CLINTON, N.Y. – Dave Cunningham '16 turned away 32 shots, but the Amherst men's ice hockey team was unable to overcome Hamilton College's quick start as they fell to the Continentals 2-0 in Friday night's "Pink in the Rink" NESCAC tilt at Russell Sage Rink. 

RECORDS

Amherst (5-6-4, 4-3-3 NESCAC)
Hamilton (10-3-2, 6-2-2 NESCAC)

GAME HIGHLIGHTS

• The first period saw Hamilton stake a 16-7 edge in shots on goal, while Evan Buitenhuis made seven saves for the Continentals in the stanza. 
• Amherst started out strong with Patrick Arena '16 testing Buitenhuis 4:41 into the matchup. Finding the puck in a scrum in the neutral zone, Arena skated down the right boards and ripped a shot on net from the top of the circle, but the shot was narrowly turned away.
• The game's only two goals came late in the first period, with Robbie Murden scoring the game winner 15:49 into the stanza and Brandon Willett notching the insurance tally with 59 seconds remaining.
• With 4:11 left to play in in the first, Neil Conway sent a pass through traffic to Murden who riffled a low, quick shot from the right face-off circle into the netting.
• Up a skater on the power play, Willett collected a pass in the slot and beat Cunningham from point blank range to give Hamilton a 2-0 lead. Conway was credited with his second assist of the matchup on the play.
• The two teams played to a scoreless second stanza with 17 shots taken between the sides.
• Earning a power play at the 6:42 mark in the third period, Amherst applied heavy pressure with David White '18 nearly cutting the deficit to one with a shot from the slot, however the Continental net minder was just able to get his blocker on the puck.
• Amherst finished 0-3 on the power play, while Hamilton was 1-5 in man-up situations. 
• Cunningham registered 32 saves, including 14 in the first period, in the losing effort, while Hamilton's Evan Buitenhuis made 23 saves in the matchup.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• Amherst holds a 13-1-1 record against Hamilton since the 2006-07 season.

UP NEXT

• The Continentals take on Daniel Webster on Jan. 23 at home starting at 7 p.m.
• Amherst returns to Orr Rink for the first time since Dec. 12 when they faceoff against Assumption College on Tuesday, Jan. 26 beginning at 7 p.m.