Re: NESCAC '15-'16 season
When Winslow took a blind pass from her partner in crime Young and whistled a quick forehand top shelf past Colby goalie Crites to make it 4-1 Panthers at :16 of the 3rd it appeared Middlebury was cruising to a quarter-final NESCAC win. The appearance was deceiving and by the end of the 3rd the Mules had netted an extra attacker goal and drawn to within 4-3. A tip of the hat to Coach Michaeles and her squad in mounting a valiant comeback!
Middlebury opened the scoring early in the 1st. Martini made a play pinching down the right wing half boards and tying up a Mule breakout. Young dug the puck off the boards and passed to Wulf who found space walking toward the slot and then passing to an open Winslow for a forehand which beat Crites top shelf. The Panthers mounted constant pressure throughout the period but Crites play in net for Colby kept it a one goal game. About 10: she made a grab of a loose puck from her back and late in the period robbed Hlinka on a point blank one time forehand from the top of the crease.
The Panthers extended the lead early in the 2nd. Winslow worked low on the left wing, passed out to Laven on right point and she crossed to Jennings on the left; Jennings lofted the puck over a scrum screening Crites and in. The refs conferred and ruled good goal, although some felt it directed in by hand from the scrum. Panther goalie Neuberger made a nice blocker save on K. McLaughlin on a drive from in close at 11:50. Crites then came up big on a 2x1 with a nice initial stop and sprawling grab finding the rebound at 15:20. Colby broke through with Flynn making a play to keep the puck in zone on right point. Flynn's long shot was deflected by Gary in the right circle and with Neuberger moving to the gloveside the puck was rocketed into the open stickside by Papapetros to make it a 2-1 game. Middlebury came back quickly. Wardwell passed ahead to Jackson and she sprang St. Clair down left wing. St. Clair then made a pretty play, holding her edge, cutting inside the D and swooping to the crease scoring 5 hole.
The 3rd opened with the second Winslow goal (Wulf assisting along with the nifty blind pass from Young) and the 4-1 Panther lead. Colby cut the lead four minutes later when Papapetros made an outstanding effort breaking in wide down right wing and making a full out dive to pass the puck left to a streaking Flynn; puck and Flynn arrived at the crease and the puck was rammed beneath Neuberger to make it 4-2. The Mules were applying pressure with their forecheck through the period and Neuberger was tested maintaining the 4-2 lead. Coach Mandigo took his timeout following a Panther icing at 18:27 and Coach Michaeles got her goalie off with 1:32 to play. The extra attacker pressure resulted in a Panther penalty. The faceoff was in the left circle. The draw went to the end boards and Fritts passed to Fortier at the stickside post and Fortier dug the puck under Neuberger to cut the lead to 4-3. Play ended with the Mules called for an icing and Crites back in net for the final seconds.
When Winslow took a blind pass from her partner in crime Young and whistled a quick forehand top shelf past Colby goalie Crites to make it 4-1 Panthers at :16 of the 3rd it appeared Middlebury was cruising to a quarter-final NESCAC win. The appearance was deceiving and by the end of the 3rd the Mules had netted an extra attacker goal and drawn to within 4-3. A tip of the hat to Coach Michaeles and her squad in mounting a valiant comeback!
Middlebury opened the scoring early in the 1st. Martini made a play pinching down the right wing half boards and tying up a Mule breakout. Young dug the puck off the boards and passed to Wulf who found space walking toward the slot and then passing to an open Winslow for a forehand which beat Crites top shelf. The Panthers mounted constant pressure throughout the period but Crites play in net for Colby kept it a one goal game. About 10: she made a grab of a loose puck from her back and late in the period robbed Hlinka on a point blank one time forehand from the top of the crease.
The Panthers extended the lead early in the 2nd. Winslow worked low on the left wing, passed out to Laven on right point and she crossed to Jennings on the left; Jennings lofted the puck over a scrum screening Crites and in. The refs conferred and ruled good goal, although some felt it directed in by hand from the scrum. Panther goalie Neuberger made a nice blocker save on K. McLaughlin on a drive from in close at 11:50. Crites then came up big on a 2x1 with a nice initial stop and sprawling grab finding the rebound at 15:20. Colby broke through with Flynn making a play to keep the puck in zone on right point. Flynn's long shot was deflected by Gary in the right circle and with Neuberger moving to the gloveside the puck was rocketed into the open stickside by Papapetros to make it a 2-1 game. Middlebury came back quickly. Wardwell passed ahead to Jackson and she sprang St. Clair down left wing. St. Clair then made a pretty play, holding her edge, cutting inside the D and swooping to the crease scoring 5 hole.
The 3rd opened with the second Winslow goal (Wulf assisting along with the nifty blind pass from Young) and the 4-1 Panther lead. Colby cut the lead four minutes later when Papapetros made an outstanding effort breaking in wide down right wing and making a full out dive to pass the puck left to a streaking Flynn; puck and Flynn arrived at the crease and the puck was rammed beneath Neuberger to make it 4-2. The Mules were applying pressure with their forecheck through the period and Neuberger was tested maintaining the 4-2 lead. Coach Mandigo took his timeout following a Panther icing at 18:27 and Coach Michaeles got her goalie off with 1:32 to play. The extra attacker pressure resulted in a Panther penalty. The faceoff was in the left circle. The draw went to the end boards and Fritts passed to Fortier at the stickside post and Fortier dug the puck under Neuberger to cut the lead to 4-3. Play ended with the Mules called for an icing and Crites back in net for the final seconds.
