MIDDLEBURY — The Middlebury Union High School boys’ hockey team won twice last week to improve to 11-6-1 and unofficially nail down at least the No. 6 seed for the upcoming Division I playoffs as the Tigers enter the regular season’s final week. That seed should ensure MUHS will host a first-round game.
On Wednesday the host Tigers powered past last-place Rice, 8-0. Alexander Yurista scored twice, and Ziven McCarty, Kamrin Bartlett (two assists), Tyler Giorgio (assist), Aaron Larocque, Kolby Farnsworth (assist) and Wyatt Galipeau (assist) also found the net. Ryan Nadeau, Hale Hescock and Avery Austin-Neil picked up assists, and Danny Wiles worked a 17-save shutout. Rice goalie Ethan Brown stopped 35 shots.
On Saturday the Tigers picked up a vital road win by dismissing seventh-place Champlain Valley, 6-3. The Redhawks dropped to 7-10 and can no longer catch MUHS in the standings.
The Tigers took a 3-0 first-period lead as Giorgio scored their first two goals and Bartlett, who assisted both of Giorgio’s scores, added their third.
The first of Farnsworth’s three goals made it 4-0 early in the second, and the Tigers cruised home from there. Bartlett picked up another assist, and Giorgio and Krystian Gombosi also added helpers. Tiger goalie Jeffrey Stearns stopped 14 shots and Logan Cody made 18 saves for the Redhawks, who got a pair of goals from Nickolas Lyman.