MALDEN, MA (January 27, 2024) – Juniors
Harrison Bazianos and
Clark Bolin scored goals 39 seconds apart in the third period to lift the Tufts University hockey team to a 2-1 NESCAC victory over Middlebury College at Valley Forum Saturday.
The win earns three points in the league for the Jumbos, who are now 7-4-1 in NESCAC (23.5 points) and 10-6-2 overall. Middlebury, who had been unbeaten in their last four games, falls to 3-6-3 in the league (13.5 pts) and 5-9-4 overall.
For two periods today, it looked like a repeat of last night for the Jumbos when they lost 2-0 to Williams College. The visiting Panthers took a 1-0 lead on a goal by junior Jin Lee early in the second period today, and for 40 minutes the Jumbos were struggling offensively.
However, Bazianos started the comeback at 4:13 of the third period. Senior defenseman
Sam Miller collected the puck along the left boards outside the face-off circle and put a shot on goal that was saved by Middlebury senior Jake Horoho. However, the rebound got loose in front of Horoho and Bazianos bolted to it and fired a shot far side for a 1-0 Jumbo lead.
Then at 4:52 of the third, Bolin netted the go-ahead goal. He won a face-off and freshman defenseman
Sylas Oberting made a physical play at the left point to keep the puck in. Freshman
Trace Norwell then sent it behind the goal line to sophomore
Brendan Fennell, who fed it back out to Bolin. He held the puck to get Horoho to commit and then tucked it around the goalie for the 2-1 Jumbo lead.
Like all season, Jumbo senior goalie
Peyton Durand provided the foundation for the win. He made eight of his nine third-period saves after Tufts had taken the lead. He finished with 27 stops overall.
Middlebury had taken the 1-0 advantage at 4:46 of the second period when junior defenseman Ryan Pineault found Lee curling into the slot and his shot through traffic went in.
Shots finished 37-27 for the Jumbos overall, and both teams killed three power plays.
Horoho had 35 saves in the Panther goal, including all 25 shots he faced in the first and second periods combined.
Tufts will play its home-and-home weekend against Connecticut College starting next Friday in Malden. The Panthers host Wesleyan University and Trinity College next weekend.
--JUMBOS--
