Courtesy Bowdoin Sports Information

Box Score

BRUNSWICK, Maine - Middlebury netminder Kate Kogut stopped 34 shots, leading the Panther women's ice hockey team to their third NESCAC Championship in the past five seasons with a 5-1 win over Bowdoin on Sunday. The Panthers (23-3-1) earn the NESCAC's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, while the Polar Bears (20-4-1) will hope for an at-large bid when pairings are announced on Sunday evening.

The teams exchanged early powerplay chances as the game remained scoreless for most of the opening period. Middlebury had a great chance in the early going as Shannon Sylvester pounced on a rebound just outside the crease, but Bowdoin’s Cat MacEachern made a kick save to keep the game tied. Bowdoin answered with a slapshot from the point, courtesy of Lydia Hawkins that Middlebury’s Kate Kogut brushed aside. Moments later, MacEachern made another strong save off a Panther breakaway, as Margaret McDonald was denied from in close.

The Panthers broke the ice at 16:58 on a 5-on-3 powerplay when a shot from Shannon Tarrant was initially saved by MacEachern. The puck bounced to the left of the goal, where Abby Kurtz-Phelan backhanded the rebound into the top left corner for a 1-0 Panther lead. The teams combined for eight penalties in the opening period.

The second period opened with a great chance for the Polar Bears, as Meghan Gillis skated in all alone on Kogut and snapped a backhand chance that was gloved by the Panther goaltender. Middlebury increased their lead to 2-0 at 6:30 of the second frame when Tarrant took a slapshot from the high slot that slipped under the glove of MacEachern, who was screened in front.

Bowdoin broke into the scoring column on the powerplay at 12:31 of the second stanza, as a shot from the point from Kristen Cameron was deflected inside the right post by Cathie Quinlan, making it a 2-1 game. Middlebury regained a two-goal advantage just three minutes later when Gloria Velez took a shot from the right face-off circle. MacEachern stopped the Velez chance, but the rebound trickled to the right of the goal and Sylvester tapped the puck over the goal line for a 3-1 Panther lead after two frames.

The Panthers added two more goals in the final period, as Kurtz-Phelan took a one timer pass from Sylvester and fired a low shot into the back of the net at 1:26. Tory MacNeil closed out the scoring at 6:28 by finishing off a scramble in front.

MacEachern finished with 31 saves for the Polar Bears while Kogut stopped 34 for Middlebury.

2005 NESCAC WOMEN’S ICE HOCKEY CHAMPIONSHIP
First Round - Saturday, Feb. 26 at higher seeds
at No. 2 Middlebury 6, No. 7 Trinity 0
at No. 3 Williams 3, No. 6 Colby 1
at No. 4 Hamilton 6, No. 5 Amherst 1

Semifinals - Saturday, March 5 at Bowdoin
at No. 1 Bowdoin 2, No. 4 Hamilton 1 - OT
No. 2 Middlebury 4, vs. No. 3 Williams 1

Championship - Sunday, March 6 at Bowdoin
No. 2 Middlebury 5, at No. 1 Bowdoin 1