MTG Salvation

So I'm playing a game right now against myself to test my decks (sad, I know) and am deciding whether to attack with a golem token that has several -1/-1 counters on it. If I attack with it, it will be blocked by a creature that will have to block in order to prevent damage from being dealt to the player. The blocking creature has Infect and will add enough -1/-1 counters to kill the golem, but I could tap a Metallurgeon to regenerate the golem. However, I am unsure on if the -1/-1 counters would still be placed on the golem, thus bringing him to 0 toughness and killing him, or if regenerate, which as I understand removes assigned damage, will take those counters off. I am confused as it is damage dealt as -1/-1 counters, not just normal damage.

Thanks.

If a creature has 0 or less toughness it will be put into its owners graveyard as a state based action. This is not destruction so regeneration will not save it.

So to answer your question, if the creature has enough -1/-1 counters on it to reduce it's toughness to 0 or less then the creature can't be saved by regen.

-1/-1 counters are not "damaged marked on a creature" nor does having toughness less than 0 "destroy" that creature.

The regeneration shield will never trigger at all.

Thanks guys. That makes Infect seem even more deadly then.