The Ephs skated onto Middlebury’s rink on Friday night with confidence, coming off the heels of a second 5-3 win against Wesleyan (5-16-1, 3-12-1 NESCAC) this season. As the end of the regular season draws to a close, the team, currently ranked ninth in the NESCAC, hopes to move into the top eight and secure a spot in the NESCAC Tournament.
Defined largely by conservative offensive play from both teams, the match’s first period ended in a 0-0 stalemate, even as Owen Stadheim ’25 and Logan Valkama ’27 put on a vigorous offensive display towards its end. The second period also nearly finished scorelessly, largely due to an impressive performance by goaltender Cal Sandquist ’25. When the deadlock came to an end, it was thanks to an Eph. With just minutes left in the second period, Connor Tobin ’24 drew the Ephs into the lead as he pulled the puck around the net, shooting it just above the shoulder of the Panthers’ goaltender, scoring unassisted for an advantage of 1-0.
Despite the Panthers’ unabating pressure, Sandquist’s heroics prevailed throughout the game’s third period as Friday’s match ended with a 33-save shut-out for the goaltender and a 1-0 Eph victory. “Cal was unbelievable,” Nick Rashkovsky ’25 said in an interview with the Record, praising Sandquist’s work at the net.
Based on the box score, Friday and Saturday’s games were about as disparate as can be — not only in points, but in penalties and power plays, with Saturday’s match featuring over three times as many of each. “We both knew the implications — they could lose their seventh place spot, and we could take it,” Rashkovsky said of the second game’s intensity. “We both were coming in super fiery — they didn’t want to get swept, and we didn’t want to lose at home, so it was the same energy from both sides.”
Though Conner Fitzpatrick ’26 and Valkama fired pucks into the net during the first period, pulling the Ephs within just one goal of the Panthers at 2-3, the second period saw the Panthers double their advantage to 4-2 and the Ephs were unable to convert on a promising offensive response.
Early in the third period, the Panthers dealt the Ephs a dual blow when they could least afford one. What appeared to have been a goal in their favor was retracted upon review as officials determined there to have been a penalty for the Ephs just prior — not only did the Ephs remain down 2-4, but they faced successive Panther power plays. Middlebury capitalized not only on the 5-on-3, but upon the ensuing 5-on-4 as well, building an imposing 6-2 lead.
What followed, however, was a formidable offensive storm from the Ephs — in the three minutes following the Panther’s damaging power plays, the Ephs scored as many goals. First to score were seniors co-captain Henry Muller ’24 and Sean Clarke ’24.
Then, Rashkovsky, having assisted the two prior goals, fired in a shot of his own, following the deft passes of Valkama and Jared Lambright ’26. Trailing by just a goal, the Ephs again had the Panthers insight.
Energized and hoping for a tie, the Ephs opted twice in the last few minutes for six offensive players and an empty net. But unfortunately, risk denied reward as Panthers took advantage of the first of these, winning a faceoff and converting on the empty-netter.
“It was so brutal — we really wanted to win or at least tie it up and send it into overtime,” Muller said of the thwarted comeback.
Despite Saturday’s tough loss, the Ephs remain hopeful, even bolstered by the weekend’s performance. “We were down 6-2, and we brought it back to 6-5,” Rashkovsky said. “That shows our team’s resiliency and character.”
The loss meant stagnancy in the rankings for the Ephs as they continue to sit just a point below number eight Colby (8-11-3, 4-9-3 NESCAC) in the NESCAC. Next weekend, however, the Ephs take on Amherst (13-8-1, 8-7-1 NESCAC) and Hamilton (14-7-1, 9-6-1 NESCAC) in a final rally to secure a spot in the conference playoffs.
