The majority of Division III hockey pundits felt that Bowdoin would be too young and small to have any real impact this season. These doubters believed that it would take too long for Bowdoin to integrate its enormous batch of underclassmen to compete effectively this year.
The skeptics appear to be mistaken, as the men's ice hockey team has managed to turn around its supposed weaknesses to propel itself to its torrid 3-0 start. The first-year class has been able to keep a goal-for-goal pace with the senior class to take the joint lead in goals scored per class with seven.
"This year is a great mix because there is no one class that has dominated playing time," captain Bryan Ciborowski '07 said. "Each class has contributed equally."
The Polar Bears were able to ensure that all their fans would go into Thanksgiving with something to be thankful for as they secured two wins on consecutive days at Dayton Arena the weekend before Turkey Day. The opening match, a 6-1 blasting against University of Massachusetts-Boston, showcased the fantastic potential the first-year class possesses as Mitch Dillon '10 and Leland Fiedler '10 scored their first career goals.
Chris Rossi '10 also contributed by making 17 saves in his first career start between the sticks. Bowdoin outshot the Beacons 56-18 en route to its first victory of the year.
Saturday afternoon's matchup against Babson proved to be much more difficult, as the Polar Bears battled their way to a 3-2 victory. Mike Corbelle '10 opened the scoring in the first period and closed it in the third with his game winner. Nick Smith '09 made an impressive season debut with 26 saves.
While the rest of Bowdoin was away digesting Thanksgiving dinner, the Polar Bears continued their hot start to the season with a 10-1 feasting over Assumption on Saturday. It was the upperclassman who dominated the score sheet in this one as Ciborowski, Steven Thompson '08, and Tim McVaugh '07 scored two goals apiece. Paul DeCoster '08 made 14 saves in his season debut.
The men also had a great opportunity to test themselves when they played the United States under-18 team to a 6-4 loss Sunday. The exhibition game did not count in the standing, but it did prove to the guys that they could skate with just about anyone. Ciborowski and Dillon each gave the team one goal leads against a squad full of NHL prospects. All three goalkeepers on the roster got some playing time in the tightly contested loss.
The three-man rotation in goal was the source of concern for many before the season kicked off. The team was left without the services of George Papachristopoulos '06 and his All-American status. Yet again this supposed weakness has developed into a major strength for this unit as all three net minders have contributed equally to Bowdoin's early success. The three of them are included in the top four of the NESCAC for save percentage.
Ciborowski said of the rotation, "Down the road we will want to have a go-to guy, but right now it is way too hard to pick because three have been up to the task."
The Polar Bears will be looking to improve on their No. 11 ranking in the latest national poll with solid performances this weekend against Skidmore College tonight and Castleton State on Saturday afternoon. These contests will provide Bowdoin with its first real test away from the friendly confines of Dayton Arena.
"Points from these two games will be extremely important down the road because our league is so competitive this year," said Ciborowski.