MIDDLEBURY, Vt. – Senior Joel Vastl's (North Salem, N.H.) goal with 10:32 remaining proved to be the game-winning goal as the Wentworth hockey team held on to defeat No. 12/10 Middlebury, 3-2, in the third place game of the 20th Annual Middlebury College Holiday Classic. The win was the first for the Leopards over a ranked opponent since defeating the 15th-ranked Curry, 4-3, on March 4, 2009, in the ECAC Northeast semifinals.
With the win Wentworth snaps a two-game losing streak, improving to 6-5-1 on the season. The Panthers fall to 4-4-2 on the season.
The Leopards threatened early, with Middlebury netminder Liam Moorfield-Yee coming up big on sophomore Mike Domsodi (Kirkland, Que.) four minutes in. The Panthers took a 1-0 lead at the 11:26 mark when Max Greenwald poked home a loose puck for the first of his career. Wentworth tied the game just 1:03 later when sophomore Kevin Crowe (Galloway, N.J.) made a pass from behind the net to junior Andrew Yarber (Livonia, Mich.) for a quick redirect. The goal was the second of the year for Yarber.
The second period featured few shots through the first 15 minutes, with a five-minute flurry to end the session. Wentworth regained its lead at the 16:45 mark when freshman Adam Frank (Clarkston, Mich.) scored his second of the year on a rebound after a shot from the left point by Lawton McCracken (Colborne, Ont.) had been saved.
Wentworth increased its lead to 3-1 9:28 into the third period when a nice feed from Fred Gervasi (Mississauga, Ont.) was redirected in front by Vastl. Middlebury answered a few minutes later when Robbie Donahoe skated in on the left side and scored on the power play with a quick wrist shot from the dot. The tally was the second of the season for Donahoe.
Middlebury continued to turn up the pressure in the third period, with Robbie Dobrowski nearly tying the game with 1:54 left as a loose puck sat just off the goal line. The Panthers pulled their netminder with less than a minute remaining, but were unable to tie the game. Middlebury held a 17-6 shot advantage in the third period.
Moorfield-Yee made 16 saves in 51:13 of action for Middlebury with three goals allowed, while Mike Peters played 8:17 of scoreless hockey. Freshman Joel Miller (Calgary, Alta.) made 17 saves between the pipes to earn the win for Wentworth. The Panters outshot the Leopards, 33-19.
Senior Shaun Jameson (Long Beach, Calif.) was named to the all-tournament team.
Wentworth will play in the 48th Annual Codfish Bowl Tournament at UMass Boston on Saturday and Sunday, with the Leopards playing the host Beacons on Saturday and either Johnson & Wales or Fitchburg State on Sunday. Middlebury returns to NESCAC play this weekend, facing Wesleyan and Trinity on the road.
(Portions of this recap courtesy of Middlebury Sports Information)
March 14, 2013
Shaun Jameson Named First Team All-America
March 6, 2013
Hockey Falls to Babson in NCAA Tournament
March 4, 2013
Hockey to Travel to Babson for NCAA Tournament
March 3, 2013
Hockey Wins Second Straight ECACNE Title
February 27, 2013
Hockey Marches Into ECAC Northeast Title Game, 4-1
February 23, 2013
Jameson Named ECAC Northeast Player of the Year; Five Others Honored
February 22, 2013
ECAC Northeast Tournament Pairings Announced
February 18, 2013
Miller Earns ECAC Northeast Weekly Honors
February 16, 2013
Hockey Clinches ECACNE Regular Season Championship
February 14, 2013
Hockey Ties With Curry, 1-1
February 11, 2013
Yarber, Miller Help Hockey Win Third Straight
February 6, 2013
Hockey Holds on For 3-2 Win Over Becker
February 3, 2013
Hockey Cruises Past Johnson & Wales, 8-3
January 30, 2013
Hockey Ties Nichols, 2-2
January 29, 2013
Jameson Named ECAC Northeast Player of the Week
January 28, 2013
Hockey Edged by Williams, 1-0
January 26, 2013
Hockey Works Overtime for Third Straight Win
January 24, 2013
Hockey Rallies Past Western New England
January 23, 2013
Miller Earns ECAC Northeast Weekly Honors
January 20, 2013
Hockey Picks Up First Home Win, 3-1 Over Curry
January 15, 2013
Hockey Shut Out by Tufts, 2-0
January 8, 2013
Cobbold Named ECAC Northeast Rookie of the Week
January 6, 2013
Hockey Edges Fitchburg State, 2-1
January 5, 2013
Hockey Falls to UMass Boston, 5-2
December 31, 2012
Hockey Holds Off Middlebury, 3-2
December 30, 2012
Manhattanville Tops Hockey, 4-1
December 6, 2012
Hockey Falls to Wesleyan, 3-1
December 1, 2012
Hockey Bounces Back With Win at Becker
November 29, 2012
Sides Set to Make AHL Debut
November 29, 2012
Hockey Falls to Nichols in Overtime, 4-3
November 19, 2012
Hockey Edged by Plymouth State, 2-1
November 17, 2012
Hockey Wins Second Straight
November 14, 2012
Hockey Rolls Past Johnson & Wales
November 8, 2012
Late Goal Lifts Western New England Past Hockey Team
November 7, 2012
Hockey Rallies Past Salem State, 3-2
November 3, 2012
Hockey Overpowers Worcester State, 7-2
November 2, 2012
Jameson's Late Goal Helps Hockey Open With a Tie
October 31, 2012
Hockey Picked as Preseason Favorite in ECAC Northeast