Box Score NEW LONDON, CT - Connecticut College junior William White scored 55 seconds into overtime to lift the host Camels to a rousing 4-3 victory over Tufts in NESCAC men's hockey action on Saturday night.
The Camels (9-9-2, 8-4-2 NESCAC) scored three goals in the third period to come from behind before winning the game in overtime. They came back from 2-0 and 3-1 deficits in the final 20 minutes. The two points put them in second place (18 points) in NESCAC with four games remaining in the regular season.
The Jumbos (4-12-4, 3-8-3) missed an opportunity to build on their points margin over Bowdoin and Middlebury, who both lost this afternoon. Tufts remains in eighth place with nine points, followed by the Polar Bears (eight points) and the Panthers (six points).
After playing to a 0-0 tie last night - the first in the modern era of hockey at Tufts (1986-present) - the teams picked up where they left off with a scoreless first period today. However, after more than 91 minutes of scoreless hockey last night and tonight, the teams combined to score seven goals in the final 30 minutes of action.
Ironically, Tufts scored twice within 17 seconds to break the scoring drought. Senior Brian Brown gave the Jumbos a 1-0 lead with 8:28 remaining in the second period. Freshman Charley Borek won a puck along the left boards in the offensive zone and started to take it behind the net. He saw Brown moving through the slot and set him up for a quick wrist shot that beat Camels sophomore goalie Connor Rodericks.
Soon after, freshman Mason Babbidge won a face-off for the Jumbos sending the puck back to freshman defenseman Michael Gordon. His slap shot was saved, but freshman Edward Hannon scored on the rebound for his first collegiate goal at 8:11 of the second stanza. The Jumbos took the 2-0 advantage into the second intermission.
The hosts cut the margin in half 2:51 into the third period. The Camels caused a Tufts turnover at the red line. Sophomore Jacob Moreau skated in two on one with classmate Ryan Petti and slid him a pass that Petti converted for his seventh goal of the year.
Tufts regained its two-goal lead at 8:01 of the period. Sophomore Anthony Farinacci carried the puck into the zone, but was knocked to the ice as the puck went to the corner. While he was getting to his feet, Gordon came in from the blue line to gain posssession along the right boards and sent a pass into the slot where Farinacci deflected it home.
The Camels changed goalies, inserting sophomore Avery Gobbo. It sparked the team, as White won the ensuing face-off leading to a Connecticut College goal just nine seconds after the Tufts tally. Senior Ryan Glantz scored it with an assist to sophomore Brenden Russ. Less than four minutes later, Petti won a face-off in the Tufts zone sending it back to Russ. His shot beat Jumbo goalie Nik Nugnes and it was a 3-3 game with 8:09 remaining.
Rodericks returned to the goal for the final eight minutes, and Nugnes stopped three shots for the Jumbos to send the game to overtime.
A minute into the extra session, Glantz won a puck battle along the right boards and sent it to White in the slot where he scored the game-winner.
Connecticut College finished with a 32-21 advantage in shots as Nugnes made 28 stops and Rodericks had all of the Camels' 18 saves. Petti, Glanz and Russ all had a goal and an assist for the hosts. Hannon recorded a goal and an assist and Gordon had two assists for the Jumbos.
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