MIDDLEBURY — The host No. 3 Middlebury Union High School boys’ hockey team won its first-round Division II playoff game on Saturday night, 6-0, over No. 14 Missisquoi.
The 15-4-2 Tigers on Wednesday will host No. 6 Hartford (14-7). Wednesday’s winner advances to a March 1 semifinal, probably vs. No. 2 U-32 (17-2-1).
MUHS defeated Hartford once this winter, 5-3, but lost at U-32, 2-1. Woodstock is the top seed at 17-1-1. The Tigers recently tied the Wasps in Woodstock, 3-3.
On Saturday, Andrew Gleason paced MUHS with two goals and an assist vs. the 4-17 T-Birds. River Payne, Marty Niemo, Henry Hodde and Colton Leno each scored, and Brett Viens and Tyler Giorgio each had two assists. Tiger goalie Sawyer Ryan made 10 saves, and two MVU goalies combined for 21 stops.
This past Wednesday, the Tigers blanked host Mount Mansfield, 4-0, to nail down home ice for the first two playoff rounds. Leno, Jerry Niemo, Payne and Josh Girard found the net, Jerry Niemo set up a pair of goals, and Gleason, Erik Sherman, Viens, Eli Tucker and Tyler Crowningshield added assists.
Doug DeLorenzo earned the shutout in the Tiger net, and Phoenix LaMonda made 25 saves for the 9-11 Cougars.