MIDDLETOWN, Conn. – Sophomore Ned Blanchard (West Hartford, Conn.) scored the game winning goal in overtime to lead the Trinity College men's ice hockey team over Wesleyan University, 3-2 on Friday night in New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) play. The Bantams improve to 13-7-1 with an 11-5-1 record in the conference while also holding the No. 2 spot in the NESCAC standings with 33.5 points. Meanwhile, Wesleyan sits just behind Trinity with 29.5 points in the conference standings and holds a 10-10-3 overall record (8-6-3 NESCAC). Both squads resume action tomorrow afternoon for a 4 p.m. rematch hosted by the Bantams inside the Koeppel Community Sports Center. 
 
The Cardinals stated things off at the 16:35 mark in the first period on an even strength goal from Go Uemura. It wasn't until 8:37 into the second frame that Trinity evened the board when senior Lucas Michaud (South Portland, Maine) found classmate Cole Poliziani (Burlington, Ontario) in the high slot for a one-timer goal. Later in the second, Trinity had a power-play opportunity but the Cardinals remained stout on the penalty kill and were able to convert a short-handed goal with Owen Sweet cashing in on a 3-on-1 play for the home squad. 
 
With six minutes remaining in regulation, Riley Prattson tied the game at two-all with the help of Poliziani and John Campomenosi (Wayne, N.J.) which would send the game to overtime moments later. With just 50 seconds remaining in the third period, Wesleyan was called for a high-sticking penalty and the Bantams went on the power play which carried into overtime for a 4-on-3 advantage. In the extra period, the Bantams wasted no time as Blanchard buried a goal just over a minute into action. Trinity outshot Wesleyan 35-19 over the course of the contest as sophomore goaltender J.P. Mella (Stamford, Conn.) collected 17 saves for the Bantams and Marc Smith made 32 stops for Wesleyan.