Box Score MALDEN – The Tufts University Hockey team faltered against Amherst College in New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) play on Saturday afternoon at the Malden Valley Forum.
The Jumbos fall to 4-10-0 with a 2-6-0 record in NESCAC play. The Mammoths improve to 4-9-1 with a 3-6-0 record in league games.
Following early powerplay opportunities for both teams, the Jumbos jumped on the board first as sophomore Cal LeClair forced a turnover in the neutral zone with a stick lift. He found junior Mason Babbidge who had just come off the bench for a change. Babbidge drove into the Amherst zone and fired a shot from the top of the right circle that beat the Mammoth goaltender, Dan Dachille, over his right shoulder. That is Babbidge's second of the season, just 8:01 into the first period.
Amherst had a golden opportunity to tie the score. A two-on-one coming from the neutral zone saw a cross-ice pass for Patrick Daly, but his one-time shot went wide.
The Mammoths earned the next strong opportunity and they would make sure it counted. Greg McGunigle and Connor Merrill combined to breakout a pass for Mitchell Shults. Shults would drive in on a two-on-one and rather than pass, he fired a shot from the lower end of the right circle. That shot beat junior goaltender, Drew Hotte.
Neither team managed to gain a clear advantage as the remaining time would run out in the first period. The Mammoths outshot the Jumbos, 15-9, through the first frame.
Amherst jumped on the attack early with a four-on-two opportunity. After strong passing, they found Nick Bondra on the left side of the ice. He quickly fired a shot but it right at the sliding Hotte.
The Mammoths grabbed the lead just before the seven minute mark of the second period. P.J. Conlon fired a shot the right faceoff dot. Hotte turned that aside but the loose puck found Bondra. Bondra sent a pass back towards Pieter von Steinbergs who buried the go-ahead goal.
Seven minutes later, Conlon found himself on the end of strong passing on a three-on-two. He fired a long shot from the top of the circle. Hotte made a left pad save but the rebound found its way back to Conlon at the top of the slot. He quickly fired the shot into the top left of the goal.
Amherst added an insurance tally less than one minute later as von Steinbergs finished off his second of the game and period to give the Mammoths a 4-1 lead with just over five minutes to play in the second period.
Both teams had opportunities through powerplays in the closing minutes of the second stanza but neither team found the twine. Amherst outshot the Jumbos, 14-13 in the period and through two periods led 29-22 in shots.
Tufts jumped on the attack early in the third period as they would find their second goal of the contest within the first minute of the period. Senior Ross Delabruere fired a quick shot from the slot for his first goal of the season. His snapshot beat the Mammoth goaltender low and to his right.
However, Amherst would regain the momentum with Conlon's second goal of the contest three minutes later.
Over the remaining time, neither team gained a clear advantage once again. The Mammoths outshot the Jumbos, 36-31, on their way to a 5-2 victory.
Hotte made 31 saves in the losing effort. He falls to 1-5-0 on the season. Dachille improves to 3-2-1 after making 29 saves on 31 shots on goal.
Tufts was 0 for 3 on the powerplay while Amherst was 0 for 4. The teams were nearly even in the faceoff circles as Amherst won 29 faceoffs compared to 28 for Tufts.
The Jumbos continue their homestand as they return to action on Friday. They host Wesleyan University with puck drop slated for 7pm. The Mammoths will hit the road for their seventh consecutive road contest. They matchup with Hamilton College for a 7pm start.
