Improvement was the main goal for the Jumbos this season. This goal was achieved on both ends of the ice for the Jumbos for the 20004-2005 season. Tufts earned its third consecutive bid this season to the NESCAC Championships where the top-seeded team, Trinity College, defeated them.
After finishing last season 8-15-1, (4-13-1 NESCAC) Tufts finished 12-12-1, (8-10-1 NESCAC). The 12 wins are the most by the team since 2000-2001, when the Jumbos won 17 in its final season as members of the ECAC Northeast Division.
This season Tufts had wins over NESCAC teams Amherst, Hamilton and Colby to name a few as well as a tied game at the buzzer with Bowdoin. Last season the Jumbos suffered losses to all four of these teams.
Junior Matt McCarthy led Tufts this year with a total of 29 points (19 goals and 10 assists). McCarthy's 19 goals are the third most in the conference and an example for freshman standout Greg O'Connell. O'Connell had 28 points during the season, second most on the team, with 10 goals and 18 assists. During division games, O'Connell stepped up and led the team with 19 points against NESCAC teams.
Not to forget that a goal usually is scored with help of teammates, junior Jason Boudrow led the team in assists, tallying 20 to go along with his six goals of the season. Boudrow's 20 assists are tied for fifth in the league. Boudrow also netted his 150th point for the Jumbos this season.
Senior co-captain John Hurd, junior co-captain Ken Cleary, and freshman Ross Gimbel were also vital contributors to the Jumbo offense this season. In his final season, Hurd accumulated 18 points (11 goals and 7 assists). The leadership of the team was also demonstrated with Cleary's ten goals and nine assists, totaling 19 points. Gimbel was a pleasant surprise to the Jumbos as he compiled 7 goals and 11 assists to equal the 18 points of Hurd.
"Over the course of the season we were able to work better as a team, particularly on team defense," Hurd said. "Once this strengthened we were able to gain more confidence and win more games."
Tufts has made great strides defensively to equal the accomplishments of the offense. Freshman James Kalec proved himself worthy this season as one player to watch for in his coming years on the ice. All season, Kalec held strong in the net, acquiring the best goals against average (GAA) of any Tufts starting goalie since the 1998-99 season, with an overall GAA of 3.14. This average is complimented with the best save percentage of any Jumbo goalie on record, stopping 91.6% of all shots faced.
That mark was second in NESCAC entering the post-season. Kalec also broke a 49-year old Tufts record with 60 saves in the victory over Colby were he had 20 in each period.
Junior Matt Ninnemann and freshman Issa Azat also came through for the Jumbos in goal. While in goal Ninnemann won 75% of the games and Azat saved 106 of the 121 shots fired at him this season.
"This season we had a lot of depth in our lines, that is we had three very competitive lines that could skate with any team in our league," Hurd said. "We also had a goalie that allowed us to stay in games and win games that we might have let go last year."
The 3.83 goals allowed per game is a deceiving stat of the powerful Jumbo defense, and does not do justice to the defensive improvements as the season progressed. Senior Sean Hayes has been a key contributor in Tufts' defensive zone along with juniors Pat Walsh, Jack Thompson, sophomores Peter Corbett, and freshman Joe Cappellano.
"It was great to watch the team progress over the four years I played here, Hurd said. "Every year the team has continued to improve and be more and more competitive in the league. There is a lot of young talent on the team now that will allow them to continue to improve in the coming years."
