Jumbos skate to mixed results over break

The frigid winter weather did little to chill the hockey team's determination, as the Jumbos went 2-3 over the academic break, soundly defeating Castleton State 10-2, and securing their first NESCAC win over Connecticut College 5-4.

Against Castleton on Saturday, the Jumbos got hat tricks from not one, but two players, as senior tri-captain Pat Byrne and junior John Hurd both dropped three goals into the Castleton net. Sophomore Ken Clearly also scored two goals for Tufts, which jumped out to a 1-0 lead a mere 11 seconds into the game on Byrne's first goal. The Jumbos led 5-1 after the first period. Castleton was not the finest of opponents - they have yet to win a game this season.

The win came a day after a tough 4-2 loss to Skidmore. Tufts fell behind 2-0 early but roared back to deadlock the game on goals by sophomore Adam Delaney-Winn and Clearly. The team then surrendered two third-period scores that provided Skidmore with the final margin.

Tufts scored its first league win on January 13th when the Jumbos managed to edge out a 5-4 win against the Connecticut College Camels.

Junior tri-captain Shawn Sullivan led the way offensively with two goals, while Byrne added a goal and two assists. A Clearly goal at the 13:24 mark gave the Jumbos a lead they wouldn't relinquish, as Tufts was able to answer every Conn. College score. Senior goaltender Ben Crapser recorded a staggering 39 saves, many of them in a frantic final period as the Camels were trying to draw even.

When asked about the significance of the Conn. College win, junior forward Gino Rotundi was tentative.

"It was a big win at the time, but we need other league wins soon for it to be important in our playoff push," he said. "Winning just one league game doesn't make a big difference, except to get us started."

The Jumbos' current league record is 1-7. Besides their victory over Conn. College, the Jumbos have yet to make a significant impact in the NESCAC league standings. Prior to their Conn. College win, the men lost four straight league games to St. Anselm, New England College, Williams, and Middlebury in December and early January by a combined score of 36-9.

But while the earlier games demonstrated significant scoring gaps, the Jumbos' last three games have been more positive, with the lone loss by two goals and the blowout going the Jumbos' way.

As a result, the players are optimistic that the season and their standings in the NESCAC will continue to improve with time and hard work.

"We're definitely coming together more as a team," Clearly said.

The squad has also been focused on improving its team defense.

"Aside from our one win against Conn. College, we haven't been successful in our goals of scoring more points and moving up in the league standings," Rotundi admitted. "But as far as improving is concerned, we are continually moving in the right directions, especially defensively. We need to work at being in better position to avoid breakdowns and definitely need to be more physical in our defensive approach."

The squad currently holds a record of 3-8, 1-7 in the NESCAC. The Jumbos played against Suffolk University late last night and the squad faces a tough skate this weekend when they play at Colby and Bowdoin tomorrow and Saturday, respectively.