The Hamilton College men's hockey team remained unbeaten, blanking host Middlebury 3-0 in a NESCAC game Friday night in Middlebury, Vt. The shutout was the second in a row for the Continentals (6-0-1, 3-0-1 NESCAC).

Hamilton has matched the 1993-94 team for the program's best start. The Continentals are one of only two undefeated teams in Division III; they're ranked 11th by D3hockey.com and are the top team in the 'others receiving votes' category of the USCHO.com poll.

Evan Buitenhuis '18 made 21 saves to record his sixth career shutout. He leads the nation in save percentage (.969) and has moved up to second in goals against average (0.99).

Robbie Murden '17 had a goal and an assist in the first period for Hamilton, who sealed the win with an empty-net goal with just under three minutes left.

The Continentals opened the scoring at the 6:12 mark of the first period, scoring in transition. Neil Conway '18 carried the puck up the right wing into the Panther zone and sent a cross-ice pass to Conor Lamberti '17, who fired a shot from the left circle past Middlebury goalie Stephen Klein for his first goal of the season. Klein finished with 31 saves.

Hamilton made it a 2-0 contest 5:42 later, taking advantage of a power play. Murden's wrist shot from the left point went through traffic into the back of the Panther net. Bennett Morrison '20 picked up his fourth assist of the winter on the play.

Truman Landowski '17 scored an empty-net goal with 2:27 left. Jon Carkeek '17 and Brad Smelstor '17 assisted on the goal.

Hamilton – who leads the nation in scoring defense – snapped a six-game winless streak against Middlebury. The Continentals outshot the hosts 34-21.

The Panthers, who remain winless on the season (0-7-0, 0-5) appeared to get on the scoreboard midway through the second period, but an apparent goal by Greg Conrad was waved off following a discussion by the officials.

Holding a 2-0 lead at the start of the third, Buitenhuis got some help from his defense when Carkeek swept away a puck that was sliding toward the goal line off a shot from Middlebury's Travis Stephens. Buitenhuis later made his toughest save of the night while Hamilton was on the power play, using his left pad to deny Mitchell Allen on a shorthanded breakaway.

The Continentals conclude their weekend road swing with a 3 p.m. game at Williams Saturday.