AMHERST, MA - Behind a pair of goals and an assist by senior forward Bob Miele (Woburn, MA) and a 19-save performance by junior goalie Justin Jagher (Framingham, MA), the Amherst College men's hockey team ended a three-game losing skid with a lopsided 5-1 win over visiting NESCAC and Little Three rival Wesleyan University Friday night at Orr Rink. With the win, the Jeffs improved to 3-5-3 overall and 3-1-2 in conference play, snapping a tie with Wesleyan (3-5-2/3-3) for sixth place in the NESCAC standings.
The game was close early on with both teams connecting in the first period. Miele broke the ice just 48 seconds into the game with his seventh goal of the season, off a pair of assists by first-year Beau Kretzman (Edina, MN) and junior forward Erik DiNardo (North Reading, MA). Wesleyan battled back at 12:18 when junior forward Jon Blanchard (Yarmouth, ME) stripped the puck in Amherst's defensive zone and backhanded a shot past a sprawled out Jagher to knot the score at 1-1.
What was an evenly played first period turned into a blowout, however, as Amherst found the back of the net three times in the second period, cementing their first win since a 6-4 decision at St. Michael's College on December 1. DiNardo ignited the barrage, rebounding a Miele wrister past Wesleyan sophomore goaltender Jim Panczykowski (Cattarugus, NY) for what turned out to be the game-winner. Senior co-captain Gregg Carr (Hanover, MA) followed suit with his third goal of the season just 2:05 later, followed by the Jeffs' third goal of the period, a wrister by Kretzman from the top of the circle on a power play. Miele put the finishing touches on the win with an insurance tally midway through the final stanza, again assisted by DiNardo, along with first-year defenseman William Jenkins (Edina, MN).
Jagher was stellar in goal for the second consecutive game after posting 15 saves and holding defending Division III National Champion Plattsburgh State University to just one goal in 32 minutes on Wednesday. First-year goaltender Jonathan Lhost (Milwaukee, WI) also saw action for Amherst, posting his first career save while giving Jagher a breather over the game's final 3:30. Panczykowski played the entire game for Wesleyan and finished with 25 saves.
The Jeffs return to action on Tuesday, January 8 at 7 p.m. against visiting NESCAC rival Trinity College.
