Conference Roundup: 2/11/13

Special thanks to Ted Steinberg for timely updates of the Hamilton/Conn College game. 
Hamilton College Continentals (6-13-3; 4-10-2)     7   
Connecticut College Camels (7-12-3; 3-10-3)            3

It was over when..: Hamilton overcame a 3-2 deficit after two periods with four goals in the first six minutes of the third period to go up 6-3. The Continentals would add an empty netter for a 7-3 win, their highest offensive output of the season. Joe Quattrochi (G, Jr.) made 28 saves for the victory while Mike Petchonka (G, Jr.) made 34 saves in the loss.

1st Period: The Camels led off the scoring with 7:36 remaining in the opening period when Adam Patel (F, So.) took a rebound off a Sebastain Meltzer (F, Fr.) shot and passed it back to Meltzer, who then fired it pass Quattrochi. A day after earning his 50th collegiate point against Tufts, Anthony Ruberto (F, Sr) tied it a little over a minute later and the two teams ended the first knotted at 1.

2nd Period: After a tip in goal yesterday against Amherst, Sean Murray (F, Sr.) put the host Camels up 2-1 on senior day, going top shelf with a wrister on a feed from Kevin Kelly (F, Jr.).  The lead was short lived, as Marko Brelih (D, Fr.) put in a shot from the left point just 28 seconds later to tie the game at 2. Later in the period, team point leader JC Cangelossi (F, So.) found Keith Veronesi (F, Jr.)  for a 3-2 lead for Conn College.

3rd Period: The normally offensively challenged Continentals put on their big boy offensive pants for the third period. Hamilton sophomore Pat Curtis (F, So.) drew the equalizer 2:05 into the third on assists from player to watch Kenny Matheson (F, Fr.)  and Brelih. The Continentals then put on an offensive clinic, scoring three more goals in three and a half minutes, including two in a row from Andrew Jelinek (F, Sr.)and Brain Ferrell (F, Fr.)'s first collegiate goal.  In desperation mode to make the playoffs, the Camels pulled the goalie down 6-3 with almost three minutes to go, but the move only led to a Scott Vazquez (D, Fr.) empty netter to finalize the score at 7-3.

With the win, the Continentals break a five game losing streak and sit alone in seventh place with 10 points, and own the tiebreaker over eight place Conn. College, who remains at 9 points.  While the Continentals didn't clinch tonight, they are in the driver's seat for a playoff spot, four points ahead of ninth place Colby and Tufts. Hamilton closes out the season at home against Middlebury/Williams, while Conn. College closes out the season in the Pine Tree State against Colby/Bowdoin.

Player of the game: Andrew Jelinek (F, Sr.) The senior from Virginia had three points (2-1-3), including the game winning goal and his first ever conference mutli-goal game (he scored two goals against Western New England last year).

Box Score: Hamilton 7/ Conn College 3               School Recap(s): Hamilton      Conn College 

Amherst College Lord Jeffs (14-5-3; 10-4-2)   6  
Tufts University Jumbos (7-13-2; 2-12-2)       1

It was over when..: The Lord Jeffs scored three second period goals to erase a 1-0 deficit after one period.  Nathan Corey (G, Sr.) made 23 saves for the win and Brian Phillips (G, Jr.) made 28 saves in the loss. Both teams made goalie switches in the third period after the score was 6-1, with Dave Cunningham (G, Fr.) coming in for Amherst and Greg Jenkins (G, Jr.) entering the game for the Jumbos.  Neither backup let in any goals.

1st period: The only scoring in the first came 12:38 into the period on the first collegiate goal from Bill Sellers (F, So.). Shots in favor of Amherst 13-9 for the period.

2nd period: Brian Safstrom (F, Jr.) scored unassisted 4:29 into the second to tie it up. Safstrom then assisted Andrew Kurlandski (F, Jr.) on his goal 7:27 in to put the Lord Jeffs up 2-1. Andrew Fenwick (F, So.)  scored at 13:18 to make it a 3-1 game in favor of the visiting Lord Jeffs.

3rd period: Kurlandski scored a power play goal for his second tally of the night 1:27 into the third period. The Lord Jeffs then added a power play goal from Dylan Trumble (F, Sr.) and the first collegiate goal from  Kevin Ryder (D, Fr.) to round out the scoring. Amherst ends the game with a 40-26 shots advantage.

The win gives Amherst 22 points and thrusts them into a threeway tie for second with Middlebury and Williams; fifth place Trinity is only one point behind and has played one less game than the trio. Amherst hosts the Ephs and Panthers in what should be an exciting final weekend of regular season play. After losing on senior night,Tufts heads into the final weekend tied with Colby in ninth with six points and the Jumbos most come away with at least three points in the final weekend against Colby/Bowdoin to even have a mathematical chance at the playoffs. A loss in either game eliminates them regardless of what happens with other teams.

Player of the game: Andrew Kurlandski (F, Jr.) netted two goals (2-0-2), including the game winner to cap off a five point weekend (2-3-5).

Box Score: Amherst 6/Tufts 1                                School Recap(s): Tufts