Hartford, Conn. – Freshman goalie Nathaniel Heilbron (West Vancouver, British Colombia) came up with 21 saves off the bench to lead the Trinity College Bantams to a 5-2 win over the Tufts University Jumbos in New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) action this evening on Williams Rink in the Koeppel Community Sports Center.  Trinity improves to 7-4-3 overall and 4-2-3 in the league, while Tufts drops to 5-8-1 and 1-7-1 in the NESCAC.

Things started well for the Bantams with a goal by junior Will Gray (Wellesley, Mass.) at the 4:52 mark.  Moments later, things took a turn for the Bantams, who lost junior starting goaltender Benjamin Coulthard (South Windsor, Conn.), who was forced out of the game due to injury.  Tufts struck back toward the close of the first period with a rebound goal by sophomore Andrew White (Rockland, Mass.), tying the score at 1-1.

Tufts sophomore Tyler Voigt (Rochester, Minn.) scored a quick goal in the second to give the Jumbos a 2-1 lead, before Trinity rookie Elie Vered (Ottawa, Ontario) scored his second career goal to the score again at 2-2.

Trinity opened up the third with a well-executed faceoff play, as senior tri-captain Chris Menard (Burlington, Mass.) scored just 11 seconds into the frame, which would turn out to be the deciding goal.  Senior Jordan So (Toronto, Ontario) followed up with another goal 2:40 later, and Heilbron and the Trinity defense did their part to keep the Jumbos out of the Trinity net.  Tufts pulled their goalie with 2:13 on the clock, and Menard scored his second goal to ice the win for the Bantams.

“We stayed true to the game plan for sixty minutes and had several people step up,” Head Coach Matt Greason said after the game.  “I'm very proud of our group of seniors and how they led tonight.  Freshman goalie Nano Heilbron rose to the challenge when his number was called early in the game.” 

Trinity outshot Tufts 42-27 in the game.  Heilbron made 21 saves for his first collegiate win, while junior Brian Phillips (Colleyville, Texas) made 37 stops in the game for the Jumbos. 

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