The NCAA News - News and Features

March 31, 1997

Middlebury fends off rally to win III hockey championship

Two-time defending champion Middlebury held off a late surge by Wisconsin-Superior to win its third consecutive Division III Men's Ice Hockey Championship with a 3-2 victory over the Yellowjackets.

The game was played March 22 at Middlebury.

Wisconsin-Stevens Point -- which won consecutive championships from 1989 through 1991 -- is the only other school in Division III history to win three consecutive men's ice hockey titles.

"It's a feeling very hard to describe," Middlebury head coach Bill Beaney said of his team's accomplishment. "Starting back in November, I didn't think we would get to this point. It's a real tribute to this group of young men that they developed and improved over the year and got better and better."

Wisconsin-Superior scored first when senior forward Dustin Fahl slapped in a rebound of a Brent Shaback shot at 6:29 of the second period. Middlebury answered at the 8:52 mark on a power-play goal from freshman forward Curt Goldman, who jumped on a rebound following a slap shot from Sebastien Bilodeau.

The Panthers went ahead for good at 15:21 when sophomore Ross Sealfon deflected a shot from Bilodeau for a 2-1 Middlebury lead.

"Coach kept saying, 'Get the puck to the net,' not necessarily a slap shot but just a wrist shot," Bilodeau said. "Those two quick goals took the momentum away from them and then we just had to hang on."

Freshman forward John Giannacopoulos scored what proved to be the game-winner at 10:18 of the third period on an assist from Goldman. It marked the third consecutive year that a freshman scored the game-winning goal for Middlebury in the championship game.

"I have been dreaming about this for years," Giannacopoulos said. "It's a dream come true. We knew what we had to do and we did it."

Shaback scored a goal for Wisconsin-Superior at 17:27 to cut the lead to 3-2, but the Panthers held off a late push to record the victory.

Junior goaltender Chris Farion made 28 saves in goal for Middlebury, while Wisconsin-Superior netminder Dave Graichen recorded 35 saves.

Wisconsin-Superior coach Steve Nelson said, "I thought the turning point came when they scored their second goal, the power-play goal. When they scored the third goal, it was a little too much for us to overcome.

"We played hard and I have no regrets. I'm very proud of our players; I consider my team a championship team."

Middlebury ended its championship season with a 22-3-2 record, while Wisconsin-Superior finished with a 23-9-2 mark.

SEMIFINALS

Wis.-Superior 2, Norwich 1 (2 ot)

Norwich -- 0 -- 0 -- 1 -- 0 -- 0 -- 1

Wis.-Superior -- 1 -- 0 -- 0 -- 0 -- 1 -- 2

First period: Wis.-Superior -- Steve Wiggins (Brent Shaback, Paul Jay), 7:39 (pp). Penalties: Wis.-Superior -- Dustin Fahl (hooking), 1:33; Norwich -- Nick Thomas (roughing), 4:16; Norwich -- Jason Lumsden (holding the stick), 6:23; Wis.-Superior -- Chris Chelios (interference), 8:46; Norwich -- Cory Beaulac (interference), 9:24; Wis.-Superior -- Todd Drouin (hooking), 9:53; Wis.-Superior -- Craig Boyd (cross-checking), 15:25; Norwich -- Curt Healy (holding the stick), 17:09.

Second period: Penalties: Norwich -- Matt Gfroerer (cross-checking), :07; Wis.-Superior -- Lon Hovland (holding), 2:42; Wis.-Superior -- Jay (boarding), 5:20; Norwich -- Too many men on ice (served by Aaron Phelan), 17:07; Wis.-Superior -- Hovland (high-sticking), 18:37.

Third period: Norwich -- Lumsden (Mike Dyment, Bryce Herperger), 19:15. Penalties: Norwich -- Thomas (holding), 4:24; Wis.-Superior -- Boyd (hitting from behind), 4:31; Wis.-Superior -- Janne Hassi (tripping), 4:55.

Second overtime: Wis.-Superior -- Brian Barker (Jay), 11:16.

Shots on goal: Norwich -- 15-17-13-18-7--70; Wis.-Superior -- 7-13-5-14-10--49. Saves: Norwich -- Peter MacLean 47; Wis.-Superior -- Dave Graichen 69. Penalties: Norwich -- 7 for 14 min.; Wis.-Superior -- 9 for 18 min. Attendance: 1,500.

Middlebury 4, St. John's (Minn.) 1

Middlebury -- 2 -- 1 -- 1 -- 4

St. John's (Minn.) -- 0 -- 1 -- 0 -- 1

First period: Middlebury -- Nickolai Bobrov (Cam Petke, Francois Gravel), 1:11 (pp); Middlebury -- Mark Spence (Mike Anastasio), 13:03. Penalties: St. John's (Minn.) -- Tryg Sarsland (interference), :59; Middlebury -- Ryan Goldman (interference), 5:44; St. John's (Minn.) -- Matt Erredge (roughing), 19:34.

