The seventh-seeded Middlebury men's ice hockey team left it all out on the ice in a 3-2 double-overtime loss to #8/top-seeded Hamilton in NESCAC semifinal action on Saturday from Russell Sage Rink. Andrew Heinze stopped a career-high 50 shots, which is the most in the conference this year.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Hamilton got on the board with 9:54 remaining in the opening period. James Philpott launched a bid from the blue line that tucked inside the right post to put the hosts ahead 1-0.
• Middlebury answered at the 16:23 mark. Revy Mack sent a pass that bounced off a Continental defender, causing a battle for the puck in front of the crease. Wyatt Pastor dug the puck out and poked it past Hamilton netminder Charlie Archer to knot the score at 1-1.
• The Continentals kept the pressure up to close the stanza creating a chance with 41 ticks left. Luke Tchor fired a riser for the left point that Heinze snagged with his glove to keep the score tied heading into the first intermission.
• With 7:31 remaining in the second period, the hosts took the lead back. Ben Zimmerman skated around the back of the net and snuck the puck past a sprawled-out Heinze to make the score 2-1.
• Middlebury searched for the equalizer late in the stanza. Dimitri Tzaferis collected the puck and sent a bid toward the left faceoff circle. Archer timed his move perfectly, sliding over from the right post and snagging the shot with his glove.
• The Panthers knotted the contest with 7:27 to go in regulation. Dante Palombo sent a centering pass towards the middle of the faceoff circles. Pastor blitzed in and tallied his second of the contest, sneaking it under the legs of Archer for a 2-2 game.
• Hamilton nearly found the game-winner with one minute remaining in the third. William Neault sent a riser from the right side, hoping to catch Heinze off guard. The netminder stood tall, smothering the low attempt to send the contest into overtime.
• Middlebury manufactured the first chance of the initial extra session with 1:31 expired. Pastor collected the loose puck in the right faceoff circle and sent a centering pass to Palombo, who tried to tip it past Archer, but the goalie stopped the chance with his blocker.
• Hamilton began to pepper Heinze with chance after chance in the extra session. The netminder stood tall, stopping all 10 shots on goal to push the game to a second overtime.
• The Continentals tallied the golden goal with 12:15 to go. Noah Libel initially sent in a bid that went wide, but was able to track down the loose puck first and send it over the line to propel the Continentals to the championship game. 

NOTES

• Pastor tallied his second multi-goal performance of the season.
• Heinze's 50 stops are now fourth all-time in a single game.
• Middlebury and Hamilton met for the 141st time. 
• This marked just the second game in NESCAC Championship history to go into double overtime. 

The Panthers await their NCAA Tournament fate when the field is announced on Sunday, March 9.