SUPER COOPER! Sophomore Standout Leads Panthers to Third Straight NESCAC Title

Author: Peter Yordan

function openSlideShow() { window.open(slideshowpath + 54, 'selectUser',config='height=320,width=310,scrollbars=No,resizable=Yes');} SLIDESHOW: 2002 NESCAC Champions

Although hockey is generally considered to be one of the most team-driven of competitive sports, this may be the year of Kevin Cooper '04. The Panther sophomore led the Middlebury men's hockey team to a third consecutive New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) championship with a game winning goal against Colby in the semifinals and a hat trick to secure a come-from-behind win against Trinity in the championship game. The team, which twice teetered perilously on the verge of defeat, qualified for the NCAA tournament in thrilling fashion by overcoming goal deficits in both games to come away with 4-2 and 3-2 victories in the semifinals and finals, respectively.

The Panthers came into the NESCAC tournament this weekend as hosts; their number one seed having earned them a first round bye. Their first opponent on Saturday afternoon was Colby, which the week before had knocked off third seeded Hamilton with a 5-1 thrashing. In their only previous meeting during the season, Middlebury had come away with a 4-0 victory. The game started quietly, as the Middlebury faithful, still recovering from their Friday night revelries, slowly began to fill up the stands.

Coming off a two week break, the Panthers struggled to find their legs in the early going, and Colby quickly demonstrated that it would not be going for the big score as it had the previous week. The Mules unveiled a passive neutral zone trap designed to stymie Middlebury's potent offense. The system quickly paid dividends for Colby, as Middlebury struggled repeatedly to break out of its zone.

"I thought we were very flat," said Head Coach Bill Beaney. "The layoff had an effect on us." Colby soon converted one of its counterattack opportunities into a goal when a deflection found its way past Christian Carlsson '02 six minutes into the game. "You never want to make excuses for not playing well," said co-captain Ryan Constantine '02. "We hadn't had a great week of practice leading up to the game."

Five minutes later Middlebury answered with a goal of its own, when a heads-up pass by Constantine managed to split the trap, springing Mike Kennedy '04 on a breakaway. The sophomore coolly converted the chance to bring the score level at one a piece through the first period.

The team flagged again in the second, however, allowing a power-play goal halfway through the period while failing to convert on three power-play chances of its own. Content to sit on their one goal lead, the White Mules sat back patiently, forcing the Panthers to try to extend themselves to find the equalizer. Going into the second intermission, the Panthers found themselves with their backs to the wall in a game most expected them to win.

In the third period, however, the Panthers finally found their spark. Urged on by the crowd bedecked in white shirts and ties, the team came out with a scrappy intensity right from the opening whistle. Four minutes into the period Middlebury got the break it needed when Andrew Helming '04 grabbed a big rebound from the side of the net and took a rather hopeful extreme angle shot that somehow slipped through the pads of the Colby goalie. Kenyon Arena suddenly came to life as the Panthers began to assert control over the game. The veteran team defense, led by captains Grayson Fertig '02 and Constantine and seniors Matt Dunn and Andy Campbell, put the clamp on Colby, limiting them to three shots in the final period.

The Panthers, however, were unable to score again. Then, with three minutes remaining and the score still tied, Colby was called for a penalty when Kevin Cooper '04 was crosschecked in the neck and needed assistance to leave the ice.

When Cooper returned to the game, however, he made a huge impact almost immediately. The sophomore saw the play develop and outskated a defender into position in front of the net. There he received a perfect lead pass from Constantine and deftly deflected it into the net as the penalty expired, giving Middlebury the lead. Robert Chisholm '03 iced the game with an empty net goal to give Middlebury a 4-2 victory and a spot in the finals the next day.

Waiting for them in the finals was a dangerous Trinity team that was playing its best hockey of the year and had just upset Bowdoin 3-2 in the other semifinal match.

"I think we respected Trinity more than Colby," said Beaney. Both teams played hard in the early going, but it was Trinity who scored first when the Panther defense failed to clear a rebound from in front of the goal 15 minutes into the game. The Bantams sent a shiver through the crowd when just three minutes later another breakdown on defense led to a two on one and a second Trinity goal. "Trinity is an opportunistic team," said Constantine, "but we knew we were playing well and what we were capable of."

The Panthers started off the second period with a bang, scoring a power play goal just 18 seconds in. A great feed from Dunn left Cooper a wide open net that he did not miss, and before Trinity knew what had happened, their lead was cut in half. Trinity's strong goaltending held up until the final minute of the period, when Cooper and Dunn again hooked up for the score, this time with Cooper banging in a rebound from Dunn's shot for his second goal of the night. With the crowd in raptures, Middlebury went into the second intermission having dug itself out of their two goal hole.

All that was left was for Middlebury to put one more puck into the net, and once again, the task fell upon Cooper's capable shoulders. With the team short-handed seven minutes into the period, Cooper collected a long pass from Fertig and skated in from the wing, turning the corner on the defensemen and stuffing the puck through the goaltender's pads. As the Middlebury bench exploded in joy, hats rained upon the ice in celebration of the three-goal feat.

"I thought [Cooper's] performance ranks right up there as one of the best I've ever seen in the post-season," said Beaney. The Panthers allowed only two more shots on goal for the remainder of the game to secure their amazing comeback. "I think this is one of the first games where everyone could look at themselves and be happy with the way they played," said Adam Foote '04.

The Panthers had fallen behind three time over the two games, but managed to come out on top with the NESCAC championship once again in their hands. "I think what has allowed us to come back is our depth and our inner confidence in each other and in the tradition of Middlebury hockey," said Beaney. The team will look to add another chapter to that Middlebury tradition as it starts off the NCAA tournament this weekend at home against Wentworth.

The team will as always rely on its depth and defense along with its strong veteran leadership. "We the seniors feel a sense of urgency to bring the national championship back to Middlebury since we were the last class to win it," said Constantine.

Senior goaltender Christian Carlsson, who may be playing his final home games this weekend, is also a finalist for national player of the year. His superb goaltending will once again be relied upon as Middlebury attempts to take back its place atop the throne of Division III hockey. "We just need to play every period and every shift and not be caught flat," said Foote. "We've worked hard for our success, we've definitely earned it."