Men's Hockey Bows Out of NCAA Tournament

Author: Andreas Apostolatos

The Middlebury men's hockey team closed the door on its season after suffering a 6-0 loss to Oswego in the semifinals of the NCAA Division III tournament. The defeat put the Panthers' 2002-2003 overall season record at 22-5-2.
"We didn't play very well, obviously," commented Captain Rob Chisholm '03, who played his last game in a Middlebury uniform. "We were all disappointed that we did not end our season with a solid effort."
Middlebury allowed Oswego to strike first with a goal by Mike Lukajic with 3:54 to play in the first period. Both teams then remained scoreless until the game's final interval, when the Lakers blew the game wide open and effected a final score that did not reflect the competitive play.
Middlebury had many chances to erase its deficit before the third period, but unfortunately the Panthers were unable to capitalize on any of the seven power play opportunities they were given. By the third period it was too late, as Oswego went on a scoring rampage that commenced just 2:50 in.
While a chance to play for another NCAA championship would certainly have been great, Middlebury's season was not a disappointment. Behind Chisholm, the Panthers clearly established a unity that allowed them to bring their best to most every game. Middlebury went on a stellar 20-game undefeated streak from Jan. 4 to March 9, and was selected to play in the NCAA tournament despite not winning the New England Small Colleges Athletic Conference (NESCAC) bracket.
"The season was a great growing and learning experience for everyone involved with Middlebury hockey this year," said Chisholm. "We made some great strides towards becoming the best team we could be, but in the end it was clear that we still had some work to do."
In the realm of personal accolades, forward Kevin Cooper '04 was named a first-team All American in addition to his NESCAC Player of the Year honors. Behind Cooper's astounding play that saw him lead the team with 41 total points on the season (26 goals, 15 assists), the Panthers were able to post impressive numbers day in and day out.
"It is a great honor to be named first team All-American," commented Cooper. "I thought it would be very hard to repeat my performance of sophomore year, but with the help of the coaches and most of all my teammates I felt my season was very successful. I think the most important aspect of my game that showed the most improvement was my defense. I believe this aspect of the game helped me earn this type of honor, which is something I am very proud of. This type of honor does mean a great deal to me and the reason is because of the people who have helped me along the way to get me where I am today."
Perhaps the most positive aspects of the past season were the emergence of first-year defenseman Tim Schneider and fellow rookie, goalie Yen-I Chen.
Schneider managed an astonishing 38 points (18 goals, 20 assists), while Chen was consistent in goal as the starter. Both players won NESCAC Player of the Week honors at different times during the season.
Graduating later this spring besides Chisholm are forwards J.F. Duchesne, Gary Baronick and defenseman Aaron Copeland. With Cooper still around for one more season and the clear strength of rising sophomore players, the outlook for Middlebury hockey seems bright. The team's two current assistant captains, juniors John Dawson and Adam Foote, will also be on the roster next season. In addition, long-time Panther head coach Bill Beaney is expected to return next season after this season's leave.
"The hockey program is in good shape," noted Chisholm. "With the loss of only four seniors, there will be plenty of returning players to carry on. With no lack of talent, the challenge for next year's team, and any team, is to do whatever it takes to be successful as a team. I know that the experience some guys had this year and in previous years will go a long way towards taking another step towards achieving the program's goals."