The Middlebury men's ice hockey team scored two goals in the first period and never looked back, cruising to a season-opening 5-0 triumph over Bowdoin on Friday in Chip Kenyon '85 Arena.
 
HIGHLIGHTS

• The Panthers looked to jump on the scoreboard 26 seconds into the opening period when a wrister from the right circle from Revy Mack was saved by goalie Jacob Osborne.
• Bowdoin had quality consecutive opportunities 4:35 into the frame, but Panther netminder Andrew Heinze thwarted point-blank bids from Bryce Bollman and Gabe Shipper.
• Middlebury took a 1-0 lead with 6:07 expired. An initial shot from between the circles by Tucker Lamb was padded away by Osborne. Andrew Malatesta collected the rebound and lifted his shot over Osborne's right shoulder.
• The Panthers increased their advantage with 2:33 remaining when Jin Lee gathered a rebound outside the crease and fired a chance that went bar down for the 2-0 edge.
• The hosts took advantage of a pair of Polar Bear penalties eight minutes into the second stanza. Skating 5-on-3, Ryan Pineault stepped inside the blueline and laced a shot that found space inside the right post for a 3-0 advantage.
• Middlebury found the back of the net again 5:07 later when Lamb blasted a shot from inside the blueline that slid past Osborne.
• Bowdoin had its best chance with 2:09 showing on the clock when Isaac Abbott lifted an attempt from the left circle that Heinze stopped with his blocker.
• The Panthers struck 34 seconds into the third frame when Lee made a nifty move to his left, muscling a shot into the upper-left corner for his second of the night to make it 5-0.
• The Polar Bears nearly got on the board at 12:35 when a rising shot by Michael Dinges was denied by the right pad of Heinze.      
• Searching for its initial goal, Bowdoin manufactured the final  quality chance with 4:47 left. Colin Wojciechowski skated into the left slot, rifling a shot through traffic that Heinze snared with his glove to preserve the shutout and the 5-0 triumph.

NOTES

• Lee scored two goals in a game for the third time as a Panther.
• John Burdett posted a career-best three assists in the triumph.
• Heinze tallied 18 saves, including seven in the third period, to post his first career shutout in the crease. 
• The programs played for the 97th time overall with the sides each winning 43 times and skating to 11 ties.

The Panthers close their home-opening weekend on Saturday with a 3:00 p.m. puck drop against Colby.