Box Score
Photo
Gallery
WILLIAMSTOWN, MA – When Williams and
Hamilton met earlier this year, Williams escaped with a 3-2
overtime win.
Saturday night Hamilton got their revenge, scoring 2:47 into the
first overtime period to win the game and advance to the NESCAC
semifinals. After the
two teams traded goals in the second period, Williams controlled
the third and had many chances to take the lead but could not find
the back of the net.
The loss will likely eliminate the Ephs from the NCAA tournament
but there is a slight chance that they could receive an at-large
bid.
Williams got off to a strong start, nearly
scoring less than thirty seconds into the game when Hamilton goalie
Calvin Bartel '13 turned the puck over deep in his own end,
but Eric Rubino '13 couldn't find the
net. The rest of the period was largely back and
forth hockey. The Ephs controlled play for the
most part but were unable to test Bartel very
often. Though Ryan Purdy '12 wasn't
tested often, he came up big when he had to in order to keep the
game tied.
The action picked up in the second period as
the Ephs had numerous quality scoring
opportunities. Evan Dugdale '13 just
missed on a point blank shot from the low slot a minute into the
period. Williams then
opened the scoring 4:05 into the period. Ryan
Scott '12 launched a shot from the point that was deflected
wide. Dugdale gathered the puck and passed it to
the front of the net where Mark Lyons '13 buried a
one-timer. Moments
later Pat Morrissey was robbed on a shot from the point through a
screen and Matty Masucci just missed doubling the Ephs lead when he
got an open look in the low slot that went just
wide. Hamilton tied the score ten minutes into
the period on the power play when Tom Chiapetta '11 deflected
a shot from BJ Lalonde '12.
Williams dominated the third period,
outshooting the Continentals 10-4, but could not beat
Bartel. Thirty seconds into the period Brian
Malchoff '11 pushed a bouncing puck into Bartel. Bartel was then pushed into the
net as players from both teams converged at the loose puck. The puck appeared to have
gone in, but the goal was quickly waved off. Masucci just missed again on a 2
on 1 a minute later. Rubino came within inches
of giving the Ephs a lead when he tried to tip in a pass from
Scott. Senior captain
and leading goal scorer Alex Smigelski nearly broke the tie in the
waning moments, but was denied twice. His first
chance came with two and a half minutes left when he fired a
one-timer off Bartel's mask. With just under a minute left,
Smigelski streaked down the wing and fired a rocket shot that beat
Bartel but rang off the crossbar.
Hamilton scored the game winner 2:47 into
overtime. Jerome
Wallace '10 gained speed through the neutral zone and fired a
shot on Purdy. Purdy
stopped the initial shot, but the rebound slipped past him and into
the net.
Purdy finished with 22 saves for the Ephs,
while Bartel stopped 25 shots for Hamilton.
Hamilton advances to the NESCAC semifinals,
while Williams has to wait and see if they will get an at-large
selection to the NCAA tournament. Williams
finishes with a record of 15-6-3, including victories over highly
ranked Norwich and Manhattanville.
