Courtsey of Brian Beard

Last Saturday evening, the Bowdoin Polar Bears (7–9–2; 5–5–2 NESCAC) faced the Colby College Mules (10–5–3; 5–5–2 NESCAC) in the teams’ 223rd matchup, a rivalry meeting that has continued on for more than a century. The Polar Bears and Mules tied 0–0 after regulation and a five-minute overtime, but Bowdoin proved victorious in the shootout, winning it 1–0 in front of a sold-out crowd.

During the first period of the game, Bowdoin and Colby traded power play opportunities but neither team was able to slide the puck into the back of the net, setting the tone for a competitive game.

“I thought we played a pretty good first period. It was pretty competitive. It was pretty even, that was our message to [Colby]: There’s two good teams going at it here,” Head Coach Ben Guite said. “We tried to exploit certain areas of the ice we felt like they could have exploited more.… So [during the intermission] we talked a lot more about that and just reinforced the good things we did.”

Goaltender Jacob Osborne ’28, who recorded 29 saves and was given the Peter Schuh ’96 Memorial Award, explained how he responded to Colby’s strong offensive effort.

“I thought that Colby was doing a good job getting pucks and guys to the net, and that translated into some scoring chances, but I just focused on playing my game. It doesn’t really matter what they throw at me,” Osborne said. “You just got to figure out a way to stop the puck.”

Forward Gabe Shipper ’26, who scored the lone shootout goal, felt the momentum shift in Bowdoin’s favor during the second period, despite the game remaining scoreless.

“I think we felt, especially more in the second period, that we had [Colby]. A lot of what we were doing was just making sure that our [defense] kept their forwards in front of them,… and I think we did a really good job of just shutting down their offense, making sure that we were getting hard on the floor and pressuring their [defense],” Shipper said. “Obviously we didn’t score, but I think it came down to execution. The chances were definitely there.”

Guite seconded Shipper’s sentiment, adding that the team’s strong defense led to an impressive performance against a top NESCAC team.

“We didn’t give up a goal. Colby hadn’t [been shut out] all year so it’s hard for me to sit here and say, ‘I didn’t like what we did here.’ We did what we had to do, and I thought it was a good job,” Guite said. “I thought strength wise, we attacked and defended with more urgency, trying to really attack the puck carrier.”

Halfway through the third period, Bowdoin failed to convert on its second power play opportunity, and when regulation time expired, the game remained tied at 0–0 heading into overtime.

“[In overtime], making sure that you know what your job is and focusing on doing that, versus getting wrapped up too much in the moment itself, is important,” Guite said. “We practice quite a bit of overtime. We talk about how we want to play it…. There’s more space. It’s a different type of game.”

Five minutes of scoreless three-on-three overtime officially cemented the tie in the record book, and the Polar Bears and Mules prepared for the shootout.

Shooting first for the Polar Bears, Shipper snuck a backhand shot into the net, putting the Polar Bears up 1–0. While Bowdoin had a lot on the line during the shootout, Shipper said he stayed cool under pressure.

“We do [shootouts] every day after practice with the goalies.… You’re messing around, and just try to shoot on the goalie,” Shipper said. “So, that’s kind of the mindset I think everyone has, at least for the shootout.”

Shipper’s goal was the lone goal for the Polar Bears, but that was enough to seal the shootout victory as Osborne stopped all three Colby shots.

“I was just really focusing on how it didn’t really matter what anybody else did. I was focusing on controlling what I could control, and that was giving my best attempt to stop each puck,” Osborne said. “So you can’t really make it bigger than it is. It’s just kind of me against him, and that’s all it is.”

While the game goes into the record book as a tie, the shootout win will give the Polar Bears—who currently sit in third place in the NESCAC—an edge in the standings. Each game in the NESCAC is worth three points, so the Polar Bears received two points while the Mules only gained one.

“Every little point matters. I mean, we’ve had three overtimes in NESCAC play, and we’ve had two shootouts [this season]. We have six games left, and my expectations are that we’re probably gonna have some more of each, but every little point helps,” Guite said.

The Polar Bears will trek to Hamilton College (15–3–0; 11–1–0 NESCAC) this evening for a 7 p.m. puck drop and then play at Amherst College (8–9–1; 5–6–1 NESCAC) tomorrow at 3 p.m.