The Wesleyan University Cardinals scored three times in the third period and pulled away for a 5-2 NESCAC win against the Hamilton College Continentals at Wesleyan’s Spurrier-Snyder Rink on Saturday afternoon.
Sterling Bray ’20 scored two goals and Nick Rutigliano ’21 was credited with a pair of assists for Hamilton (3-2-1, 1-1-1 NESCAC). Justin Felhaber ’21 won 12 of 18 faceoffs and Anthony Tirabassi ’20 made 25 saves.
Vincent Lima posted a goal and an assist for the Cardinals (3-2-1, 3-0-1). Sean Ross added a goal and a helper, and Tim Sestak turned away 31 shots.
The Continentals grabbed an early 1-0 lead at 2:12 of the first period on a power-play goal by Bray. Jon Stickel ’19 collected his second assist this season after Bray redirected his shot. Hamilton was 1-for-2 on the power play.
Wesleyan, which scored on one of its three power-play opportunities, tied the score with a power-play goal at 11:04 of the first. Lima passed to Tyler Kobryn and his one-timer from the slot found the back of the net.
Stephen O’Connor gave the Cardinals a 2-1 lead with his first collegiate goal at 4:31 of the second period. Wesleyan put the pressure on the Continentals with two goals 56 seconds apart early in the third period. Sean Ross made it 3-1 at 1:48 of the third and Jordan Rose handed the Cardinals a three-goal cushion at 2:44 when he converted a breakaway opportunity.
Bray got one of those goals back just 15 seconds later with his third this season and the seventh of his Hamilton career. Rutigliano took the initial shot and Bray collected the rebound and slipped the puck past Sestak. Rutigliano is tied for the team lead with three assists. Lima rounded out the scoring on an empty-net goal with 3:07 left.
The Continentals owned a 33-30 edge in shots. Hamilton stays on the road in the NESCAC next weekend when the Continentals travel to Middlebury College on Friday, Dec. 7. The puck drops at 7 p.m.
