Courtesy Middlebury Athletic Communications

Box Score

MIDDLEBURY, Vermont - Andrew Helming found Matt Snyder from behind the net with 2:02 remaining for the game-winner as Middlebury came away with a 4-2 win over Hamilton in the NESCAC semifinals. Snyder one-timed the pass from just outside the crease for the tally. The Panthers will take on Amherst, who was a 3-0 winner over Bowdoin earlier in the day. A limited number of tickets for tomorrow night's championship game will go on sale one hour before gametime tomorrow at 6:00 p.m.

Middlebury jumped on the board first as Ryan Constantine's shot from in front of the blue line trickled into the net after deflecting off the glove of Hamilton netminder Mike Kaufman. Hamilton tied the game at one 10:38 into the first period when Scott Gordon deflected in a crossing pass from Sean Smith in transition. Hamilton had a chance to take the lead midway through the second period, but Kevin Audit's shot was high as he broke in all alone. Audit again had a chance to give Hamilton the lead with 7:30 remaining on a breakaway, but Middlebury's Christian Carlsson made the save. The Continentals finally did take a 2-1 lead when Michael Johnston found Victor Cizmark with a nice pass to the slot where Cizmark put home his own rebound with 2:09 left in the period. The Panthers tied the game 7:51 into the third period when Scott Goldman scored from the slot on a rebound for a five-on-three power play goal. Goldman added an emty-netter just before the final horn to make it a 4-2 final, following Snyder's game-winner.

Carlsson made 16 saves in goal for Middlebury, while Kaufman made 32 stops for Hamilton.