Box Score 
MALDEN – The Tufts University hockey team fell just short in overtime on Friday night by a score of 4-3 in a NESCAC matchup against the Hamilton College Continentals at Valley Forum.
The Jumbos went down 1-0 seven minutes into the game when Hamilton junior Sean McAvoy scored his first goal of the season after collecting a rebound in front of the net from a Nick Rutigliano shot that hit Tufts goalie Peyton Durand in the chest. The teams would go back-and -forth for the remainder of the period, but no one could find the back of the net, sending it to the second period with the score at 1-0 in favor of the Continentals.
The second period saw a lot of action, with Hamilton scoring the first goal just over one minute in. It started with freshman Scott McKenzie keeping the puck in the Jumbos' zone and bringing the puck up in front of the net. McKenzie fed a short pass to fellow freshman William Neault who sent his shot past the right side of Durand for the goal to make it 2-0. Tufts responded just five minutes later with an Aidan Lovett goal. Lovett collected the puck in transition to create a two-on-one opportunity with sophomore Cam Newton. Lovett passed to Newton, giving him an open shot in front of the net that was saved by Continental goalie Sean Storr, but knocked up in the air. Lovett spotted the puck in the air and swatted it down into the goal to cut the Hamilton lead to 2-1. The game seemed to be going to the third period with a 2-1 score, but Hamilton junior Nick Hawkins scored with 12 seconds left in the period after receiving a pass near center ice and speeding by defenders to give himself a clean shot near the net that he sent past Durand for the goal.
Just over three minutes into the third period, Tufts once again responded with a goal of their own. Tyler Sedlak possessed the puck on the right side of the ice and sent a quick pass across the ice to the left side of the net where senior Tom Tresca was waiting to one-time the pass for the goal to put the Jumbos within one. Tufts continued their hot third period just over three minutes later, scoring again to tie the game up with 12:55 left. Justin Brandt (pictured) sent a crisp pass to sophomore Fisher Shea who was coming up the left-side boards towards the net. Shea received the pass from Brandt and quickly sent a wrist shot by Storr into the back of the net. Both teams played tight defense for the reminder of the period, sending the game to overtime at 3-3.
The overtime period started with a Jumbo in the penalty box, giving Hamilton a four-on-three advantage to start. The Continentals capitalized on the advantage, scoring the game-winner just one minute into overtime with a goal from Rutigliano. Hamilton fired multiple shots consecutively to start the overtime period and Rutigliano eventually found the back of the net after James Philpott won a puck battle behind the net and sent a pass to Rutigliano at the blue line.
The game saw a total of 15 penalties, Hamilton with seven and Tufts with eight. Hamilton finished with a 37-28 lead in shots on goal and had 43 faceoff victories compared to Tufts' 36. Storr finished with 25 saves while Durand finished with 33.
Tufts will be back in action on Saturday, February 12 with another home NESCAC matchup against Amherst at 4 pm at Valley Forum.
Written by Tim O'Brien, Athletic Communications Intern
