The hockey team lost its fifth and sixth straight games this weekend, falling to 4-14 overall and 3-12 in the NESCAC/ECAC East. With the loss, Tufts equaled its longest losing streak in a decade for the second time this season.
Afterwards, team members said they needed to avoid the negativity that stems from losing.
"Our biggest problem is the we're all getting frustrated, not just the younger guys, but the older guys, too," junior co-captain Chris Martin said. "We're not really going to approach these next games any differently, we're just going to try and stay positive. At this point, that's all we can do."
On Saturday night, the Jumbos squandered a 4-3 third period advantage against the UMass-Boston Beacons en route to a 7-4 loss at home. Down 3-1 at 11:24 of the second, Tufts mounted an impressive comeback, only to buckle in the final period as UMass-Boston erupted for four unanswered goals to steal back the win.
Just two minutes into the third, Tufts seemed to be in the driver's seat, as junior forward and co-captain Mike Carceo gave his team its first lead of the contest. Carceo broke a 3-3 tie when he poke checked the puck away from a Beacon defensemen's stick and into the net for his 11th goal of the season.
The Beacons would answer only four minutes later, though, capitalizing on a power play opportunity with a goal by freshman Julian Giantonio at 6:21. Sophomore Mike Mantenuto, who would finish with three straight goals in the period and four for the game, then followed with two scores, one at 7:48 and another power play tally at 13:08.
Tufts freshman forward Shawn Sullivan appeared to keep the Jumbos alive with a goal that would have made the score 6-5. But the score was called back shortly thereafter, due what the referees to rule to be a dislodged net before the play. Mantenuto capped off the game's scoring with his fourth goal at 15:58.
"It was real tight game, we were down, we were even, then we were even up one," Martin said. "Then we got that goal called back and it really killed our high. Apparently the net was off before the goal went in."
The Jumbos were on a high after Carceo's goal, which gave them the 4-3 lead as well as their third goal in a six minute span from the end of the second period to the beginning of the third. Matt Kniaz got things going with a goal at 15:14 on an assist from Bryan Conti, and Sullivan scored on a powerplay at 16:53 from Martin and Carceo.
In the end, UMass-Boston proved to be strong, with two powerplay tallies in the final nine minutes. For the game, the Beacons converted 50 percent of its power plays (4-8), as it improved its record to 3-15-2 overall and 2-12-1 in the ECAC East.
Tufts' Ben Crapser was credited with 25 saves on the night, while his counterpart, Beacon goaltender Dan McGonigle, made 32.
The night before, it was Babson playing spoiler, as the visiting Beavers used two third period goals to secure a 3-1 victory in Malden. The two teams went back and forth for the first two periods and the beginning of the third, before the Beavers took control, outshooting Tufts 17-8 in the final frame.
Both teams were held scoreless in the opening period and then traded goals in the second before Babson caught a break just over three minutes into the third. The Beaver's Eric Tkacz scored what proved to be the game winner when he beat Crapser for an unassisted tally at 3:18 of the third to make it 2-1.
With over 16 minutes remaining and Tufts remaining aggressive, it seemed the game was anything but over - but a costly mistake buried the Jumbos at the seven-minute mark. With Babson on the powerplay, Tufts was unable to clear the zone, leaving a loose puck in the crease. Brett Adamczyck promptly slipped the puck between Crapser's glove-side skate and the post for an insurance goal to make it 3-1 at 7:48.
"They got a lucky bounce off my skate," Martin said. "It was awful. We're just not getting the bounces we need."
Overall, the Beavers outshot the Jumbos 34-23, as they matched the hosts' high intensity level over the final twelve minutes of the contest to preserve the win.
The visitors opened the scoring at 5:50 of the second when Rob Harvey poked home a wrist shot. Ten minutes later the Jumbos would answer, as sophomore Matt Spang followed a Carceo shot at 15:47 to tie the score at one and set the stage for the pivotal third period. Freshman forward John Hurd was also credited with an assist on the play. But once again, their comeback bid would fall short.
Despite the Jumbos' hard luck, Martin remains positive about his team's prospects for the future. "The most important thing is that we're all getting the experience and quickness to move on next year," he said.
