SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY (November 29, 2025) – For the second straight game, the Tufts University hockey team earned a victory against an undefeated, ranked opponent as the Jumbos got past #5 University of New England 3-2 in the opening round of the Skidmore Thanksgiving Tournament today.
Prior to the holiday, Tufts earned a 5-1 win at previously unbeaten and 11th-ranked Babson College on Tuesday. Today's victory over UNE (6-1-0) puts Tufts (4-2) into the tournament championship game versus the host Skidmore College Thoroughbreds on Sunday at 4:00 PM.
The Jumbos held a 3-0 lead late in the game today before the Nor'easters scored twice in the final 90 seconds of regulation with their goalie pulled. Tufts senior goalie Gus Bylin, who finished the game with 34 saves, including 16 in the final period, made the save on good bid by UNE's Jayden Price from the left circle with 28 seconds left to help the Jumbos secure the win.
Tufts had taken a 1-0 lead nearly nine minutes into the game.
Cole Dubicki picked up the puck above the left circle in the UNE end and had a pass deflect to
Trace Norwell. He quickly found defenseman
Sylas Oberting in the right circle, who held his shot for a moment before zipping it past UNE's Harrison Chesney for the opening goal.
Ethan Ullrick picked off the puck in the Nor'easters end to start the rush that resulted in Tufts' second goal. He entered the Nor'easter zone on the left and sent a pass to Dubicki atop the right circle. Dubicki set up
Jonathan Horn, who had a step on a defender, for a tap-in on the left side at 10:45 of the middle stanza to put Tufts up 2-0.
Ullrick was in the right spot again to net the Jumbos' third goal unassisted. On a Tufts dump-in, Chesney went behind the net to move the puck along to a UNE defender. However, with
Brendan Fennell pressing, a Nor'easters pass did not connect and Ullrick took it. He went straight to the net and put a shot past Chesney for a 3-0 Jumbo advantage.
Tufts was cruising along until they were whistled for a penalty with 2:34 remaining in the third period and UNE pulled Chesney for a six-on-four advantage. On a faceoff, Price took the puck out of the right corner and wheeled into the high slot where he fired and scored for a 3-1 game with 1:27 on the clock.
Just 23 seconds later, with UNE again playing with their goalie pulled, Nathan Chickering scored on his own rebound to pull the Nor'easters within 3-2 with 1:04 remaining.
Bylin's late save on Price's shot helped Tufts withstand nearly 30 seconds of UNE zone time late in the period until the final buzzer sounded.
Shots finished 36-18 in favor of UNE, including 18-3 in the third period. The Nor'easters had five power-play opportunities, scoring once, compared to a one-for-two night on the man advantage for the Jumbos. Chesney finished with 15 saves in UNE's net.
The Nor'easters will play Alvernia University in the tournament consolation game on Sunday at 1:00 PM.
--JUMBOS--
