Box Score AMHERST, MA – A two goal third period took the game to overtime, but the Amherst men's ice hockey team fell in a nail-biter, losing in shootout fashion on Friday, Jan. 9. Returning to NESCAC play winning thee Comfort Inn Winter Classic in Plattsburgh earlier this week, the Mammoths squared off against Colby looking get back in the win column in conference play. After a 2-2 tie in regular time, Amherst could not get the win in the shootout, losing 2-1.

With the draw, the Mammoths move to 5-4-2 on the season while Colby is now 7-3-2. Amherst will continue their NESCAC homestand tomorrow, hosting Bowdoin in the second game of the double-header on Saturday, Jan. 10. Puck drop against the Polar Bears is scheduled for 3 p.m.

GAME HIGHLIGHTS:
 
* The game went back and forth through the first period and a half, with neither team really finding their rhythm offensively. Though Amherst kept firing shots on net, the Mules' goaltender was up to the task, keeping the Mammoths off the board. On the other end of the ice, Amherst's defense was firing on all cylinders, allowing just 8 shots through the first period and a half of play.
* Colby netted the first of the night, breaking into the offensive zone and laying the puck back into the high slot, where Matt MacDonald finished the opportunity to give Colby the 1-0 lead heading into the third.
 
*  Whatever Head Coach Eddie Effinger '12 said in the locker room between periods seemed to ignite the Mammoths, who scored twice in the first 5 minutes of the final frame to go up 2-1. The first tally came on the power play, with Matt Vander Vort taking control of the puck in at the blue line, skating to his left, and rifling the puck high glove-side for the game-tying goal.

* Just under a minute later, the Mammoths took the lead. Romulus Riego de Dios made an impressive move towards the net, beating two defenders and putting a shot on net. Though the initial save was made, the puck slid out to Oscar Smink, who pushed it inside the post to give his team the 2-1 lead.

* Colby netted with 7:23 to go to tie the game at 2-2, and though both teams had their chances, they could not convert and the game went to overtime.

* Neither team could score in OT, and the game went to a shootout. Murray made the first shootout attempt for the Mammoths and Andrew Palena made an impressive save, pushing the puck into the post and out on Colby's second attempt; However, two straight misses doomed the Mammoths to a second shootout loss of the year.
 
BY THE NUMBERS:

*  The Mammoths outshot the Mules 41-18 in shots on goal in the contest.

* Vander Vort's goal was his third of the season, while Smink's tally was his first of the year.

* Palena made 16 saves on the day, and 1 in the shootout.