Miller's OT Goal Gives Hockey 4-3 Win at Middlebury

MIDDLEBURY, VT (January 28, 2023) - Junior defenseman Sam Miller scored during a 5-on-3 power play 39 seconds into overtime to give visiting Tufts University a much-needed 4-3 men's hockey win at Middlebury College on Saturday afternoon.

The host Panthers were whistled for a roughing penalty and then a bench minor giving the Jumbos a two-man advantage with 23 seconds remaining in regulation. Middlebury survived the remainder of the third period, but in OT Jumbo freshman Max Resnick tipped the rebound of  shot out to sophomore Tyler Sedlak at the left point. He sent it across to Miller who one-timed a shot for the game-winning goal.

Tufts, led by a goal and an assist each from sophomores Harrison Bazianos and Brennan Horn, improves to 6-11-1 overall and 3-8-1 in the conference. The Jumbos are now 5-0-1 in their last six games against Middlebury, who fell to 4-14-0 overall and 3-9 in the league.

After a scoreless first period, Tufts had built a 2-0 lead in the second. On a Jumbo power play freshman Cole Dubicki won a face off and got it to Bazianos behind him for a shot from the circle that put Tufts up 1-0 at 4:41 of the second. For the second goal, Bazianos helped force a loose puck at the Middlebury blue line picked up junior Joel Brandinger. From the right of the zone he sent a shot in far side and the Jumbos led 2-0 at 12:45 of the second.

Middlebury would rally to tie the game at 2-2. Ryan Pineault, on a two-on-one, kept the puck and scored the first Panther goal with four minutes left in the second. Then at 9:54 of the third, Panther Jin Lee controlled the rebound of a shot behind the net and scored a wrap-around goal for a 2-2 score.

Less than two minutes later though, Bazianos forced a turnover along the left boards in the Panther end and got the puck behind the goal line. He fed it out to Horn who pushed it in at 11:41 for a 3-2 Tufts lead.

However, Middlebury's Nolan Moore scored from the middle of the left circle with just under five minutes to go in regulation tying the game at 3-3.

Middlebury's Zach Whitehead hit the post on a break-in with barely one minute left before the double minors were whistled and Tufts capitalized to win the game.

Junior Peyton Durand made 34 saves in the victory for Tufts, including 17 in the third period. The Jumbos finished two for three on power plays while holding Middlebury to 0 for 2. Tufts out-shot the Panthers 46-37.

Jake Horoho, who stopped 22 shots in the second frame, finished with 42 for Middlebury. Lee tallied a goal and an assist for the hosts.