MIDDLETOWN, CT. – While the Wesleyan men's hockey team may have jumped the scoring first, the 3-1 NESCAC loss to Middlebury College that saw three power play goals would not allow for Wesleyan to seek out a comeback endeavor at Spurrier-Snyder Arena.

With only three minutes of action under way from the opening puck drop, the Cardinals (5-12-3 overall, 4-9-1 NESCAC) struck off the stick of Connor Sutherland '27 to break open the scoring. Earning an extra skater as the Panthers (10-10-0 overall, 6-8-0 NESCAC) were called for a hooking minor, the Cardinals went to work on the power play with Troy Maldonado '28 at the point leading the way.

Corralling the puck inside the blue line, Maldonado shipped the puck to his right for Hayden Hanes '27 to wait out Sutherland freeing himself up. Posted outside the left post, Sutherland lobbed Hanes' pass between the pipes and Panthers' goaltender Andrew Heinze.

The Panthers tied the game up at one in the second period on a goal by Reece Brednich but would go on to score two power-play goals in the third period, awarded to Wyatt Pastor and Jack Silverman.

Between the pipes, Patrick McDevitt '28 finished the afternoon for the Cardinals with 24 saves. Heinze earned the win for the Panthers while making 26 saves.

The Cardinals return to action on Friday, Feb. 14, when they travel to Colby for a 7 p.m. puck drop.