Katie Mandigo scored 43 seconds into overtime leading fourth-ranked Middlebury (14-2-3) to a 2-1 thrilling non-conference victory Tuesday evening over #3 Norwich (13-4-2) inside Kenyon Arena. The Panthers return to the ice on Friday when they return to NESCAC with a road game at Connecticut College at 7:00 p.m., while Norwich hosts Franklin Pierce on Friday at 4:00 p.m.
Following a scoreless first period in which Middlebury had a 7-5 advantage in shots, Emily Fluke looked to put the Panthers on the board a little over seven minutes into the period. She broke behind the Norwich defense, but Cadet goalie Celeste Robert made a pad save sliding to her right.
Both teams turned up the offensive pressure as a pair of scoring opportunities at the 13-minute mark by Norwich's Taylor Cross and Kim Tiberi were turned away by Middlebury goalie Madeline Marsh.
Norwich got on the board first at the 13:21 mark of the second period when Rachel Bellio slipped home her fifth goal of the season on a rebound with assists from Maki Shuchuk and Kim Tiberi. Shuchuk won a faceoff back to Tiberi at the point, where she fired the puck toward the net. The puck kicked around in front of Marsh before Shuchuk found it and sent a backhand that was saved. Bellio collected the puck and lifted a shot over a sprawled out Marsh for the 1-0 lead.
The Panthers tied the contest at the 7:09 mark of the third period when Hannah Bielawski laced a slap shot from the point on the power play that sailed over the glove of Celeste Robert. Carly Watson and Jessica Young notched assists on the goal after working the puck across the top of the zone.
Each team had scoring opportunities in the final minutes of the period, as the Panthers were able to kill off a Norwich power play and keep the game tied at 1-1.
In the overtime period, Mandigo streaked down the left wing and beat her defender before wristing a shot into the net that went between Robert's pads as she went down to block it. Her game-winning tally was set up on a great crossing feed from the right by Maddie Winslow, who received a pass on the offensive blue line from Kate Moreau.
Middlebury held a 24-17 advantage in shots, as Marsh tallied 16 saves in the win. Robert was credited with 22 stops for the Cadets. The game also marked the 100th of Fluke's Panther career.
WCAX HIGHLIGHTS
