JUMBOS SURGE PAST ASSUMPTION IN REGULAR SEASON FINALE

COLLEGE HOCKEY FINAL SCORE
Tufts 5    Assumption 2

at Worcester, Mass.
Tuesday, February 22, 2000

Scoring: 1st Period A, Mike Herard (Brian Bazinet, Mike Cardillo) 13:16; T, Scott Sullivan (Dan Mahoney) 15:03; 2nd Period T, Mahoney (Sullivan, Drew Carleton) 17:23 ppg; A, Cardillo (Neil Haskell) 18:25; 3rd Period: T, Carleton (Mike Carceo, Chad Pessini) 0:59; T, Chris Martin (Sullivan, Pessini) 3:10 ppg; T, Carleton (Carceo, Pete Schieffelin) 19:50.

Saves: T, Ian Kell 31; A, Dan Lupi 32.

Shots: T, 37; A, 33.

Powerplays: T, 0-5; NHC, 1-6.

WORCESTER, Mass. -- The visiting Tufts Jumbos scored on three of four powerplays while posting a 5-2 victory over Assumption College in their regular season finale on Tuesday night. Head coach Brian Murphy's group has a 12-9-1 overall record heading into Saturday's (Feb. 26) ECAC Northeast Playoff Quarterfinal game versus Johnson & Wales at Babson.

With the scored tied, 2-2, after two periods, Tufts scored three times in the final frame to earn the victory. Senior captain Drew Carleton (Shaker Heights, OH), finishing his career with a scoring flourish, had two of the goals sandwiched around the first career goal by freshman defenseman Chris Martin (Arlington, MA). Carleton scored the eventual game-winner just 59 seconds into the third period on the powerplay, then Martin followed with another powerplay strike at 3:10 and Tufts was up 4-2 quickly. Carleton added his 24th of the season with just 10 seconds left in the game to close the regular season.

Senior Scott Sullivan (Tewksbury, MA), who had a goal and two assists to finish as the team's top scorer for the regular season at 16-21-37, scored the first Jumbo goal at 15:03 of the first to tie the game at 1-1. The tally came less than two minutes after Assumption's Mike Herard scored the game's first goal. Tufts went up 2-1 on junior defenseman Dan Mahoney's (Tewksbury, MA) powerplay goal late (17:23) in the second period, but Assumption answered quickly this time with Mike Cardillo's goal 1:12 later to tie it at 2-2.

Tufts again had more shots that their opponent, 37-33. Sophomore goalie Ian Kell (St. Paul, MN) recorded his 11th win of the season, the most by a Tufts backstop since Bunk McMahon won 13 in 1994-95. Murphy was the senior captain on that squad. Kell had 31 saves at Assumption to finish a hard-working regular season with 454 saves. Dan Lupi had 32 stops for Assumption.

The Jumbos host Johnson & Wales in their first home playoff game since 1989 on Saturday.

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