Box Score NEW LONDON, Conn. – The Tufts University hockey team faltered in the second leg of their home and home series with Connecticut College on Saturday night, 5-1.
The Jumbos fall to 7-12-1 on the season with a 5-8-1 record in NESCAC games. The Camels improve to 9-9-2 with a 5-7-2 record in league games.
Connecticut College had the first strong opportunity as Matt Creamer won the race for a puck dumped into the right corner. Creamer wheeled around the net and found Anthony Quatieri who was waiting for a one-time shot from the right faceoff circle. It was a near empty goal, but sophomore goaltender Josh Sarlo slid across the goalmouth to make the glove save.
Neither teams managed to gain an advantage and the goaltenders remained perfect through the opening frame. The Camels outshot the Jumbos, 15-8.
The Camels earned an early powerplay opportunity, to open the second period. Connecticut College grabbed the lead with the extra skater. Ryan Petti won a loose puck race in the left corner of the attacking zone. The Camels passed the puck around the zone, finding Quatieri on the left point. He sent a pass down to the corner for Paul Capozzi. Capozzi slotted a pass into the slot for Ryan Petti who quickly fired a wrister by Sarlo.
Connecticut College returned to the powerplay just minutes later, following a five minute major. However, a hooking penalty on the Camels creating a four-on-four and limiting the major powerplay.
Tufts first strong chance to score came during the four-on-four. Sophomore Justin Brandt, senior Cory Gottfried, and senior Anthony Farinacci worked an attacking three-on-two. Farinacci dropped a pass for Brandt who slid a pass across the slot for a crashing Gottfried. Camel goaltender Connor Rodericks made a sprawling save and the defense kept the loose puck from crossing the goal line.
The Jumbos managed to kill the remainder of the major powerplay. Tufts was assessed another penalty in the period, which they killed off as well.
The Camels had what was believed to be an insurance goal, but the referees called off the goal. However, Petti won the ensuing faceoff back to Kyle Moss. Moss found Jacob Moreau who sent a pass from his own blueline forward for Capozzi who collected the pass and drove in across the attacking blueline. He fired a wrister from the tops of the faceoff circles that beat Sarlo just passed the 14 minute mark of the period.
Connecticut College added another goal late in the period as Petti redirected a shot from Eric Fournier. A fourth goal came with less than 30 seconds left in the period as Quatieri found Matt Creamer behind the goal. Creamer attempted the wrap around, but Sarlo made the save. However, the rebound found Steven Senese who gave the Camels a 4-0 lead to close out the second period. Connecticut College outshot Tufts by an 18-2 margin in the period and held a 33-10 advantage for the game.
After nearly three minutes of physical play to open the third period, the Camels were assessed a major penalty, giving Tufts a five-minute man advantage. The Jumbos had shots on goal with the man advantage but a penalty on the Jumbos closed out the last minute of the major powerplay and gave the Camels a powerplay chance of their own.
Sophomore Angus Scott dumped a puck into the left corner, which was corralled by Brandt, he would drive around the back of back of the goal for the right corner. Brandt found a crashing junior Peter Hatton who fired a wrister from the top of the slot to get the Jumbos on the board at 12:09 of the third period.
Senese added his second goal of the day at the 17:02 mark of the third period, following a Jumbo turnover in their own end.
In the final period, the Jumbos outshot the Camels, 8-6. For the game, Connecticut College outshot Tufts, 39-18.
Sarlo made 34 saves on 39 shots in the losing effort. He falls to 5-7-0 on the season. Junior Tyler Haywood came on in relief in the closing minutes. Rodericks made 17 saves on 18 shots on goal in the win. He improves to 9-8-2.
The Jumbos return to action on Friday night when they travel to Hamilton College for a 7pm start. The Camels head to Amherst College on Friday night. Puck drop is scheduled for 7pm.
