Conference Roundup 1/11/14

Hamilton Continentals 3-7-1 (2-5-1 NESCAC)      1
Colby Mules 7-4-3 (4-3-1 NESCAC)                   2

It was over when...: Colby survived two Hamilton power plays in the second half of the third period to hold on for a four point NESCAC weekend after beating Amherst on Friday. Colby took a 2-0 lead into the third after a goal each in the 1st (Devin Albert) and 2nd (Ben Cwick) periods. Hamilton cut the lead in half  5:57 into the third on a short-handed goal by Truman Landowski (F, '17), the first of his college career and the Conts fourth short-handed tally of the season. Overall, neither team scored on 17 power play attempts, as Colby went 0-9 and Hamilton went 0-6.

Though the Continentals did not allow a power play goal thanks to the third best penalty kill in the NESCAC (55/65- 84.6%), penalties have killed any sense of rhythm the team has had in their recent four game losing streak. In the last three games (Willliams, Bowdoin, Colby), Hamilton has surrendered a total of 26 power plays to opponents. In both league games (19.2 PIM per game) and overall (18.6), Rob Haberbusch's squad is the most penalized team in the 'Cac.

Charlie Fennell (G, '17), who replaced  Joe Quattrocchi (G, '14) in the first period of Friday's loss to Bowdoin after a leg injury, made 20 saves in defeat to fall to 1-3-0 on the season. Sam Parker (G, '15) made 21 saves to improve to 6-4-2 on the year.

Player of the game: Ben Chwick (F, '14) In a low-scoring, low-shot affair despite 17 penalties, Chwick scored what proved to the be the game winning goal for his team leading 18th point (9-9-18) of the season.

Box Score: Hamilton 1/Colby 2                Colby Recap 


Amherst Lord Jeffs 7-5-0 (5-3-0 NESCAC)             2
Bowdoin Polar Bears 8-3-2 (4-3-1 NESCAC)      4

It was over when...: Bowdoin scored two short-handed goals (Matt Rubinoff, Harry Matheson) on the same Amherst power play in the third to break open a 2-2 tie. The Lord Jeffs were 1/7 on the man advantage for the afternoon while the Polar Bears couldn't score on any of their power play opportunities.

Amherst outshot Bowdoin, 38-25, but Steve Messina (G, '14) came up big with 36 saves to improve to 5-2-0 on the season. Dave Cunningham, who was impressive at the beginning of the season, made 21 saves to fall to 5-5-0 on the year. In his first seven starts, Cunningham gave up only one or two goals in each outing; in his last three, he has given up four or five in each contest.

Amherst, who started the season at 5-0, is now 2-5 in their last seven games, including 1-3 in their last four conference games. Defending NESCAC champion Bowdoin, who started out the season a disappointing 4-3-1, is now 4-0-1 in their last five, including 3-0 in the NESCAC in that stretch.

Player of the game: Harry Matheson (F, '14) The senior from Kingston, Ontario set up the first short handed goal and scored the second short-handed goal that broke the 2-2 deadlock and gave the Polar Bears some breathing room, respectively.

Box Score: Amherst 2/Bowdoin 4         Bowdoin Recap (includes video highlights) 


Wesleyan Cardinals 7-4-1 (2-4-0 NESCAC)           0
Middlebury Panthers 6-4-2 (4-3-1 NESCAC)       5

It was over when....: Ben Wiggins (D, '14) scored his second goal of the game 1:38 into the third to extend the Panther lead to 4-0. It was the first two tallies of the season for the senior from Cambridge, MA, and the first multi-goal game of his college career. Wiggins goals were the only two non-power play goals of the evening, as the best power play in conference action (15/51; 29.4%) went 3/7 on the evening. The Cardinals were 0/5 on the man advantage.

The loss snaps a three game losing streak in conference for the Panthers and extends the Wesleyan losing streak in conference play to four games. Wesleyan entered weekend play with a six game unbeaten streak (5-0-1), but all games came in non-conference action. The Cards lost to Hamilton and Amherst in late November then were swept by Williams and Middlebury in the first weekend of conference action in 2014. 0 goals means Wesleyan freshman Elliot Vorel (F, '17)'s  magical 11 game points streak to start his college career is over.

Dawson Sprigings (G, '17) made 33 saves in defeat while Nick BonDurant (G, '14) made 25 saves to improve to 2-2-0 and earn the Panthers first shutout of the season. The blanking is only the second of the senior Macedon, NY's career and his first since tying Plattsburgh, 0-0, in November of 2011.

Middlebury honored members of the 2004 NCAA Championship team - - one of eight national championship teams for Middlebury ('95-'99, '04-'06)-- between the first and second periods. The members of the '04 team also presented coach Bill Beaney with a chair commemorating his 500th win as coach of the Panthers, which he earned the previous weekend in the Panthers 3-1 win over Neumann in the finals of the Middlebury Holiday Classic.

Player of the game: Middlebury seniors - Nick BonDurant (G, '14) earned his first shutout in over two years and Ben Wiggins (D, '14) scored his first two goals of the season.

Box Score: Wesleyan 0/Middlebury 5                 Middlebury recap