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Sophomore Kyle Gallegos netted the game-winner with 48 seconds left in OT
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WILLIAMSTOWN - Sophomore Kyle Gallegos (Westminster, CO) scored in the final minute of overtime to lift the Tufts hockey team to a 3-2 win at #12 Williams College in NESCAC action on Friday night. It's the second straight overtime victory for the Jumbos, and their third this season.
With the win and a 4-3 loss by Middlebury against Connecticut College, the Jumbos move into a fourth-place tie with the Panthers in the conference. Both teams have 12 points and play tomorrow in Vermont starting at 4 pm. The top four teams earn home-ice berths into the 2012 conference championship tournament.
Williams had tied the game at 2-2 13:16 into the third period on the 10th goal of the season by Nick Anderson. He redirected a slapper for the goal that would eventually send the game to overtime. First, Tufts had to kill a penalty covering the final 1:58 of the third.
And then in overtime, the Jumbos first had to kill a cross-checking penalty on Gallegos 28 seconds into the extra session. However, he redeemed himself by scoring the winner off an assist from freshman Tyler Voigt (Rochester, MN) with 48 seconds on the clock. Jumbo senior goalie Scott Barchard (Reading, MA) had seven saves in overtime after making 21 in the third period.
The game featured two of the league's top goaltenders, and both were busy all night. Despite the low score, the contest was a shoot-out of epic proportions. The teams combined for 118 shots, including 60 by Williams and 58 by Tufts. Barchard finished with 58 saves and Eph Ryan Purdy made 55.
Tufts freshman defenseman Shawn Power (Arlington, MA) and Voigt both had a goal and an assist for the Jumbos. They had combined on a second-period score at 1:28, with Voigt netting his seventh, to give Tufts a 2-1 advantage. Power's unassisted goal at 4:53 of the first put Tufts in front 1-0. His slap shot from the left point came after an Ephs' turnover in their own end 4:53 into the opening period.
The early lead held for just five minutes before Craig Kitto scored for Williams at 9:48. Barchard knocked down a slap shot, but could not cover it up before Kitto was able to bat it out of the air and into the net at 9:48.
Neither team was able to convert any power play opportunities, with Williams finishing 0 for 4 and Tufts 0 for 3.
The Jumbos improved to 8-7-1 overall and 6-5 in NESCAC heading into tomorrow's game at Middlebury. Williams (10-3-4, 7-3-1 NESCAC) hosts Connecticut College tomorrow at 3 pm.
Game boxscore
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