BRUNSWICK, Maine – The Bowdoin men's ice hockey team started the season with a commanding 6-0 win against visiting Middlebury on Saturday evening.

John McGinnis paced the Polar Bears (1-0-0, 1-0-0 NESCAC) with two goals and as many assists, as well as Matt Sullivan with a pair of goals and one helper. Middlebury falls to 0-1-0 (0-1-0 NESCAC) following the shutout.

McGinnis scored the first goal of Bowdoin's 2014-15 season just 2:45 into the opening frame. Taking a feed from Matthew Lison behind the net, McGinnis wrapped around the right post and slipped the puck past Mike Peters. Middlebury looked to even the score with 12 minutes remaining as Evan Neugold curled around the back of the net trying to tuck the puck between Max Fenkell's skate and the post, only to have the goalie close the hole. McGinnis tallied his second goal of the night with 2:55 remaining in the period as he wristed a shot from just inside the faceoff circle and watched the puck ricochet off the crossbar and down into the net.     

After playing over seventeen minutes of scoreless hockey to start the second period, Matt Sullivan put Bowdoin up 3-0 with an open shot from the left faceoff circle going top right. The play started with Spencer Altunez gloving the puck down and shoveling a pass to Matthew Melanson who found an open Sullivan off to his left. With just three seconds remaining in the middle frame, Bowdoin put away its fourth goal of the game. Matthew Lison controlled the puck behind Middlebury's net and connected with McGinnis low on the left who quickly passed across the crease to Connor Quinn for an open net as Peters was unable to adjust in time.

Bowdoin's scoring ways continued, putting away two more in the final frame, to cap its season opener.  After earning his first collegiate assist earlier in the game, Altunez tallied his first goal as a Polar Bear stuffing in a rebound following an initial shot by Sullivan. Sullivan netted his second of the game, converting on the power play with a helper from McGinnis.

Bowdoin outshot the visiting Panthers 31-20, with Fenkell collecting his first shutout of the year with a 20 save performance. Peters made 25 stops for Middlebury.

Middlebury travels to Colby for a 3:00 p.m. matchup tomorrow afternoon. The Polar Bears will host Williams at 3:00 p.m.