Friday, January 16, 2015

Conference Finals 1/16/15

In non-conference action, Williams tied Manhattanville and Middlebury upset #3 Plattsburgh 3-1. In conference action, Hamilton and Colby rolled at home, while Conn College used five third period goals to upset Amherst and Trinity remained unbeaten with a road win over Bowdoin. 

 Wesleyan (2-11-0; 1-6-0 NESCAC)    2
Colby (5-7-2; 2-5-2 NESCAC)           5
Box Score    Recap 

Colby scored three unanswered goals in the second and third periods to win their second straight NESCAC game after going winless in their first seven. Five different Mules scored, including Kai Frankville (D, '17)'s first of the season and fellow blueliner Chris Kennedy (D, '16)'s first of his college career. EJ Rauseo (F, '17) had three points (1-2-3) to end the night in the Colby lead for season scoring with 19 points (8-11-19). Sam Parker (G, '15) moved to (3-1-0) with a 19 save affair in his first home conference start of the season. Geoff Sullivan (D, '17) missed the game with an upper body injury.

The reeling Cardinals dropped their seventh straight and sixth straight in conference. Any chance of a comeback was killed with seven minutes to play and Wesleyan down 4-2 as Marty Rubin (D, '18) earned a game misconduct for hitting from behind.  James Kline (F, '17), who has almost twice as many points as any other Cardinal this season, scored his team leading eighth and ninth goals. Dawson Sprigings made 20 saves to fall to 2-9-0 on the season.


 Trinity (11-1-0; 6-0-1 NESCAC)      2
Bowdoin (7-4-2; 3-4-2 NESCAC)      1
Box Score   Recap 

Trinity scored a pair of late first period goals, which proved to be enough as the ninth ranked Bantams remained unbeaten in conference and avenged last season's NESCAC semifinals upset loss to the Polar Bears in Hartford. As our own Benet Pols tweeted, neither of the goals would make any highlight reel, but they got the job done. Nate Heilbron (G, '16) made 33 saves to improve to 8-1-1 on the season. Everyone knew Trinity would contend for a 'Cac title this season with their offense, but the question that remained was their defense and Heilbron in his first year as the full time starter. In the first half, they have posted the best GAA (1.67) by far in the conference and their 2.0 GAA in all games is good enough for seventh in the country.

The Polar Bears are now winless in their last five (0-4-1) conference games. Superfrosh Matt Lison (F, '18) missed the game leading to a shakeup in the lines. Bowdoin didn't take any penalties on the evening, but they also went 0/3 on the PP and couldn't get onto the board until the final minute of the third period. Max Fenkell (G, '15) made 30 saves to fall to 5-2-1.



Conn College (6-5-2; 3-3-1 NESCAC)     6
Amherst (9-3-2; 5-3-0 NESCAC)               4
Box Score  Recap  

Conn College scored five third period goals to erase a 2-1 deficit after two periods of play. The upset was the first win by the Camels over the Lord Jeffs since November 2008 and the first time the two teams met since a hard fought 4-2 victory for Amherst over Conn College in last season's NESCAC Quarterfinals. The loss was the first this season for Amherst at Orr Rink.

Amherst starting goaltender Dave Cunningham (G, '16) left the game with an injury after the fourth Camel goal at the 7:39 mark of the third and Conn College up 4-3. Danny Vitale (G, '15) gave up two goals on two shots to fall to 2-2-2 on the season (too many 2s). Tom Conlin (G, '15) made 22 saves to move to 5-4-2. For his three stars, Amherst announcer Jugh Campbell chose the Jeffs' Conor Brown (F, '16) at the third star spot for a short handed tally; the Camels Joe Giordano (F, '17) for his two assists at the two spot and Ryan Mowery (F, '17) at the one spot for two tallies. It was the Westminster product''s first two goals of the season and first multi-goal goal game in his collegiate career with Conn College.
Tufts (5-7-1; 2-4-1 NESCAC)           3
Hamilton (4-5-4; 3-3-2 NESCAC)   5
Box Score   Recap 

Hamilton scored four third period goals including an empty netter to seal a 2-1 lead after two periods, their first win at Sage this season. The Conts led by two after two last Friday as well before giving up two goals in nine seconds in the third to end up tying Bowdoin. The Continentals were led tonight by Pat Curtis (F, '15) with four assists and Kenny Matheson (F, '16) and Scott Vasquez (F/D, '16), who had two goals apiece (nevermind the box score, Carkeek wasn't even on the ice  for that fourth goal). Zach "Arnie" Arnold (G, '15) had 35 saves for his first win of the season (1-2-2) and his second collegiate win (both against Tufts). Mason Pulde (G, '17) made 31 saves to fall to 3-5-1.

Both of these teams missed the playoffs last season but have had much better prospects so far as the first half winds down. A win tomorrow over Conn College would give the Continentals as many points (10) in half a season as in 2013-14, while Tufts has already matched last season's conference point total and surpassed last year's win total. For the Continentals, they'll need some more secondary scoring to make a push in the second half. Their top line (Murden, Matheson, Curtis) each have at least fourteen points, while no one else on the team has more than five. It will also be interesting to see how the team looks when (if?) Evan Buitenhuis (G, '18) ever returns from the concussion he suffered in a non-conference game against Utica in November.

The Bromide is said every year: the NESCAC is a competitive league. This year it is as true as all get out. You see those standings tonight? Well they are subject to change every weekend.  All Get Out -"Subject to Change"
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