Contact: Ben Badua
MEQUON, Wis. – Brian Safstrom '14 netted a pair of goals including the equalizer with just 3:32 remaining in regulation as the Amherst men's hockey team skated to a 4-4 tie against Concordia University at the Ozaukee Ice Center.
Also notching an assist on the evening, Safstrom put away his sixth of the season on a power play at the 16:28 mark of the third period to help the Jeffs move to 9-5-1 on the year. Holding a 36-32 shot-on-goal advantage, Amherst finished 1-for-6 on the power play, while Concordia converted 1-of-5 man-up opportunities.
Taking advantage of an early Jeff penalty, the Falcons' Eli Riddle '16 buried his third of the season just 29 seconds into the opening frame off assists from Brett Penner '17 and Chris Hughes '16. Less than five minutes later, Russell Johnson '14 beat Amherst goalie Johnny Russell '14 with an unassisted tally that doubled the home team's margin.
Holding a 12-9 shot advantage in the first 20 minutes, the Purple & White broke through midway through the period. Recording his first point of the night, Safstrom linked up with Andrew Kurlandski '14, who put in Amherst's first goal at 10:26.
Less than three minutes into the second, it was Safstrom that found the back of the net, tying the game with the help of a Mike Rowbotham '15 assist. Just 1:37 later, Conor Brown '16 snuck one past Concordia goaltender Domingo Torrenueva '16 to give the visitors a 3-2 lead.
With 11:11 gone in the middle stanza, Penner once again knotted things up, hammering home his team-high 10th goal of the season off assists from Hughes and Buster Hebda '16. As time winded down in the period, Johnson struck again, tallying his second score of the year to put the Falcons back on top.
Still tied with just over four minutes left in regulation, Concordia was called for a cross-checking penalty. Just 29 seconds into the power play, Safstrom evened things up, notching the first goal against the Falcon penalty kill in six games. Outshot 14-5 in the third, Concordia held a 7-2 shot advantage in the five minute extra session, but could push across the game winner as the contest ended in a draw.
Russell finished with 28 stops to move to 2-0-1 on the season, while Torrenueva made 32 saves.
Amherst returns to action on Saturday, Jan. 25 against Lake Forest.
