It seems like Brunswick has a case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde to deal with after last weekend's results for the Bowdoin Men's Ice Hockey Team (11-5-3, 8-5-2 NESCAC) . The men went from the highest of highs, defeating high-ranking Amherst (12-6-1, 9-5-1 NESCAC), 5-1, to the lowest of lows, losing to NESCAC bottom-dwellers Hamilton (6-13-1, 5-9-1 NESCAC), 2-1, in a 24-hour span.
The 5-1 victory over the Jeffs was particularly impressive considering Bowdoin's dire 1-4-3 away record going into the matchup.
The men used five unanswered goals to make a statement against the 10th-ranked team in Division III hockey. Amherst scored first, 6:06 into the second period, but the one-two punch of Bowdoin's Ryan Blossom '10 and Mike Westerman '08, who scored back-to-back goals in a 1:15 span in the second period, ended up being all the Bears would need.
The Polar Bears wanted to be as thorough as possible, however, and third-period goals from Blossom, Colin Hughes '07, and Mike Corbelle '10 put the nail in the coffin.
First-year net-minder Chris Rossi made an impressive 31 saves en route to his third straight win. The rookie with gaudy numbers (2.27 GAA, .911 save percentage) appears to be settling in just at the right time for Bowdoin.
Hamilton did its best to bring out Dr. Jekyll, however, as it forced a disappointing 2-1 loss out of the visiting Polar Bears. The Continentals got all the offense they needed?two goals?in a two-minute span in the opening frame as Bowdoin was unable to muster any sort of response. Leland Fidler '10 did his best to rally his team with an answering goal in the first period, but ultimately Hamilton was able to hold on for a narrow 2-1 victory.
The real highlight of the weekend was undoubtedly the excellent form of the first-year class. The group continues to surprise and impress spectators from all over Division III hockey. The crew combined for four of the weekend's six goals and have contributed over one-third (27/75) of all goals scored by Bowdoin this year. When you add that offense to the outstanding play of Rossi between the pipes, the sheer potential of this group becomes very clear.
"They definitely bring a spark to this team and have performed above and beyond so far this year, and I'd hope it stays that way right through the playoffs," said team captain Bryan Ciborowski '07, describing the role of the rookie class.
The talented group will hope to maintain this high standard tonight as they face NESCAC rivals Trinity at Dayton Arena.
Two weeks remain and it would be hard to find a closer race for first place in NESCAC history. The 13th-ranked Polar Bears will be bolstered by the return of team stalwart Ciborowski, who has been skating with the team all week after recovering from a torn MCL. The captain hopes to contribute in any way possible as the team continues its push for the top spot in the conference. If nothing else, the team will gain from his positive and determined approach.
"Guys are really fired up coming down this home stretch," Ciborowski said. "We have nothing but that first-place seeding on our minds."
Bowdoin will face Trinity at 7:00 p.m. today and then face off against Wesleyan, currently the NESCAC's top team, at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday.