Hamilton College's Scott Vazquez '16 scored the go-ahead goal with 4:01 left in the third period and the Continentals went on to post a 3-1 NESCAC win against Tufts University at Hamilton's Russell Sage Rink on Jan. 12.
The game-winner for Vazquez was his first goal for the Continentals. Dom Jancaterino '14 and Anthony Ruberto '13 scored the others, and are tied for the team lead with six goals apiece. Pat Curtis '15, Peter Michailidis '16 and Tyler Lovejoy '16 were credited with one assist each.
Joe Quattrocchi '14 made 26 saves for Hamilton. Quattrocchi has a 2.28 goals against average and .919 save percentage in 10 NESCAC games this season.
Stewart Bell '16 notched his fourth goal for the Jumbos, and Nick Metcalfe '13 and Cody Armstrong '14 had the assists. Brian Phillips '14 turned away 29 shots.
Defense was on show early as both teams killed a number of power-play opportunities. Just 4:15 into the first period, Tufts was assessed a 5-minute major, followed by another penalty at 7:13 to give Hamilton a two-man advantage. The Continentals got off four shots during their power play, but didn't score.
Hamilton (4-6-3 overall, 3-5-2 NESCAC) struck first with 2:39 left in the opening period when Ruberto broke through for a goal with a delayed penalty coming on the Jumbos. He gathered a loose puck from just outside the left faceoff circle and skimmed a low wrist shot into the back of the net for a 1-0 lead.
Hamilton went on the power play again just 12 seconds into the second period, and received another two-man advantage 21 seconds later. The Continentals rattled off three shots and Phillips denied each one.
Tufts (4-7-1, 1-6-1) tied the score with 4:35 left in the second. Metcalfe received a pass from Armstrong near the blue line and fired a shot that was blocked by Quattrocchi. Bell scored on a one-timer on the rebound. The Continentals had another 5-minute power play that spanned the end of the second and start of the third periods, but didn’t capitalize.
Hamilton went back in front with 4:01 remaining in the third. Michailidis fed the puck to Vazquez above the left faceoff circle for a wrist shot that sailed by Phillips’ left shoulder. The Jumbos pulled Phillips with 1:25 left to send the extra skater on the ice. But Jancaterino added an empty-net goal with 40.7 seconds remaining for the final margin.
The Continentals held a 32-27 shot advantage, but were 0-for-8 on the power play. Tufts killed a pair of 5-minute major penalties and was 1-for-5 on power-play opportunities.
Hamilton is at SUNY Cortland for a non-conference game on Tuesday, Jan. 15. The Jumbos play at Wentworth Institute of Technology on Tuesday.
