PAXTON, MA – The Amherst College men's hockey team showcased a dominant offensive presence tonight at Horgan Arena against the Amcats. Ben Ritter's back-to-back goals in the third period contributed to its 6-2 victory over Anna Maria College. 

The Mammoths improved to a 10-6-0 record overall and will host their next match against Wesleyan University on Friday (Jan. 26th) at 7 p.m..

GAME HIGHLIGHTS 

• At 6:29 into the opening period, Quinton Fox received the puck from Zachary Murray in the right corner just after an Amcat clear, making the finishing shot on goal to put Amherst up 1-0.
• Anna Maria scored at 10:13 in the second period as Brandon Della Paolera redirected the puck to winger Braeden McKinnon, who skated down and, in a one-on-one with the goaltender, forehand lifted the puck into the net, leveling the score.
• Just 7 seconds after the Amcats' first goal, Ryan Tucker intercepted a defensive pass following Anna Maria's control of the face-off from center ice, delivering the puck to Matt Vander Vort, whose shot slipped past the goaltender for a 2-1 Mammoth lead. 
• In the second period, marking the third goal within two minutes, an Amcat breakaway favored the Mammoths after a poke-check sent the puck to Vincent Velocci, allowing him to lift the puck to the left of the goaltender's pads at 11:03.
• With 9 minutes remaining in the second period Anna Maria's Byden Sinclair battled for the puck against the boards and dished it off to Max Wennerberg. Wennerberg skated up the right side, re-collected the puck, and backhanded the puck into the net. 
• On a power play, Ritter positioned himself at the blue line and passed the puck off the boards to Tucker. Tucker then redirected the puck towards the goal, where Murray tipped it in off the left post at 7:46 in the third period for a 4-2 Amherst lead.
• After a puck scrum in the right corner skipped the puck to Ritter by the center of the blue line, he fired a wrist shot into the back of the net at 9:26 of the final period as Amherst increased its lead to 5-2. 
• Ritter's second goal of the evening occurred during a 4-on-4 opportunity. Murray gained possession of the puck from center ice, skated down to the right face-off circle, and passed it off his left to Ritter for the finishing shot at 15:20.

BY THE NUMBERS 

• Amherst outshot Anna Maria 46-30. 
• The Amcats held the advantage with face-offs tonight, winning 36 of the 69 draws. Della Paolera won 17 of the 30 he took for the Amcats.
• Amherst went 1-5 on power plays, while Anna Maria went 0-4.
• First-year goaltender Andrew Palena saved 28 of the 30 shots he faced on goal in the first start of his collegiate career.