In the finals of the NESCAC tournament, the second-seeded Jeffs faced top-seeded Middlebury College. The Panthers had already beat the Jeffs twice this season, 1-0 at Orr Rink on Jan. 5 and 6-3 at Middlebury on Feb. 6.
In a first period marred by penalties against both teams, the Jeffs took an early lead. Chris Norqual '04 took a shot from the point and Justin Pitrack '03 tipped it past Panther goalie Christian Carlsson. The Jeffs maintained the lead for the rest of the period.
Overall in the period there were 11 penalties, including five sets of matching penalties. The second period started much the same, and only 25 seconds into the frame, a penalty was called. Scott Goldman [of Middlebury]-a NESCAC first-team selection-received a five-minute penalty and game misconduct for checking Jim Smith '01 into the boards from behind.
"The emotion on both sides was high coming into the game," commented Tri-captain Chris Orszulak '01. "There was a huge crowd-it was the number one versus the number two seed-and we had two battles during the season, and when all of that comes together you tend to have more penalties."
Unfortunately, the power play turned out badly for the visiting Jeffs. Not only did Middlebury keep Amherst from scoring, but they tallied a goal to even the score at 1-1. With 3:51 gone in the period, Scott Cooper intercepted a Jeff pass and converted a breakaway opportunity for the Panthers.
But Amherst did not fold after the short-handed goal against them, and they regained the lead just minutes later. This time the Jeffs were able to convert on the power play as a result of precise movement of the puck by the Amherst offense. Tri-captain Gregg DiNardo '01 and Smith assisted Bob Miele '02, 14th goal of the season put the Jeffs back on top.
Again, the Panthers fought back. John Dawson scored on a power play with 2:10 remaining in the period, but even after the goal, more penalties were called.
Matt Snyder, who assisted on the goal, was whistled for hitting from behind after the goal was scored, and the Middlebury bench was also assessed two minor penalties for unsportsmanlike conduct. In a strange sequence of events, Middlebury Head Coach Bill Beaney was ejected after throwing a stick at an official, leaving the Panthers without their coach for the final period of play.
Amherst again took advantage of the Middlebury penalties, scoring another power-play goal just 1:06 into the third stanza. Darren Reaume '02 punched home a rebound, with Smith and Miele receiving credit for assists.
Just under six minutes later, the Panthers knotted the score again. Adam Foote-the NESCAC Rookie of the Year-scored on a backhand shot, and neither team was able to score in the final 13 minutes of the period.
In overtime both teams continued their battle, but it was Middlebury that scored first. Just past the midpoint of the period Dawson scored his second goal of the game to give the Panthers the win-with the NESCAC title and NCAA bid to boot.
Nick Rieser '01 had 25 saves for the Jeffs while Carlsson made 24 stops for the Panthers.
"It was a hard-fought game that either team could have won," said Orszulak. "I felt like it was our day to win, and when we lost it was more than a disappointment."
After the loss, the Jeffs only hopes remained on the chance of receiving one of the two at-large bids to the tournament, but they were not in luck. The first at-large bid was a no-brainer, going to Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). RIT finished the regular season ranked number one in the United States College Hockey Online (USCHO) poll with a 22-0-1 record, but they do not play in a conference that receives an automatic bid to the tournament.
The second at-large bid was the Jeffs' final hope, but it went to University of Wisconsin-River Falls. UWRF finished the season ranked fifth in the USCHO poll with a record of 21-7-1, while the Jeffs were number six with a 17-4-3 record.
"It was a shock for most of us when we didn't get the bid," commented DiNardo. "We could be a championship team, so we are disappointed right now."
In the NESCAC semifinals the Jeffs walked all over Bowdoin College on their way to the finals. Tri-captains Darce Swaggert '01 and Orszulak scored within 24 seconds of each other in the second period, and the game was never in doubt from there.
Neither team generated much offense; Bowdoin took 16 shots while Amherst only managed 19, but the Jeffs were able to make the most out of the opportunities that they had. Smith added the final goal with 3:07 remaining in the game, giving the Jeffs a 3-0 win. Rieser stopped all 16 shots he faced in the win.
Smith was named the NESCAC Player of the Year last week and made the NESCAC first team for the second year in a row. Smith led the Jeffs with 12 goals and 22 assists during the regular season, and in tournament play he added four more points.
"Jim has great vision on the ice, and combined with great hands and feet that makes him an exceptional player," said Rieser.
Smith was joined on the first team by Rieser. Rieser backboned the Amherst defense that finished the regular season second in the country in goals against average (GAA), finishing with a 1.91 GAA, 92.4 save percentage and a record of 14-4-2.
"The defense in front of me was as solid as it has been in my four years here," Rieser said about the 2000-2001 squad.
Miele, the Jeffs' leading scorer during the regular season with 13, was named to the NESCAC second team. Miele finished the regular season with 29 points in 24 games, and he added a goal and three assists in NESCAC tournament play.
"There isn't a sense of closure for the team," said Orszulak. "We were on an emotional rollercoaster all weekend. We didn't think that the Middlebury game would be our last."
"With the team we had it was a disappointment to lose, but we accomplished a lot," said DiNardo. "We did good things for the program, and we had a very good season."
Rieser agreed with Orszulak and DiNardo, and said, "We understand that what we did this season was very special, but the feeling we have right now still stinks." The Jeffs will lose eight seniors to graduation; however, a core from the Class of 2002 will remain.