Box Score PLATTSBURGH, NY - Senior Brian Brown gave the Tufts University hockey team a 1-0 lead in the first period, but second-ranked Endicott College stormed back to take an 8-1 win over the Jumbos in the consolation game of the W.B. Mason Winter Classic hosted by Plattsburgh State University on Saturday.
On a Jumbo rush, freshman Peter Hatton crossed the red line and fired the puck into the offensive zone. Endicott goalie Mark Specia was unable to make a play on the puck and stumbled as it zipped around behind the net. Brown stopped it along the right boards and fired a shot into an open net as Specia tried to scramble back into position. Brown's third goal of the year put Tufts up 1-0 with 4:59 remaining in the opening period.
Endicott tied the score at 1-1 before the end of the first as junior Logan Day scored his 10th goal of the season with 1:17 on the clock. An evenly played first period ended with the Jumbos holding a 12-11 advantage in shots.
The Gulls (14-1-1) would dominate the rest of the game, scoring three times in the second period and four more in the third to run away with the win. Junior Ross Olsson scored twice to lead the Endicott barrage.
Endicott scored three goals in the opening 10 minutes of the second period to turn the 1-1 tie into a 4-1 Gulls lead. Sophomore Luke Rodgers scored Endicott's second goal - the eventual game-winner - just 2:27 into the second. He also helped set up senior Jack Musil's goal at 8:45 of the middle stanza putting Endicott up 3-1. Barely a minute later, the Gulls extended their margin to 4-1 with junior Daniel Kucerovy's 15th goal of the season.
Olsson, junior Josh Bowes, junior Thomas Daniels and Olsson again scored the third period goals as Endicott finished off the consolation win.
Both teams played a pair of goalies. Specia made 19 saves in 40 minutes for Endicott before sophomore Justin Ketola played the third period and stopped six shots. Freshman Drew Hotte started for Tufts and made 29 saves, with senior Ryan McConnell finishing up the final 10 minutes with five stops. Shots finished 42-26 in favor of the Gulls. The game featured just three minor penalties.
Ironically, these squads will meet again on Tuesday night for a regular-season contest at Valley Forum starting at 7 p.m.
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