Wesleyan University’s Keith Buehler '14 tallied a hat trick and added an assist as the Cardinals routed Hamilton College 11-3 in a NESCAC game at Hamilton's Russell Sage Rink on Jan. 26.
The Cardinals (9-7-2 overall, 5-5-2 NESCAC) hadn't scored 11 or more goals since a 14-1 victory over the University of New England on Feb. 19, 2011. The output was the fourth time Wesleyan has reached double digits against a NESCAC opponent, and the first since 1987. The Cardinals own a 5-0-1 record in the last six meetings with the Continentals.
Buehler ranks second in Division III with 16 goals and is tied for fourth with 1.67 points per game. Adam Kaiser '13 tallied five points on two goals and three assists. Kaiser posted his 50th career point on an assist late in the first period. Nick Craven '13 notched one goal and three helpers. Craven is tied for third in Division III with 31 points and 18 assists.
Brad Improta '14 and Tommy Hartnett '14 finished with one goal and one assist apiece, and Ryan White '13 passed out three assists for the Cardinals. Connor Ryan '15, Jay Matthews '15 and Alex Carlacci '16 all tacked on one goal. Nolan Daley '16 turned away 27 shots.
Marko Brelih '16, Evan Haney '14 and Drew Jelinek '13 posted one goal each. Brian Infante '13, Peter Michailidis '16 and Matt Tetro '16 all earned one assist. Joe Quattrocchi '13 started in goal and made 19 saves. Cam Gibbar '13 replaced Quattrocchi early in the second period and made 12 stops.
Wesleyan struck at 3:29 of the opening period when Hartnett notched his eighth goal of the season on a shot from the top of the left faceoff circle. Terence Durkin '16 won the faceoff and Hartnett immediately ripped a shot that beat Quattrocchi top shelf.
Hamilton (5-10-3, 3-7-2) registered its first shot on goal at the 9:41 mark and quickly added a second, but the Cardinals extended their lead 38 seconds later. Buehler received a pass from Craven in front of the net and slid the puck by Quattrocchi. Kaiser also earned an assist.
The Continentals got one back with 7:08 left in the first while on a power play. Brelih carried the puck to the bottom of the left faceoff circle before he cut into the middle and fired a shot from point-blank range. The puck hit the inside of the crossbar and crossed the goal line for his fourth goal.
Buehler tacked on his second goal with 5:42 left in the first period. Improta sent the puck in front of the net to Buehler, who got off a back-handed shot. Quattrocchi made the initial save and stopped a shot by Kaiser as well, but Buehler ended up with the puck again and scored.
Hamilton wasted no time cutting into its deficit in the second period as the Continentals made it 3-2 just 17 seconds in. Michailidis attempted a shot from the middle of the left faceoff circle and Haney poked in the rebound.
The Cardinals exploded for three goals in a span of 4:52 for a 6-2 lead 6:52 into the second. Matthews scored on a rebound 2:00 into the period after the initial shot by John Guay '13 was saved. Craven scored 13 seconds into a two-man advantage and Donald Kleckner '13 and Hartnett earned assists at 3:47. Kaiser ended the run with a rebound goal at the right post. Buehler fed Craven at the point for a shot and Gibbar made the save, but Kaiser was there for the follow-up.
Kaiser tallied an unassisted goal after a scramble in front of the Hamilton net with 8:42 left in the period. Both of Kaiser’s goals were on the power play. The Cardinals held a 7-2 lead after two periods.
Buehler completed his hat trick just 36 seconds into the third period. Craven skated with the puck down the middle of the ice and passed to Buehler on the left for his 16th goal. Kaiser was also credited with an assist.
The Cardinals added two more power-play goals in a span of 2:50 for a 10-2 lead with 8:06 left. Ryan scored on a low shot to Gibbar’s left and Carlacci snapped a wrist shot top shelf. Derek Collins '14 and White picked up assists on the former, and Chris MacDonald '13 and Casey Fratkin '14 had the helpers on the latter.
The Continentals made it 10-3 with 7:05 remaining when Jelinek banked in a shot off a defender from behind the net for his second goal this season. Tetro and Infante recorded assists. Wesleyan rounded out the scoring with 2:21 left in the third on Improta’s slap shot that bounced off Gibbar’s pads and into the goal. White and William Choi '13 set up the goal.
The Cardinals outshot Hamilton 42-30, including 19-5 in the first period. Wesleyan was 5-for-9 on the power play and successfully killed 3 of 4 of the Continentals' chances.
Hamilton hits the road for a NESCAC game at Colby College on Friday, Feb. 1. Wesleyan continues its road swing with a conference game at Middlebury College on Friday.
