Contact: Ben Badua

AMHERST, Mass. - Brian Safstrom '14 (Woodinville, Wash.) broke a 3-3 tie just 32 seconds into overtime to lift the 14-ranked Amherst College men's hockey team to a hard-fought win over #8 Middlebury at Orr Rink.

Improving to 7-1-0 on the season, the Jeffs remain the conference's only remaining unbeaten, moving to 5-0-0 in NESCAC play. Middlebury dropped to 4-3-1 overall and 4-2-0 in league action with the loss. Notching its second victory over a nationally ranked opponent in as many days, the Amherst senior class improved to 3-1-1 against the Panthers over the last three seasons.                  

Wanting to stake Amherst to an early lead, senior forward Mark Colp (Wareham, Mass.) evaded a pair of Panthers outside the left circle before moving toward goal and testing Middlebury goalkeeper John Yanchek (Hillsborough, N.J.) with a backhanded shot just minutes into the first period.

Breaking out of the defensive zone, Middlebury senior Charles Nerbak ripped a shot from the left side that found the pads of Amherst goaltender Jonathan La Rose '12 (Boyle, Alberta). With the Lord Jeff senior unable to control the rebound, a hustling Trevor Pollock '13 (Sunderland, Vt.) tracked down the loose puck before slotting his first goal of the season inside the right post to put the visitors on top 5:04 into the period.

Looking to respond, Amherst sophomore Erik Hansen (Deephaven, Minn.) carried the puck into the left side of the Middlebury zone with a defenseman on his hip. Turning the corner and coming across the face of the goal, the Deephaven, Minn. native beat Yanchek, sneaking a shot between the goaltender's left pad the right pipe 11:36 into the frame.

Minutes later, first-year Aaron Deutsch (Lloyd Harbor, N.Y.) skated toward the front of the Middlebury cage before finding the stick of a trailing Dylan Trumble (Calgary, Alberta), who one-timed his second score in as many games into the back of the Panther net at 13:32.

Trying to set the tone at the start of the second period, Middlebury sophomore forward Michael Longo fired a shot from point-blank range that prompted a La Rose save. Again finding his way to a loose puck in front, Pollock buried his second tally of the afternoon just 1:35 into the stanza, knotting the game at 2-2.

Carrying it into the neutral zone in hopes of regaining momentum, Amherst junior forward Johnny Van Siclen (Carlisle, Mass.) found Colp, who flicked a backhand toward net from the left circle that trickled past the goal line for the Jeffs' third goal 8:09 into the stanza.

With Amherst on the doorstep of adding to their tally while on a power play in the closing minutes of the second, Yanchek made a pair of big stops in the waning moments of a Lord Jeffs' man-up advantage, keeping Middlebury within one heading into the final frame.

Getting outshot by a slim 19-18 margin over the course of the first two periods, Middlebury started the third with a two-man advantage by virtue of a pair of late Amherst penalties, but the Lord Jeffs bore down, surrendering just one shot on goal during that span to preserve their 3-2 lead.

Continuing to stay aggressive shortly after their power play expired, the Panthers suddenly pulled even when Nerbak slipped the equalizer just inside the left post 1:53 into the third period.

On the power play with under eight to play, Amherst nearly pulled back out in front when junior forward Nick Brunette (Chaska, Minn.) rattled a hard wrist shot off the left post. A couple minutes later, Longo looked to be in alone on goal but Amherst junior Jamie Hawkrigg (Waterdown, Ontario) made a nice poke-check from behind to disrupt the play before the Middlebury forward could put a shot on goal.

Still knotted at 3-3 at the end of regulation, both teams headed into a five-minute extra session with hopes of notching the game winner. Panther senior Martin Drolet registered the overtime's first try with a hard, rising slap shot from the left side. 

Undaunted, Amherst came right back down the ice, with sophomore forward Andrew Kurlandski (Kirkwood, Mo.) ripping a shot at the Middlebury cage. After Yanchek made the initial stop, a persistent and opportunistic Safstrom hammered home the clincher, stuffing it inside the left post for his third goal of the season.

The Lord Jeffs finished with a 30-27 shot advantage finishing 0-for-2 on the power play while holding the Panthers to 0-for-5 with the man-up advantage. La Rose tallied 27 saves en route to his sixth victory while Yanchek made 23 stops in the loss.