Conference Scores 2/13/15

Amherst (15-4-2; 11-4-0 NESCAC)                      4
Connecticut College 11-8-2 (8-6-1 NESCAC)      0
Box Score    Recap

Amhest senior Danny Vitale (G, '15) turned aside 23 Camel shots for his second shutout of the season. 4 different Jeffs scored as they peppered Conn College goalie Tom Conlin (G, '16) with 37 shots.

The second place Jeffs head to Malden, MA to take on the eighth place Tufts on what is the Jumbos senior day. Amherst defeated Tufts 3-2 earlier this year. Conn College welcomes seventh place Hamilton on Saturday with the Camels holding a two point lead on Bowdoin for the fourth and final home playoff game. Hamilton defeated Conn Colelge earlier this season in Clinton, NY.


Colby (5-13-3; 2-10-3 NESCAC)         1
Wesleyan (3-18-0; 2-13-0 NESCAC)   2   OT
Box Score   Recap

Wesleyan's Jay Matthews (F, '16) scored 3:08  into OT to snap a thirteen game losing streak and keep the Cardinals' slim playoff hopes on life support. Colby got off 38 shots on goal, but Dawson Sprigings (G, '17) was up to the task.

The Mules, who are three points out of the final playoff spot, travel to Hartford to take on first place Trinity, a team Colby lost to 6-3 earlier n the season. Wesleyan, who needs to win out to have any hopes of a playoff spot, hosts Bowdoin on Saturday. The Cardinals blew a 3-0 lead tot lose 4-3 to the Polar Bears earlier this season.


Williams (13-6-2; 9-5-1 NESCAC)      0
Middlebury (9-9-3; 6-6-3 NESCAC)   2
Box Score   Recap 

Middlebury outshot Williams 36-22 and Stephen Klein (G, '18) posted his second straight shutout to earn coach Bill Beaney his 601st career win. The travel partners faceoff again tonight in Williamstown with both squad's playoff spots still to be determined (as with pretty much everyone in the 'Cac). Williams sits in third, three points out of the second spot, and only two points ahead of Conn College. Middlebury sits in sixth place, but a win against Williams would pull them within two of the Ephs with the tiebreaker in hand. Ladies and gentlemen, it's any given weekend in the 'Cac.


Hamilton (7-8-5; 5-6-4 NESCAC)   3
Tufts (7-12-2;4-9-2 NESCAC)        3   OT
Box Score  Recap 

Tufts was unable to clear the puck in the final minute and Hamilton senior blueliner Marko Brelih (D, '15) was able to throw the puck in from the right point with 27 seconds left to force OT. Some questionable high scoring overall lead to a 51-41 final shots total in favor of Hamilton. Conts freshman Tim Nowacki (G, '18) let up dangerous rebounds all night as coach Rob Haberbusch went with the frosh over senior Zach Arnold (G, '15), who has two career wins in two starts against the Jumbos (also his only two collegiate wins). Starter Evan Buitenhuis (G, '15) is out for an extended period with illness.

The Jumbos jumped out to a lead 38 seconds into the game when Sean Kavanagh (D, '17) beat Nowacki with a backhand past the gloveside. Nick Vassos (F, '15) scored his first goal in two years later in the first to even the game up. The Jumbos jumped out to another earlier period lead 16 seconds into the second and extended their lead with five minutes later. The Conts would chip away at the lead with a goal in the second before Brelih's equalizer late in the third.

The Jumbos - who wore special fatigue uniforms on Friday, which they auctioned off after the game to raise money for the Special Operations Warrior Project  - host Amherst on Saturday for the Jumbos senior day.  The Jumbos sit a big three points ahead of Colby for the eight and final playoff spot (the Jumbos and Mules will play each other next week). The Colby loss on Friday clinched a playoff spot for the Conts after an absence from the postseason last year. Hamilton still has a slim chance at a home playoff game if they beat Conn College on Saturday.


Bowdoin (12-6-3; 6-6-3 NESCAC)   4
Trinity (18-2-1; 13-1-1 NESCAC)     5
Box Score   Recap

The Bantams outlasted the Polar Bears in an exciting back and forth affair in Hartford on Friday night. Bowdoin held leads of 1-0, 3-2 and 4-3, but Trinity struck back each time. All but one of the goals were scored in the first two periods, but the ninth and deciding goal came 4:24 into the third form the stick of Jackson Brewer (F, '15). Nate Heilbron (G, '17) turned aside 22 shots in victory while Max Fenkell (G, '15) made 35 saves in defeat. The Bantams get a small bit of payback for Bowdoin's defeat of Trinity in Hartford in last season's NESCAC semis.

Trinity sits one win away from clinching the top overall seed for the second year in a row. The Bantams play ninth place Colby on Saturday and last place Wesleyan twice next week. Bowdoin plays the aforementioned Cardinals on Saturday with Bowdoin two points behind Conn College for the fourth spot.