March 1, 2008

Box Score

BABSON PARK, Mass. - The seventh-seeded University of Massachusetts-Boston scored two powerplay goals in the second period and sophomore Ryan Donovan (Rexford, N.Y.) made 33 saves in net as the Beacons recorded a stunning 4-1 victory over second-seeded Babson College in the quarterfinals of the ECAC East Tournament at the Babson Skating Center on Saturday night. With the win, UMass-Boston (11-13-2) advances to its first ECAC East Semifinal since 2000, where the Beacons will take on top-seeded Norwich at 3 p.m. on Saturday at Norwich. Meanwhile, the Beavers (17-6-3) are forced to await a possible at-large bid when the NCAA Tournament field is announced in two weeks.

Both teams had goals waived off in the scoreless first period. Babson put the puck in the net midway through the session, but it was waived off due to a crease violation. Later in the period, UMass-Boston first-year Devin Hutchinson (Port Huron, Mich.) appeared to score when his slapper from the right side fell out of the pads of junior goalie Skylar Nipps (Orlando, Fla.) and trickled in, but the whistle blew before it crossed the line.

The Beacons finally broke through with two powerplay scores in a 2:02 span midway through the second. First-year Eric Tufman (Abington, Pa.) netted the first when he poked in a loose puck off a rebound of classmate Matt Astoff's (Macomb, Mo.) shot at 11:05, and, after another Babson penalty, first-year Brett Calhoun (Tulsa, Okla.) ripped a slapshot from the right point off the far post and in at 13:07. The Beacons eventually took that 2-0 advantage into the second intermission.

UMass-Boston made it 3-0 early in the third, as first-year Dennis Zak (Rockaway, N.J.) moved in on the left side and wristed a shot inside the near post at 1:37. Things would stay that way until the 13:35 mark, when Babson went with an empty net during a powerplay to net its first goal. With the extra attacker on the ice, sophomore Shane Farrell (West Warwick, R.I.) took a pass from senior Mike Venit (Ridley Park, Pa.) at the right point and blasted a slapper over Donovan and into the upper right corner to cut the Beavers' deficit to 3-1. However, that would be all the sophomore goaltender would allow, as he shut Babson down over the final six and a half minutes. The Beacons eventually capped off the win when junior Jacob Cline (Covington, Ga.) scored an empty-net goal from deep in his own zone at 18:17.

Donovan made 12 of his 33 saves in the first, 12 more in the second, and nine in the third to earn the win. It was UMass-Boston's first tournament victory since February 26, 2000, when the Beacons defeated MCLA, 6-1, in the quarterfinals.

Nipps finished with 13 saves in net for Babson, which lost for the first time in five games.