Second period: St. John's (Minn.) -- Steve Aldrich (Ryen Ratfield), 14:02 (sh); Middlebury -- Anastasio (John Giannacopoulos, Ben Barnett), 17:47 (pp). Penalties: Middlebury -- Ross Sealfon (hooking), 9:11; St. John's (Minn.) -- Robb Zavitz (elbowing), 13:37; St. John's (Minn.) -- Bryan Romfo (cross-checking), 14:44; St. John's (Minn.) -- Riley Kieffer (elbowing), 17:32.

Third period: Middlebury -- Spence (unassisted), 15:48. Penalties: Middlebury -- Spence (slashing), 5:23; Middlebury -- Giannacopoulos (hooking), 8:14.

Shots on goal: Middlebury -- 13-22-13--48; St. John's (Minn.)-- 12-9-4 -- 25. Saves: Middlebury -- Chris Farion 24; St. John's (Minn.) -- Mark Rice 44. Penalties: Middlebury -- 4 for 8 min.; St. John's (Minn.) -- 5 for 10 min. Attendance: 1,600.

THIRD PLACE

St. John's (Minn.) 4, Norwich 3

Norwich -- 2 -- 0 -- 1 -- 3

St. John's (Minn.) -- 0 -- 2 -- 2 -- 4

First period: Norwich -- Curt Healey (Marc Bellamare, Michael Ludwar), 1:11; Norwich -- Jason Lumsden (Geoff Liska, Dan Rowan), 7:14. Penalties: Norwich -- Ethan Harding (interference), 9:56; St. John's (Minn.) -- Riley Kieffer (hooking), 11:45; St. John's (Minn.) -- Jerr Johnson (cross-checking), 15:12; Norwich -- Cory Beaulac (tripping), 17:46; St. John's (Minn.) -- Jason Johnson (misconduct), 19:10; Norwich -- Lumsden (holding), 19:44; Norwich -- Lumsden (roughing), 19:44; St. John's (Minn.) -- Bryan Romfo (roughing), 19:44.

Second period: St. John's (Minn.) -- Tom Nast (Ryan Mitchell, Robb Zavitz), :30 (pp); St. John's (Minn.) -- Steve Aldrich (Ryen Ratfield), 3:57. Penalties: Norwich -- Harding (slashing), 1:10; Norwich -- Harding (hooking), 5:19; Norwich -- Harding (interference), 10:46; St. John's (Minn.) -- Sean Sweeney (high-sticking), 11:56.

Third period: Norwich -- Harding (Beaulac, Rowan), 5:11 (pp); St. John's (Minn.) -- Tryg Sarsland (Aldrich, Mike Wehmhoff), 9:48; St. John's (Minn.) -- Wehmhoff (Nick Kulenkamp), 15:13. Penalties: St. John's (Minn.) -- Zavitz (holding), 4:49; St. John's (Minn.) -- Mark Swenson (high-sticking), 8:22; Norwich -- Liska (holding), 9:13; Norwich -- Ludwar (slashing), 13:40; St. John's (Minn.) -- Ratfield (high-sticking), 13:40.

Shots on goal: Norwich -- 9-4-11--24; St. John's (Minn.) -- 7-11-13--31. Saves: Norwich -- Brian Leary 27; St. John's (Minn.) -- Mark Ketzner 21. Penalties: Norwich -- 9 for 18 min.; St. John's (Minn.) -- 8 for 24 min. Attendance: 1,600.

CHAMPIONSHIP

Middlebury 3, Wis.-Superior 2

Wis.-Superior -- 0 -- 1 -- 1 -- 2

Middlebury -- 0 -- 2 -- 1 -- 3

First period: Penalties: Wis.-Superior -- Paul Jay (hooking), 18:42.

Second period: Wis.-Superior -- Dustin Fahl (Brent Shaback, Craig Boyd), 6:29; Middlebury -- Curt Goldman (Sebastien Bilodeau, Mike Anastasio), 10:40 (pp); Middlebury -- Ross Sealfon (Bilodeau), 15:21. Penalties: Middlebury -- Brady Priest (interference), 1:48; Wis.-Superior -- Boyd (interference), 8:52; Wis.-Superior -- Jon Garver (high-sticking), 13:16.

Third period: Middlebury -- John Giannacopoulos (Goldman, Priest), 10:18; Wis.-Superior -- Shaback (Fahl), 17:27. Penalties: Wis.-Superior -- Boyd (cross-checking), :51; Middlebury -- Giannacopoulos (tripping), 7:48; Wis.-Superior -- Rodney Graham (cross-checking), 13:44; Wis.-Superior -- Lon Hovland (cross-checking), 19:44.

Shots on goal: Wis.-Superior -- 6-15-9--30; Middlebury--14-15-9 -- 38. Saves: Wis.-Superior -- Dave Graichen 35; Middlebury -- Chris Farion 28. Penalties: Wis.-Superior -- 6 for 12 min.; Middlebury -- 2 for 4 min. Attendance: 1,600.