The Middlebury women’s hockey team took two of three games this week to finish the regular season with a record of 18-4-1, and the first seed in the NESCAC playoffs. After falling to third-ranked Norwich earlier in the week, the Panthers responded with two victories over Bowdoin and Colby this past weekend, propelling themselves into the NESCAC playoffs with wins over their Maine rivals.
On Friday the Panthers handled the Mules of Colby with a resounding 4-0 win. The Panthers outshot Colby 44-16 and scored twice in both the first and final periods. First-year forward Madeline Joyce ’14 started the scoring 13:34 into the first period with the opening goal of the game. Maggie Melberg ’12 was credited with an assist on the goal. Less than three minutes later Nora Bergman ’11 extended the lead to 2-0 with her second goal of the year. Once again Joyce and Melberg were involved in the goal as both received an assist on Bergman’s goal. Neither team scored during the second period, but the Panthers buried the Mules early in the third period as Anna McNally ’11 and Lauren Greer ’13 found the back of the net to expand the Panthers’ lead to 4-0. It was senior goaltender Lexi Bloom’s ’11 40th win of her career and the team’s 11th shutout victory of the season.
Greer, named this week’s NESCAC player of the week, scored three goals over the weekend, including two goals in a crucial come-from-behind win against Bowdoin. The Panthers needed a win or tie in the game with the Polar Bears to win the NESCAC regular season title. Greer scored her ninth and 10th goals of the season in the game and provided the spark that led the Panthers to victory.
With the number one seed in the NESCAC on the line for the Middlebury, Bowdoin got off to a strong start, scoring a short-handed goal in the first two minutes of the first period. Bowdoin added to their early lead when Jill Campbell beat Bloom as the Polar Bears jumped out to an early two-goal lead. Despite significantly outshooting Bowdoin in the first period the Panthers couldn’t find their way onto the scoreboard. Trailing Bowdoin 2-0 after the first period, Greer brought the Panthers back into the game less than five minutes into the second period with her first goal of the game. Then, just 12 minutes later, Jennifer Krakower ’14 equalized on a Panthers power play, evening the score at 2-2. The Panthers did not look back from there as Bergman connected for her third of the season 8:54 into the final period before Greer sealed the Panthers win with her second goal of the game on another Panthers power play.
After allowing two early first period goals the Panthers were dominant, holding the Polar Bears to just 13 shots on goal in the final two periods. Goal-scorer Greer believed that the adjustment her team made was as much mental as anything else. “In between periods we talked about our ability to change the game,” she said. “We cast aside what happened to let those two goals in, and focused on the remaining 40 minutes of play.”
Greer and the Panthers did exactly that, as the sophomore from North Hampton, New Hampshire bookended the Panthers offensive efforts with two goals. “It just came down to capitalizing on the chances that our team created,” Greer said. “Our defense kept the puck out of our zone and in Bowdoin’s end for the majority of the game which allowed our offense to thrive. With all of the pressure in their end, Bowdoin was forced to make mistakes – that’s how I was able to get the puck on the first goal.”
With three goals over the weekend Greer has totaled the most points of any Panther this season. She has 10 assists to accompany her 10 goals, giving her 20 total points on the season. She has continued to be one of the Panthers’ best offensive options and is skating at a high level, according to head coach Bill Mandigo. “I think Lauren is playing better and better all of the time,” Mandigo said. “She is not afraid to shoot the puck. She is tough, fast and extremely competitive.”
Saturday the Panthers host Williams in the quarterfinals of the NESCAC tournament, a team whom they have already beaten twice by a combined score of 8-0. Once again the Panthers will look to their team speed going forward and the stellar play of Bloom to advance in the post-season.
“We have a big sheet of ice that many teams are not accustomed to playing on,” Bloom said. “If we can take advantage of our speed, then very few teams will be able to keep up.”
Despite two dominant performances against Williams earlier this season, coach Mandigo will not look past the Ephs this weekend. “This week, we will focus on Williams,” he said. “They have some skilled players, they work hard and they gave Bowdoin fits on Friday night. Any time a team faces elimination you have to expect them to play their best.”
Regardless of who their opponent is, the fifth-ranked Panthers are skating extremely well and are looking forward to hosting the NESCAC tournament this weekend and, if they succeed, the next weekend as well.
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