell ping off the pipe.

Cornell 10, Colgate 6, SOG after one.
Cornell 2, Colgate 1, score after one.

Mike Harder challenged for five-minute major. Successful. Killed. 11-9 SOG after 5 minutes.

Cornell pinged it off the pipe again.

Colgate penalty (slashing). PPG for Cornell.

Cornell 18, Colgate 13, SOG after two.
Cornell 3, Colgate 1, score after two.

Colgate penalty. Killed.
Colgate penalty (tripping). Killed.
Daniel Panetta blocked a shot. In pain. Okay.

Colgate’s Ryan Spinale from Daniel Panetta and Isiah Norlin. Beautiful goal.

Cornell penalty (cross-checking). Killed.

2:12 remaining and Cornell scored.

Takacs pulled for extra attacker. Cornell w/ENG.

Colgate penalties.
Cornell penalties.
Cornell challenged penalty. No major.

Colgate 32, Cornell 29, final SOG.
Cornell 5, Colgate 2, final score.

Despite the final score, Colgate actually played Cornell tighter than I expected them to tonight.

But it is still an ‘L,’ which does not stand for Love lost between the two teams, as there is none.

And the 90-minute drive home became a 2.5-hour snowy adventure on slick roads for Endicott Larry and myself. Tomorrow is another day…