Portland Maine News

The Bowdoin men's ice hockey team saw its post-season run come to an end in a 1-0 NCAA First Round overtime loss to Curry College on Saturday night.

 

The Polar Bears earned the NESCAC's automatic qualifying bid to the national tournament after securing the 2023 conference championship as the first seven-seed to win the title. The season ends with a 15-10-3 record and the team's first NCAA appearance since 2014. Curry earned an at-large bid to the tournament after falling in the Commonwealth Coast Conference championship game and extends its season with a 22-5-1 record.

 

Game Highlights

• The goalies on both ends made numerous clutch saves throughout the game. Alex Kozic made three saves during a power play in the opening minutes of the second period. Kozic added four additional saves before five minutes had elapsed from the clock.
• Albert Washco and Jesse Lycan earned a two-on-goal at 6:41, but Lycan's bid was gloved down by Reid Cooper.
• George Vonakis beat Kozic and earned an open look at net in the third, but his shot went wide.
• Both goalies continued to put on a clinic with 39 regulation saves by Kozic and 36 by Cooper as the teams headed into overtime.
• Curry won the game in overtime with a goal at 11:02. Timmy Kent set up the play from behind the net and fed Mark Zhukov in the slot. Zhukov received the puck and released a wrister over Kozic's right shoulder.

By the Numbers

• Curry has one of the most potent power play units in the nation, ranking fourth with a 28% power play percentage. The Polar Bears held the Colonels to 0-for-4 on the power play.
• Bowdoin went 0-for-1 on the power play.
• Kozic made 48 saves for the Polar Bears.
• Cooper turned away all 37 shots he faced.

Original source can be found here