MALDEN - Junior Kyle Gallegos (Westminster, CO) scored a hat trick with a power-play goal, a short-handed goal and an empty-net goal to lead the Tufts hockey team to a 4-2 final over Wesleyan University in a NESCAC game at Valley Forum II on Saturday afternoon.
Including a 4-4 tie against Trinity on Friday night, Tufts (1-0-1) gained three points in its opening weekend of the 2012-13 season. The Cardinals, who got two assists from senior assistant captain Nick Craven (Fort Collins, CO), dropped to 1-1.
For the second straight game, Tufts scored quickly to get the lead. Today, sophomore Andrew White (Rockland, MA) broke in on Wesleyan goalie Glenn Stowell (Hadley, MA) and tucked the puck in on the far side just 1:27 into the game for a 1-0 Jumbo lead.
Wesleyan had a great scoring chance late in the period when junior co-captain Keith Buehler (Skaneateles, NY) went in alone, but Jumbo goalie Brian Phillips (Colleyville, TX) made the save. The Cardinals were unable to capitalize on four power-play chances in the first period and it was 1-0 Tufts at the first intermission.
The Cardinals scored an early goal in the second period to even the game at 1-1. Freshman Jay Matthews (Marshfield, MA) beat Phillips just 1:19 into the period. However, the tie would be short-lived as Gallegos would get the next two to put Tufts in front for good. His power-play goal at 3:27 was followed by a short-handed score at 6:54 giving the Jumbos a 3-1 advantage.
With an 0 for 5 mark on power-plays entering the third period, the Cardinals would finally strike while a man up to pull within 3-2. Seven seconds into a power-play, Bueler scored past a screened Phillips at 9:02 of the third.
Wesleyan pulled Stowell for an extra man, but it backfired as Gallegos earned his hat trick into the empty net with eight second remaining to end it.
Phillips earned his second career win in goal with 23 saves. Stowell made 30 stops for Wesleyan as the Jumbos finished with a 35-24 lead in shots. Gallegos' short-handed goal was Tufts' second in as many games.
The Jumbos are home again on Tuesday night when they play Curry College. Wesleyan hosts UMass Dartmouth that night.
Game Box Score
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