CLINTON, N.Y. – Hamilton College's Jackson Krock '26 scored two goals and the Continentals posted a 4-3 win against the Amherst College Mammoths in a 2024 NESCAC Men's Hockey Championship quarterfinal inside Hamilton's Russell Sage Rink on Saturday, Feb. 24. 
 
Season Update

• Hamilton (17-7-1 overall) finished fourth in the conference standings with 33.5 points and an 11-6-1 record, and the Continentals are the fourth seed for the championship.
• No. 5 seed Amherst finished the season with a record of 14-10-1.

How It Happened

• Krock gave the Continentals a 1-0 lead on a power-play goal 9:23 into the first period. James Philpott '25 passed the puck over to Luke Tchor '27 at the top of the right faceoff circle, Tchor blasted a shot and Krock tipped it past Amherst goaltender Alex Wisco. 
• Hamilton doubled its lead with 1:45 left in the first period on a goal by Grisha Gotovets '25. Max Bulawka '26 kept the puck in the Continentals' attacking zone and flicked a pass back to Justin Biraben '27 in the left faceoff circle. With his back facing the goal, Biraben tipped a centering pass to Gotovets who wrapped around the right post and slipped the puck between the goaltender and the post. 
• The Continentals extended their lead on another goal by Krock 9:05 into the second period. Gotovets controlled the puck in the neutral zone and chipped it over to Tchor near the right faceoff circle. Tchor zipped the puck through two defenders and connected with Krock in the low slot. Krock played the bounce and fired a shot at point-blank range into the upper-left corner. 
• Amherst scored its first goal of the contest with 1:05 left in the second period on a goal by Tyler Bourque that was assisted by Josh Burke and Andrew Carmody. 
• Matt Gellerman '24 added what turned out to be an important insurance goal at 11:05 in the final period. Ryan Brown '25 forced a Mammoth turnover in the Continentals' offensive zone and directed a centering pass to Gellerman who slung a no-doubter right down the middle. 
• Burke narrowed the Mammoths' deficit just 43 seconds later. The Mammoths made the score 4-3 on a power-play goal with 1:15 to go. Amherst traded Wisco for an extra skater and with a 6-on-4 opportunity, Ryan Tucker pulled the Mammoths within a goal. Bobby Luca and Ben Kuzma had the assists. 
• Amherst managed to get two shot attempts in the final minute but Jack Grant '24 made a save and Max Wutzke '24 blocked the Mammoths' final chance with just seven ticks left. 

Notes

• The Continentals swept the regular season series against Amherst with a 3-0 victory in the season opener in Clinton and a 7-6 triumph in Massachusetts on Jan. 19.
• Krock recorded his third multi-goal game this season and is second on the team with 11.  
• Gotovets tallied his fourth multi-point game this season with a goal and an assist. 
• Gellerman registered his first goal of the season and the 14th of his career. 
• Tchor leads the conference with 21 assists and 34 points. 
• Philpott is tied for third in the NESCAC with 16 assists.
• Biraben passed out his 11th assist of the season.
• Bulawka dished out his 15th assist of the season and won 15 of 21 faceoffs. 
• Brown dished out his ninth career assist.  
• Logan Greene '24 blocked a team-best three shots. 
• Grant made 33 saves, including 14 in the first period.  
• Wisco turned away 33 shots for the Mammoths. 
• Hamilton was 2-for-4 on the power play while the Mammoths were 1-for-4 with the extra skater. The Continentals had 10 shots on goal during those four power plays.

Next Game
The Continentals advance to play third-seeded Tufts University (13-9-3) in the conference semifinals at Trinity College on Saturday, March 2 at 4:30 p.m.