Amherst returned to Orr Rink Saturday afternoon for its final regular-season home game and pounded NESCAC rival, 8-1. Jeff sophomore forward Mike Kreger tallied a hat trick while Beau Kretzman netted a pair of goals and two assists.
Amherst bombarded the Jumbos with five second-period goals en route to the victory. Junior defender Erich Schram began the flurry less than a minute into the period, shooting a wrister into the top corner of the net off a beautiful feed from senior co-captain Greg Carr, who finished with three assists.
Kreger then tallied his first goal of the game, firing a shot through Tufts senior goaltender Ian Kell’s legs on a shorthanded breakaway. Kretzman netted his NESCAC-leading 23rd goal of the season, shortly thereafter, taking a cross-ice feed from first-year forward Jonathan Hill and burying it into the back of the net.
The game was then delayed momentarily when a spectator launched an open container filled with live mice onto the ice, but when play resumed junior forward Erik DiNardo took a feed from Kretzman on a 2-on-1 breakaway and blasted a shot into the open side of the net. Kreger then scored his second goal of the contest on the power play, firing home a wrister from the slot, giving Amherst a 7-0 advantage heading into the final period.
Kreger completed his hat trick midway through the third period with a one-timer from the left circle off another gorgeous pass from Carr. Jumbo junior defender Chris Martin netted the lone goal for the visitors with less than two minutes remaining in the contest, ripping a slapper past sophomore goaltender Jonathan Lhost, who replaced junior Justin Jagher in the waning minutes.
With the victory, the Jeffs improve to 6-11-5 overall and 6-7-4 in conference play.. Tufts drops to 4-15/3-13.
