AMHERST, MA - The 13th-ranked Amherst College men's hockey team used two second period goals and an outstanding performance in net by first-year Dan Smith (Rochester, MN) to defeat visiting NESCAC and ECAC East foe Trinity College 2-1 on Friday night. Smith posted his second-consecutive 41 save performance, and junior co-captain Beau Kretzman (Edina, MN) and senior co-captain John McNicholas (Lake Forest, IL) scored goals as the Jeffs improved to 7-1-2 (3-1-1 ECAC East).

After a scoreless first period, Kretzman broke the tie less than a minute into the second session as sophomore A.J. Greco (Williamsville, NY) and first-year Sean Ellis (Springfield, MA) found him for his eighth goal of the year. Just 44 seconds later, McNicholas took advantage of a power play and fired a slap shot from the blue line off a cross-ice pass from junior Steve Nelson (Wayzata, MN) to push the Jeff's lead to 2-0. The Bantams answered with a power-play goal of their own as senior forward Stephen LaBrie (Springfield, MA) scored at the 3:51-mark, but Trinity would get no closer as Smith turned away all 15 shots in the final period. Trinity junior Douglas Kiselius (Park Ridge, IL) had 18 saves in the loss as the Bantams fell to 5-5 (3-2 ECAC East).

Amherst returns to action tomorrow at 3 p.m. against visiting NESCAC, ECAC East and Little Three rival Wesleyan University.