MIDDLEBURY, VT – A two-goal first period was not enough to lift the Amherst men's ice hockey team to a win on Friday, Dec. 5. Returning to NESCAC play in the first game of a back-to-back weekend on the road against Middlebury, though they jumped out to a lead at the end of the first frame, an early third-period goal sunk Amherst by a 3-2 scoreline.

With the loss, the Mammoths drop to 3-3-1 on the season while the Panthers improve to 4-2-1. Amherst will return to NESCAC action in less than 24 hours next game, facing rival Williams on the road in Williamstown on Sat, Dec. 5. Puck drop against the Ephs is scheduled for 3 p.m.

GAME HIGHLIGHTS:
 
* Despite an even game in the early going, the Panthers capitalized on one of the few chances in the first few minutes. Middlebury's Tyler Wishart collected a loose puck behind the net, skated to the left and found Jack Silverman in the slot for a 1-time finish past Amherst netminder Vincent Lamberti to give the panthers the 1-0 lead.
* The Mammoths tied it up just 4 minutes later, scoring on a play eerily similar to the goal they had just given up. After a blocked shot slipped out to the corner, Ray Hou controlled the puck and played it along the end boards to Oliver Flynn. Flynn faced up, skated to the left and laid the puck into the left slot for Romulus Riego De Dios; the first-year hammered a 1-timer home to tie the game at 1-1.
 
* The scoring onslaught continued with the Mammoths taking the advantage while shorthanded. After a clearance slid behind the Panther net, their long breakout pass was intercepted by Zack Jesse, who played it cross-ice to a wide-open Josh Buke. With both Middlebury defensemen caught on the change, Burke skated in on goal and wristed a shot to the far post to make it 2-1 heading into the second period.  
 
* The second frame was defined by big hits, back-and-forth rushes, and special teams play as the two teams continued to play hard on every shift and rack up penalties. It was that gritty play that eventually resulted in the game-tying marker, with Middlebury's Wishart poking in a rebound that fell tantalizingly on the goal line to even the contest for the Panthers.
 
* Middlebury stole the lead back just 13 seconds into the final period. After winning the face off, the Panthers split the Mammoths' forecheck to create an odd-man-rush chance. From there it was textbook from the home team, who found the open man and buried the shot to take the 3-2 lead.
 
* After killing off another penalty late, the Mammoths hit their stride offensively, putting shot after shot toward goal not finding the back of the net. They pulled Lamberti with 1:37 to go in the hopes of finding the equalizer, but even though they fired off five shots in the 6-on-5 they couldn't score and fell to the Panthers 3-2.
 
 
BY THE NUMBERS:
*  The Mammoths outshot the Panthers 31-21 in shots on goal in the game, and the Mammoths found more success at the faceoff dot, winning 36 of 68 on the day.

* Burke's goal ups his team-leading tally to 4 on the year and has recorded a point in all but one game this season. Riego De Dios' marker was his first in an Amherst uniform.

* Lamberti made 18 saves against the Panthers.