It may not be the playoffs yet, but don't tell the ice hockey team that.
With their 8−5 win over Wesleyan last Friday, the Jumbos padded their advantage in the race for the final NESCAC playoff berth, and though two weeks of competition still remain in the season, Tufts is starting to get into that playoff mentality.
Friday night, the Jumbos will head north to take on the University of New England before they face Southern Maine on Saturday. Both squads are members of the ECAC East, which means that even though the Jumbos hold an advantage over Conn. College for the last NESCAC playoff spot, these games still matter in the postseason race.
"These are important games regardless of whether or not we're trying to get into the playoffs," junior tri−captain Dylan Cooper said. "These games still count, plus we haven't locked up that playoff spot yet."
While Tufts plans to treat these games like any others, the team also wants to start getting into the playoff mentality and making the necessary adjustments — both physically and mentally — that could bring it post−season successes.
Above all, the Jumbos have, of late, been focused on coming out hard and sustaining that effort for the entire game, something they were unable to do in numerous games lately when they struggled early on.
"We're trying to establish ourselves in the first five minutes of the game to set the tempo and get the other team to play our game instead of us playing theirs," said sophomore goaltender Scott Barchard, whose consistent performance in the net has been a big reason why the Jumbos have survived those rough starts. "It's time for us to start playing a full 60 minutes."
Against Wesleyan last Friday, the Jumbos were at their opponents' throats from the starting whistle, scoring three times in the first period. They then kept the pressure on throughout the contest as they went on to win the game by three goals.
Among the standouts for the Jumbos last weekend was junior Zach Diaco, who notched a hat trick against Wesleyan and scored the Jumbos' lone goal the following day in a 4−1 loss to Trinity. Diaco currently leads the Jumbos with 13 goals and is tied with junior Tom Derosa at the top with 22 points on the season.
"Diaco is just shooting the puck a lot and keeps it simple," Cooper said. "He keeps his feet moving fast and he skates through checks."
Cooper, who had two goals of his own against the Cardinals, noted that Tufts needs to focus on the hard work exemplified by Diaco going forward, noting that the team doesn't care if it looks pretty, as long as the puck winds up in the back of the net.
"Getting ugly goals is especially important in the playoffs," Cooper said. "You never know what's going to go in."
Right on par with Diaco is Derosa, who has chipped in with eight goals and 14 assists on the season. Freshman defenseman Trevor John has also cashed in seven goals from his post on the blue line and Cooper has seven of his own. With so many capable scorers, Tufts is focused on just getting more pucks in the net and seizing more opportunities to bang in rebounds for garbage goals.
Above all, the Jumbos know that they can continue to rely on the solid goaltending that they have gotten from Barchard, whose .940 save percentage is top in the NESCAC and tied for second in the nation among all Div.−III goaltenders. In fact, despite being out−shot by an average 15 shots per game this season, the Jumbos have still outscored their opponents 62−56.
"I'm just trying to get better every day in practice," Barchard said. "My job is pretty simple — I just have to stop the puck."
Though the Jumbos faltered last Saturday when they fell to Trinity — one of the top teams in the conference — they won't let it affect their attitude going into the final weeks of the season. Coming off a big win the night before, Tufts, according to Cooper, might have been a little complacent.
But now that the team has finished its NESCAC schedule and has only ECAC games left, it is all business. Though the playoffs may not start for another three weeks, with a position in an ultra−competitive league that is anything but certain, the Jumbos are taking nothing for granted.
"When it comes to the playoffs, there are no second chances," Cooper said.
