Williamstown, MA – With Senior night upon Williamstown, the Ephs were looking to pay it forward and bring home a big win for the home crowd and the seniors. The Williams College Ephs (0-1-0) would host the Colby College Mules (1-0-0). Despite out shooting the Mules 29 to 23, the Ephs would fall in the end by a score of 4-1.
The Mules came out and started applying pressure immediately. The Ephs would mount a valiant effort to try and regain the momentum throughout the first period with heavy hitting efforts from Grant Fuschsen. However, after 12 minutes of play the Mules would find the back of the net after a bouncing puck rolled and got tossed all around the Ephs' crease. That being said, the Eph's penalty killed looked strong as they moved out of the first period after killing off two penalties.
The struggles for the Ephs continued in the second period as they struggled to find the back of the net. The first real challenge would come as the Mules would score their second of the night at the 5:28 mark off a rush. Unfortunately, it was only 1 minute later that the Mules would capitalize on a bouncing puck that would put the Ephs down by 3. From there it was back and forth action for the remainder of the frame as the Ephs would try and find some level of control in this game.
In the third period play began to start heading the way of the Ephs, as Colby College penalties would put them on the back foot. After sustained pressure from the Ephs, they would eventually find themselves in control of the momentum early and look to take advantage. After great movement at the point from
Mason Chen and
Owen Stadheim, the puck would find its way to the front of the net where Nick Rashkovsky found
Ziv Deener-Chodirker who sent it over to
Logan Valkama for the back door tap in. That would be the last of the Ephs push for the evening however, as the Mules would score one more latter in the final frame to down the Ephs down 4-1.
Ephs head Coach
Bill Kangas spoke after the game to the players expressing that there were a lot of great things to take away from today, but there is still plenty to work on. He mentioned that the Ephs were never going to go 24-0, but that this is a long journey that happens one game and one day at a time. The effort was there tonight, but the team would need to nail down the details.
The Ephs will host the Bowdoin College Polar Bears tomorrow at 3pm in the Lancing Chapman Rink.
