Contact: Ben Badua
HARTFORD, Conn. – The Amherst men's hockey team fell short in its quest for a third conference crown after dropping a heart-breaking 3-2 double overtime decision to Bowdoin College in the NESCAC championship game at the Koeppel Community Sports Center.
Tied at 2-2 after 80 minutes, John McGinnis '15 made good on an Amherst turnover, netting the game winner just 22 seconds into the second extra session. Playing in the first overtime NESCAC title tilt since 2008, the Jeffs closed out the season with a 16-8-3 overall record. Improving to 17-8-2 on the year, the fifth-seeded Polar Bears earned the league's automatic bid to the upcoming NCAA Division III Championship.
Generating a couple of early scoring chances, Bowdoin nearly broke through five minutes into the first period. Controlling a loose puck after a scramble in front, Matt Sullivan '17 threw a shot at Amherst goalie Dave Cunningham '16, who got just enough of the try to send it trickling through the crease and wide of the post.
Moments later, Connor Quinn '15 found open space on the doorstep of the Jeff cage, but Cunningham gloved down the shot from point-blank range to momentarily keep the Polar Bears off the board. Keeping the pressure on, Bowdoin notched the game's first tally at 7:23. Carrying the puck behind the net, Sullivan slid a wraparound pass to Danny Palumbo '15, who snuck shot from the slot past Cunningham.
Outshot 11-5 in the first period, Amherst nearly tied things up just moments into the middle frame. Skating up the left side, Ryan Edwards '14 threaded a centering pass to Elliot Bostrom '14, but Bowdoin goaltender Max Fenkell '15 made a sprawling save on the senior's shot at the near post.
Minutes later, Topher Flanagan '16 ripped a wrister from the right circle off the netting. With Fenkell unable to control the rebound, the Jeffs tried to poke the puck over the goal line, but the junior kept the would-be equalizer out of the Polar Bear net.
Shorthanded midway through the second, Conor Brown '16 gained possession of a Bowdoin turnover in the neutral zone. Racing up ice on a breakaway, Brown could not get a clean shot on net, but drew a penalty to give Amherst its second power play of the afternoon. With time winding down on the man advantage, Chris Roll '17 put a one-timer on target, but Fenkell stood tall, turning away the shot.
Continuing to push forward, the Jeffs had a golden opportunity to knot things up off a rebound try, but the net was knocked off its moorings, resulting in a delay of game penalty on the Polar Bears. Looking to capitalize on the Bowdoin miscue, Bostrom blasted a hard slap shot from the point. Redirecting the puck in front, Brown tipped it into the net at 17:50 to suddenly pull the Purple & White even.
Still tied at a goal apiece with less than 10 minutes remaining in regulation, Amherst nearly notched the go-ahead goal. Moving across the left circle, Brendan B urke '16 beat Fenkell with a rising wrist shot, but the sophomore rang the attempt off the right post.
Breaking out of Bowdoin's defensive zone, Kyle Lockwood '14 eluded a pair of Jeff defenders. Stickhandling through the forecheck, Lockwood eventually wrestled himself free in the high slot before firing a wrist shot past Cunningham's glove at 12:25. Just 1:25 later, Amherst responded. Charging toward the front of the net, Brian Safstrom '14 redirected an Aaron Deutsch '15 shot behind Fenkell at 13:50 to once again tie the game.
With neither team able to record a game winner down the stretch, the game headed into a 20-minute sudden victory overtime. Despite getting outshot 15-10 in the in the first extra session, Bowdoin created several quality scoring chances. With Quinn catching Cunningham's blocker with a close-range shot early in the period, the Polar Bears almost ended the game with less than seven minutes on the clock. Corralling a rebound in front, Zach Kokosa '17 tried to slide one past a diving Cunningham, but Amherst's goaltender kept the puck in front of him to keep the Jeffs level.
Just 22 seconds into the second overtime, Bowdoin finally solved the Amherst defense. Taking advantage of a miscommunication between the a pair of Jeff blueliners, McGinnis intercepted a pass in Amherst's zone before going in alone on net. Beating Cunningham high and to the glove side, the forward sealed the Polar Bears' second-consecutive NESCAC title.
Winning 48-of-89 face-offs, Amherst finished with a 43-33 shot-on-goal advantage. Cunningham made 30 saves in the loss, while Fenkell recorded 41 stops.
