Courtesy Middlebury Athletic Communications

Box Score

SUPERIOR, Wis. - Middlebury saw its hopes of a fourth straight NCAA Championship come to an end as they fell to Oswego 4-3 in overtime. The loss is the first in a title game for the Panthers, who end their season at 20-8-2. Garren Reisweber won the title for the Lakers as he broke in down the right wing, skated across the crease and tucked a shot into the left side of the net. Middlebury out shot Oswego 50-33 on the night, seeing 47 of those shots stopped by Oswego netminder Ryan Scott.

The game was back and forth early, with Middlebury holding an edge offensively. The Panthers generated some quality scoring chances, including four on a power play at 8:58, but were unable to score on Scott. Middlebury had another power play chance late in the period, but were unable to muster up any quality scoring chances. Oswego went on its first power play of the game with 58 seconds remaining in the period, but did not get any shots on goal. The Panthers ended the period with a 19-6 shots advantage.

Oswego continued the second period on its power play, with Ross Cherry making a big save on Peter Magagna just moments into the period. Reisweber gathered the rebound off the back boards and then scored from a tough angle as his shot went in off the pads of Cherry. The goal was the first allowed in an NCAA Championship game by Middlebury in a span of 326:30 minutes (dating back to 2-1 win in '98 final, four shutout wins since).

Middlebury tied the game at 8:42 as Jamie McKenna held the puck down the right win, paused and then snapped a shot into the top left corner of the net. Scott Bartlett had a chance to give the Panthers a 2-1 lead moments later, but his shot from the slot was stopped by the pads of Scott.

The Panthers would take a 2-1 lead a short time later at 9:54, as they went on a five-on-three power play. Tom Maldonado found John Sales for the one-timer on the left wing, as Sales ripped a shot into the back of the net. The Lakers tied the game with 3:45 remaining in the period as Trevor Gilligan's shot from the left wing hit the pads of Cherry, before falling to the ice and trickling over the goal line. Middlebury killed off an Oswego power play at 17:53, leaving the game in a 2-2 tie after two periods of play.

Cherry denied a pair of Laker attempts early in the period, stopping Tyler Lyon on a breakaway at the 3:30 mark. Oswego took a 3-2 lead 5:33 into the period when Magagna scored on the power play down low on the right side. Magagna received the puck at the bottom of the face-off circle from Brendan McLaughlin, before snapping a shot into the net off the cross bar. Cherry kept it a 3-2 game at 7:30 as she sprawled across the goal crease to deny Mark Lozzi. The Panthers had a power play fail at the 12:41 mark, with a couple of quality shots on goal. Middlebury was able to tie the game with 2:25 remaining as John Sullivan scored from the slot after a flurry in front of the Oswego net.

Both teams had some quality chances through the first 10 minutes of overtime with the goaltenders remaining steady. Cherry ended the game with 29 saves for the Panthers, while Scott made 47 for the Lakers.