Increased interest by the student body caused Middlebury College to recognize ice hockey as a minor sport this season.
[1] The first game was swiftly arranged with Rensselaer and the team began to work on the temporary rink that had been built atop the tennis courts.
The general lack of experience both with the game and with one another left the players handicapped in their opening match but the team still performed well.
Ross opened the scoring with the first goal in the program's history and had his team in the lead by the midway point of the game.
Saint Michael's rallied with two goals in the second half to take the match but that didn't stop the first home game for the Panthers being a huge and popular success.