The fifth-ranked Middlebury women's ice hockey team utilized a goal from Kate Flynn with 8:23 left in Friday's third period to earn a thrilling 3-2 triumph over #11 Colby. 
 
HIGHLIGHTS

• The visitors looked to get on the scoreboard less than 10 seconds into the contest, but Panther goalie Sophia Will padded aside a bid from Courtney Schumacher on the doorstep.
• The Mules continued their pressure in the zone, breaking through with 2:50 expired in the opening period. Megan Martodam had her initial attempt blocked, but she collected the rebound and tucked her shot inside the left post for a 1-0 edge.
• Middlebury nearly tied the contest 2:31 later. Olivia McManus eyed a shorthanded strike from the faceoff circle, but Colby netminder Ally Martiniello denied the look with her stick.
• Cycling the puck in the zone, Jocelyn Means ripped a one-timer from inside the blue line that found space over the right shoulder of Martiniello with 7:21 expired to deadlock the contest at 1-1.
• The Panthers took advantage of a power-play opportunity later in the frame. McManus rifled a rising bid from the top of the zone that Martiniello saved. Trinity Walsh gathered the puck and buried her chance into the center of the goal for a 2-1 lead with 5:49 remaining.
• Middlebury buzzed the zone early in the second stanza, with the best look coming with 3:10 elapsed. Flynn delivered a riser that deflected off Martiniello's chest and over the crossbar.
• The hosts looked to increase their lead with the extra skater with 10:58 showing. Britt Nawrocki skated from left to right, sending a point-blank bid that the Mule goalie denied with her right pad.
• Just 30 seconds later, Sophia Kennedy lifted a backhanded attempt from the top left of the crease as the power play expired, which required a sprawling kick save from Will.
• Colby leveled the game at 2-2 with 3:43 left in the period. Molly Lefebvre skated into the zone and ripped a shot into the left side of the net.
• Maeve McAdams manufactured a quality chance 3:03 into the third period. She gained possession on the doorstep, muscling a backhanded shot from outside the crease that Martiniello saved with her right pad.
• The Mules nearly took the lead four minutes later, but Jo Tattersall's wrister from the circle clanged off the right post and caromed away.
• The Panthers ratcheted up the pressure over the next few minutes and were rewarded with 8:23 left. Flynn skated onto a loose puck between the circles, ripping a wrister under the crossbar for the 3-2 edge.
• Skating four-on-four later in the stanza, Lizzy Hamel found space on the left post and fired a shot that Will turned away to maintain the one-goal lead.
• The Mules pulled Martiniello with 1:25 left in regulation in favor of an extra skater. Tattersall produced the best chance with 10 seconds with a bid from the blue line that Will denied with her blocker to preserve the 3-2 final score.  

NOTES

• Means' first-period tally was her initial score in a Panther uniform. 
• Avery McInerny posted a career high in helpers in the victory, assisting each of Middlebury's goals.
• Walsh has posted a point in 10 of the last 12 contests.
• The programs played for the 70th time with the Panthers holding a 55-14-1 advantage in the series.

Middlebury closes the regular-season portion of its schedule on Saturday when they square off again with the Mules at 3:00 p.m.