Box Score sMALDEN – The Tufts University hockey team dropped their regular-season finale to Bowdoin College, 4-2, in New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) play on Saturday afternoon at the Malden Valley Forum.
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| Senior Cory Gottfried got the Jumbos on the board with a powerplay goal. |
The Jumbos see their season come to a close with the loss at 8-15-1 overall and 6-11-1 in NESCAC play. The Polar Bears close the regular season at 12-11-1 with an 8-9-1 record in conference. They are slated to match up with Hamilton College in the NESCAC quarterfinals.
Bowdoin struck first as Ethan Kimball fired a wrist shot by sophomore goaltender Josh Sarlo into the upper right corner of the goal. The Polar Bears won an offensive zone faceoff and quick passing by Bradley Ingersoll and Thomas Dunleavy found Kimball in the slot 6:31 into the contest.
The Jumbos responded quickly after the Polar Bears were assessed an interference minor penalty. Sophomore Justin Brandt sent a pass from the right corner to junior Tom Tresca at the right point. Tresca slid a pass across the blueline for senior Cory Gottfried who ripped a one-time shot by Alex Zafonte to tie the score four minutes later.
Although the contest was tied at the end of one, the Polar Bears heavily outshot the Jumbos 14-5. Sarlo was strong with 13 saves.
Bowdoin regained the lead less than two minutes into the second stanza as a shot by Ronnie Lestan was saved by Sarlo, but Jimmy Duffy was in the right place at the right time to bury the rebound.
The Polar Bears would strike again as Kimball forced a turnover in the attacking end and found a near empty net after Sarlo aggressively came out of his crease. That gave the visitors a 3-1 lead just under four minutes into the second period.
Tufts would earn two strong chances to get the scoring back in their favor as a wrister from junior Mason Babbidge from the slot was saved by Zafonte and an in-close shot by senior Ross Delabruere was saved as well.
Bowdoin continued to attack after earning a powerplay. Cam Berube drove in from his spot at the right point and buried a cross crease pass 7:42 into the period. Lestan and Albert Washco earned assists on the play and suddenly Bowdoin led 4-1.
Through two periods, the Polar Bears held a 27-19 shots advantage.
The Jumbos controlled most of the play for the third period and would be rewarded with a goal at 12:28 of the final frame. Brandt found senior Anthony Farinacci who was crashing the slot. He fired a wrister by Zafonte to cut the lead to two.
Tufts was forced to pull their goaltender at the three-minute mark, needing two goals. They had chances to find the twine with the extra skater, but physical play penalties thwarted their extended chances.
Sarlo made 32 saves on 36 shots on goal for Tufts. Zafonte stopped 31 of 33 shots on goal in the win. He improves to 12-10-1.
Tufts was 1 for 2 on the powerplay while Bowdoin was 1 for 4. The teams both won 35 faceoffs.
