BOX
SCORE
MALDEN, Mass. -- The Tufts University hockey team scored
power-play goals in the first and second periods and then withstood
a Babson comeback to earn their sixth straight victory with a 2-1
final over the Beavers in NESCAC/ECAC East Division play on Friday
night at Valley Forum II.
The six-game winning streak is the longest since the 2000-01
season for Tufts, which has not lost since Thanksgiving week. The
Jumbos improved to 6-2-1 overall and 4-1-1 in the league. Babson
lost for the third time in its last four games and evened off at
5-5-1 overall and 3-3 in league play.
A closely matched first period saw Tufts take a 1-0 lead on a
power-play goal by junior Tom Derosa (Charlestown, MA). Just eight
seconds into the extra-man opportunity, he scored his third of the
season at 13:08 of the first with assists to sophomore Matt Amico
(Buffalo, NY) and junior Andy Davis (Woburn, MA).
In the second period, Babson had a potential tying goal
disallowed when it was judged that the puck did not cross the goal
line. Tufts then took advantage of another power-play situation.
Davis, back on the ice after missing most of the first semester
with an injury, scored his first of the year from Dylan Cooper
(Colorado Springs, CO) and Lindsay Walker (Castlegar, BC) at 16:03.
Jumbo goalie Scott Barchard (Reading, MA) stopped all 17 Babson
shots in the middle stanza and had 25 saves through two periods as
Tufts went to the second intermission up 2-0.
Babson twice hit the post on a power-play early in the third
period. The Jumbos maintained their two-goal lead as the clock
wound down under five minutes. However, when a penalty was whistled
against Tufts in their own end with 4:10 remaining, Babson called
time-out and pulled goalie Zeke Testa (Wellesley,
MA) for an extra skater. The strategy worked, as
Terry Woods (Duxbury, MA) scored a power-play goal
at 16:01 to pull the Beavers within 2-1. Linemates Ryan
Smith (Lynnfield, MA) and Mike Hoban (Medfield,
MA) assisted.
The Beavers would attempt to do the same thing again when the
Jumbos were called for a five-minute major, removing Testa for the
final 2:22 of the third period. However, the visitors could not
score the equalizer and Tufts had its second straight win in the
series against Babson.
Barchard, who has a .954 save percentage, stopped 38 of 39
Babson shots for the win. Davis had a goal and an assist in his
return for the Jumbos. Testa made 28 saves in 57:27 of action for
Babson.
Tufts hosts UMass Boston tomorrow night at Valley Forum II
starting at 7:30 pm. The Beavers play at Connecticut College
tomorrow at 3:00 pm.
NOTE: Taken from a Tufts University press release.
