MIDDLEBURY, VT – Tufts junior defenseman Jared Barker (Ridgefield, CT) scored with just 32 seconds remaining to force overtime, helping the Jumbos earn a 2-2 tie with Middlebury (7-8-3, 6-5-1) in NESCAC hockey action on Saturday in Kenyon Arena. The Jumbos had trailed 2-0 entering the third period.
Tufts (8-7-2, 6-5-1) completed an undefeated weekend on the road with the comeback. The Jumbos won at Williams last night, 3-2 in overtime. They are 2-0-1 in three straight overtime games.
Middlebury grabbed a 1-0 lead 6:53 into the first period when George Ordway tipped in a shot from Mathieu Castonguay for his fourth of the season. The first period ended with the Panthers owning a 19-5 shots advantage, holding the Jumbos without a shot for the game's first 13:05. However, Tufts senior goalie Scott Barchard (Reading, MA) made 18 saves in the period to keep it a one-goal margin.
The Panthers took a 2-0 lead on the power play at 11:11 into the second period. Nick Resor scored his third of the year when he shot in a rebound after a scrum in the crease area. With Tufts and Middlebury tied for fourth place in NESCAC, the hosts entered the third with a two-goal lead.
Tufts got on the board just 2:52 into the third period when Kyle Gallegos (Westminster, CO) scored his team-leading ninth of season with a shot through the five-hole. Freshman defenseman Blake Edwards (Columbus, OH) had one of his two assists for the night on the play.
Trailing 2-1 late in the third, the Jumbos went on the power play with just 41 seconds remaining. With Barchard pulled, Barker scored with a blast from the right point in a six-on-four situation to tie the game at 2-2 and send it into overtime.
The Panthers thought they had won the game 2:00 into the extra session when Charlie Strauss found the back of the net, but it was ruled that the goal had come off its moorings.
Middlebury finished the game with a 38-20 shots advantage, holding Tufts to 1 for 9 on the power play. The Panthers converted at 1 for 6 with the extra attacker. Barchard made 36 saves for Tufts, while Dan Fullam finished the game with 18 saves for the Panthers.
The Jumbos have a non-league game at home against Suffolk on Tuesday night. Middlebury is next in action at Wesleyan next Friday night.
Game boxscore
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