Middlebury scored three consecutive goals in the second period to break up a scoreless tie, on its way to a 4-2 win over N.E.C. The win extends the Panthers unbeaten streak to five games (4-0-1) as they prepare to visit Plattsburgh on Tuesday night. Middlebury held a 44 to 26 advantage in shots.
The game was scoreless after the first period, with the Panthers holding a 17-2 shots advantage. Trevor Dodds hit the crossbar at 9:15, as Middlebury held the Pilgrims without a shot for the first 15:24 of the game.
Martin Drolet put the Panthers on the board just 1:32 into the second period as he tipped in a shot from Charlie Townsend. The lead grew to 2-0 at 7:57 as Jamie McKenna scored from the high slot on the power play after a feed from Charles Nerbak. McKenna struck again at 10:31, as Sam Dielwart answered for the Pilgrims with his first career goal just 16 seconds later after a timeout. Dielwart scored his second of the game with less than a minute to go in the period to make it a 3-2 game after two.
Chaz Svoboda gave Middlebury some breathing room early in the third when he stuffed in his own rebound for a power play goal. Panther netminder John Yanchek kept it a 4-2 game midway through the period with a great save on Niko Uola. Trevor Dodds helped out Yanchek in the final two minutes as he cleared a puck off the goal line.
Yanchek ended the night with 24 saves to earn the win, while Aaron Harvey made 40 stops in a losing effort.
Date: January 24, 2009 - 4:00 p.m.
Venue: Kenyon Arena - Site: Middlebury, Vt.
TEAM 1 2 3 OT F
N.E.C. (10-6) 0 2 0 - 2
Middlebury (12-2-1) 0 3 1 - 4
SCORING
M-2nd (1:32) - Martin Drolet (Charlie Townsend)
M-2nd (7:57) - PP: Jamie McKenna (Charles Nerbak)
M-2nd (10:31) - McKenna (Charlie Strauss, John Sullivan)
N-2nd (10:47) - Sam Dielwart (Dylan Exton, Jared Mullen)
N-2nd (19:08) - Dielwart (Mullen)
M-3rd (3:02) - PP: Chaz Svoboda (Mack Cummins)
GOALTENDING (saves)
John Yanchek-M (60 min., 24 saves, 2 GA)
Aaron Harvey-N (60 min., 40 saves, 4 GA)
