Box Score ---Amherst, MA--- In a battle of the top two teams in the NESCAC to date this season, Williams defeated arch-rival Amherst 1-0 following a 3rd period goal by senior forward, Matt Doyle. After keeping the puck in the offensive zone at the blue line, sophomore defenseman, Greg Johnson, fired a puck on net where Doyle then deflected the shot past Amherst goaltender, Dave Cunningham.
The rivalry was apparent in the first period with three Amherst penalties. Williams established pressure on all three power plays they had in the period yet could never get the puck past Cunningham. Cunningham stopped all 11 shots he faced in the period. Solid play in the defensive zone by the Ephs enabled them to control the shot differential, outshooting the Lord Jeffs 11-4 in the period.
The second period also remained scoreless, however, Williams again controlled the shot differential. The Ephs got 14 more shots on Cunningham, all to be turned by the sophomore goaltender. Ephs goaltender, Sean Dougherty remained perfect through the first forty minutes, saving all 10 shots he faced.
Through two full periods of hockey, the shot differential sat at 25-10 in favor of the Ephs, yet the scoreboard remained blank.
Williams did not take long into the third period to end the game's scoring drought. Senior, Matt Doyle, scored on a deflection out front off of Johnson's shot from the point. Williams now led 1-0.
The Lord Jeffs got eight shots on Dougherty in the third period but Dougherty remained perfect, posting his first shut on the year. Dougherty stopped all 18 shots he faced during the contest. Cunningham stopped 28 of 29 shots in a losing effort for Amherst.
Williams head hockey coach, Bill Kangas, was thrilled with his team's play against their archrival, "We made some really good plays down the stretch and played well in all three zones. Ending this part of the season before the holiday break on such a high note is always huge. We hope to keep this momentum when we come back to campus after the holidays for the January portion of our season."
The Ephs (5-0-2, 4-0-2 NESCAC) are now tied for the NESCAC lead with Amherst (6-2-0, 5-1-0 NESCAC). The Ephs have played their last game of the 2013 calendar year and will resume play in 2014 on January 3rd versus Hobart (2-2-4, 2-1-3 ECAC West) in Plattsburgh, NY, for their first game of this year's Buck Supply Winter Classic.
