After an impressive season last year that ended with a defeat by Hamilton in the NESCAC championship, Tufts ice hockey looked ready to repeat the 2024 magic, starting off with a searing 4–1 win against Wesleyan on Friday.
Both teams were chomping at the bit from the first whistle blow, with a comparatively younger Cardinals squad hitting heavy board-checks against the more seasoned Jumbos. Bodies — and pucks — flew high through Malden Valley Forum, without much decisive ownership by either side. Both teams ran each other up and down the rink, each incurring multiple offsides calls and exchanging shots on goal, but thanks to the goaltenders, the attempts were scoreless.
A tripping call on Tufts towards the middle of the first period gave Wesleyan the power play, but the Jumbos did a great job keeping the puck back by the Cardinals’ net. Despite a few break-aways that had Tufts fighting for the puck in their defensive zone, the team won most of the fights for the puck against the sideboards and was able to keep Wesleyan from shooting on its goal. As the power play dwindled down for the Cardinals, the Jumbos pushed them back across the neutral zone in an unsuccessful two-on-one drive.
Adding insult to injury for the Cardinals, a tripping call on their part gave the Jumbos the man-advantage. The Jumbos passed circles around the Cardinals until sophomore defenseman Drew Pitts was able to pass to junior forward Jonathan Horn, hitting a one-timer over the shoulder of the Cardinals’ goaltender. With only three seconds left in the power play, the score became 1–0 for Tufts.
As desperation grew for Wesleyan into the second period, its play got choppier, choosing aggressive style over effective strategic substance. Even so, about halfway through the period, junior forward Trace Norwell hit a sparkling pass to sophomore defenseman Jameson Klein, who buried it deep in the Cardinals’ net and brought the score 2–0 for Tufts.
By the beginning of the third period, Wesleyan morale was visibly strained, after having lost 35 face-offs against Tufts and only winning 16. The onslaught of back-to-back shots on goal by Tufts killed any momentum Wesleyan may have been able to generate; the Jumbos continued to start plays in the offensive end, pressuring the Cardinals into icing calls. Eventually, a sneaky shot by Pitts around the back of the goalie and a deflection in by senior forward Max Resnick brought the score to 3–0.
Wesleyan continued to incur icing calls, and tempers flared around its goal, forcing referees to separate yelling players. Though no penalties were incurred for any fights, Wesleyan quickly got hit with a tripping call. This gave Tufts another power play, until junior forward Marcus Sang was sent to the box for interference, leaving both teams with four men on the ice. The tables turned as Wesleyan’s player left the box and the Cardinals briefly had the advantage. Utilizing this, the Cardinals were able to slide one into the Jumbos’ net, finally getting numbers on the board for Wesleyan, 3–1.
In response, after a couple of icing calls for both teams, a well-oiled assault by junior forward Ethan Ullrick, junior defenseman Sylas Oberting and senior forward Cole Dubicki was hammered home by Dubicki for a final score of 4–1. Wesleyan’s coffin was sealed.
With little rest, Tufts came back on Saturday to take on Trinity College.
Tufts won the face-off on the puck drop, launching both teams into a game markedly different from the day before. Within seconds, an icing call and a second face-off forced Tufts back into its defensive zone, where it was kept back by a fierce offensive from Trinity. As the first period progressed, both teams played at a lightning-quick clip, as opposed to the heavy-hitting, slower pace of the day before.
About halfway through the period, a strong forecheck by Trinity resulted in a goal, pushing the score to 1–0 in Trinity’s favor. In response, the Jumbos pushed the Bantams back to defense and scrummed for control of the puck, corralling the Bantams to the corners and the neutral zone. As the period ended, Tufts held its own and prevented any further goals, while managing several slick attempts on goal against Trinity.
At the beginning of the second period, emotions ran hotter, the hits got bigger and two Tufts players — Resnick and sophomore defenseman Bryceon Lago — were escorted to the box for roughing and slashing, respectively. The disadvantage resulted in a quick goal by Trinity, taking the score to 2–0, before Resnick was let out of the penalty box to shut things down.
After some face offs and quick puck exchanges, an interference call against Trinity left both teams with four players. Tufts still managed a clean shot into Trinity’s net, ending the penalties and bringing both teams back to five on five and the score to 2–1.
For the rest of the second period, the puck swapped hands repeatedly, until a brutal check by a Trinity player sent Tufts’ Horn head-first into the boards, earning Trinity a penalty. This was repaid with a high stick call against Tufts at the start of the third period, sending one Bantam to the bench holding his chin.
On the penalty kill in response to a rush by Trinity, Tufts snagged the puck as it went loose on the slot. Senior forward Liam O’Hare drove it up to the offensive zone, looping it around the back of the net before firing it across the crease where senior forward John Mulvihill’s stick was waiting to tap the puck over the goaltender’s hand. The goal made the score 2–2.
As the play clock dwindled, the game got progressively more chippy and checks got more aggressive. After exchanging checks, Tufts drove into the offensive zone and passed back towards the neutral zone, setting Ullrick up to hit a one-timer in the slot over the shoulder of the goalie, bringing the score to 3–2. After some scuffles in the defensive zone, a loose puck behind the net and a shot on goal, possession was recovered by Ullrick again, who passed far across the neutral zone to Horn. Horn was then able to charge into the offensive zone with only two Bantams on his tail and snake the puck past the goalie, bringing the score to 4–2.
Before the game ended, Jumbo junior forward Eli Pilosof was able to knock one last goal in, making the final score 5–2.
“The sweep gives us a ton of confidence to start the year and just good vibes all around right now on the team, everyone’s excited,” sophomore goalie Tade Carman wrote in a message to the Daily.
