Great Scots: Monmouth Stuns Middlebury 7-6 in Sudden Death Overtime at Division III Club Championship

Jeff Skalon

BRUNSWICK, Maine -- Jeff Skalon (So., Hoffman Estates, Ill.) waited until when his team needed his scoring most to pump in his only tally of the day as he unleashed a shot from the right wing which sailed into the upper left corner of the cage with 10 seconds left in the first sudden death overtime period to hand Monmouth College a 7-6 victory in sudden death overtime against Middlebury College.

The win marks the first for Monmouth in the first round of the Division III National Collegiate Club Championship as the Fighting Scots previously finished seventh in their two previous trips to the tournament (2007, 2008).  In addition, the victory guarantees that Monmouth will record their best ever finish at the Division III Championship as the Scots can finish no lower than fourth at the 2009 tourney.

Although scoring ultimately won the game, the play of both teams' goalies kept their programs in the contest to set-up the climatic finish.

For Middlebury, Erik Shaw (So., La Canada, Calif.) played the first half stopping seven shots with two goals allowed, while Ben Weinberg (So., Greenwich, Conn.) finished out the game allowing five goals and stopping five shots to take the loss for the Panthers. 

However, Player of the Game Frank Wasielewski (So., Chicago, Ill.) was the hero of the day for the Fighting Scots as he swatted away 11 shots to keep his team in the contest until Skalon connected to close out the game.

Leading 2-1 at halftime as Monmouth's Joshua Dunn (So., Brookfield, Ill.) and Joe Testolin (So., Darien, Ill.) connected on even-strength markers in the second period following an advantage goal by Middlebury's Ted Hall (So., Mclean, Va.) in the first period, the Scots saw their lead evaporate midway through the third period. 

Patrick Burton (Sr., Oak Park, Ill.) netted back-to-back man-up goals at 4:58 and 2:01 to put the Panthers ahead 3-2 before Joe Moran (Sr., Naperville, Ill.) retied the game at 3-3 with 35 seconds left in the period for Monmouth.

Neither team could pull away in the fourth period or overtime as Burton buried a shot at 6:36 of the fourth to put Middlebury ahead 4-3, before Dunn answered at 5:31 with an exclusion score for Monmouth to set the score at 4-4.  The two teams continued the pattern throughout the period and the first OT frame as Middlebury's Ian Lindsay (Fr., Walnut Creek, Calif.) scored at 2:10 to put the Panthers ahead 5-4, and Moran answered at 1:10 for the Scots to set the score at 5-5 at the end of regulation.

Both teams struck for scores in the first OT period as Burton tacked on his fourth tally of the day with 1:55 left in the extra period to put Middlebury back in front 6-5, but the Fightin' Scots needed just 14 seconds to retie the game as Moran completed a hat-trick at the 1:41 mark to even the score at 6-6 and set up Skalon's dramatic tally.

Monmouth advances to face Washington University (Mo.), a 9-8 victor over host Bowdoin College, at 5:15 p.m. in the semifinals, while Middlebury will face Bowdoin at 4:00 p.m. with a berth in the fifth place game at stake.

Middlebury Goals: Patrick Burton (4); Ted Hall; Ian Lindsay

Monmouth Goals: Joe Moran (3); Joshua Dunn (2); Jeff Skalon; Joe Testolin

Saves: Middlebury - Erik Shaw (7), Ben Weinberg (5) ; Monmouth - Frank Wasieleski (11)

Exclusions: Middlebury - ; Monmouth -

Advange Opportunities: Middlebury - 3-of-3 ; Monmouth - 1-of-1