MIDDLEBURY, Vt. - The Middlebury College men's ice hockey team scored three times in the first period and never looked back in a 7-1 win over Bowdoin on Sunday evening at Kenyon Arena.

Charlie Strauss scored five points (two goals, three assists) for the Panthers, who improve to 2-0-0 (2-0-0 NESCAC) this season. The Polar Bears, ranked 10th in the latest USCHO.com Division III poll, fall to 0-1-1 (0-1-1 NESCAC).

Strauss got things going for the Panthers just 7:59 into the contest, knocking home a loose puck that Michael Griffin rattled off the post to give the hosts a one-goal lead. Griffin got on the board himself at 17:46, lifting a backhander over the shoulder of Bowdoin's Steve Messina. Strauss capped the period by finishing off a 2-on-1 with just 20 seconds remaining in the frame to give the Panthers a three-goal edge heading into intermission.
 
Aaron O'Callahan made a bid to get the Polar Bears back into the contest early in the second frame, but John Yanchek made a nice save to maintain Middlebury's three-goal lead. The Panthers capitalized by scoring twice in a 2:13 span as Wiggins put home a shot from the right point at 5:44, followed by a George Ordway put-back at 7:57. Charles Nerbak gave the Panthers a 6-0 lead on the power play at 16:35.

Bowdoin's Colin Downey finished off a scramble in front to give Bowdoin it's only goal of the game at 8:41 of the third period. Nerbak closed out the scoring for Middlebury on the power play at 15:16.

Yanchek finished with 19 saves for the Panthers while Messina (11 saves, five goals against, 27:27) and Richard Nerland (19 saves, 32:03) split time in net for Bowdoin. The Panthers held a 37-20 edge in shots and tallied three power play goals as the Polar Bears were charged with 11 penalties.

Bowdoin will return to action in its home opener on Tuesday evening against the University of New England at 7:00 p.m. Middlebury will host Elmira in the opening day of the Primelink Tournament on Friday at 7:00 p.m.