BRUNSWICK, ME (February 21, 2026) – Senior goaltender
Gus Bylin made 30 stops as Tufts University captured a 4-1 NESCAC hockey victory over No. 8 ranked Bowdoin in both team's regular season finale at Sidney J. Watson Arena.
With the win, Tufts finishes the regular season with a 12-11-1 record overall and 9-9-0 in the NESCAC, while No. 8 Bowdoin ends their regular season with an overall record of 17-6-1 and 13-4-1 in conference. Tufts locked in the #3 seed in the upcoming NESCAC Tournament and will host #6 seed Williams. No. 8 Bowdoin secured #2 seed in the conference tournament before this game took place and will host #7 seed Amherst.
For the second straight game the Jumbos found themselves in a scoreless opening frame. Bylin stopped 11 shots throughout the first 20 minutes including two strong scoring chances from the Polar Bears. Jacob Osborne registered 12 saves to keep Tufts off the board in the first period.
Zach Rizzo collected his first collegiate-career goal to put the Jumbos up one with 14:59 remaining in the second period. On the zone entry,
Mason Daignault left a drop a pass for
Marcus Sang, Sang drove towards goal and zipped a pass cross-crease for the easy finish from Rizzo.
Bylin totaled 17 saves across the first two periods of play to keep the Polar Bears goalless.
The Jumbos doubled their lead 2:52 into the third with a snipe from Sang. After forcing a neutral zone turnover,
Drew Pitts hit Daignault with a short distance pass, and Daignault one-touched a feed to Sang who wristed a shot over the shoulder of Osborne to give Tufts a 2-0 advantage.
Jayson Alegria put the Polar Bears on the board with 10:55 remaining in regulation to cut the deficit to one. With a faceoff to the left Bylin, Bryce Bollman won the draw back to Michael Dinges in the high-slot, Dinges fired a shot towards goal that was blocked, and Alegria buried the rebound that barely crossed the goal line.
With the Bowdoin net empty, conference points leader
Ethan Ullrick and
Dennis Davidson extended Tufts' lead to 4-1 to seal the game for the Jumbos.
Cole Dubicki and
Trace Norwell gathered assists on Ullrick's marker.
Tufts led the shot department 32-31. Bylin tallied 30 saves in the win. Osborne made 30 saves as well throughout the three periods of play. Neither team was able to capitalize on the one power play each team had.
NESCAC Tournament begins on Saturday, February 28.
--JUMBOS--
