CLINTON, N.Y. – Five different players tallied one goal, and the Connecticut College men's ice hockey team picked up a crucial conference win, defeating host Hamilton College 5-4 on Friday night from Russell Sage Rink. With the win, Conn improves to 5-5-2 overall and 3-4-0 in NESCAC play, while Hamilton falls to 9-4-0 overall and 5-3-0 in conference action.
The teams traded chances through the opening 10 minutes, but both goalies started strong. Conn (5-5-2, 3-4-0 NESCAC) opened the scoring at 12:23 on a tally from Seth Stadheim (Lyme, N.H.) as Rocco Testa-Basi (Holland Patent, N.Y.), as the Camels jumped in front 1-0. Three minutes later, Conn doubled the lead on a goal from Devon Newhook (St. John's, Newfoundland), with Shane Zarcone (Huntington, N.Y.) and Quinn Kennedy (Silver Spring, Md.) providing the assists. A minute later, Hamilton (9-4-0, 5-3-0 NESCAC) answered on a goal from Luke Tchor. With time running down in the period, WIlliam Neault found the net with 36 seconds remaining, as the teams were tied at two after one.
Conn started the middle frame strong, and retook the lead at 7:57. Cole Eichler (King, Ontario) found the back of the net off an assist from Testa-Basi as the Camels led 3-2. The Continentals answered quickly, tying the game at three, on a tally from Jackson Krock. With just over two minutes remaining in the frame, Conn took their third lead of the night. Stadheim and Eichler notched assists, as John Harrington (Braintree, Mass.) gave the Camels a 4-3, heading to the third period.
Hamilton came out strong in the third period, looking to tie the game, but Sean Dynan (Reading, Mass.) stayed strong. However, at 7:13, Tchor tallied his second goal of the contest to tie the game at four. Just 42 seconds later, Michael DiMascolo (Cranston, R.I.) beat Jack Grant, with assists from Kei Yasuda (Nagoya, Japan) and Steven Ardagna (Roswell, Ga.) as Conn jumped back in front 5-4. The Continentals pushed over the final 12 minutes looking for the tying goal, and pulling Grant with just under two minutes remaining. Dynan and the Camels defense held strong, to pull out the 5-4 victory.
Hamilton outshot Conn 39-18, while holding a slim 34-32 advantage on face-offs.
Dynan continued his run of play in goal, finishing with 35 saves on 39 shots. Eichler, Stadheim, and Testa-Basi paced the Camels with two points each, as Eichler and Stadheim both notched a goal and an assist. DiMascolo, Harrington, and Newhook all added a goal, while Ardagna, Kennedy, Yasuda, and Zarcone each chipped in one assist. John Russo (South Windsor, Conn.) led the way in the circle winning 12 of 18 draws, while Conn went 5-5 on the penalty kill and 0-2 on the power play.
Grant got the start in goal, recording 13 saves on 18 shots. Tchor led the Continentals with three points on two goals and one assist, while Neault and Krock, both added a goal and an assist each. Hamilton finished the contest going 0-5 on the power play and 2-2 on the penalty kill.
Conn wraps up the weekend with another road conference contest, as the Camels make the trek to Amherst, Mass. to take on Amherst College at 3:00 p.m. tomorrow afternoon.
