Connecticut College takes down Bowdoin on the road in OT

By Benet Pols

Keith Veronesi (F ,’14) snapped Connecticut College’s season opening seven game winless streak when he snapped home a shot from 15 feet just 54 seconds into overtime in Brunswick. The goal brought the Camels their first win (1-7-0, 1-4-0 NESCAC) of the season. It also ended Bowdoin's three game win streak; the Polar Bears, now 4-3-1 overall, fall to just 1-3-1 in NESCAC.

Vernonesi took a pass  from JC Cangelosi  (F ,’15) who had picked up a loose puck just outside the blue line at the boards after Bowdoin’s transition game betrayed them once again. A cross-ice pass from one defender to another should have allowed the Polar Bears to change up, but the puck was mishandled, allowing Cangelosi to move into the zone on a three-on-one. He went deep, languidly, and looked for the trailing Veronesi in the middle.

Conn College played a good game the first two periods outshooting the Polar Bears 12-10 in the first and being outshot by just one in the second. But the third period seemed to belong to Bowdoin, even playing a man down for four minutes after Gabe Renaud (F/D, ’16) collected a major penalty and a game misconduct for hitting from behind, the Polar Bears put quality shots on the Camels goaltender Tom Conlin (G, '16).

Killing the major seemed like it had given Bowdoin the momentum it needed to finish the game off. The penalty kill of Co-Capt. Harry Matheson (F, '14) and Colin Downey (F, '14)  had several good looks at the net, while Danny Palumbo (F,'15) and Connor Quinn (F ,'15)  had the Conn College power play bottled up behind their own net.

The Polar Bears then got a little help from the Camels. With four gone on Renaud's major the Camels’ Kevin Reich (D,’14) was tagged for hooking, evening things up at four-on-four. Bowdoin was outshooting the Camels heavily through the first 15 minutes of the period and held a 36-30 advantage late.

But Bowdoin gave the Camels one too many last chances. Connecticut College cashed in. With  Ryan Collier (F/D, '15) sitting for a two minute elbowing minor, Joe Giordano (F, ’17) netted a power play goal from low on the right side on a nice cross ice pass from Greg Liautaud (D, ’17). 2:14 remained in regulation.

Bowdoin, with junior goaltender Max Fenkell (G, '15) and senior Co-Capt Jay Livermore (D, '14) back in the line-up, had opened the scoring late in the first period when Tim Coffey (F, ’15) collected a rebound and backhanded it home at 17:57. Linemates Matt Rubinoff (F,’16) and Connor Quinn (F,’15) had been buzzing the net for the whole shift, with Rubinoff being blanked by Conlin on a break-away just seconds earlier. Rubinoff and Jay Kourkoulis (D, ’17) picked up assists on Coffey’s goal.

The second period featured a couple of near misses as Bowdoin's Renaud put a shot on Conlin that ran up and over the goaltender before going wide. Conlin got the save but had no idea where the puck was. Later in the period Giordano, standing alone to the right of the net, choked on a perfect set up that had him one-on-one with Fenkell.

Matt Sullivan’s (F ,’17) first collegiate goal was gift-wrapped for him when Danny Palumbo (F ’16), barreling behind the net, jammed on the brakes and dropped a quick forehand pass just by the post and onto to Sullivan’s stick. Conlin was still going the other direction looking for the wrap-around.

Bowdoin’s 2-0 lead evaporated as just 24 seconds later Mike Sinsigalli (F ’14) took a beautiful pass from Steve Servideo (F ’14) and halved the Polar Bear lead.

Bowdoin’s line-up is still in flux as seniors Ollie Koo (D/F, '14) and Kyle Lockwood (D/F, '14) remain sidelined. The pair combined for 56 points last season and Lockwood netted both Bowdoin goals, including the rarely seen overtime open-net goal to win the game, in last February’s 2-1 OT win over the Camels. While rotating defensemen through as forwards and changing line combinations every period worked well against overmatched UMass Dartmouth last week, the Camels seemed ready to play.

The rejuvenated Camels head to Waterville tomorrow to face the Colby Mules, surprise 5-2 losers to Tufts. Neither Tufts nor Connecticut College was expected to do well in Maine this week. Both came into the weekend winless in NESCAC and with Tufts owning the only win between them. What should have been an opportunity for pre-season favorite Bowdoin, and the ascendant Mules, to collect four points will now require a serious face saving lest the teams form the Pine Tree State head into the Christmas break in the NESCAC cellar.