JUMBOS, LEOPARDS PLAY HARD TO A 2-2 TIE

MEN’S COLLEGE HOCKEY FINAL SCORE
Tufts 2               Wentworth 2   ot

Date:   Thursday, February 15, 2001
at Lawrence

SCORING: 1^st Period: No scoring. 2^nd Period: T, Rob LaQuaglia (Alex Rovzar, Chris Martin) 9:19; W, Ivan Filippov (unassisted) 11:15; T, Jason Boudrow (Dan Reinhard); 3^rd Period: W, Mike Pierce (Ben Pierce, Jeramie Vaine) 0:18.

 SAVES: W, Raj Bhangoo 21; T, Ben Crapser 35.

LAWRENCE – In a game that lived up to its billing between teams battling for first place, the Tufts Jumbos and the Wentworth Leopards skated to a 2-2 tie in ECAC Northeast Division college hockey action on Thursday night.

With the point, Tufts moves out of a tie with Johnson & Wales into sole possession of first place in the Northeast. Wentworth remained in third. The visiting Leopards posted a 37-23 advantage in shots over the Jumbos, who were bolstered by freshman goalie Ben Crapser’s (Paxton, MA) 35 saves.

As far as ties go, this one was excellent. Tufts twice took leads and Wentworth twice quickly tied it up. The play was hard and fast. Jumbo sophomore Rob LaQuaglia (Medford, MA) popped in a sweet feed from freshman Alex Rovzar (Cranston, RI) for the game’s first goal at 9:19 of the second. Less than two minutes later it was 1-1, with Wentworth senior Ivan Filippov (Delta, BC) scoring unassisted. Tufts junior Jason Boudrow (Somerville, MA) laced a wrist shot to the top left corner at 14:47 and the Jumbos were up again, 2-1.

Wentworth controlled play in the third, sparked by the tying goal from senior Mike Pierce (East Falmouth, MA) just 18 seconds in. The Leopards out-shot the Jumbos, 13-3, in the period. Crapser made 12 saves to get Tufts to overtime. Both teams created chances in the extra frame, but the game ended unresolved.

First place also remains unresolved as the Jumbos head into their regular-season finale against New Hampshire College on Saturday. Any of the three teams could still land in the top spot.

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