BOX SCORE

BRUNSWICK, Maine – Jeff Fanning scored a pair of goals as the Bowdoin College men's ice hockey team snapped seventh-ranked Amherst's 13-game unbeaten streak in a 4-2 win at Sidney J. Watson Arena on Friday evening. The Polar Bears improve to 12-5-1 (9-5-1 NESCAC) while the Jeffs fall to 14-3-2 (9-3-2 NESCAC).

Amherst withstood an early challenge from the Polar Bears, who controlled play in the early going and fired eight shots on goal in the opening seven minutes of the contest. The Jeffs bounced back with a pair of power play chances late in the period, but could not beat Bowdoin's Chris Rossi on either opportunity as the teams remained scoreless after 20 minutes.

The Jeffs garnered the first power play of the second period with eight minutes left in the period and whistled a pair of shots that came within a whisker of giving the visitors a one-goal lead. The Jeffs finally broke through after the completion of the penalty, as Eddie Effinger carried the puck down the left wing and found Mark Colp in front for a wrist-shot that beat Rossi at 14:26. The Polar Bears drew even at 16:59 on a 5x3 powerplay when Kyle Shearer-Hardy found Daniel Weiniger across the ice for a top-shelf one-timer to make it 1-1. The goal broke a 201:24 shutout streak by Amherst goaltenders dating back to January 23.

Bowdoin took advantage of a bouncing puck early in the third period to grab the lead. Leland Fidler handled a loose puck in front and deflected it to Fanning on the left post, who slapped it home just 2:23 into the frame. Amherst gained a power play midway through the final frame, but it was Bowdoin who netted the better chances, as Ryan Blossom and Leland Fidler were both blanked on tremendous short-handed opportunities. The third time was the charm, as Jeff Fanning skated down the left wing and beat Cole Anderson blocker side to make it 3-1 Bowdoin at 11:16. Just 16 seconds later, as Shearer-Hardy was leaving the penalty box, Brendan Reich found him loose down the middle. Hardy beat Anderson in a race to the puck, and tapped it home for a 4-1 Polar Bear advantage.

The Jeffs did not go away, as Joe Brock ripped a shot from the blue line that found the back of the net at 11:44 to close the gap to 4-2. But Rossi would not allow another goal and finished with 23 saves as the Polar Bears out-shot the Jeffs 32-25. Anderson ended with 28 stops for the Jeffs.

Amherst was 0-5 on the power play for the night while Bowdoin scored once in four attempts. The Polar Bears hold a 44-14-2 lead in the all-time series against the Jeffs, including a 25-4-0 record in Brunswick.