Conference Roundup: 11/15/13

Hamilton Continentals (0-1-0)      2
Amherst Lord Jeffs (1-0-0)        5 

It was over when...: Sophomore Conor Brown (F, '16) put in a short-handed, empty net goal with 53 seconds left to end the night with three points (2-1-3). Amherst had gone up 4-1 halfway through the third, but the Conts cut it to 4-2 on a nice power play goal; Kenny Matheson (F, '16) weaved through the defense and found Mike DiMare (F. '14) at the far post for the stuff. 

Things were a bit chippy and there were a total of thirteen penalties, which is not all that surprising for the first game of the season. Freshman on both sides saw significant playing time. For the Conts, Robbie Murden (F, 17) scored his first collegiate goal and got his first college penalty along with defenseman Brad Smelstor (D, '17). Amherst only has two skater recruits and both saw time with defenseman Austin Ho (D, '17) getting his first penalty and Chris Roll (F, '17) getting some time on the power play.

The Murden goal was the first Continental tally against Amherst since January 2012, as the Lord Jeffs have shut out the Conts in the previous three meetings, including back-to-back 1-0 shutouts to start the 2012-13 season. Hamilton senior Joe Quattrocchi (G, '14) made 19 saves in the loss, while Amherst sophomore Dave Cunningham (G, '16) made 19 saves, the most he has ever had in a NESCAC contest.

Player of the game: Brian Safstrom (F, '14) The Lord Jeffs co-captain led by example, scoring two goals and aiding a helper (2-1-3) on what proved to be the game-winner for the third three-point game of his career. Sophomore Conor Brown (F, '16) gets honorable mention for the first three point game (2-1-3) of his career. 

Box Score    Hamilton Write-up 



Conn College Camels (0-1-0)  2  
Trinity Bantams  (1-0-0)         5

It was over when...: As with the Conts/Jeffs games, the Bantams put in an empty net goal to make it 5-2. An empty net goal isn't necessarily the way you want to score your first college goal, but I'm sure Ryan Cole (F, '17) will take it. Cole's presence in the third was also felt in the box, where he had two trips for roughing and unsportsmanlike conduct.

The game was tied more than halfway through the third period, when Bantam captain Mike Flynn (D, '15) put it in the net off a Conn College stick from the right wing. Just 27 seconds later, Flynn's roommate and 2012-13 Bantam leading goal scorer Jackson Brewer (F, '15) went five hole for a 4-2 lead.

As with the Hamilton/Amherst game, things were a bit chippy and fifteen penalties were called. Bantam rookie defenseman Sam Johnson (D, '17) tied the game at two with a one timer on a pass from Brewer at the tail end of the second period for the only power play goal of the game. Before that, Conn College had leads of 1-0 and 2-1 on goals by Tim DiPretoro (F, '16) and JC Cangelosi (F, '16) with the first coming just 40 seconds into the game.

Senior Mike Petchonka (G, '14) got the start in net over sophomore Tom Conlin (G, '16), who had the starting roll down the stretch for the Camels last season. Petchnoka played well, saving 25 of the first 27 Bantam shots over the first two periods, but the peppering became too much in the third. In the end, shots were in favor of Trinity 44-31. 2013 First Team All-NESCAC goalie Ben Coulthard (G, '14) made 29 saves in the win.

Player of the game: Jackson Brewer (F, '15) Set up the game tying goal in the second period and opened up the lead for the Bantams in the third with a goal for a 2 point evening (1-1-2). Brewer now has at least one point in four career games against the Camels.

Box Score   Trinity Write-up 


Tufts Jumbos (0-1-0)               4   
Wesleyan Cardinals (1-0-0)   5    

It was over when...: Wesleyan freshman Elliott Vorel (F, '17) scored with four seconds left to win a dramatic game and cap-off a spectacular five point (2-3-5) collegiate debut that also included a short-handed goal. Vorel moved up to the first line with 2013 NESCAC Player of the Year Keith Buehler (F, '14) and Tommy Hartnett( F, '14) after Jaren Taenaka (F, '16) was kicked out of the game for hitting from behind in the first period.

It was a back and forth game with no team ever leading by more than one goal. As was the theme of the at times sloppy opening evening across the 'Cac, sixteen penalties were called. Tufts was 1/6 on the PP with George Pantazopoulos (F, '15) scoring the Jumbos lone man-advantage goal during Taenaka's hitting from behind penalty. Buehler and Hartnett scored the power play goals for the Cards.

Wesleyan led Tufts in shots, 33-28.  Nolan Daley (G, '16) made the start for the Cardinals and made 24 saves in a winning effort. Jumbo freshman Ryan Kellenberger (G, '17) went between the pipes for Tufts and made 28 saves in a losing effort.

Player of the game: Elliott Vorel (F, '17) The Milton Academy product did Boontown Township, NJ proud with his monster first college game (2-3-5).

Box Score