AMHERST, Mass. — The Middlebury College men’s hockey team picked up a win and a tie on the road vs. NESCAC foes this past weekend to remain the only unbeaten team in league play.
At 3-0-3 in NESCAC play (3-2-3 overall), the Panthers are in a first-place tie with Williams (4-1-1) as their first semester comes to a close.
On Saturday, the Panthers blanked host Amherst, 2-0, dropping the Jeffs to 3-2-3 overall and 2-1-1 in NESCAC action. Panther goalie Stephen Klein recorded a 33-save shutout.
The Panthers took the lead at 13:14 of the first period on a score by Max Greenwald. The senior received a pass along the sideboards from Evan Neugold, and wristed a shot through traffic that snuck past Amherst goalie Connor Girard (33 saves) on the near post.
Middlebury doubled its lead in the second period on Mark Lyman’s second goal of the season.
In the third period, the Purple & White went on the power play at 9:02, but Klein denied two good bids.
In the final minute, Amherst pulled Girard in favor of an extra skater, but Klein thwarted close-range attempts by Chris Roll and Conor Brown. The Panther defense also blocked three shots in the waning seconds to seal the win for Middlebury
On Friday, the Panthers and host Hamilton (4-3-1, 2-2-1 NESCAC) skated to a 3-3 ties.
Middlebury’s Ronald Fishman scored a short-handed goal at 14:28 of the opening period, picking off a pass in the Continental zone and snapping a high shot past goaltender Evan Buitenhuis. Three minutes later, Greenwald doubled the Panthers’ lead.
Hamilton (3-3-1, 1-2-1 NESCAC) scored three times in a seven-minute span of the second period to turn a 2-0 deficit into a one-goal lead. Tyler Bruneteau had a hand in the second two scores, knotting the score at 2-2 with 4:23 left in the period, before assisting on the go-ahead goal by Kenny Matheson 2:44 later. Brandon Willet scored the Continentals’ first goal.
Middlebury tied the game at 7:22 of the third period, when Travis Stephens scored quickly off a face-off win in Hamilton territory. 
The Panthers had a great chance late in overtime. A pass from behind the Continental net found Middlebury’s Mike Ajar open at the left post, but Buitenhuis stopped his shot for the 35th of his 36 saves. Panther goalie Liam Moorfield-Yee stopped 49 shots.