The Hamilton College Continentals scored twice midway through the third period and held on for a 3-2 NESCAC win over the Trinity College Bantams at Trinity’s Williams Rink on Saturday.
Hamilton improved to 3-2-0 overall and 2-1 in the conference. The Continentals scored on two of their four power-play opportunities and finished with 24 shots on goal.
The nationally ranked No. 10 Bantams (3-3-0, 2-2 NESCAC) put 32 shots on goal but were just 1-for-6 on the power play. Lucas Michaud won 18 of 23 faceoffs and Patrick Pugliese made 21 saves. Trinity has three one-goal losses at home in the last seven days.
Sean Storr ’22 stopped a season-high 30 shots including 13 in the third period for the Continentals. Storr has a 2.01 goals against average and .921 save percentage in five starts this season.
Cade Groton ’23 put Hamilton ahead for good with his second career goal at 7:58 of the third period. David Parker ’25 picked up the assist and his first career point. Parker intercepted a clearing attempt in the Bantams zone and fed Groton, who scored from an impossible angle at the goal line extended to the right of the net.
Jordi Jefferson ’22 made it 3-1 with a power-play goal 55 seconds later. Jefferson is tied for the team lead with three goals and five points. Nick Hawkins ’23 was credited with his third assist as he fed Jefferson from the right-side boards for a fantastic wrist shot from the high slot.
Kyle Tomaso pulled Trinity within a goal on his power-play tally with 1:38 left amid a rash of penalties late in the third period. After matching minors were called with 2:48 remaining, the Bantams pulled Pugliese for an extra skater with 2:30 to go. Another Continental was sent to the penalty box for delay of game 16 seconds later, and Trinity had a two-man advantage.
Storr had to come up big in net and he turned away three shots in the final two minutes. Pugliese stayed on the bench after Tomaso made it 3-2, so Hamilton was still down a player going into the last minute. Fortunately for the Continentals, the Bantams took a cross-checking penalty with 36.3 seconds left, and Pugliese returned to his net for the rest of the period.
Grisha Gotovets ’25 put Hamilton up 1-0 on his third goal with 1:33 left in the first period. Nick Rutigliano ’22 and Jeremy Smith ’24 had the assists on the power-play goal. Gerrard Maretta drew Trinity even at 2:28 of the second period.
The two teams were playing for the first time since the NESCAC championship semifinals at Williams College in March 2020.
