No Dice Men's Hockey Loses Two at Primelink Great Northern Shootout

Author: Andreas Apostolatos

After cruising through its first two games of the season with an easy 4-3 win against Skidmore on Nov. 22 and a 8-0 rout of Massachusetts College the following day, the Middlebury men's hockey team was not as successful when it faced Norwich in the Primelink Great Northern Shootout on Nov. 29. A disheartening 5-4 defeat, in a game during which the Panthers led by 4-3 with 13:46 remaining, gave Middlebury its first loss of the season. The loss was especially painful since it was Norwich that ended the Panthers' season last year in the NCAA Division III semifinals.
Middlebury struck first when forward Kevin Cooper '04 scored an unassisted goal with 18:02 remaining in the first period. After two Norwich goals later in the first, Middlebury evened the score with 15:39 left in the second period when first-year defender Ryan Cahill scored his first goal as a Panther. A third Norwich goal and a second goal by Cooper, who leads Middlebury with five goals on the season, put the score at 3-3 going into the final period.
In the third period, Middlebury got a crucial goal from Assistant Captain Adam Foote '04, which put the Panthers ahead by 4-3 with 13:46 remaining in the game. Middlebury seemed in control of the victory until the final five minutes when they suffered two penalties, which gave Norwich a five on three power play. Norwich took full advantage of the undermanned Panther line and tied the score with 4:07 to play. With the remaining five on four, Norwich managed to score the game-winning goal with 2:05 left in the contest.
"The [Norwich] game epitomized the type of play that has made the Norwich-Middlebury rivalry what it is today," said Foote. "It was a fast-paced and physical game that could have ended with either team as the victor. Unfortunately, this particular contest was decided by our undisciplined play in regard to penalties, especially late in the game."
In the third-place game the following day, the Panthers, perhaps still with minds fixed on their overwhelming loss to Norwich, fell 6-1 to Plattsburgh. The loss gave them a last-place finish in the tournament, and sent them home with two losses on the season, a total that was not reached during the entire 2001-2002 regular season.
"The Primelink Great Northern Shootout was a good learning experience for us," commented interim Head Coach Neil Sinclair, who is taking the place of Bill Beaney this year. "We played hard against Norwich and that's what is important."
Despite losses in both of their tournament games and a modest .500 winning percentage, the Panthers still have the majority of the season to exhibit their ability to contend for the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) and Division III titles. On Feb. 21, 2003, Middlebury will have another chance against Norwich, which has dealt the Panthers three of their four losses dating back to the start of the 2001-2002 season.
"We aren't focusing on long term goals like titles," said Sinclair. "We are more concerned with doing what we do well on the ice, and our short term goals of working hard, being respectful of each other and doing well in the classroom."
Middlebury will host the USA under-18 team on Dec. 4, before traveling to Southern Maine on Dec. 6 and Salem State on Dec. 7. The Panthers will not play again until Jan. 4, 2003, when they host Hobart.