MIDDLETOWN, CT – TheAmherst College men's hockey team secured its first conference win of the season Friday night, carried by a trio of goals scored in the second period by Ryan Corcoran, Ben Ritter, and Josh Burke, in a 5-1 victory over Little 3 rival Wesleyan University. 

The Mammoths improved to 3-2-0 overall and 1-1-0 in conference play. They will face Trinity College tomorrow at 4 p.m. for another NESCAC match this weekend. 

GAME HIGHLIGHTS: 

* Ryan Tucker gained possession of the puck in the right corner of Wesleyan's zone and quickly passed it to Zachary Murray. Jacob Pohl received the puck on the move in the low slot from Murray and backhanded the puck into the net 5:03 into the first period. 

* Wesleyan responded with their own goal at 12:49 to even the score. Ethan Davidson picked up the clear from the Cardinal's end and carried it up the left side to initiate the play. Center Owen Sweet received Davidson's pass, carried the puck into the right face-off circle, and made the goal-assisting pass into the slot for Parker Sondag. 

* Connor Leslie made a sliding save with 16:01 left in the second period, shutting down the Cardinal's offensive strike that led Sweet just outside the crease. 

* The Mammoths gained possession up the right side of the ice, where Jacob Pohl executed a pass to winger Vincent Velocci. The first-year shot just wide of the left post for Corcoran to tip the puck into the net at 10:08 in the second period for Amherst's second goal. 

* Ben Ritter intercepted a clear from the right corner in the Cardinal's zone, settled the puck at the left point, and swiftly lifted it into the left side of the net at 16:01 in the second period. This marked Ritter's second goal of the season. 

* Behind the net movement from Matt Toporowski centered the puck to Matt Vander Vort in the opposite corner. Vander Vort fed the puck to Burke in the slot for a one-time slap shot into the top right of the net at 18:34 in the second period. 

* With just 10 seconds remaining in the third period, Pohl seized the opportunity of the Cardinal's empty net and secured his second goal of the evening. 

BY THE NUMBERS

* The Cardinals won 39 out of the 66 face-offs, as Jeremy Abraham won 12 of the draws he took. 

* The Mammoths outshot the Cardinals with a 38-35 margin. 

* Amherst was penalized once and killed off Wesleyan's only powerplay. 

* Leslie saved 34 out of 35 shots the Cardinals took, making 21 saves in the third period, while Erik Voloshin stopped 33.