Last season, the hockey team closed out the first half of its schedule on a low note with a 7-0 loss to conference rival Conn. College, its sixth loss of the season and fourth in a row. It didn't get any better from there, as the team dropped its first four games of 2007 and was unable to pull out a win until over a month later on Jan. 16.
Once again, Tufts will play the Camels before it heads into a month-long hiatus. But this time around, Conn. College is 1-4-2 and hungry for a win, having lost or tied its last three contests.
Still, the Jumbos are not taking the game lightly, as a win would bring them back to .500 and allow them to take a 2-2-1 NESCAC/ECAC record into the break.
"It's a NESCAC game, so it's going to be really important," senior tri-captain Greg O'Connell said. "Even though it's still early, every game matters. They're a really good team with good skating. We have to go over films and systems, but we'll be ready for them."
Last weekend, both squads squared off with the same opponents and saw nearly identical results. In their Friday game, the Jumbos watched an early two-goal lead turn into a 3-3 overtime tie with Saint Anselm, a team they lost to 5-4 last season. The team came within inches of pulling out the victory when sophomore Cory Korchin hit the post with just over a minute left. The following day brought similarly disappointing results for the squad, as New England College sparked a comeback to hand the Jumbos their first losing weekend of the season.
Meanwhile, NEC edged Conn. College by a single goal Friday night, and the Camels also skated to a 3-3 tie with Saint Anselm the following afternoon. Freshman Ryan Riffe scored two goals and notched an assist over the weekend, ranking him second among NESCAC rookies in scoring with six points.
The matchup ought to be an even one, as the NESCAC rivals are separated by one point in the standings. The Jumbos hold a slight advantage in scoring offense and on the power play this year, while the Camels counter with their own strengths in scoring defense and penalty killing.
The Camels are led by sophomore goalie Greg Parker, who ranks third in the NESCAC with a .921 save percentage.
"They have an excellent goaltender, and we're going to have to minimize our mistakes," coach Brian Murphy said. "We're at home, but they're very good. It's going to be a tough test. It's our last game for a while."
Tufts has its own force in net in senior James Kalec, who recorded over 30 saves in Friday's and Saturday's games. In 2005, Kalec made 58 saves against Conn. College, two shy of his own school record.
The Jumbos are paced by seniors Ross Gimbel and Kurt Hertzog, who have five points apiece. Gimbel had a hand in all three scores against Saint Anselm, earning an assist and two power play goals. Conn. College is led by senior tri-captain Rob Campbell, who also scored twice last weekend and is one of only three seniors on the youthful Camels.
On the other hand, Tufts boasts a mix of both youth and experience, with seven seniors and nine freshmen. The Jumbos start five seniors - Hertzog, Gimbel, O'Connell, Kalec and tri-captain Joe Cappellano - along with freshman defenseman Andy Davis.
The game will be the team's last before it heads to France for part of the holiday season; from there, the team will fly back for the Plattsburgh tournament, which kicks off Jan. 4.
"There's going to have to be a lot of work on staying in shape," Gimbel told the Daily last week. "We'll be coming back early to go to Europe on the 25th, which should help to get our legs back. The break takes away from the stuff we worked to build, like stamina."
