For Immediate Release
Contact Dave Geringer, Sports Information Director, (508) 990-9651  [log in to unmask]
Saturday, March 10, 2007				 

UMASS DARTMOUTH FALLS AT MIDDLEBURY,  3-2, IN NCAA PLAYOFFS 

MIDDLEBURY, VT–It was like déjà vu all over again for the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth’s hockey team in their NCAA quarter-final playoff game against defending champion Middlebury at the Chip Kenyon ‘85 Arena Saturday.

For the second consecutive season, the Corsairs saw their season end at Kenyon. John Sullivan’s power play goal at the 6:15 mark of the third period held up as the game-winner as the Panthers edged the Corsairs, 3-2.

Sullivan took a pass from John Sales and ripped a shot into the net with just 10 seconds left on Middlebury’s man advantage. The goal stood up as the Corsairs controlled play in the waning
moments.

The teams exchanged goals in each of the first two periods, and the third period began with the teams deadlocked at 2-2. 

The Panthers scored first, taking a 1-0 lead on Eric LaFreniere’s power play goal at 7:29 of the first period. LaFreniere, who scored twice in last year’s playoff game between the two teams,
re-directed a wrist shot from the left point by Brett Shirreffs up and over Corsair sophomore goaltender Jeff Green (Medway, MA/Valley Jr.Warriors).

UMass Dartmouth tied it on the Panthers’ next power play. Senior defenseman Paul Carr (Springfield, MA/Cathedral HS) picked up a loose puck, broke in a lone and beat Middlebury goaltender Ross Cherry with a low backhand shot. His short-handed goal tied the game at 1-1 at the 9:24 mark of the first period.

Middlebury drew first blood in the second period, scoring on a two-on-one break at the 31 second mark. Mickey Gilchrist, MC’s leading scorer, converted a pass from Jamie McKenna, tipping it into an open net to give Middlebury a 2-1 advantage.

Junior forward Jeff Grant (Burlington, MA/Austin Prep), UMass Dartmouth’s leading scorer, tied the score when he fired a wrist shot from the face-off circle over Cherry’s blocker of Middlebury goaltender Ross Cherry at 3:24 of the second period. Sophomore defenseman Francis Gunn (Winthrop, MA/Berkshire Academy) and freshman defenseman Paul Moran (Rockville Centre, NY/Boston Jr. Bulldogs) drew assists on the play.

“Two power play goals were the difference this year, and they were the difference last year,” said UMass Dartmouth Head Coach John Rolli. “We knew we couldn’t afford to take any stick penalties, and they got a power play and took advantage of it. They play a style that is very conducive to being successful in their rink. They use all of the ice and make you loosen up, and they’re a very good team. They won a national championship last year with one senior, and that’s what we were up against..”

The Panthers out shot UMass Dartmouth, 31-20. Green made 28 saves, while
Cherry made 18.

With the defeat, the Corsairs fell to 25-3-1 and saw their season end. Middlebury improved to 19-7-1 and advanced to next Saturday’s NCAA semi-finals against Manhattanville at Wisconsin-Superior’s Wessman Arena.


UMASS DARTMOUTH HOCKEY

 UMass Dartmouth (25-3-1) vs. Middlebury (19-7-3)
 Date: Mar 10, 2007  Location: Middlebury, VT        Arena: Chip Kenyon Arena
 Attendance:2440   Start time:7:00 pm   End time:9:05 pm   Total time:2:05
 Goals by Period       1  2  3  Tot
 ----------------------------------
 UMass Dartmouth.....  1  1  0 -  2
 Middlebury..........  1  1  1 -  3

   1st period - 1, MIDM, Eric LaFreniere/4 (Brett Shirreffs/8) 7:29
(pp). 2, UMDM, Paul Carr/6 9:24 (sh). Penalties - Chris Shore, UMDM
(cross-checking) 6:05; Billy Carroll, UMDM (high sticking) 7:49; Brett
Shirreffs, MIDM (interference) 17:06.

   2nd period - 3, MIDM, Mickey Gilchrist/18 (Jamie McKenna/12) :31.
4, UMDM, Jeff Grant/25 (Francis Gunn/12, Paul Moran/7) 3:24. Penalties
- Darwin Hunt, MIDM (slashing) 6:10; Darwin Hunt, MIDM (goaltender
interference) 8:25.

   3rd period - 5, MIDM, John Sullivan/7 (John Sales/15) 6:15 (pp).
Penalties - Billy Carroll, UMDM (slashing) 4:35.

   Shots on goal - UMDM 7-8-5 20; MIDM 12-8-11 31.

   Power plays - UMDM 0 of 3; MIDM 2 of 3.

   Penalties - UMDM 3 (6 min); MIDM 3 (6 min).

   Goalies - UMDM, Jeff Green 25-3-1 (58:44 minutes, 31 shots-28
saves) , EMPTY NET (01:16, 0-0); MIDM, Ross Cherry 7-4-3 (60:00,
20-18).

  A-2440  T-2:05