Courtesy Amherst Sports Information

Box Score

AMHERST, Mass. - The Amherst College men’s hockey team wanted to make Coach Jack Arena’s 300th career victory a memorable one, and they did so with a thrilling 3-2 overtime victory over Connecticut College at Orr Rink on Saturday night. With the victory, Amherst advances to the semifinals of the 2008 NESCAC Men's Ice Hockey Championship next Saturday at Colby.

The Camels grabbed the game’s first power-play five minutes into the opening period when Amherst defenseman Rylan Burns (Jasper, Alberta) was whistled for hitting from behind. The Jeffs nearly scored shorthanded when senior captain Kyle Schoppel (Cambridge, Ontario) skated down the left side and fired a backhander that was turned aside by Camel goaltender Greg Parker (Trenton, Ontario).

The Jeffs took an early lead during their first power-play of the game at the 14:43 mark. Schoppel skated down the right boards before dishing a backhand pass to sophomore forward Keith Nelson (Manalapan, N.J.) who unloaded a slap-shot from the right face-off circle that beat Parker glove side.

The Jeffs took a two-goal lead four minutes later with another power-play tally, this time on a five-on-three advantage. Senior forward Andrew Schremp (Denver, Colo.) took feeds from Gregg Adamo (Manalapan, N.J.) and Shane Lennox (N. Vancouver, B.C.) before ripping a shot into the net.

The Jeffs finished the period with 13 shots while rookie netminder Cole Anderson (Sylvan Lake, Alberta) turned aside all seven Camel shots on goal.

Connecticut College continued to pressure Amherst in the second and junior forward Kevin Plant (Carver, Mass.) almost brought the Camels within a goal when he found himself one-on-one with Anderson. Plant deked to his backhand but was unable to finish the move.

Amherst was then whistled for two penalties only twenty seconds apart, at the 11:39 and 11:59 marks, respectively, giving the Camels a five-on-three advantage for 1:40. Anderson made five stops during the Camel power-play helping the Jeffs kill the penalties.

The Jeffs nearly made it a three-goal lead with four minutes to play, when Brendan Powers (Walpole, Mass.) took a feed from Jack Baer (Edina, Minn.) but a gorgeous save from Parker denied Powers’ close-up shot.

Connecticut College finally cracked Anderson right as their power-play ended when sophomore forward Ryan Howarth (Grand Blanc, Mich.) connected for his seventh tally of the season. The Jeffs out-shot the Camels 15-14 during the second period and the teams headed to the locker room with Amherst leading 2-1.

Connecticut tied the game at the 11:10 mark of the third when Eischen scored on a wrist shot. Freshman forward Ryan Riffe (South Berwick, Maine) and senior forward Rob Campbell (Reading, Mass.) picked up assists on the goal. Neither team tallied the winner in regulation and the teams headed to overtime.

Just 2:07 into overtime, senior forward Mike McIntosh (Soldotna, Alaska) took a feed from Rylan Burns (Jasper, Alberta) and tucked home a wrist-shot into the left side of the net securing Amherst head Coach Jack Arena his 300th career victory.