The Colby College Mules erased a 1-0 deficit with four unanswered goals in the third period in their NESCAC win against the Hamilton College Continentals at Colby's Alfond Rink on Friday night.

Hamilton (8-9-2, 6-5-2 NESCAC) scored on its first power play with 1:03 left in the first period. Jason Brochu '19 won a crucial faceoff for the Continentals at the right circle with 11 seconds remaining in the man advantage. Nick Rutigliano '21 received the puck at the point and passed it to Chad Varney '22. Varney's centering pass from the dot found Gagnon and he redirected the puck past Andrew Tucci (28 saves) with three seconds left on the power play. The goal was Gagnon's third on the power play this season and his team-leading eighth overall. Varney picked up his first collegiate assist and Rutigliano leads Hamilton with 11.

The second period passed without a goal despite strong scoring opportunities for both teams. Ian Nichols '19 received a long pass at Colby's blue line and drew Tucci out of his crease to stop the shot. Jon Stickel '19 collected the loose puck for a rebound shot toward the empty net by the left faceoff circle, but Tucci dove across and managed to deflect the puck to a Colby defenseman with the underside of his blocker hand.

Hamilton gave up a 5-on-3 power-play opportunity for a minute towards the end of the second after a Continental received a penalty for high-sticking at 15:45 and another Hamilton player was sent to the box for cross-checking at 16:47, but the Mules didn't capitalize.

Colby (8-8-3, 5-6-2) finally evened the score at 6:14 in the third period. Mark Leprine stopped the puck from exiting the zone at the point and fired a slap shot that sailed wide to the right of the net. The puck bounced to Spencer Hewson at the left faceoff circle and he fired a shot to the top left of the net over the pads of Anthony Tirabassi '20 (19 saves).

Colby stole the lead less than three minutes later at 8:58. Brian Sanzone carried the puck into the zone on a 1-on-1 rush, puck-handled around a Hamilton defenseman at the boards, and deked around Tirabassi for a backhand over his shoulder into the right side of the net.

The Mules increased their lead to 3-1 at 12:29. Justin Grillo managed to pass the puck from the corner through traffic to Nick O'Connor at the right dot. O'Connor skated around the front of the net to draw Tirabassi forward and then shot the puck at the gap on the left side.

Hamilton had an opportunity to halve Colby's lead after Velan Nandhakumaran received an elbowing penalty at 14:41 and the Continentals pulled Tirabassi for an extra skater with 4:37 left. With 31 seconds to go on the initial power play, the Mules' Thomas Stahlhuth received a hooking penalty, and Hamilton had a 6-on-3 advantage. The Continentals were unable to convert and Sanzone scored his second goal of the night on an empty net with 41 seconds left.

Hamilton travels to Bowdoin College for another NESCAC game on Saturday, Feb. 2 at 3 p.m.

-- Recap by Amanda Ghiloni '22