CC wins in final minute of overtime

MANKATO, Minn. • Colorado College escaped with an improbable win Friday night at Minnesota State-Mankato when freshman Rylan Schwartz scored with 51.4 seconds left in overtime to win 1-0.

“I saw their defenseman was going down for the block,” said Schwartz, who recorded his third game-winner of his college hockey career. “I went short side and fortunately it went in.”

Schwartz’s wrist shot deflected off Mavericks goalie Austin Lee’s shoulder and rolled over to end the game, prompting a chorus of boos from the 4,009 fans in attendance.

William Rapuzzi drew a penalty with 1:02 left in overtime to set up the final power play.

“No comment,” Mavericks coach Troy Jutting said about the penalty. “The goaltending was good at both ends of the ice.”

It would have been fitting that a game featuring superb performances by both goaltenders would have ended in a 0-0 tie.

And thanks to the first college shutout by freshman Joe Howe, No. 13-ranked Colorado College (6-2-1, 5-1-1) escaped with a win out of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association defensive struggle.

“He was unbelievable,” CC coach Scott Owens said.

Howe (31 saves) came up huge in the third period and Minnesota State-Mankato (3-5-1, 1-5-1) was unlucky on a few bad bounces.

POWER PLAY KEY TO DEFENSIVE PRODUCTION

One the reasons behind No. 13 Colorado College’s strong start this season is the point production from the defensive corps, which has helped CC tie Harvard for third among Division I men’s teams with four goals a game coming into this weekend.

“We’re always looking for a steady contribution, especially on the power play,” Tigers coach Scott Owens said. “It’s always a bonus when they’re producing this well. We didn’t expect to have a power play do as well as this.”

It slowed down considerably, but it counted for the game-winner Friday night in Mankato, Minn., when Rylan Schwartz’s power-play goal off an assist from senior Nate Prosser came with 51.5 seconds left in the 5-minute overtime.

The blue-liners are doing a good job making timely passes out of the Tigers zone to start the transition or sending the puck deep into the opponents’ zone to set up the offense.

But it is the 17 power-play goals so far that have boosted their numbers the most.

Senior defenseman Nate Prosser has a six-game points streak, much coming on the nation’s No. 2 power play (17-for-53). He has eight points, all assists.

“Nate’s had real strong play of late,” Owens said. “He’s very efficient and does good things with the puck.”

Prosser’s partner, sophomore Gabe Guentzel, leads the defensive corps with eight points (seven assists). Junior Ryan Lowery and freshman Doug Leaverton have three points each (two assists apiece) and senior Kris Fredheim has two points (one goal).

The unselfish play that has led to the success CC has enjoyed so far this season is best exemplified by the power play.

The team had 38 power-play goals (38-for-237, 16 percent) in 38 games last year.

“We’re all playing together,” Guentzel said. “No one is trying to do it by themselves. We’re all looking for the open man who has the best shot.”

As a result, 10 players have at least one power-play goal. Eleven scored all last season.

“It’s great to see,” Guentzel said.