West Massachusetts News

Murray's OT goal tips Mammoths past Tufts, 3-2, in NESCAC Quarterfinal

 Zachary Murray scored his second goal of the game with 32 seconds left in overtime Saturday night, lifting the Amherst College men's hockey team to a thrilling 3-2 victory over Tufts University in a New England Small College Athletic Conference quarterfinal played at the Mammoth's Orr Rink.

Amherst, the third seed in the tourney, will host the semifinals and championship Saturday and Sunday, March 4th and 5th at 12:30 and 4 p.m.

The Mammoths improved to 16-5-4 overall with the victory while the Jumbos fell to 10-14-1. 

GAME HIGHLIGHTS:

* Amherst took a 1-0 lead with 7:23 left in the first period. During sustained possession by the Mammoths in the Tufts end, Greg McGunigle at the left point attempted to send a pass through to an open Ryan Corcoran on the right side of the net. However, on its way, the puck was deflected by a Jumbo defender into the net putting the hosts up 1-0 at 12:37.

* The Mammoths would have an edge in play for the second period, outshooting the Jumbos 15-6 during the frame. However, 15 saves by Peyton Durand and the third penalty-shot goal of the season by the Jumbos tied the game. With Amherst on a power play, a Mammoth defender slipped allowing Cole Dubicki to take off on a breakaway. As he bore down on Mammoth goalie Dan Dachille he was slashed from behind on his stick-side arm and was awarded a penalty shot. Going wide right to start, Dubicki moved in on Dachille showing backhand before pulling it to his forehand at the crease and stuffing the puck around the goalie into the right side of the cage at 16:04 of the middle stanza.

* The game had entered the third period tied at 1-1. Murray gave the Mammoths a 2-1 lead with a tremendous individual effort. From the right corner, he escaped two Tufts defenders, moved to the right side of the net, and eluded a poke check from Durand. He then brought the puck across the front of the crease and scored from the left side with 8:11 remaining in regulation.

* The Jumbos responded though, scoring short-handed to tie the game at 2-2 three and a half minutes later. Defenseman Jack Hughes broke up an Amherst rush into the Jumbo zone. The puck went to Aidan Lovett and he led Mason Kohn with a pass through the neutral zone. Charging to the right of the net with a defender on his shoulder, Kohn put a shot on goal that popped over goalie Dan Dachille and in at 15:11 of the third.

*The Mammoths began overtime on the penalty kill for 55 seconds and were able to neutralize the Jumbo power-play unit. The remainder of the period was fairly even, with 13 shots on goal by Amherst and 11 by Tufts, But a late penalty gave the Mammoths a man-advantage situation in the final minute of the OT. Josh Burke skated from the right circle into the slot and slid a pass to McGunigle atop fo the left circle. The defenseman fired a low shot on goal that found the blade of Murray's stick. Murray, who was stationed in front of the net during Amherst's man advantage and tipped the shot into the top right-hand corner of the goal to set off a celebration. 

Original source can be found here