Hartford, Conn. -  Tufts senior goalkeeper Evin Koleini (Buffalo, N.Y.) made 30 saves and allowed just one goal to lead the visiting Tufts University Jumbos to a 4-1 victory over the Trinity College Bantams in New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) men's ice hockey action this evening at Williams Rink in the Koeppel Community Sports Center.  The Bantams start the year with an 0-1 overall record (0-1 NESCAC), while the Jumbos jump to a 1-0 overall record (1-0 NESCAC) to start the year. 

Tufts was first to strike, as junior Dylan Plimmer (Pheonix, Ariz.) scored on a wrist shot for the game's and season's first goal.  Trinity had several power play opportunities in the second period, when Tufts recorded seven penalties.  Trinity peppered Koleini with 12 shots in the period, managing to knot the game at 1-1 on a goal by junior Jeffrey Menard (Burlington, Mass.), after senior co-captain Michael DeMayo (Seaford, N.Y.) nestled the puck past two defenders to his teammate, who was perfectly positioned on the left side of the net.  Tufts answered with just over a minute remaining in the period, when freshman defender Shawn Power (Arlington, Mass.) found the back of the net from the left side of the ice, for his first collegiate goal, giving the Jumbos a 2-1 lead.

The third period was back-and-forth before Tufts struck again, this time on a rebound goal, which took an fortunate misdirection for the Jumbos, to the stick of a wide-open George Pantazopoulos (Milton, Mass.), who netted his first career score.  Trinity had an opportunity to cut the margin back to a goal when Koleini lost control of his stick in net, and was forced to play out an offensive attack by the Bantams.  He ended the attack by making a save with his knee pads, and smothering the puck, one of several clutch plays by the Jumbos backstop on the night.  Trinity pulled their goalkeeper, first-year goaltender Samuel Calahan (Edina, Minn.), for the final stretch of the game, and with two seconds on the clock, sophomore Kyle Gallegos (Westminster, Colo.), Tufts top returning scorer, secured an empty-netter for his first score of the season.

Calahan made 27 stops in his collegiate debut, allowing three goals.  Koleini made 30 stops, allowing just the one goal in 60 minutes of action for Tufts this evening. 

Take away the goals, and both teams were evenly matched, tying in shots at 31 apiece. Trinity was booked ten times in the contest, while Tufts was whistled for nine penalties. Trinity had won their last six meetings against Tufts before tonight's contest.  The game was the first for Matt Greason, as head coach of the Bantams squad. 

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