MALDEN - Sophomore Nick Anderson (Port Coquitiam, BC) scored both a power-play goal and a short-handed goal in the third period as the Williams College hockey team remained undefeated early in the season with a 4-1 NESCAC win at Tufts on Friday night at Valley Forum II.
The Ephs improved to 3-0-2 overall and 2-0-1 in the conference. Senior goalie Ryan Purdy (LaJolla, CA) made 28 saves in the Eph net, while junior Eric Rubino (Woodbridge, ONT) finished with a goal and two assists. Tufts took its first league loss, dropping to 3-3 overall and 2-1 in NESCAC.
Williams jumped out in front 1-0 during a quick first period. Sophomore Tucker Dayton (San Francisco, CA) snapped in a shot from a tight angle near the left post for his first goal with 7:09 remaining. Purdy stopped six Tufts shots and the Ephs killed two Jumbo power plays in the first 20 minutes as the visitors went to the locker room with the one-goal lead.
Purdy made 10 more saves without allowing a goal in the second period as the Ephs kept their 1-0 advantage. Jumbo senior Scott Barchard (Reading, MA) stopped nine shots to help keep the hosts within a goal. Both squads were effective on the penalty kill as 11 total infractions were whistled in the scoreless second stanza, six against Tufts and five against Williams.
With 1:57 remaining in the second, the Jumbos were penalized with two five-minute majors while the Ephs were given a pair of two-minute minors. As a result, Williams started the third with a three-minute, five-on-three advantage. Anderson scored his first of the game at 1:02 during the power-play to put the Ephs up 2-0.
The Jumbos did a good job to limit Williams to just one goal during the long two-man advantage. However, when the Ephs were given a five-minute major later in the period, Anderson scored short-handed at 5:49 and the Ephs had a 3-0 lead. Rubino and senior Stephen Maier (Orange, CT) had assists on both of Anderson's goals.
Williams extended its lead to 4-0 at 11:43 of the third on Rubino's third goal of the season. The Jumbos broke up the shutout with 4:27 remaining in the third on a goal by freshman Tyler Voigt (Rochester, MN).
The visitors finished with a slim 31-29 advantage in shots. Barchard made 27 saves for Tufts, leaving him 23 away from setting the Jumbos' career record. Tufts faces Middlebury at home tomorrow starting at 4:15 pm. Williams is at Connecticut College on Saturday for a 3:00 puck drop.
Game box score
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