Box Score
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| Conal Lynch assisted on two of the Jumbos goals on Friday night |
MALDEN – The Tuft men's hockey team skated to a 3-3 tie with visiting Hamilton on Friday night at the Malden Forum. The Continentals pulled their goalie and scored the equalizer with 27.3 seconds remaining in regulation to force the overtime period. Sophomore Mason Pulde collected a career-high 48 saves in net for the Jumbos.
Tufts (7-12-2, 4-9-2 NESCAC) was honoring the Special Operations Warrior Foundation at the game, and wore special jerseys in addition to raffling off pucks, jerseys and hats with all proceeds going to the cause.
The Jumbos got on the board very early, as sophomore Sean Kavanagh launched a slap shot past the left shoulder of Hamilton freshman net minder Tim Nowacki to give the Jumbos an early 1-0 lead just 38 seconds into the first period. Junior Stewart Bell and sophomore Conal Lynch were credited with the assists.
After the Jumbo goal, the offensive pressure was pretty even until the Continentals tied it up with just over ten minutes remaining in the period. In a scrum in front of the net senior Nicholas Vassos was able to sneak the puck past Pulde to even the score at one with his first goal of the season. Rookie T.J. Daigler picked up his first assist of the season on the play.
Neither team was able to do much with the one-man advantage in the first period. The Continentals went on a power play when freshman Brian Brown was sent to the box for hooking, but just a minute later Continental junior Kenny Matheson found himself in the box for boarding, evening the players on the ice. The Jumbos had another power play in the first period, but weren't able to score with the extra man.
The second period started much like the first, but this time it only took the Jumbos 16 seconds to score as Brown fed a pass to freshman Scott Majkowski from behind the net that Majkowski was able to fire past the Continental keeper to give the Jumbos the 2-1 advantage. Brown and sophomore Matt Pugh were credited with assists.
The hosts would make it 3-1 a little less than five minutes later when senior Tyler Voigt scored his fifth of the season off a slap shot from the left side off a pass from Lynch. The assist was Lynch's second of the game.
After a fight in front of the net right after the goal, both a Jumbo and a Continental were sent to the box, but neither team was able to do much four-on-four. The Continentals cut the lead to one when rookie Tyler Bruneteau snuck the puck past the Jumbos goalie with 8:31 left in the second frame. Sophomore Brad Smelstor and classmate Truman Landowski assisted.
The Continentals had a chance to tie the game a little later when Jumbo senior Shawn Power was sent to the box for hooking. But the Jumbos defense denied any scoring opportunity and was highlighted by a diving save by Pulde to keep the puck out of the net.
The third period was unlike the first two in that it showcased no goals until the absolute end. Despite two penalties, one for each team, neither team was able to score and the offensive pressure was pretty even on both ends.
Nowacki skated off the ice, leaving the Continental net empty, with a little over a minute remaining in the third period with the puck in the Jumbos zone. Pulde received lots of pressure but was strong in net until junior Marko Brelih unleashed a shot that snuck past him to tie the score at three with 27.3 seconds remaining. Senior Patrick Curtis assisted the goal.
Both teams were able to get off a few shots in the overtime period, but neither the Jumbos nor the Continentals scored, leaving the game a 3-3 tie.
Hamilton held the advantage in shots on the night, 51-41. Neither team was able to convert with the extra-man, as both the Continentals and the Jumbos were 0-for-3 on the power play. Pulde finished with 48 saves while Nowacki had 38 in the tie.
The Jumbos will be back in action on Saturday afternoon when they host #11 Amherst at 4:00 pm. The Jumbos lost to Amherst, 3-2, earlier this season when the Lord Jeffs scored with 26 seconds remaining in the third period. Saturday will be senior day at the Malden Forum, as the Jumbos will honor their six seniors prior to the start of the game.
The Continentals (7-8-6, 5-6-4 NESCAC) travel to Connecticut College for a 3:00 pm start with the Camels on Saturday afternoon.
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