BRUNSWICK, Maine – The Bowdoin men's ice hockey team returned to the win column with a 5-1 victory over visiting Trinity on Saturday night. 

The Polar Bears 7-8-0 (4-6-0 NESCAC) were looking for their first win since returning to the ice in January. The Bantams dropped both games of their Maine road trip Maine, falling to 8-5-1 (4-4-0 NESCAC).

Game Highlights

• Bowdoin took the early lead 2:35 into the game off a second effort shot by Matthew Melanson. Melanson made his initial bid on net from the right dot, with the puck bouncing back into play off Alex Morin. He followed his own shot and cleaned up the rebound at the far post.
• Cody Todesco pick pocketed a Trinity defender on the back boards and found Austin Ricci on the inside edge of the left circle. Ricci received the puck and fired off a wrister in one move to double Bowdoin's lead 7:42 into the period.
• A misplay by a Trinity player just inside Bowdoin's blue line opened up an opportunity for John-Alexander Kourkoulis. The senior skated down the center of the ice, cutting right as he approached net, and launched a shot past Morin for the three goal lead.
• Trinity came out strong in the second frame, earning several promising looks at net. Tyler Whitney intercepted a breakout pass in Bowdoin's zone and turned back on Peter Cronin for a one-on-one. Cronin turned away the shot with a kick save, but the Bantams converted a minute later. Sean Orlando capitalized on a scrum in the crease to score his team's only goal. The puck slid out of traffic towards Orlando on the left post, allowing the senior to quickly collect it and roof it high on the near side.
• With 1:02 remaining in the second period, Todesco buried a rebound to push Bowdoin's lead back to three. Chris Wallace started the play with a center ice interception, allowing the pair to turn towards Bantam territory. Morin turned away Wallace's slapshot, but Todesco came flying towards net to put away the rebound.
• Matthew Lison added to Bowdoin's lead with an empty netter from center ice.

By the Numbers

• The Bantams went 0-for-5 on the power play, while Bowdoin was 0-for-2.
• Cronin ended the day with 37 saves in net for the Polar Bears to earn the first win of 2017.
• Morin had 27 stops for Trinity.

Up Next

• Bowdoin hits the road for a pair of league matchups next Friday and Saturday. The Polar Bears face Williams at 7:00 p.m. on January 20.
• The Bantams host Tufts on Friday at 7:30 p.m.