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The Tufts Daily
Where you read it first | Thursday, March 28, 2024

Jumbos to make postseason push in final weekend of NESCAC play

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Senior forward Brian Brown possesses the puck in a game against Amherst at the Malden Forum on Feb. 10, 2017.

The Tufts ice hockey team takes on Bowdoin and Colby this weekend in back-to-back home games to top off its 2017–18 regular season.With Tufts currently ninth in the NESCAC standings, the team needs to win both games this weekend to have a chance to steal eighth place and continue on to the conference tournament.

Friday night’s game against Bowdoin figures to be a competitive one: Bowdoin currently holds the eighth position in the NESCAC with an overall record of 8­–14 (5–11 in conference).After falling to the Polar Bears, 3–0, in December, the Jumbos are ready for revenge.

"Bowdoin is a skilled team," senior Nick Flanagan said. "They move the puck well and bring great competition, but we’re ready to take them on again and show how much we’ve improved as a team."

There are a few Polar Bear players to watch on Friday.Junior forward Cody Todesco has been heating up, with four of his five goals coming in his last six games.Todesco also leads Bowdoin in assists, with 10. Additionally, first-year defenseman and forward Bradley Ingersoll has five goals and eight assists on the season.

For Friday night's game, the Jumbos will partner with Green Dot — a bystander intervention program that seeks to raise awareness about sexual harassment, misconduct and assault — with an eye toward changing campus culture and giving students and faculty an active role in supporting survivors.

The following day, Tufts will compete in its last regular season game against Colby at 4 p.m. at Valley Forum in Malden.Colby is currently sixth in the NESCAC standings with an overall record of 11–10–1 (8–7–1 in conference).The Jumbos previously lost to the Mules, 7–3, on Dec. 9, so they will have another chance at redemption on their home ice.

"Last time around, the score did not reflect the work we put in and the skill our team has," sophomore defenseman Cooper Stahl said. "Colby is a good team. They shoot the puck constantly and bring aggression. It’s going to be a battle, but we’re ready."

The two players to look out for on the Mules are junior forward Nick O’Connor (10 goals and nine assists) and senior forward Cam MacDonald (11 goals, eight assists).MacDonald scored four goals against the Jumbos in the teams' previous matchup and is an aggressive competitor. Colby senior goalie Sean Lawrence has also had an impressive season so far, with 553 saves, and definitely won't make things easy for the hosts on Saturday.

As for the Jumbos, senior forward Brian Brown is a constant threat on the ice and has led the team in both goals (eight) and assists (six) this season. Sophomore forward Tyler Scroggins (six goals, six assists) has been heating up — the Allen, Texas native had a seven-game point streak in January — and can be expected to provide a strong presence to the Tufts attack this weekend. Senior goalie and co-captain Nik Nugnes has also had an outstanding season, with 465 total saves and two shutouts.

"This is the most important weekend of our season right here," Flanagan said. "Hopefully, all the hard work, dedication and teamwork we have built this season comes together, and we secure a spot in the playoffs."