WATERVILLE, Maine --- Joe Giordano scored a pair of goals and Connecticut College opened up a 3-0 lead after one period on the way to a 4-1 victory over Colby College in New England Small College Athletic Conference men's hockey Saturday at Alfond Rink.

The Camels (13-9-2 overall, 10-7-1 NESCAC) secured the third seed in the 2015 NESCAC Championship with the triumph and will host sixth seeded Hamilton College in a NESCAC quarterfinal game next Saturday at 3:00 p.m..

This will be the first home playoff game for Connecticut College's men's hockey program since the conference moved to the current NESCAC standing format in 2000.

Connecticut College Head Coach Jim Ward made history by leading the Camels to its first three appearances in the NESCAC Championship Tournament from 2007-2009.

In 2007, the Camels defied the odds when they placed eighth behind Greg Parker, a talented freshman goalie from Trenton, Ontario. Connecticut College was picked to finish 15th out of 15 in the NESCAC/ECAC East combined standings by one national hockey web site.

The Camels were the five seed in 2008 and 2009 and earned the seventh seed at the 2014 NESCAC Championship.

Colby, which honored its seniors before the game, ends the season at 5-16-3 overall and 2-13-3 in conference play.

Connecticut College had 16 shots in the first period and connected twice in 59 seconds to go ahead for good. Marc Roper scored his fifth of the season at 5:23 from Tim DiPretoro and Joe Birmingham. DiPretoro has 15 assists and Birmingham had his sixth.

The eventual game-winning goal came off the stick of Adam Patel just 59 seconds later. Patel had his second of the season and Zach Jones had his second assist on the play.

The Camels went up 3-0 after one period when Joe Giordano scored his sixth goal at 15:20 from Ryan Mowery and Greg Liautaud. Mowery had his ninth assist this season and Liautaud his fifth.

The Mules held Conn College without a goal for nearly 40 minutes, but could manage just one goal during that time. EJ Rauseo had his 11th goal of the season at 9:25 of the third from Cam MacDonald's ninth assist.

Giordano clinched the victory at 15:53 with his seventh goal. JC Cangelosi had his 10th assist and Mason Evans added his sixth.

Tom Conlin played in goal for the Camels and finished with 26 saves. Colby had a 27-25 shot advantage. Senior goalies Sam Parker (14 saves) and Jordan Nathan (7 saves) split time for Colby.

2015 NESCAC Men's Ice Hockey Championship

Quarterfinals – Saturday, February 28 (at Higher Seeds)

No. 8 Tufts at No. 1 Trinity – TBD
No. 7 Middlebury at No. 2 Amherst – 1:00 p.m.
No. 6 Hamilton at No. 3 Connecticut College – 3:00 p.m.
No. 5 Bowdoin at No. 4 Williams - 3:00 p.m.

Semifinals – Saturday, March 7 (at Highest Remaining Seed)
1 p.m. | 4 p.m.

Highest Remaining Seed vs. Lowest Remaining Seed

Remaining Quarterfinal Winners

Championship – Sunday, March 8
2 p.m.

Semifinal Winners

NOTE: If both the men's and women's semifinals and finals are being played at the same site, the men's games will be played on Friday and Saturday. Game times for Friday's semifinals will be 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday's championship will be played at 7 p.m.