AMHERST, MA – Four unanswered goals lifted the Amherst men's ice hockey team to their second straight NESCAC win in a strong team performance Friday, Jan. 16. Carrying the momentum they gained from a gritty 2-1 win over No. 13 Bowdoin in their last outing, Mammoths continued their homestand against the Conn. College Camels. After giving up a goal early, the Mammoths responded, with a two-goal second frame proving decisive in a 4-1 victory over their foes from New London.

With the win the Mammoths improve to 7-4-2 on the season while the Camels drop to 6-6-1. Amherst marches through their conference schedule, facing Tufts tomorrow, Saturday, Jan. 17. Puck drop against the Jumbos is scheduled for 3 p.m.

GAME HIGHLIGHTS:
 
* Conn. started the game hot, putting the Mammoths on the back skate with a flurry of early shots. This led to a quick goal: a puck chipped off the boards into the O-zone bounced to Jimmy Lyver, with the Camel forward one-timing the puck into the top of the net from just under the right circle. The strike put Conn. College up 1-0 just 3:25 into the game.

* The home side picked it up from there and recovered their footing to tie the game on a rush up the ice with 5:16 left in the frame. Josh Burke skated the puck down the ice, chipping the puck into the zone for Zachary Murray. Murray tapped the puck back to his linemate for a give-and-go to the corner, then spun and found Ben Snyderman at the right point. The sophomore defenseman slid to the middle of the ice and fired a shot high stick side to make it 1-1.

* The Mammoths' gritty play again played dividends, this time early in the period, as the Mammoths grabbed a 2-1 lead just under 4 minutes into the stanza. Ryan Corcoran won the puck back on the forecheck and played the puck into the corner for Romulus Riego de Dios. The first-year shoved a shot on net, where Jacob Pohl got the rebound and forced another save. Caden Olenczak finished the job, controlling the second rebound and calmly slotting it five-hole to give his team the lead.

* Amherst were able to extend the margin to 2 goals at the 11:39 mark.  Zachary Murray was able to take the puck back in his own D-zone and skate up the ice to create a two-on-one with Burke. Murray committed the defender and slipped the puck into the slot for Burke, and the senior put the puck into the net to make it 3-1 heading into the final period.

* The dagger came with just over 4 minutes left in the game. After Amherst killed off a bench minor, Murray cleared the puck out of the zone to Burke, who skated up the ice. Andrew Carmody, who had served the penalty, was in the perfect position as he flew out of the box, tagging up and skating to the slot, receiving the pass from Burke and scoring a one-timer goal to finalize the 4-1 margin.
 
BY THE NUMBERS:

* Shots were basically even, with Conn. just barely outshooting Amherst 29-28 in shots on goal and Amherst up 53-52 in overall attempts.

* Both Burke and Murray had three-point nights for the Mammoths, putting in great shifts on the top line and on special teams.

* Palena made 28 saves against the Camels.