First Annual Teddy Bear Toss

Come to the first annual Teddy Bear Toss at Spartan Arena! This new tradition will happen annually at the Spartans' last home game of the calendar year. If you bring a new teddy bear or stuffed animal you will get free admission to the Castleton vs. Skidmore game. As soon as Castleton scores their first goal of the night, that's when you make your donation! Toss your teddy bear onto the ice and they will all be collected on behalf of Toys for Kids of Vermont. All toys will be distributed locally with help from the Salvation Army. Any "donation" made on the ice at any other time during the game, will result in a penalty for the home team, so be sure you're paying attention to the goal judge and are ready to throw!

No. 4 ranked Polar Bears defeat No. 14 Spartans, 3-2

RUTLAND, Vt. – Bowdoin scored just one minute and 20 seconds into the contest and held on for an eventual 3-2 victory over Castleton in ECAC East/NESCAC crossover action at Spartan Arena on Saturday evening.

Bowdoin, ranked fourth in the latest USCHO.com NCAA Division III poll, improves to 4-1-0 overall/3-1-0 conference. The Spartans, ranked 14th overall, fall to 4-2-0 overall and 2-2-0 in conference play.
Senior forward Jeff Fanning (Billerica, Mass.) jumpstarted the Polar Bears offense barely a minute into the game snapping a wrist shot past Castleton goaltender Seth McNary (Woburn, Mass.) into the top right corner of the net for a 1-0 advantage.

On the penalty kill, senior defenseman Kyle Hanson (Calgary, Alb.) gave Bowdoin a 2-0 lead at 10:48 of the first stealing the puck at Castleton’s blue-line and firing a laser of a wrist shot into the top right corner behind McNary.

Aaron O’Callahan (Glencoe, Ill.) pushed the Polar Bears ahead 3-0 at 7:19 of the second period with a one-timer from the blue-line over the blocker of Spartans’ goaltender Erick Cinotti (Mahwah, N.J.) for his second marker of the season. Rob MacGregor (Collegeville, Pa.) assisted on the score.

Thirty five seconds later, Castleton responded right back as sophomore forward Josh Harris (Torrance, Calif.) tallied his third goal of the season beating Richard Nerland (Calgary, Alb.) blocker side to make the score 3-1. Stuart Stefan (Delhi, Ont.) and Dru Douglas (Whitby, Ont.) assisted on the goal.

Seconds before the second period ended (19:52), senior captain Lindsay Gullett (Wawanesa, Man.) cut the deficit to 3-2 on the power play stuffing home a loose puck in front of the crease behind Nerland.

In the third, the Spartans appeared to tie the game at 3-3 only 40 seconds into the period as Harris put back his own rebound past Nerland but the officials waved off the would-be game tying goal ruling that the net was dislodged before the puck crossed the goal line.

Nerland was the difference in net for Bowdoing making 36 saves on the evening. McNary turned away four shots while Cinotti made 15 saves.

Castleton returns to action on Friday, December 10 at Spartan Arena against Skidmore at 7:00 p.m.

Hartigan, Mules hand Castleton first loss of season

RUTLAND, Vt. – Colby senior forward Wil Hartigan (Arlington, Mass.) potted the eventual game-winning goal at 17:07 of the third period to give the Mules a 5-3 victory over the Castleton State College men’s ice hockey team on Friday night at Spartan Arena in ECAC-East/NESCAC crossover action.

Colby improves to 2-3-0 overall and 1-2-0 in conference play. The Spartans drop their first contest of the season falling to 4-1-0 overall and 2-1-0 in conference action.

Late in the third, senior forward Karl Burns (Mequon, Wisc.) fired a wrist shot from the right faceoff circle and the rebound off of McNary’s right pad was driven home by Hartigan directly in front of the crease for his second goal of the season. Junior forward Dan Nelson (Northbrook, Ill.) tacked on an empty net goal at 19:46 of the period to secure the win.

Castleton opened up the scoring at 6:38 of the first period thanks to a tremendous individual effort from sophomore forward Dan Bell (Victoria, B.C.). On the penalty kill, Bell blocked a slapshot from the top of point, corralled the puck and raced past the defense creating a breakaway chance on Colby goaltender Cody McKinney (Weston, Fla.). All alone, Bell deked McKinney and stuffed the puck just over the goal line for an early 1-0 advantage.

In the second, Bell pushed the Spartans ahead 2-0 setting up teammate Cameron Granger (London, Ont.) from behind the net on a beautiful one-timer feed that Granger finished on for his first-collegiate goal at 5:06 of the period.
The Mules answered a few moments later (7:48) as junior defensemen Tom McGinn (St. Albans, Vt.) sniped home a pass from teammate Billy Crinnion (Smithtown, N.Y.), who was positioned behind the net, inside the right post past Castleton goaltender Seth McNary (Woburn, Mass.) for a 2-1 score.

Freshman forward Colin Murray (Oshawa, Ont.) netted his third marker of the season at 8:53 of the period lifting a shot over McKinney’s blocker side to give the Spartans another two goal advantage, 3-1.
Colby scored two goals just two minutes and two seconds apart to close out the period and tie the contest.
On the power play, freshman defensemen Nick Trepp (Greenwich, Conn.) scored his first-collegiate goal at 14:01 one-timing home a pass from teammate Cory McGrath (Yarmouthport, Mass.) by McNary.

Scott Harff (Watertown, N.Y.) picked up his second tally of the season at 16:03 driving home a nice feed from teammate Nick Kondiles (Lake Forest, Ill.) from behind the net past McNary for a 3-3 score.
McKinney made 30 saves to improve his record to 2-1-0 while McNary turned away 20 shots.

The Spartans return to action tomorrow as they host No. 4 USCHO NCAA Division III nationally ranked opponent, Bowdoin, at 4:00 p.m. Castleton is currently ranked 14th in the USCHO poll.

2010-2011 Rutland Herald Invitational Champions