MIDDLEBURY — The Middlebury Union High School boys’ hockey team split two games this past weekend at the Tigers’ own Fletcher “Buster” Brush Holiday Classic. The Tigers (2-3) on Friday lost to Brookline, Mass., 2-1, and on Saturday defeated Saranac/Lake Placid, N.Y., 6-3, in the consolation match.
In Friday’s opener the Tigers took the lead on Ryan Nadeau’s first-period power-play goal, which was assisted by Devon Kearns. Brookline struck back for a pair of goals, by Ellis Vish and Grayson Badger, in the second period, and goalie Gil Markman stopped 17 MUHS shots to make those scores stand up. Tiger goalie Zeke Hooper made 22 saves.
On Saturday the Tigers scored three times during a five-minute power play in the third period to pull away after Bode Rubright tied the score at 3-3 early in the period. Tucker Stearns scored the tie-breaking goal, and Hale Hescock and Andy Giorgio provided insurance.
Rubright gave the Tigers a 1-0 lead after the first period, but SLP answered in the second period with three power-play strikes, all during one five-minute major, to assume a 3-1 lead. Kearns scored an unassisted goal late in the period to pull the Tigers within one entering the final period. Stearns also picked up two assists for the Tigers, and five Tigers notched an assist apiece.
Tiger goalie Jeff Stearns made 27 saves, and SLP goalie Andres Stanton made 14.