Anthony Ruberto '13 scored a goal and added an assist, and Scott Hefferman '11 made 41 saves to lead Hamilton College to a 4-1 win against Saint Michael's College in a NESCAC/ECAC East men's ice hockey crossover contest at Hamilton's sold-out Russell Sage Rink on Dec. 3.
Hamilton (3-2-0 overall, 2-1 NESCAC) won for the ninth time in 10 meetings all-time between the programs, and handed Saint Michael's its first loss this season. The Purple Knights (3-1-0, 2-1 ECAC East) had scored five or more goals in each of their first three games.
Michael DiMare '14 gave the Continentals a 1-0 lead at 2:32 of the first period while Hamilton skated on the power play. DiMare scored his team-leading fourth goal on a deflection of a wrist shot taken from the point by BJ Lalonde '12. Tom Chiappetta '11 nearly gave the Continentals a 2-0 lead late in the first when he picked up a loose puck at Saint Michael's blue line, skated in alone on the goalie and slid a wrist shot off the bottom of the right post.
Petr Soustal '13 tied the score for the Purple Knights with a goal after a scramble in front of the net at 7:22 of the second period. Joe Houk '13 put Hamilton in the lead for good with 5:35 left in the second. Houk collected a loose puck after Saint Michael's goalie Mike Dizgun '13 saved a shot and wristed the puck high over Dizgun's glove hand from the bottom of the right circle.
The Continentals secured the victory with two goals late in the third period. Hefferman stopped a shot with his pads on a Purple Knights' breakaway opportunity, which led to a breakaway for Hamilton. A shot by Anthony Scarpino '12 was partially stopped by Dizgun, but inched towards the goal line, where Brandon Broad '12 stuffed it into the back of the net with 4:03 left.
Ruberto finished the scoring with 1:21 remaining when he redirected a wrist shot from the right circle by Chiappetta. Hefferman entered the game with a 2.01 goals against average and .936 save percentage. Dizgun stopped 36 shots for Saint Michael's.
The Continentals host nationally ranked No. 3 Norwich University for another NESCAC/ECAC East crossover on Saturday, Dec. 4. The Purple Knights travel to Amherst College on Saturday as well.
