MIDDLETOWN, Conn. – The Connecticut College men's ice hockey team closed out the season opening weekend with their second straight win, defeating host Wesleyan University 4-1 on Saturday afternoon from Spurrier-Snyder Rink. With the win, Conn improves to 2-0 overall and 2-0 in NESCAC play, while Wesleyan falls to 0-2 overall and 0-2 in conference action.
Conn recorded the first shot of the contest just 44 seconds in, but Quinn Kennedy (Silver Spring, Md.) had his shot stopped. Wesleyan answered with their first shot at 4:14, but Will McEvoy (Ottawa, Ontario) made the early save. Midway through the opening frame, the Camels earned a power play and capitalized. John Harrington (Braintree, Mass.) and Kennedy hooked up, before Andrew Eberling (Mount Laurel, N.J.) found the back of the net at 10:06 to make it 1-0.
Just 27 seconds later, Conn doubled the lead as Will Winship (Andover, Mass.) connected with Devan Newhook (St. John's, Newfoundland) making it 2-0. The Cardinals tried to get back into the game, but the Camels held strong, before extending the lead to 3-0. At 16:50 Harrington found the back of the net himself, as Rocco Testa-Basi (Holland Patent, N.Y.) and Shane Zarcone (Huntington, N.Y.) picked up the assists to give Conn a commanding lead after one.
Wesleyan got on the board early in the second period, as Jack Kane and Ethan Davidson picked up assists on Owen Sweet's marker just 21 seconds into the frame. The teams traded chances throughout the period, but neither side was able to hit the back of the net. The Cardinals had a chance late in the frame to cut the deficit to one, earning a power play. However, on the ensuing man-advantage, the Camels pushed the lead to 4-1 as John Russo (South Windsor, Conn.) tallied a short-handed goal to keep Conn in control heading to the third.
Wesleyan pushed early in the third period, looking to make a dent in the Conn lead, but McEvoy and the Camels defense held strong. Both sides had chances down the stretch in the final frame, but neither side found the back of the net, as Conn picked up the 4-1 win.
Wesleyan outshot Conn 39-32, while the Camels won 36 of 63 face-offs.
McEvoy made his first start of the season in goal, earning the win, stopping 38 of 39 shots. Harrington paced the Camels with two points on one goal and one assist, while Eberling, Newhook, and Russo all added one goal. Kennedy, Testa-Basi, Winship, and Zarcone all chipped in one assist. Russo was also strong in the circle, winning 10 of 17 draws taken. Conn finished 1-3 on the power play and 1-1 on the penalty kill, adding a short-handed marker.
Patrick McDevitt got the start for Wesleyan, making 19 saves on 23 shots, before being replaced by Ethan Fehrenbaker who stopped all nine shots faced. Sweet tallied the lone Cardinal goal, with both Davidson and Kane picking up an assist apiece. Wesleyan finished the afternoon 0-1 on the power play and 2-3 on the penalty kill.
Conn returns home for the first time on Friday night, as the Camels host Williams College at 7:00 p.m. in Dayton Arena.
