Hartford, CT –  Senior  Jeff Landers (Hanover, MA) scored the go-ahead goal 10:42 into the third period to lead the visiting Amherst College Lord Jeffs to a 5-3 victory over the Trinity College Bantams in the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) men's ice hockey season opener this evening at Williams Rink.

Amherst led 2-0 after the first period on a power play goal by first-year forward Mark Colp (Wareham, MA) and a late goal by Joel Covelli (Carlisle, ON). Trinity junior defenseman Ryan Crapser (Paxton, MA) netted the first Bantam goal of the season 2:56 into the second period on a power play opportunity with assists by classmates Michael Mortimer (Spencer, MA) and Richard Hollstein (Palmyra, PA). 

Amherst first-year forward Eddie Effinger (Belleville, MO) answered with the first of his two goals in the game 6:29 into the second stanza, but the Bantams rallied to score twice in the final 7:02 of the period to knot the game at 3-3 at the second intermission. Sophomore forward Justin Letizia (Yorktown Heights, NY) and first-year forward Paul Jaskot (Methuen, MA) tallied the Bantam goals.

Landers broke the tie with a shot that deflected off a Bantam defender past Trinity sophomore goalie Wesley Vesprini (Lexington, MA), and Effinger added an insurance goal in the final minute, intercepting a Trinity pass with his hand in front of Vesprini and dropping the puck down for a quick shot into the net. 

Vesprini finished with 31 saves, while Hollstein had two assists for the Bantams. Lord Jeff sophomore Jonathan LaRose (Boyle, Alberta) stopped 26 shots.