CLINTON, N.Y. – Hamilton College's Alex Danis '26 scored an unassisted short-handed goal and added an assist in the Continentals' 4-3 NESCAC win over the Middlebury College Panthers inside Hamilton's Russell Sage Rink on Friday, Feb. 16.
 

Season Update

• The Continentals (15-7-1, 10-6-1 NESCAC) has clinched a top-four seed and will host a quarterfinal in the 2024 NESCAC championship on Saturday, Feb. 24. Hamilton is in fourth place in the conference standings with one game to play, and could finish as high as second with a win and some help.
• Middlebury (7-12-4, 5-9-3) has lost three of its last four. The Panthers are in seventh place in the standings with one game remaining at Amherst College. The top eight teams advance to the NESCAC quarterfinals.

 

How It Happened

• Ryan Sordillo '27 finished off a 2-on-1 rush from the low slot where he redirected a pass by Danis from the left faceoff circle, and gave the Continentals a 1-0 lead 8:26 into the first period.
• Devon de Vries '27 made it 2-0 at 6:16 of the second period. Hamilton's forecheck forced a turnover in its attacking zone and Jackson Krock '26 pushed the puck over to de Vries in the left faceoff circle. The wrist shot by de Vries beat the goaltender on the glove side.
• Vincent Gould '27 scored his first collegiate goal and provided a three-goal cushion for the Continentals with 8:50 left in the second. Luke Tchor '27 received a pass in the neutral zone and carried the puck across the blue line. Tchor sent a pass across the right faceoff circle to Gould in the slot. Gould faked a backhand shot and deposited the puck into the open net from near the right post.
• Hamilton still led 3-0 midway through the third period and it looked like the Continentals would cruise to the win. A Hamilton player picked up a five-minute major for slew footing with 8:39 remaining and a wild finish ensued.
• Revy Mack pulled Middlebury within two goals with 7:18 to go. Just 21 seconds later, one of the Continentals was sent to the penalty box for slashing.
• Despite the Panthers' 5-on-3 advantage, Hamilton restored its three-goal lead with 5:21 left. Danis picked up a loose puck at the red line and his intention was to dump it harmlessly into the Continentals' attacking zone. He shot it off the glass along the right-side boards but instead of heading for the corner, the puck ricocheted off the glass at a sharp angle and bounced into the net before the goaltender could recover.
• Hamilton wasn't out of the woods yet. Mack scored another power-play goal 29 seconds after Danis' shocking short-handed tally, and Middlebury pulled its goaltender for a sixth skater with about 1:45 to go. Michael Fairfax drew the Panthers within a goal with 26.3 seconds remaining, but Middlebury didn't take another shot and the Continentals held on for the victory.

 

Notes

• Danis recorded the third multi-point game of his Hamilton career.
• Gould scored his first goal and Sordillo notched his second.
• Devon de Vries has scored a goal in four of the last six games.
• Tchor finished with two assists. He leads the NESCAC with 19 helpers and 31 points.
• Ben Zimmerman '26, who was making the start on defense, had an assist and five of the Continentals' 16 blocked shots.
• Krock registered a point for the third straight game and won 12 of 18 faceoffs.
• Max Bulawka '26 won 14 of 19 faceoffs as Hamilton won 37 of 64 as a team.
• Jack Grant '24 made 34 saves for the Continentals and didn't allow an even-strength goal.
• Jake Horoho stopped 33 shots for the Panthers.
• Hamilton swept the season series as the Continentals posted a 5-1 triumph at Middlebury back on Dec. 8.

 

Next Game

Hamilton hosts Williams College (9-13-1, 6-10-1) for another conference contest on Saturday, Feb. 17 at 3 p.m. The Continentals will honor their five seniors before the game.