Feb. 11, 2005

Photo Gallery

Matt Modelski stopped all 26 shots he faced as the Yale men's hockey team skated to a 0-0 overtime draw with No. 11 Colgate before 3,181 at Ingalls Rink.

Yale's sophomore goalie, who also made 26 saves in a 1-1 tie at No. 4 Wisconsin, helped the Bulldogs earn their first scoreless tie since a Dartmouth game at Hanover on Feb. 8, 1941. It was the first double blanking at home since the Feb. 2, 1925, Dartmouth contest.

"We knew it would be a defensive battle and we came prepared," said Modelski, who lowered his goals against to 3.35 while registering the first Yale shutout since Dec. 1, 2001, a 5-0 win over Colgate at Ingalls. "We gave them very few quality scoring chances and everyone did a great job for us. Any time you tie the second-place team in the league, you take a big step forward."

Meanwhile, Colgate's Steve Silverthorn (1.83 GAA), who came into New Haven as one of the nation's hottest goalies, picked up his third shutout of the year in making 19 saves. However, he did have to halt seven power-play chances.

Colgate (19-8-2, 11-4-2 ECACHL), which had the only power-play opportunity, dominated a scoreless first period while outshooting Yale 11-1 and winning 18 of the 24 faceoffs.

Modelski needed a big opening frame to keep the high-flying Raiders off the board. Jon Smyth nearly took all the momentum with seconds left in the period. The junior winger got the puck at center ice, when the Elis failed to dump the puck in the Colgate end, and went in alone on the Yale goalie before shooting high over the net. Christian Jensen, who made some nifty moves in the period, had the only Yale shot on goal.

"We were absolutely horrible in the first period, they beat us in every facet," said Yale head coach Tim Taylor, who coached his first collegiate scoreless tie but lost his leading scorer, Brad Mills, with a leg injury in the second period. "We woke up in the second period and played hard and smart. We had some glorious chances to score goals, and so did they. It was a very hard-earned point."

It was the Bulldogs' turn in the middle frame as they had eight of the 13 shots on target and had three man-advantage chances, including a 5-on-3 for 1:38, but neither team could light the lamp. Once again, Smyth had the best chance for a goal. After allowing just one shot on Silverthorn during the two-man advantage, Smyth took the puck at the Yale blueline, with a defender on him the entire way, and skating by the crease trying to slip a low shot past Modelski, The Eli goalie slowed the puck with his pad then had to reach back with his stick to pull it in before it went over the goal line.

"They are a tough team to play. If they are not one of the bigger teams in the league, they are certainly one of the stronger ones," said Bulldog captain Nick Shalek, whose team had a season-best two penalties in the game.

Yale (4-18-2, 3-13-1) has another nationally ranked team in town on Saturday with Cornell, a 5-0 winner at Princeton on Friday, bringing a nine-game unbeaten streak to Ingalls.

report filed by Steve Conn, Yale Sports Publicity Director