PLATTSBURGH, NY – An overtime game-winner from first-year Caden Olenczak and a brilliant outing from goaltender Andrew Palena lifted the Amherst men's ice hockey team to a dramatic victory on Friday, Jan. 2. Returning to the ice after the holiday break, the team traveled to Plattsburgh State University for the two-game Comfort Inn Complex Winter Classic, opening their weekend versus local foe Suffolk University. Both teams fought until the end, with the Mammoths coming out on top in walk off fashion, winning 3-2.

With the victory, the Mammoths improve to 4-4-1 on the season while the Rams drop to 5-4-1. Amherst will return to tournament action in less than 24 hours, facing either host Plattsburgh State or Little Three Rival Wesleyan on Sat, Jan. 3 in the Championship game. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m.

GAME HIGHLIGHTS:
 
* The game started relatively even, with both teams seeing chances early. The first came from Suffolk, with Palena stuffing a breakaway attempt just two minutes into the contest to keep the game even. Minutes later, the Mammoths had their best opportunity on the other end, with Burke firing a shot that passed the Rams' netminder but pinged off the left post and out of harm's way.
 
* After some great defensive play for much for the period, Amherst transitioned quickly and turned the counterattack into the breakthrough with 4 minutes left in the period. After the puck was chipped behind the net and poked free, it was picked up by Romulus Riego de Dios. De Dios fed the puck in front for Oscar Smink, who shoved it on net. His shot was saved but slid straight to Carson Baylis, and the sophomore easily tapped it home for the 1-0 lead. However, that lead was short lived, as Suffolk tied the game with a solo effort off the forecheck just over a minute later, and the first period ended tied at 1-1.
 
* The second stanza started in back-and-forth fashion, but a Suffolk power play goal just 10 seconds into their first man advantage of the period saw the Mammoths down 2-1 with 14:45 to go. But the Mammoths didn't face that deficit for long, scoring just 2:30 later to tie the game. With the puck pinned on the sideboards, Magnus Gadowsky poked it free, turned, and fired a shot on net. Cristobal Tola seemingly stuffed the rebound into the goaltender's pads, but the puck slid across the line to tie the game at 2-apiece.

* The final frame displayed many of the same patterns that dominated the first two: back and forth action down the ice, with both teams putting shots on net and having stretches of sustained pressure in their offensive ends. The Mammoths held most of the those sustained attacking opportunities but had their best chance of the period with the two teams playing 4-on-4 hockey with less than a minute to go in regulation. The Mammoths got a chance on the odd-man rush, with Jacob Pohl streaking down the ice and firing what looked to be the game-winner on net. The Plattsburgh goaltender dove to his left to make an impressive save to take the game to overtime.
 
* With their power play extending into overtime, the Mammoths took advantage of the 4-on-3 advantage. After Josh Burke almost ended the game early in the frame, the Mammoths picked the puck back up, executed a change, and went to work. Zachary Murray collected the loose puck and skated back to the point to reset the offense. Murray left the puck for Olenczak, who picked it up as he skated towards the left circle and rifled a shot home, hitting the top right corner of the net. The horn sounded, the Mammoths mobbed their first-year and advanced to the tournament championship game with a 3-2 OT win.  
 
 
BY THE NUMBERS:
*  The Rams outshot the Mammoths 31-26 in shots on goal in the game, but the Mammoths dominated the end of the game, outshooting their opponents a combined 12-7 in the third period and overtime.

* Baylis' goal was his first of his collegiate career, and Olenczak's game-winner was his first in an Amherst uniform.

* Palena made 29 saves against the Rams, including 4 big stops on breakaway attempts to keep the Mammoths in it.