Box Score
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| Dan Kelly scored his first goal of the year against Wesleyan Saturday |
MALDEN – The Tufts men's hockey team took a one-goal lead in the first period and held on to top visiting Wesleyan, 4-1, in NESCAC hockey action at the Valey Forum II on Saturday afternoon. Four different Jumbos scored in the win which wrapped up a five game home stand.
With the win the Jumbos move to 6-6-4 overall this year, with a 2-5-3 record in conference tilts. The Cardinals fall to 1-8-7 overall and 1-3-5 in NESCAC contests.
The Jumbos put the offensive pressure on the Cardinals in the first period, but goaltender Dawson Sprigings was a wall in the net, registering 19 saves during the first period alone. The home team was able to get on the board just over 15 minutes into the period as sophomore Nick Flanagan passed the puck to senior co-captain Stewart Bell who fired a shot at the net that sophomore Dan Kelly was able to tip past Sprigings for his first goal of the season. The Jumbos would outshoot the Cardinals 20-9 in the first period, and take the 1-0 lead into the intermission.
The Cardinals had their chances to score in the second period, but they were not able to capitalize on any of their three power plays. On the first power play Wesleyan did not get off a shot on goal. The second two man up opportunities were a little bit better as they were able to get off two and three shots on goal, respectively. At the end of the scoreless period both teams had managed 12 shots on goal each, but neither was able to find the back of the net.
The third period was where most of the scoring happened. The Jumbos scored the first three and the Cardinals got on the board with a goal of their own late in the third period. Tufts wasted no time extending their lead in the third, as just over two minutes into play junior Matt Pugh scored his fourth goal of the season. Junior Conal Lynch took a shot that Sprigings was able to save, but Pugh got the rebound and pushed the puck just past the Cardinal goalies left side to make it 2-0. Rookie Nicholas Abbene was also credited with an assist on the score.
The Jumbos made it 3-0 about five minutes later as sophomore Chad Goldberg, who was right in front of the net, received a pass from rookie Clay Berger, and was able to get the puck past Sprigings on his left again. Sophomore Brian Brown also received an assist on the goal. The fourth Jumbo goal would come from junior Patrick Lackey halfway through the period. Junior Mike Leary and senior Dominic Granato picked up helpers on the goal.
The Cardinals got on the board just under 14 minutes into the period when Jaren Taenaka broke up the shutout with his third goal of the year. Luke Babcock and Jordan Jancze tallied assists on the play. With under two minutes to play two Jumbos and one Cardinal were sent to the box after some pushing. With Sprigings pulled from the net with just over two minutes to go, Wesleyan had the advantage in skaters and were able to pressure the Jumbos a bit. But, Pulde and the Jumbo defense held on to the three-goal lead to earn the 4-1 win.
The Jumbos finished with the advantage in shots, 46-37. Neither team was able to convert on the power play, as the Cardinals were 0-for-4 with the one-man advantage and the Jumbos did not convert on their one power play. Sprigings finished with 42 saves in the loss while his Jumbo counterpart, Pulde, made 36 saves in the win.
The Cardinals will take the ice again next Saturday when they host Amherst for a 7 pm scheduled start. Tufts will play again on Friday when they travel to Williams with a 7 pm puck drop.
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