AMHERST, MA - The Amherst College men's hockey team defeated Trinity College in overtime in the Ben McCabe Invitational Championship Game, hosted by Amherst on Saturday, 2-1. Amherst junior co-captain Beau Kretzman (Edina, MN) earned tournament MVP honors as he fed first-year defender Brandon Zangel (Highlands Ranch, CO) for the game-winner in overtime. Fellow junior Marc Russell (Essex, VT) scored his first collegiate goal for the Jeffs to force the extra session, while first-year goalie Josh Fillman (Charlestown, MA) collected a tournament-best 34 saves.

The visiting Bantams netted their lone score of the game in the first period as junior forward Jeffery Natale (Hamden, CT) took a feed from first-year John Halverson (Lexington, MA) and senior Dan Gyllstrom (Hudson, MA) and then beat Fillman on a breakaway for the 1-0 lead. The Jeffs answered 15:47 into the second session as Russell punched in the goal on assists from junior Bradford Craigen (Kitchener, Ontario) and senior Josh Hoffman (Rydal, PA). After a deadlocked third period, the game entered sudden-death overtime. Just over six minutes into the extra session, sophomore Steve Nelson (Wayzata, MN) found Kretzman behind the net who forwarded the puck to Zangel for the game-winner, as Amherst extended its unbeaten streak to five games and improved to 4-0-1. Trinity junior goalie Douglas Kiselius (Park Ridge, IL) had 28 saves as the Bantams fell to 3-2.

In the tournament consolation game, Cortland State bested UMass Dartmouth 8-4. Cortland sophomore Jason Wilson (Johnston, RI) and first-year Scott Lengyel (Bridgeport, CT) each netted two goals, while junior Tim Earl (Troy NY) dished out three assists as the Red Dragons improved to 6-3. Sophomore forward Eric Frank (Waltham, MA) had two goals and an assist for UMass Dartmouth, which fell to 6-3 with the loss.

Amherst returns to action Friday at 7 p.m. at non-conference foe St. Michael's College.