Hockey splits weekend games

This past weekend the hockey team continued a long and tiring road trip, traveling to face ECAC/NESCAC foes Mass. College and Skidmore. Though the Jumbos returned home victorious against Mass. College 5-3 to create a three game winning streak, that streak would be snapped the next day in a 3-2 loss against Skidmore.

Facing Skidmore on Saturday afternoon, the Jumbos were prepared for a difficult match-up. Though they only amassed a 3-9-1 record entering the game, the Thoroughbreds record was a deceiving indicator of their abilities.

"I knew it would be a tough game because they've played everybody in the league tough," coach Brian Murphy said.

Though the Jumbos were able to jump out to a 2-0 lead early in the game, they were unable to hold off a Skidmore rally. After a powerplay goal from sophomore John Hurd, Tufts increased its lead to 2-0 early into the second period on freshmen Zak Smotherman's first goal of the season and his collegiate career.

Quickly responding to Smotherman's goal was Skidmore's Fred Orisa who scored only a minute after the Jumbos second goal. Entering the third period with a 2-1 lead, the Jumbos were unable to hold down the Thoroughbred's for their fourth consecutive victory.

Despite Ben Crapser's 36 saves in the game, Skidmore was able to sneak two goals by its opponent to finish the third period with a 3-2 victory, its third in a row. Skidmore's newest winning streak is most impressive as it follows a previous eight game losing streak. The loss for the Jumbos dropped the team to 4-4-1 in the NESCAC and 4-4-2 overall.

While the Jumbos felt that they had more skill and talent than Skidmore, it was the team's inability to keep up intensity that hurt it in the end.

"We lacked the heart and intensity to hold them down," senior co-captain Chris Martin said.

Penalties also hurt the Jumbos this weekend and did the most damage for the team against Skidmore. Tufts entered the game without Martin, who was out for misconduct in the previous Mass. College contest, and was plagued by multiple other penalties that broke the Jumbos intensity in the third period.

"Whenever we'd get something going we'd get a penalty and everything would die down," Martin said.

Working on playing a smarter game with fewer penalties is something Murphy will work on in future games. The team will also focus on improving its shot taking and defense by attempting to limit shots from opposing teams. Tufts only took 28 shots on Skidmore, compared to the Thoroughbred's 39 shots. Most notable was that the Jumbos were only able to muster up 9 shots in the final period.

"The thing we need to do a lot more is shoot. We get outshot in most of our games," Martin said. "And against Skidmore, it started out where we got a ton of shots and then we just stopped."

The Jumbos loss to Skidmore followed another difficult match-up on Friday night against Mass. College. Facing one of the most challenging rivals of the season, the Jumbos were pleased to leave Mass. College with a 5-3 victory. Squaring off on a small ice rink against a physical team, the Jumbos had to show off their offensive abilities in order to take down Mass. College.

"[Mass College] may be the most difficult place to play in the league," Murphy said.

Coming off a solid 7-3 victory against Conn. College the Tuesday before, the Jumbos were poised to continue their winning streak on Friday night. Despite the loss of Martin early in the first period on a game misconduct penalty, the team secured a victory behind Crapser's 49 saves.

"Ben's playing really well for us. He's seeing the puck well and that's what you need to win in this league," Murphy said.

Trailing 3-2 going into the third period, the Jumbos were able to score three goals to mount a comeback and leave with a 5-3 victory. Behind late into the third period, it was senior co-captain Mike Carceo's goal, followed only 36 seconds later by a score from freshman Matt McCarthy, that put the Jumbos up 4-3 with only four minutes left in the game.

With only ten seconds left in the game, freshmen Rich Baker secured the Jumbos victory scoring on an empty net goal to put Tufts up 5-3.

As the Jumbos rounded out the weekend with mixed feelings about the split games, they looked forward to the final contest of their six game road trip on Tuesday against Suffolk.