Middlebury held visiting Trinity scoreless for the first 35:55 of the game, en route to a 9-2 win at Youngman Filed at Alumni Stadium on Saturday afternoon. With the win, the Panthers improve to 7-3 overall and 4-3 in NESCAC play, while the Bantams drop to 7-6 for the season and 1-6 in league play. Both teams have three more games left on their schedules, including two pivotal NESCAC games that will determine NESCAC playoff seedings for both teams.
While no goals were scored in the first quarter; a back and forth pace allowed 21 of the game's 64 clears and 20 of the game's 68 shots. The Panthers scored the first goal of the game with 2:50 remaining in the second when Pete Smith grabbed a groundball off a failed Trinity clear deep in the Bantam zone and laced one from in close. Smith set up the next goal with 1:41 left, finding David Hild from 12 yards out. Hild's shot deflected off a Bantam defender and rolled into the net for a 2-0 lead heading into intermission.
Jack Masur extended the lead to 3-0 in the third on a rolling dodge to the crease at 13:52. Trinity ended its scoring drought at 9:05 on a man-up tally by Kevin Looby. Middlebury responded with a 4-0 barrage before Trinity scored their lone even-strength goal of the game with 29 seconds left in the third.
Highlighting the run, Masur added a pair of goals, while Smith collected two assists. Leading 5-1, Masur's first tally began after an effective penalty kill, as the Panthers quickly advanced the ball for Masur's quick shot at 4:07. Masur capped the run on a shot that bounced in under the crossbar with 1:50 left in the third.
With a 7-2 lead entering the fourth quarter, Smith had a hand in the final two goals of the game, setting up a cutting Alex Giammarco at 10:10, and an unassisted tally with 3:29 left.
Smith ended the day with a pair of goals, and game-highs with all four Panther assists and eight groundball grabs, while Masur collected a hat trick. Brian Foster was solid in face-offs, winning 9/14 attempts on the day. In net, Ryan Deane stopped 10 shots, allowing two goals, over the first 58 minutes in net for Middlebury, as Charles Ward played the final two minutes without facing any shots on net.
Looby and Jeff Hebert scored a goal apiece for Trinity. Peter Johnson played the first three quarters in goal for the Bantams, allowing seven goals while making nine saves. Dominic Piselli played the final quarter, allowing two goals with no saves.
Box score
