Hamilton Continentals 4-9-2 4
Utica Pioneers 10-4-4 4 OT
It was over when...: The OT buzzer sounded with the score knotted at four apiece in front in front of a soldout crowd of 3,815 at The Aud in Utica. On paper, it was a meaningless non-conference game for Hamilton that has no bearing on NESCAC play. It had a little more meaning for nationally ranked (10/11)Utica, who can only get into the NCAA tournament with a Pool-C bid as the ECAC-West does not get an automatic-qualifier for the 11 team tournament.
But for both it had meaning as the first matchup in four years between the two upstate New York schools separated by just nine miles. Non-conference or not, the teams played with an intensity that led ESPN Utica-Rome radio announcers to describe the pace as "frenetic" and the fans created an atmosphere that the announcers said was playoff-like. There was no love-loss between the Conts and Pioneers --who are coached by Hamilton alum Gary Heenan -- with frequent scrums in front of the net and extra-curricular activities after the whistle.
UC dominated most of the first period, but Hamilton made a late push to take the shots lead 12-9 after one period of play. Both Hamilton goalie Zach Arnold (G, '15), making his first collegiate start, and Utica's Marcus Zelzer (G, '17) were up to the task, and no goals were scored in the first.
Arnold, who didn't play a minute of hockey through his first two and a half years as a Cont, played his first minutes of college hockey in Friday night's 5-1 loss to Geneseo at Clinton Arena. After freshman Charlie Fennell (G, '17), who had started four straight games in place of an injured Joe Quattrocchi (G, '14), gave up five goals in the first period to the Ice Knights, Arnold got the nod. The junior from Concord, MA stopped 30 shots and gave up zero goals in two periods of play on Friday.
Back to Saturday. Things picked up considerably in the second as the teams combined for eight penalties and five goals. Kenny Matheson (F, '16) broke the ice with a power play goal at 2:11 of the period, his seventh of the season, on an assist from Conor Lamberti (D, '17). Utica's Ridge Garbutt (F, '14) would tie the game on a short handed breakaway just four minutes later. The Continentals would open up a 3-1 lead on goals from freshmen Brad Smelstor (D, '17) on the power play and Truman Landowski (F, '17) at even strength. Smelstor's goal was the first of his college career.
Utica would cut the lead to 3-2 on the power play when Kevin Kiristis (D, '17) would put a shot from the point past a screened Arnold. It was the fourth special teams goal of the second frame. The Pioneers outshot the Conts 20-9 in the injury plagued period.
Utica would open up the third on the power play and Garbutt would tip in a puck just 42 seconds into the period for his second tally of the game to tie it at three. Just a minute later the Pioneers would take their first lead of the game as Arnold lost the puck behind the net and Utica's Trever Hertz (F, '14) put in a wraparound on a wide open net.
The lead would last only two minutes. After a holding call on Utica, Matheson ripped a shot on the power play that bounced off the back boards and out in front of the left side of the net. Pat Curtis (F, '15) knocked home the opportunistic puck for the final goal of the contest. Hamilton ended the game 3/6 on the power play while Utica went 2/5.
The story the rest of the way was goaltending, as it was in the first period. Through the final 14:06 of regulation and five minutes of OT, no lights would be lamped. Arnold made 33 saves to earn his first career decision 0-0-1, while Zelzer made 30 saves to move to 3-1-2.
The Continentals close out their non-conference schedule with a 1-3-1 mark. We ranked the Continentals OOC slate as the hardest in the Cac earlier this year, and it turned out to be pretty accurate. Of the five non-conference games, only lowly Canton was not nationally ranked when they played Hamilton. One of the OOC games carries an asterik, as Hamilton and Williams played a non-conference game in the consolation round of Plattsburgh's Buck Supply Classic.
Player of the Game: Ridge Garbutt (F, '14) Garbutt scored two goals and added an assist for a game high three points. NESCAC fans may remember Garbutt as the infamous player that scored the game winner against Bowdoin in last year's NCAA Quarterfinals.
Box Score: Hamilton 4/Utica 4 OT Hamilton Recap Utica Recap
Amherst Lord Jeffs 9-6-1 1
Lake Forest Foresters 10-8-1 3
It was over when...: The Foresters scored two third period goals to break a 1-1 tie after two periods of play. The loss leaves Amherst winless on their brief western road trip (0-1-1) and ends OOC play for the Lord Jeffs with a 2-3-1 record.
Aaron Deutsch (D, '15) scored the lone Lord Jeffs goal for his team leading 13th point (5-8-13). Dave Cunningham (G, '16) made 23 saves to fall to 7-6-0 on the season. Lake Forest's Leo Podolsky (G, '16) made 22 saves to improve to 8-1-1- on the year. It was the fifth straight win for the Foresters, who went 1/5 on the pp while Amherst went 0/3 on the man advantage.
Player of the Game: Jack Lewis (F, '17) The freshman from London, Ontario assisted on the game winning power play goal and scored a short handed insurance goal for a game high two poitns (1-1-2).
Box Score: Amherst 1/ Lake Forest Lake Forest recap
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