The Hamilton College men's hockey team exploded for a 9-2 NESCAC win over visiting Connecticut College Saturday at Russell Sage Rink. All but two of the team's 18 skaters collected either a goal or assist for the Continentals, who moved into third place in the NESCAC standings.

Hamilton improved to 13-6-2 overall and 8-5-2 in the NESCAC. The Continentals' season-best nine goals marked their highest total against a NESCAC opponent since topping Williams 9-5 in the quarterfinals of the 2006 NESCAC Championship.

Two players scored their first collegiate goal, two picked up their first career assist and four others recorded single-game career highs. Brandon Willett '18 led Hamilton with a goal and three assists – he opened the scoring with his seventh goal this winter, then assisted on three of the hosts' next four goals to wrap up his first career four-point game before the second period had ended.

The Continentals opened a seven-goal lead before the Camels spoiled the shutout bid with a pair of third-period goals, but Hamilton still outscored the visitors 4-2 in the final period with two of those goals coming from first-time scorers.

Ian Nichols '19 started the run, giving Hamilton a 7-0 lead midway through the period with his first collegiate goal. T.J. Daigler '18 picked up the first of his two assists on the play; they're also his first two collegiate assists. With 6:36 left in the third, Daigler fed Jon Carkeek '17 for his first goal of the season and second as a Continental. Ian Chen '19 picked up the first goal of his career with assists from Jonathan Stickel '19 and Richard Court '19. Stickel had scored the first goal of the third; Court and Rory Gagnon '19 assisted on the goal (Court's assist was the first of his career).

Willett opened the scoring 7:51 into play, tipping home a shot taken by Jason Brochu '19 that was initially stopped before squirting to the wide-open right post. Willett set up his linemate Robbie Murden '17 three minutes later; the goal was Murden's team and NESCAC-leading 14th of the season.

Scott Vazquez '16 notched the game-winning goal 2:15 into the second and the Continentals added two more second-period goals – both were scored by Neil Conway '18 and set up by Willett. With 25 points this season, Conway is now second behind Murden among NESCAC scorers.

Conway's second goal came when Willett intercepted a Camel clearing attempt below the left faceoff circle and connected with Conway, who sent a waist-high shot past Austin Essery, the second of three goaltenders used by Connecticut College.

Evan Buitenhuis '18 finished with 22 saves to earn his 12th win of the season.

Tim DiPretoro ended the Camels' offensive drought with just over seven minutes left, sending the puck between Buitenhuis' pads for his team-leading 13th goal. Sebastian Meltzer gave the Camels their second goal 2:40 later; after Buitenhuis slowed a shot by Dylan Chase, Meltzer was able to get a stick on the puck that had gotten behind Buitenhuis.

The Continentals take on Tufts University in a 3 p.m. game Sunday at Russell Sage Rink in their final home game of the regular season.