Tufts' ice hockey team dropped its second game of the young season Tuesday night, losing 5-3 against the Babson Beavers, and falling to 9-2. The squad, which suffered its first loss at the hands of NESCAC foe Wesleyan, entered winter break with a perfect record.

While praise and confidence abounded at last semester's end, everyone knew the true test of the Jumbos' talent would present itself in the first weeks after break, when Tufts played difficult, non-conference opponents and the upper-echelon squads in the ECAC.

Thus far into the new year, reviews have been mixed.

"We're only 2-2 since we got back from winter break," coach Brian Murphy said. "In general, we've been a little out of sync. It's never easy coming back and re-establishing momentum after a month off."

After dropping an emotional 7-6 decision to Wesleyan, Tufts bounced back with two wins against Assumption and Western New England College. But on Tuesday night, the Jumbos faced an unfamiliar situation: a substantial deficit.

"In the Wesleyan game, we were playing behind for the whole time, but we were never down by three goals late like we were against Babson," Murphy said.

After a scoreless first period, Babson's offense exploded for three goals early in the second period. As the second period waned, so did Tufts' chances to mount a rally against Babson's stalwart defense.

But the Jumbos' offense, a virtual juggernaut this season, responded. Refusing to go softly into the dark night, Tufts tied the game on a late second period score by freshman star Pat Byrne, and two third period tallies by junior forward Jason Boudrow.

"We played a pretty good first period," Murphy said. "But it fell apart a little for us in the second. We were standing around a lot. We need to learn that against good teams you can't play like that. Babson is one of the top team's in the nation, and you can't get away with taking time off."

It was late in the third period when the game was finally decided. As Tufts controlled the puck in the Babson zone, Justin Picone took a shot on goal that struck the post. The shot would have given the Jumbos the lead and may have taken the wind out of Babson's sails had it snapped the twine.

But Picone's miss proved an unwelcome harbinger. Babson controlled the puck off Picone's shot, and on its ensuing offensive rush, freshman Rob Harvey put a shot past Tufts' heralded first-year goalie, Ben Crapser, with fewer than nine minutes left in the game.

"I don't think Crapser ever really saw the puck," Murphy said. "Their guy was in the middle of a lot of traffic and I think [Crapser] was almost totally blocked."

Babson later added an empty-netter to clinch the victory.

There was, however, some silver lining on the defeat. Murphy saw great improvement in the play in the defensive zone, which he called "bad" in the Jumbos' first two games after break. Murphy also said that Crapser, who had a rough first two games back that culminated in his removal from goal in the Wesleyan game, has shown marked improvement in the team's last two contests.

Perhaps the best news for the Jumbos has been Boudrow's continued dominance. The junior recently received national press when he was recognized as US College Hockey Online's Player of the Week. The organization is associated with ESPN and is considered the definitive source of college hockey. Boudrow has averaged four points per game thus far for the Jumbos, and is leading the nation's Division III teams in scoring.

With Boudrow, and a seemingly improving squad, the Jumbos will look to return to pre-break form as they travel to Johnson and Wales on Sunday night. Johnson and Wales, 9-0 in the ECAC Northeast, is the only team besides Tufts with an undefeated record in conference play.