Nick Anderson '14 scored two goals and Scott Hefferman '11 made 27 saves to lead Hamilton College to a 5-1 win against nationally ranked No. 1 SUNY Oswego in the first round of the PathFinder Bank Oswego Hockey Classic at Campus Center Ice Arena on Dec. 30.
Hamilton (5-3-0 overall) plays Hobart College in the tournament's championship game at 1 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 31. Hobart defeated University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point 6-3 in the other first round game. Oswego (12-2-0) squares off with Wisconsin-Stevens Point at 4 p.m. Friday in the consolation game.
The Lakers' home ice win streak ended at 25 games. Oswego has lost two straight after opening the season with 12 wins in a row.
Joe Houk '13 and Bryan Kelly '12 added one goal and one assist apiece for the Continentals. Michael DiMare '14 was credited with two assists.
Hamilton led 1-0 after one period and 3-0 after two. Houk's power-play goal gave the Continentals a 1-0 lead at 10:03 of the first period. Kelly carried the puck up the left side of the ice before he was checked off the puck. Anthony Ruberto '13 picked it up and laced a pass through the slot to Houk, who was crashing the net. Houk slid the puck under the goaltender for his team-high sixth goal.
Midway through the second period, the Lakers' Joe Hall ripped a shot that clanged off the pipe and crossbar. The rebound went to the Continentals, who created an odd-man rush the opposite direction. Thomas Williams '14 and Anderson had a 2-on-1 opportunity as Williams fed Anderson for the goal at 12:24. Anderson gave Hamilton a 3-0 cushion on his fourth goal with 1:42 left in the period.
The Lakers finally got on the scoreboard 5:13 into the third period on a goal by Ian Boots. The Continentals put it away with a pair of goals 28 seconds apart midway through the period. Kelly tallied the first one at 8:30, and Joe Buicko '11 accounted for the final margin with 11:02 remaining.
Hamilton was 1-for-6 on the power play, and killed all five of Oswego's opportunities. The Continentals held a 34-28 advantage in shots. The Lakers won 34 faceoffs to Hamilton's 32.
