We were expecting a fast paced and exciting game going into Saturday and I would have to say it surpassed our expectations.  It was a cold day in Brunswick with temperatures in the mid 30's but it was the howling wind that not only chilled the players and spectators but also produced a constant whistle as it made its way through the new hockey rink they're constructing next to the field.

The game was one of runs as Bowdoin jumped out to an early 3-0 lead before Pete Smith found Matt Ferrer on man up to get us on the board with a little over 4 minutes left in the first quarter.   We would end up scoring the next 4 goals with tallies from Frank Granara, Rory Sanborn and two from Mike Stone.  It looked like we were going to take a 5-3 lead into halftime when Bowdoin backed up one of their shots on the goal line with 4 seconds to go.  Unfortunately they fed the crease off of the whistle and one of their middies caught the pass back handed and shot it "canadian" style as we call it, to bring the game to 5-4 before halftime.

After halftime the momentum completely shifted in Bowdoin's favor and they would end up scoring the first 5 goals of the 3rd quarter to go up 9-5.  A big reason for Bowdoin's success against us on Saturday was the play of their face off specialist who is the best we've seen so far this year.  He dominated us all day no matter who we threw in there against him.    We finally stopped their run when Pete Smith found Skyler Hopkins on the doorstep to bring us within 3 goals with a little less than 2 minutes to go in the 3rd.   Unfortunately we false started on the next face-off which with a new rule means our face off guy has to run off the field and be substituted for.  As this was happening their face off man went straight to the cage and stuck one to make it 10-6 and it would stay that way into the 4th.

We opened up the scoring in the 4th quarter with a goal from Pete Smith off of a Mike Stone feed.  Once again Bowdoin would win the face off clean creating a fast break and scored 8 seconds later.   From that point on it was all Middlebury.  Bowdoin spent the entire game either shutting off Jim Cabrera or Mike Stone and putting their excellent long stick midfielder on the other.  Our next three goals would all come from Mike and Jim dodging the long stick middie and getting their hands free.  Both played with incredible poise and confidence during our run.  The final goal came off of a Bowdoin turnover where we found Frank Granara in transition who walked into 8 yards and stuck a shot in the upper corner with just under 3 minutes to play.

For the rest of regulation and both the 1st and 2nd OT both teams exchanged great looks at the goal, both teams hit pipes and both goalies made some excellent saves.  The game winner came with 2 seconds remaining in the second OT when Pete Smith found Mike Stone cutting through the crease who ended up shooting it from 7 yards on the run to the far pipe.

Another great game in the Middlebury/Bowdoing rivalry and a big gut check for our guys.

Hopefully we can keep the momentum going today at W&L.