MIDDLETOWN, CT.  – While the NESCAC matchup saw a combined six goals scored in the first period, it was the Wesleyan men's hockey team that jumped the scoring first, however Amherst College got the better of Wesleyan and paved the way to a 5-3 defeat at home from Spurrier-Synder Arena.

It was an exciting opening period on Friday night for the home crowd in Middletown as the Cardinals (4-11-3 overall, 3-8-1 NESCAC) broke out early on the score sheet, but it was a short-lived lead. Taking the faceoff, Danny Judge '26 recoiled the puck to his right for Ethan Davidson '26 at the far wall. Davidson's pass made the cross before the Mammoths (8-9-1 overall, 5-6-1 NESCAC) could break from the faceoff and found Shin out left. Shin's shot landed over the blocker of Mammoths' goaltender Connor Leslie.

Following Shin's first-career goal, the Mammoths won the faceoff and scored off the stick of Josh Burke 13 seconds later. The Mammoths would notch two more, Ben Kuzma and Bobby Luca, to take the lead before Jack Marottolo '26 would strike on the power play. Davidson again was the play maker, lobbying to Marottolo who's shot caught Leslie off his left side again.

With six minutes to go in the opening action, Owen Sweet '25 tied the game up at three for the Cardinals on a mad dash down the far boards. Hayden Hanes '27 won the faceoff in the Cardinals zone, giving room for Sweet to gain control and catch Leslie's left blocker off the mark.

The second period would see Kuzma tally a second goal for the Mammoths, giving a one-goal lead at 4-3, but heading into the final, the third period was not without its theatrics.

The Cardinals were given ample scoring opportunities and killed a five-minute major doled out at the halfway marker. Tanner Kontir '27 was denied a goal from the right post on an odd man rush with Sweet at 14:53 while the Cardinals were killing time on the boarding call. Sweet almost had a second tally at 10:10, clearing a lone Mammoths defender at the wall but Leslie made the stop at both posts. Leslie then put an end to a turnover won by Zach Stimeling '27 and kept the puck in play at 6:40.

Unable to meet the puck in time, the Cardinals would fall to an empty net goal scored by Andrew Carmody in the final minute of play.

In goal, Patrick McDevitt '28 finished the afternoon with 26 saves for the Cardinals. Leslie earned the win making 29 saves.

The Cardinals are back in action on Friday, Feb. 7, when they host Williams in NESCAC action beginning at 7 p.m.