Bowdoin sophomore Carl Klimpt fired a low shot past Middlebury netminder Eric Krieger at 2:31 of the overtime session, lifting the 16th-ranked Polar Bears to an upset win over the second-ranked Panthers, 11-10 on Saturday. The win gives Bowdoin (7-2, 3-2 NESCAC) their second win over Middlebury (9-1, 5-1) in the past three seasons and breaks the Panthers' 18-game NESCAC regular-season winning streak. In fact, Bowdoin was the last NESCAC team to defeat Middlebury, 9-8 on April 13, 2002.
Things started well for Middlebury as the Panthers led 4-2 after one quarter, including a goal by Charley Howe with one second remaining in the frame. But Bowdoin rallied back in the second period to deadlock the contest on an Alex Weaver goal with 2:17 left before halftime, 6-6.
Howe opened the third quarter with a goal to make it 7-6 Middlebury, but Bowdoin ripped off a quick 3-0 spurt on goals from Klimpt, Andrew O'Brien and Phil Stern to hold a 9-7 lead. Middlebury rallied to score the last two goals of the period as Andrew Giordano and Mike Saraceni found the back of the net to tie the game at nine heading into the fourth.
Middlebury gained the upper hand early in the fourth quarter on a tally from Mark Foster with 11:55 to play. But Bowdoin got the equalizer with 7:38 on the clock on a goal from Connor Fitzgerald, making the score 10-10. The Panthers dominated the time of possession for the remainder of the period, but Bowdoin goalkeeper Grant White was stellar, making seven saves in the fourth quarter alone, keeping the game tied and sending it to overtime.
In overtime, Fitzgerald drove to the center of the field, drawing the defense, and found Klimpt open on the wing. Klimpt wound and unleashed a low shot from the left of Krieger that skipped past the goalie for the game-winner.
White finished with 18 saves for Bowdoin, while Krieger made eight saves for Middlebury. Foster, Howe and Giordano led Middlebury with two goals apiece, while Saraceni had one goal and three assists. Fitzgerald scored three times and had two assists for Bowdoin, while Ford Gurall and Klimpt each had a pair of goals.
(From Bowdoin SID)
