These are exactly the types of games the Tufts hockey team has been waiting for since they entered the NESCAC. While the Jumbos may have sometimes been able to hang with league powers such like Bowdoin and Colby, the final result usually was not the one Tufts hoped for.
But this weekend was different for the Jumbos. First came Friday's exhilarating 4-1 defeat of 13th ranked Colby, a game in which freshman goalie James Kalec broke a 49-year-old school record for saves with 60. The next afternoon, Tufts surprised its fans with yet another show. In a 3-3 tie with 11th ranked Bowdoin, Tufts earned its first points versus the Polar Bears since it revived the varsity program in 1986.
"We have had some tough weekends against NESCAC teams but I think it just comes down to having a good week of practice leading up to those games as well as phenomenal play from our goalie," freshman Greg O'Connell said.
The Jumbos continued their winning ways last night, when the team took on non-conference Johnson and Wales and won 4-2.
Junior forward and team leading goal scorer Matt McCarthy led the Jumbos' offensive attack, with goals twelve and thirteen on the season in the first and third period, the latter coming on a face-off assist from senior Jason Boudrow. Sophomore forward John Murphy and Boudrow also scored in the game for the Jumbos.
The team's outstanding play between the pipes continued last night, not from Kalec this time but from junior Matt Ninnemann, who kept potential scorers at bay all night, including one particularly spectacular glove save in the final period.
The defense also played well, keeping Johnson and Wales out of the Tufts zone for the majority of the game.
All this came on the heels of a remarkable weekend that saw the Jumbos holding their own with top teams.
Saturday's game in Malden was a classic by all accounts. Riding high off of the adrenaline from Friday's contest, Tufts jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the opening period. Freshman forward Ross Gimbel put one home in the first on an assist from O'Connell. McCarthy netted his 11th of the season on the power play with just six seconds remaining in the period.
But good teams know how to rebound when they are down, and Bowdoin made that clear in a three-goal second period. The Polar Bears brought the Jumbos back down to earth by out-shooting them 15-4 and allowing no scoring chances in the period while scoring all of their goals in a five-minute span.
The third period was put up or shut-up time for Tufts, and the team rose to the occasion. Freshman Matt Tosto was in the right place at the right time and knocked in a rebound for his first collegiate goal. The two teams stayed even through overtime. Kalec, shutting out Bowdoin with nine saves in the third, had 26 on the night.
Saturday's tie may have not happened had it not been for the confidence booster that was Friday night's 4-1 win at Valley Forum II. Colby came into the contest flying high after wins over Williams and defending national champion Middlebury, two teams who had dominated Tufts earlier this month.
But although being outshot 61-25, the Jumbos managed a victory over one of the region's preeminent teams. The first period was scoreless even though the Mules had 20 shots, while Tufts had only six. This was just the beginning of what would be a record setting performance for Kalec, who on Monday received NESCAC Player of the Week honors.
He made all the saves he needed to and played exceptionally well," junior co-captain Ken Cleary said. "And the rest of the team was there to back him up."
Freshman O'Connell is also a promising younger team member following another successful weekend. Going into last night's game, the forward was leading the team in points.
"I'm just trying to be as productive as possible whether it be on the first or second line," O'Connell said. "I am very fortunate to be able to play with some of the seniors who have helped not only me but all the freshmen."
In the second period of the Colby game, the Mules finally broke through Kalec's wall for their only goal of the game. Two quick goals by sophomore forwards Murphy and Matt Dalton, and insurance scores by O'Connell and Cleary sealed the deal for the Jumbos.
Most amazing about Kalec's goaltending was the symmetry of it-20 saves in the first, 20 in the second, and, you guessed it, 20 in the third. Already withstanding the hail storm of shots in his freshman season, he certainly gives hope for the team in the present and the future.
With last night's win, Tufts finally moves above the .500 mark with a record of 8-7-1. With contributions from freshmen like Kalec, O'Connell and Tosto, and steady leadership from upperclassmen, this historic weekend may be enough to propel this suddenly over-achieving team to a playoff run.
