The #1 Middlebury women's ice hockey team scored three goals spanning just over six minutes of action in the second period, pulling away from Nichols for a 4-0 triumph. 
 
HIGHLIGHTS

• The Panthers came out buzzing in the offensive zone during the first stanza, firing 10 shots on goal in the opening 9:07, but Bison goalie McKenzie Muir denied the double-digit attempts.
• Middlebury broke into the scoring column with 12:24 expired. Olivia Gordon gathered a pass from Kylie Quinlan and found nylon for the 1-0 advantage.
• Nichols looked to even the game with 2:40 left on a bid by Grace Melanson, but Panther netminder Sophia Merageas saved the shot.
• The visitors tallied twice 1:37 apart in the second frame. Raia Schluter made it a 2-0 game at the 9:41 mark on a feed from Britt Nawrocki. Callia Ferraris increased the lead to three on a pass off the stick of Jordan Hower.
• Gordon posted her second goal of the contest at the 15:50 mark following an assist from Olivia McManus for a 4-0 lead.
• The Bison had a quality chance with seven seconds showing on the clock, but a shot from the right point by Kerstin Ambruso was smothered by Merageas to keep it a four-goal advantage.
• In the early stages of the third period, Nichols looked to cut into the lead, but Panther goalie Lauren Sobczak saved a shot outside the crease by Cela MacDougall with 2:29 elapsed.
• Middlebury pushed to increase the lead midway through the final period, but Zoe Pincelli's pair of point-blank shots were thwarted by Muir.
• The Panthers earned a power-play opportunity with 5:22 remaining, but Muir saved a one-timer between the circles from Cat Appleyard as Middlebury eased to the 4-0 decision.

NOTES

• Gordon finished with a season-high mark in goals (two) and points while recording her initial game-winning tally.
• Quinlan matched her career-best total with two assists.
• Hower earned a season-high 15 wins in the faceoff circle, while Avery McInerny claimed nine and Molly MacQueen collected eight.
• Meregeas saved all three shots she faced over the initial two periods. Sobczak collected a save in the final 20 minutes, marking her first career appearance in the crease for the Panthers.
• The contest marked the initial meeting between the schools in women's ice hockey.

Middlebury returns to NESCAC action on Friday with a 7:00 p.m. puck drop at Connecticut College.