MALDEN, MA (January 21, 2023) – Tufts University battled back from two-goal deficits three times to tie the game, but Wesleyan University's Wiggle Kerbrat would net the game-winning goal in the middle of the third period for a 5-4 Cardinal victory in NESCAC men's hockey action Saturday afternoon at Valley Forum.
Wesleyan keeps its streak of not losing in regulation alive this season while improving to 11-2-2 overall and 7-1-2 in the league. The Jumbos fall to 5-10-1 and 2-7-1 NESCAC.
Down by 2-0, 3-1 and 4-2 scores, Tufts got goals from
Brendan Fennell and
Max Resnick in the third period to tie the score at 4-4 with 10:30 remaining. However, barely a minute later Kerbrat took a pass from Go Uemura and scored the game-winning goal with 9:22 left in regulation. Tufts would pull goalie Gus Bylin for over a minute late in the third, but then took a penalty that would negate the advantage and could not net an equalizer.
The Cardinals had skated to an early 2-0 lead on goals by Owen Sweet on a power play at 7:54 of the first period and then by Kerbrat at 4:47 of the second frame.
Tufts would pull within 2-1 after Resnick blocked a shot at the Jumbo blue line and Fennell controlled the puck and tipped it to Resnick setting up a two-on-one. Fennell took pass from Resnick on the left side and scored at 5:37 of the second frame.
Wesleyan struck on the power-play again at 12:59 when Uemura was there at the left post to put in a tipped shot by Kerbrat for a 3-1 Cardinal advantage. However, Tufts would narrow the margin to 3-2 with just 16 seconds left in the second.
Fisher Shea wound through the Cardinal defense and got the puck to
John Mulvihill, who sent it on to
Alex Lycett who notched his first goal of the season.
A great individual effort by Andrew Pratt taking the puck from behind the Tufts net and curling into the slot before shooting and scoring 4:40 into the third period made it 4-2 Wesleyan.
On Tufts' goal pulling the hosts within 4-3, Resnick controlled a wide shot by
Sam Miller behind the Cardinal net and wrapped it around out to Fennell who tallied his second goal of the game. The game-tying goal for Tufts came when a check by
Mason Kohn in the Cardinal end allowed the Jumbos to keep the puck in. A shot from the right point by
Gunnar Stadem deflected to Resnick in the right circle and he scored.
Fennell finished with two goals and an assist, while Resnick accumulated a goal and two assists for Tufts. Bylin made 15 saves in goal for Tufts.
Uemura led Wesleyan with four points (goal, 3 assists), Kerbrat had two goals and an assist and Patrick Morrissey finished with three assists. Marc Smith totaled 33 saves in goal for the win as Tufts finished with a wide 37-20 advantage in shots.
