Courtesy of Wesleyan University
MIDDLETOWN, Conn. – The seventh-ranked Amherst College men's hockey team got back on track with a 6-0 win over Wesleyan University Saturday evening, improving the Lord Jeffs to 13-3-1 overall and 10-1-0 in the NESCAC.
Saturday gave Amherst a sweep of the season series, having earned a 3-2 win over Wesleyan (9-7-1, 4-6-1 NESCAC) back in December. The Lord Jeffs are now 5-2-1 on their current nine-game road trip and remain in sole possession of first place in the NESCAC standings.
Amherst had six individual goal scorers and four players register two points on the night, as 13 Lord Jeffs factored into the scoring. Jonathan La Rose '12 stopped all 23 shots he faced, giving him his second shutout of the season while moving him to 9-1-1 as a starter.
Sophomore Brian Safstrom got credit for the game winner at 3:17 of the opening stanza, putting home a rebound high over Wesleyan goalie Glenn Stowell for his seventh marker of the season. It was the only goal of the opening period, during which Amherst held a 10-7 advantage in shots.
Amherst put home three goals in the middle period to move out to a 4-0 edge. First-year Aaron Deutsch got the ball rolling when he skated into the offensive zone, moved centrally from the left side and pulled up even with the top of the circles to whisk a low shot through the pads of Stowell at 4:01 for his first career goal.
Mike Moher '13 made it 3-0 when his power-play shot hit the crossbar and deflected in at 16:31 for his seventh goal of the season. Just two minutes later, junior Dylan Trumble made it a four-goal Amherst cushion with his eighth goal of the year.
When junior Jamie Hawkrigg netted Amherst's fifth goal for his second point of the game at 3:11 of the third period, Stowell was lifted for junior Matt Hadge. Wesleyan's replacement made seven saves and allowed the final goal, which was scored by senior co-captain Eddie Effinger at 8:22, his fifth marker of the season.
The Lord Jeffs will close out their nine-game road trip when they take on Trinity College Sunday at 3 p.m. Amherst will conclude the weekend with at least a one-game lead over Bowdoin in the NESCAC standings.
