The Scarlet and Brown scored three goals in the first, and an equalizer in the third period, but a last-second goal from Colgate sent the St. Lawrence University men's hockey team to a 5-4 loss Friday night in Hamilton, N.Y.

St. Lawrence fell to 9-20-2 on the year with the loss and 5-12-2 in ECAC play, while the Raiders improved to 16-12-3 and 11-6-2 in league action.

The game got off to a strong start with both teams trading chances. Mason Kucenski starred early for the Scarlet and Brown making a pair of huge saves in the first half of the period, while Andrew Takacs held his own with a good denial on senior captain Ty Naaykens.

With 6:43 left in the first, the Saints went on the game's first power play and the floodgates opened. Senior captain Philippe Chapleau cashed in on the man advantage, rifling a shot through traffic and into the upper corner to make it 1-0.

A little over a minute later, Felikss Gavars found Jan Olenginski, who shot from the point and saw his bid deflected by Nicholas Beneteau and in to make it 2-0 in the blink of an eye.

As fast as the lead came it vanished, however, as Colgate scored just 39 seconds later off a shot from Ryan Sullivan and tied the game 33 seconds after that when Reid Irwin found twine.

The Scarlet and Brown reclaimed the lead 21 seconds later when Waite played playmaker again, finding Cristall on the doorstep. The junior buried the chance to make it 3-2 and reclaim the lead ahead of the intermission.

The second period was a very different story, with the two teams settling in. Colgate controlled possession and parlayed the pressure into their first power play of the game. Kucenski and the defense were up to the task killing the chance.

The Raiders would tie the game up at 3-3, however, with 9:46 on the clock on a shot through traffic. Greg Lapointe, Naaykens, and Casey all had great chances to regain the lead, but the score would remain at 3-3 entering the third.

Colgate took a lead of their own to start the third, getting a goal less than three minutes into the frame.

The lead lasted around six minutes until the Saints tied the game at 4-4 with 10:41 to go in the game. Cayden Casey collected a wide shot from Cristall and wrapped the puck around the net and in on the far post to score his first career goal and tie the contest up.

It looked as if the game was going to overtime in the final minute until a devastating break went Colgate's way. In the final seconds, a Raider shot was padded aside, but the puck went off a body and in as the clock ran into the final second. That gave Colgate a late 5-4 lead.

St. Lawrence challenged an earlier play for a potential goal and then again for goaltender interference, but they lost both reviews as the game went to a 5-4 final.

Kucenski and Takacs both had 24 saves in the contest and both power play units went 0-for-1.

The Skating Saints will head to Ithaca for their final road game of the regular season Saturday night. The game against Cornell is a 6 p.m. start.