Men’s hockey performs well at PrimeLink Shootout

After a rocky season-opening weekend in which the Panthers lost to two mediocre NESCAC opponents, the men’s hockey team got down to business as they traveled to Plattsburgh, N.Y. to play in the competitive PrimeLink Great Northern Shootout Nov. 26-27. In its first two games of the season the team set disappointing precedents, getting shut out of the home opener for the first time since 1940 and dropping its first two contests for the first time in 17 years.

The weekend of Nov. 19-20, the Panthers lost to Tufts 3-0 and Conn. College 5-3, with both losses underscoring a similar story. Middlebury outshot its opponents by wide margins in both games, yet the offense failed to capitalize on power play opportunities. In Friday’s shutout loss, the Panthers had several opportunities to score in the third period, but could not find the back of the net, while Tufts scored an insurance goal then added another open-net shot when Middlebury pulled its goalie with three minutes left. Saturday’s game also could have gone either way, as the Panthers battled back to tie the game at 2 before letting it slip away in the third period.

Despite these initial setbacks, the Panthers rallied to deliver two impressive performances in the tournament held at Plattsburgh the following weekend. The day after Thanksgiving the team took on the top-ranked Div. III team in the country, Norwich, in a competitive match. The Panthers again struggled to take advantage of power plays, going 0-10 on the day, but John Yanchek ’11 delivered a stellar 30-save performance to keep the game close and the offense more or less matched the Cadets in shots, with Norwich holding a 33-27 advantage.

Middlebury certainly proved that it could keep pace with the best in the country on Friday, and Saturday the team finally translated this immense promise into results for the win column. The Panthers took on St. Johns of Minnesota in the consolation game, winning 2-1 thanks to a last-minute finish from co-captain Charlie Strauss ’11 to secure the team’s first win of the season.

The game started off on a promising note when first-year J.D. Vermette ’14 scored his first goal as a Panther eight minutes into the first period. The Panthers held the lead throughout the second period and dominated offensively –– Middlebury nearly doubled its opponents’ shot output, outshooting the Johnnies 41-22 on the game.

Nevertheless, a St. Johns power-play goal in the third period tied the game at one, with ten minutes remaining for Middlebury to answer. The Panthers kept up the offensive pressure and finally broke through with just 2:30 remaining, when Trevor Pollock ’13 assisted Strauss’ clutch goal to give Middlebury the 2-1 win.

“We’re looking to build off that win going into the upcoming road weekend vs. Southern Maine and the University of New England,” said forward Jak Knelman ’12. “As we approach the last game weekend before break, the team is focused and looking to build momentum going into the new year.”

The Panthers refuse to be derailed by the 1-3 start to the season, and are committed to working out the kinks in their game before the season kicks into full swing in January.

“We’re determined to get better and have been putting a stronger emphasis on finishing our scoring chances in practice, hoping it will translate into games,” said Tom Cantwell ’12. The Panthers have the chance to return to .500 with two road wins this weekend, and by Winter Term should be well poised for a return to their accustomed dominance.