The hockey team's first season in the NESCAC/ECAC East has, as expected, proven to be a tumultuous one. The team jumped to a respectable start in November, earning three wins in five games, but slowed tremendously in the subsequent two months. Since those first five contests, Tufts has notched just one win in 11 games.
This weekend, the Jumbos will meet some similarly struggling opponents, and are expecting to stop the slide.
The Jumbos (4-12, 3-10-0 NESCAC) will attempt to redeem themselves this weekend in back to back home games against Babson and UMass-Boston.
Babson is currently ranked eighth in the ECAC with a 4-11-2 record. Last season, the Jumbos lost to the Beavers, 5-3, despite then-freshman Ben Crapser's 34 saves in net.
"It always seems like a close game with Babson, with a loss in the end," Murphy said. "They have a national championship and are always very good and are very good this year. Really in this league, anyone can beat anyone."
UMass-Boston, which has upped its talent level with the addition of a few University of Maine transfers, is 2-15-1 and sits at tenth in the league. After getting outscored 31-10 in its last four contests, Tufts is looking forward to the weekend.
"They're both having tough years as we are, kind of similar to us right now, so it should probably be a good game for us," junior tri-captain Mike Carceo said.
Though a few key players will be absent for the team's homecoming this weekend - Brandon Hayes and Pat Byrne, both of whom are resting due to injury - Murphy said his team is well rested and prepared. "We had a good practice yesterday," Murphy said. "We're a little nicked up here and there, so other guys will have to step up and play well."
Crapser, familiar with Babson's style of play, will start in net this weekend, while senior Ian Kell will be absent because of personal reasons.
This weekend, the team will look to Carceo to lead the way offensively. The junior has not been seriously hampered by the difficulty of the league's play. He leads the Jumbos in scoring with 26 points, and last weekend, reached a landmark by scoring his 100th career point in just two and a half seasons. Carceo has 102 points to his credit, and ranks tenth all-time scoring at Tufts.
"Mike Carceo is one of the best players in the league and is top ten in scoring in the NESCAC," Murphy said. "He's handled himself really well in some not so easy games and is a great leader."
With 1.42 ppg, Carceo is tied for seventh in the NESCAC. "I just want to help the team get on the right stride for next year, and end the season on a good note," Carceo said.
Murphy also credits senior tri-captain Rob Greene and junior tri-captain Chris Martin for keeping the squad focused throughout the tough season. "It's been tough, but they've really done a great job," Murphy said.
Another bright spot for the squad has been the unanticipated success of the freshmen. Three of the team's top five and six of its top ten scorers are rookies. Gino Rontondi has moved up in the scoring ranks and trails Carceo by eight points, and John Hurd follows closely behind with nine goals and seven assists.
"We've got some good young players and we expect them to continue to get better over the years," Murphy said.
"I've been really impressed by all of the freshmen so far," Carceo said. "I give them a lot of credit for being able to step in and contribute right away,"
As for the rest of the season, the Jumbos have modest goals in mind.
"We just want to get better every time we get on the ice, fix the things that we're doing wrong, and end the season on a good note," Carceo said.
The puck will drop tonight at 7:30 p.m. and tomorrow at 4 p.m. at the Malden Forum.
