Box Score Recap courtesy of Colby College
WATERVILLE, Maine -- Cam MacDonald scored a collegiate-high four goals and had two assists to lead the Colby College men's hockey team to a fifth straight win after a 7-3 NESCAC victory against Tufts University on Saturday at Alfond Rink.
The Mules end the first semester of play at 6-2 overall and 5-1 in the NESCAC. Tufts drops to 1-7-1 and 0-5-1 in the conference. Sophomore Tyler Scroggins and freshman Brendan Ryan both recorded a goal and an assist for the visitors.
MacDonald started his big day with an assist on Nick O'Connor's fifth goal of the year. MacDonald played a long pass off the right board to Kienan Scott, who went around the net and got the puck in front. O'Connor was able to stuff the puck in the net in front just 24 seconds into the game. MacDonald then created a turnover in his own end, rushed the puck up the ice to make a two-on-one, and then took the shot for his first of the game at 6:00.
After taking a 2-0 lead into the second period, MacDonald scored just 1:31 into play off assists from Michael Rudolf and Nick O'Connor. Rudolf saw MacDonald cutting toward the goal and MacDonald tipped in the pass. Justin Grillo scored his first collegiate goal at 4:54 of the second period. Tufts turned the puck over near center ice and Phil Klitirinos tipped the puck to Grillo for a break`away.
O'Connor scored his sixth of the season from MacDonald and Scott at 10:42. MacDonald made a nice move to beat a defender and his shot was tipped in by O'Connor. MacDonald's third goal of the game at 17:40 of the second period was the prettiest of the game. He took a long pass from Michael Decker at the blue line, skated in and beat a defender, and scored while falling to his knees after being tripped. It gave the Mules a 6-0 advantage.
MacDonald's final goal - his seventh of the season - was his easiest after he stuffed in a puck at the right post after a wild scramble in front at 9:20 of the third period.
Tufts got on the scoreboard at 10:43 when Ryan scored his first goal on a wrap-around move on the right post. Scroggins had the assist on the play. That would be the first of three consecutive goals by the Jumbos. Scroggins made it 7-2 at 13:53 when he was able to stuff in a puck that Colby goalie Sean Lawrence was unable to cover for an unassisted tally. Tufts scored the final goal when Mason Babbidge was at the right post to capitalize after a puck came through the crease. Brian Brown and Jaret Koger had assists.
Lawrence, the NESCAC Player of the Week for last week, had 33 saves a day after taking a 2-0 win over Connecticut College. He had a scoreless streak of more than seven periods. The Jumbos played three goalies, with freshman Drew Hotte taking the loss.
Tufts had a 36-34 shot advantage in the game and had a slight advantage in face-offs won (34-33).
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