Box Score
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Matt Pugh scored twice to help Tufts take a 3-0 lead
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MALDEN - Visiting Amherst College overcame a 3-0 deficit and earned a 4-3 victory at Tufts in NESCAC men's hockey action Saturday afternoon at Valley Forum.
Topher Flanagan, 13 seconds out of the penalty box for an elbowing infraction, scored the game-winning goal at 14:28 of the third period to complete the comeback. The Lord Jeffs earned a weekend sweep in league play with the victory, improving to 9-5 overall and 7-3 in the league.
The Jumbos, who received two goals from freshman Matt Pugh, built a 3-0 lead early in the second period before Amherst stormed back. Tufts fell to 3-11 overall and 1-7 in the league.
Pugh's first goal at 6:38 of the first period came just five seconds into a Jumbo power play. The hosts would take a 2-0 advantage into the first intermission after George Pantazopoulos added his third goal of the year at 15:22. Jumbo freshman goalie Ryan Kellenberger stopped all nine shots that he saw in the opening 20 minutes.
Tufts upped its lead to 3-0 just 58 seconds into the second stanza when Pugh scored his second of the game and third of the season. However, Amherst would begin its comeback in the second on Elliot Bostrom's first goal of the year at 8:44 making it 3-1.
The momentum really turned in the final minute of the second period. With Tufts short-handed due to a too many men on the ice call, Brendan Burke scored for Amherst with 58 seconds remaining in the period. Andrew Fenwick then tied the game 3-3 by scoring in the final second of the period. Ryan Edwards assisted on the first and third goals by the Lord Jeffs.
Amherst then had to kill three penalties in the opening 14 minutes of the third period to keep the game tied before Flanagan's winner. Tufts out-shot the Lord Jeffs 12-6 in the third, but Amherst goalie Dave Cunningham made 12 saves. Tufts pulled Kellenberger for the final 1:25, but to no avail.
The one-goal loss is the fifth in league play for Tufts and the seventh overall. Kellenberger had 19 saves in the game.
Cunningham made 25 saves for his seventh victory in the Amherst net.
The Jumbos are in the midst of a five-game homestand and host Wesleyan next Saturday night at 7 pm. Amherst travels to play at Concordia, Wisconsin next Friday night at 7.
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