BOX SCORE

BRUNSWICK, Maine - Jeoffrey Jarnot scored twice and goaltender Cody McKinney posted 32 saves to lead the Colby men's ice hockey team to a 4-3 win over Bowdoin in the first game between the two long-time rivals played at Bowdoin's Sidney J. Watson Arena. With the win, the Mules (6-2-0) sweep the regular-season series with the Polar Bears (5-2-0) for the first time since 1996-97.

Saturday was the 192nd meeting between the schools, with Bowdoin's all-time lead now standing at 98-86-8.

The Mules broke through late in the opening period when a broken play resulted in a loose puck in front of the Bowdoin net. Jarnot wristed a chance from the right circle past Nerland to give the visitors the 1-0 lead. Minutes later, an odd-man rush saw Cory McGrath feed Dan Nelson, who netted the puck inside the left post to give the visitors a 2-0 edge. With under a minute to play in the period, a long pass by Bowdoin's Rob MacGregor found Jordan Lalor streaking down the right wing. With one arm fending off a Mule, Lalor slipped the puck between the pads of Cody McKinney with just five seconds remaining in the period to close the gap to a single goal at the first intermission.

The Mules pushed the lead back to two goals early in the second period when Billy Crinnion stole a puck in the neutral zone, skated down the left wing and tucked the puck inside the left post for a shorthanded tally. Bowdoin made a pair of bids to draw closer, once shorthanded and another on a 4x4 late in the period, but McKinney swept aside both chances to maintain the two-goal lead for the Mules.

Bowdoin was able to find the back of the net to start the final frame when Erik Olson skated into the offensive zone and left a drop-pass to Mike Corbelle, who went top-shelf on  McKinney at with 14:11 remaining. The Mules responded three minutes later when Jeoffrey Jarnot ripped a slap shot from just inside the blue line to push the lead back to two goals.

The Polar Bears cut the lead to a single goal again with 6:04 left, when Kyle Shearer-Hardy's initial shot was blocked in front. Brendan Reich pounced on the rebound and backhanded it inside the left post to make it 4-3. Bowdoin had several great chances in the closing moments, and played the final 1:25 with the empty net. The Polar Bears posted a flurry of shots around the crease in the closing seconds, but officials indicated no goal as the buzzer sounded.

Jarnot, who finished with a pair of goals, was named the winner of the Peter Schuh Memorial Trophy, given annually to the MVP of the Bowdoin-Colby game played in Brunswick. McKinney finished with 32 saves for the Mules while Nerland stopped 18 for the Polar Bears.

Saturday's announced attendance of 2,300 set a Watson Arena record.

Photos courtesy of Brian Beard and Creative Images Photography.