In the ultra-competitive conference that is NESCAC, Trinity has risen to the top of the conference standings and has a solid hold on first place entering the final two weekends of the regular season. After the Bantams sits Bowdoin and a surprising Tufts team that has continued to improve their play on the ice and learn the finer points of what is needed to win hockey games consistently. The focus to wrap-up the regular season is on getting those points in the remaining games and getting ready for a strong push in the conference tournament.
“We have played hard all year,” said head coach Patrick Norton. “Even in the games we have lost the effort has been there and we have played a lot of close one-goal games including several overtime games already this season. I do not think we are fully there yet in terms of our maturation, but this is a great group that continues to learn and incorporate those learnings into their play on the ice with a focus of being better and overcoming the adversity the game can present sometimes.”
Case in point for the Jumbos was the Williams/Middlebury weekend where the team struggled with things not necessarily in their control on Friday night in a 2-0 loss to the Ephs, juxtaposed with a team that trailed Middlebury 1-0 entering the third period and stayed level-headed about their quality of play and commitment to staying with the right things on the ice. The third period brought a pair of goals in the opening five minutes that helped propel the Jumbos to a hard fought 2-1 win over the Panthers.
“Even last weekend’s home-and-home series with Conn College showed some of the same things,” noted Norton. “I like when we stay the course when we are doing a lot of the right things but not necessarily seeing the results. The Williams game I thought we got caught up in what was or was not called and focus on things we do not control on the ice. We course corrected against Middlebury and even more so against Conn College this past weekend. This is a really good group that is learning the little things that teams need to execute to win. If we keep doing that internal development and growth as a group, it will be fun to see where this team can go.”
At the core of Tufts success this season is senior goaltender Peyton Durand. Durand (18GP – 1.88 goals-against average; .943 save percentage; two shutouts) has been super focused and incredibly dependable for Tufts in backstopping them to their current third place position in the conference. Despite a challenging road to get to his current performance levels, Durand has given the Jumbos a chance to win every night.
“When you look at the really good teams across D-I, D-III and virtually every level of hockey, success starts with one position, the goaltender,” stated Norton. “Peyton has seen great success this year that really is a carryover from last season and the Conn College weekend. I am not sure what really clicked on for him, but it was clear that something changed. He has a great relationship with our goalie coach Justin Ketola, and I think his focus on fundamentals and his mental approach helped set him up for success this season. He will kind of tip his hat to a player who beats him with a great shot but really gets to a place of “I am better than this” when he feels he gave up one he should not have. That mental toughness has been there all this year, and his numbers reflect that determination and focus.”
Upfront the Jumbos have been a balanced team with four lines capable of scoring goals and sustaining offensive zone pressure. One line in particular has emerged from last fall as the top line for the Jumbos and is led by junior forward Tyler Sedlak (9-11-20; +12).
“We put Tyler together with Max [Resnick] (6-13-19; +17) and Harrison {Bazianos] (8-9-17; +11) during the Thanksgiving Tournament and they clicked from the very first shift,” stated Norton. “It is no surprise they lead our team in scoring and points, but they are more than just an offensive group. With Tyler I see his speed game challenging opponents and elevating other players on our team. He has become a full 200-foot player and has asserted himself in winning 1-on-1 puck battles and backchecking aggressively to regain puck possession. One of our goals against Conn this weekend was a direct output of his backchecking. Other lines see the effort and they go out and emulate the energy and commitment to both ends of the ice. This has been a fun group that continues to enjoy their time on the ice and focus on being better when it is going to matter the most.”
Tufts closes out the regular season with home games against Amherst and Hamilton before an end of season road trip to Maine and battles with Colby and Bowdoin.
“We are focused on getting points,” noted Norton. “We are in a good spot now but want to finish strong in advance of the conference tournament. Last year Bowdoin won as the No. 7 seed so anyone in our league can get on a three-game win streak to take the title. We certainly hope to be one of those contending teams.”
