Box Score MALDEN - The visiting Connecticut College men's hockey team won its fourth straight game, holding off host Tufts 2-1 in NESCAC action Friday night at Valley Forum. Sophomore Joe Giordano and junior Joe Birmingham scored the two goals.
The Camels picked up an important pair of points in the league with the win, improving to 10-7-2 overall and 7-5-1 in NESCAC. All four consecutive wins by Conn have come in NESCAC play. They have allowed just three goals during the winning streak.
Tufts, who got a third-period goal by junior Keith Campbell, dropped to 7-11-1 and 4-8-1 NESCAC.
Connecticut College got on the board first when Giordano collected the puck after a Tufts defenseman blocked a pass in the Jumbo zone. He picked the top shelf for his fifth goal of the season at 10:06. The Jumbos would finish the first with a 12-10 lead in shots, though Camels junior goalie Tom Conlin stopped all dozen attempts.
Jumbo freshman goalie Mason Pulde would make a few key stops throughout the game and the first came early in the second. Birmingham sent junior Tim DiPretoro in alone, but Pulde made the save to keep it a 1-0 game.
However, that pair would figure in the goal which doubled CC's lead soon after. From the right corner behind the Tufts net, DiPretoro delivered a perfect pass out front which Birmingham redirected past Pulde at 6:19 for his 10th goal of the season and a 2-0 Camels margin.
Both squads would go on the power-play later in the second period, with Tufts getting the best opportunity. Sophomore defenseman Sean Kavanagh's shot with 2:22 remaining in the second was saved by Conlin.
Into the third, Camel senior JC Cangelosi hit his team's second post of the night early in the period and later beat a Tufts defender to swoop in on Pulde. The Jumbo freshman held his ground and made the save.
Tufts would pick up the pressure and be rewarded. From close range, sophomore Mike Leary dropped a nice behind-the-back pass to Campbell catching Donlin off-guard. The Jumbos' junior netted his second goal at 9:44 making it a 2-1 game.
Pulde would keep it a one-goal margin after CC sophomore Brian Belisle stole the puck at the Tufts blue line and went in alone. His attempt with three minutes remaining in the third was saved by Pulde.
That allowed Tufts to pull their goalie down one with 1:15 remaining in the third. However, they were unable to net the equalizer.
The Jumbos finished with a 31-27 advantage in shots, including 11-8 in the third. Donlin made 30 saves in the Conn net. Pulde finished with 25. Only six penalties were whistled, including two matching. Neither team converted on their lone power-play chance.
The teams continue their home-and-home weekend with a game at Connecticut College tomorrow at 7 pm.
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