CC Tigers rout Union in season opener
Colorado College started off a little slow, but then erupted for four goals in 130 seconds during the second period to rout Union College for a 7-3 home and season-opening victory.
It was an auspicious debut Friday for a team playing six freshmen and five sophomores. But (sorry Tiger fans) it’s only Oct. 13 and a mediocre third period gave coach Kris Mayotte reason to remind his team to play a complete game.
The nonconference series continues Saturday and the Tigers have no reason to overlook the Garnet Chargers (1-1), even if they scored the most goals in a home opener since an 8-4 win over Wisconsin in 1995.
“I think the third period took care of that,” Mayotte said. “We stopped moving our feet after we got a lead and kept going to the penalty box. Those are lazy penalties.”
The four-goal surge in 130 seconds during a five-goal second period included the first NCAA goals for freshmen Zaccharya Wisdom, Riley Stuart and Drew Montgomery with three consecutive assists by senior defenseman Jack Millar. Millar collected the playmaker on senior Tyler Coffey’s goal with 11:00 remaining for a 5-1 lead.
“It feels good because (shooting on net from distance) was something we spent a lot of time this offseason working on,” Millar said. “For a first game, it was a good start. But we need to lock it down.”
The Tigers bulled their way to the front of the Union net and scored three of the four goals on redirects by Wisdom, Stuart and Coffey. Montgomery’s came on an odd-angle breakaway goal that had the announced crowd of 3,607 on their feet. Freshman Max Burkholder picked up his first collegiate point on Wisdom’s score.
Coffey’s goal mercifully ended the night for Garnet Chargers goalie Kyle Chauvette (15 saves), who was undone by flat-footed defenders and the attacking Tigers (1-0), who won nearly all the individual battles during that outburst.
Union (1-1) would try to mount a rally. But sophomore goalie and National Collegiate Hockey Conference preseason honoree Kaidan Mbereko (29 saves) played well. Junior Tommy Middleton made it 6-1 late in the second.
ECAC member Union rallied in the third and scored twice before Montgomery scored again for the final margin.
Union struck first just 2:53 into the game before the Tigers would pull even when sophomore Gleb Veremyev, playing in his first game since a lower leg injury last season, found second-year defenseman Ethan Straky alone in the slot to tie it with six minutes left in the opening period.
How CC responds Saturday will tell Mayotte a lot about his team.
“This is a great chance to see how we react,” Mayotte said. “I am looking forward to it.”
Colorado College defenseman Ethan Straky, left, celebrates with teammates after scoring in the first period Friday against Union College at Ed Robson Arena in Colorado Springs.
Colorado College forward Gleb Veremyev knocks Union defenseman Cullen Ferguson to the ice during the first period Friday at Ed Robson Arena in Colorado Springs.
