Amherst at Bowdoin 7 PM 2/1/13

Due to extenuating circumstances, this is the only preview for tonight's games. We should be back with full previews for all five games tomorrow.

Preview by Benet Pols

Who: Amherst College Lord Jeffs (11-4-2; 7-4-1)  at  Bowdoin College Polar Bears (16-1-1; 10-1-1)

Where: Sidney J. Watson Arena  Brunswick, ME
When: 7:00 PM Friday 2/1/13
Video/Audio: Bowdoin Webcast  Live Stats

Offense: 2.94 G/GM scored (5th in NESCAC; 44th in Nation)

Defense: 1.78 G/GM allowed (1st in NESCAC; 4th in Nation)

Power Play: 13/68 -19.12% (5th in NESCAC; 38th in Nation)

Penalty Kill: 50/66 - 90.9% (1st in NESCAC; 1st in Nation)

     

Offense: 4.50 G/GM scored (1st in NESCAC; 5th in Nation)

Defense: 2.17 G/GM allowed (4th in NESCAC; 12th in Nation)

Power Play: 23/83 - 27.71% (3rd in NESCAC; 6th in Nation) 

Penalty Kill: 80/95 - 84.2% (4th in NESCAC; 22nd in Nation)

The Lowdown: Out of (relative) hibernation 

Bowdoin moved up to 2^nd in the nation for the weekending January 28^th, in spite of getting just one first place vote andplaying just one game against lightly regarded USM (9^th in ECAC-East).The January 21^st poll had the Polar Bears 3^rd even thoughthey’d earned three first pace votes after big wins at Williams and Middlebury.What accounts for advancing in the polls when playing just one non-conference opponent?St. Norbert - who had been 2^nd, went 1-1 and lost all five of theirfirst place votes - slipped two spots.

Amherst, 1-1 last weekend, dropped from 10^th to11^th in the national poll, but lost greater ground in NESCAC,sliding from 3rd to 5^th. If the season ended today, the Lord Jeffswould be on the road for the first round of the playoffs.

Amherst’s last weekend featured a wild Saturday loss inwhich they charged back from a 5-2 deficit to come within one goal late in a penaltymarred game, only to have surging Trinity pot two empty net goals. Amherst’sonly other January loss - also at home-was a  3-2 squeaker to Bowdoin on the 4^th.On Friday the Lord Jeffs put the brakes on a charging Wesleyan team, ending theCardinals’ four game unbeaten streak. Amherst’s stingy defense kept Wesleyan’ssniper, Keith Buehler (F, Jr.), off the scorecard.

In the last two weeks Bowdoin has just played the one gameagainst USM, and that was nine days ago. The last time the Polar Bears wentthis long without a game was over Christmas break. Their first opponent afterthat arid 26 day stretch? Amherst.  The 3-2 victory for the Polar Bears was one of only four one-goal games Bowdoin has played this year.

Key(s) to the game: Clear the Cobwebs

Bowdoin needs to come out fast and clear thecobwebs from this long layoff.  As Coach Meagher told the Bowdoin Orient:“We are a surge frenzy team and when thatoccurs, we’re really good, but when we’re cruising we’re not that good.”

Amherst has shown they can render high scorersimpotent. Last week they blanked Wesleyan’s Craven and Buehler. The duo hasaccounted for 29 of 72 Cardinal goals this year, but Amherst kept them off the stat sheet. Bowdoin’s attack is more balanced than Wesleyan’s. Five players havescored 9 or more goals. Colin Downey (F/D, Jr.), who missed the first five games and nettedthe game winner at Orr Rick back on January 4th, averages nearly 1.25 points per game (6-10-16). 

Players to watch:
Harry Matheson (F, Jr.) has led the Polar Bears recently, having been named the NESCAC player of the week for his performance two weeks ago at Williams and Middlebury. He has since netted two and added a helper against USM and garnered some on campus accolades.

Nathan Corey (G, Sr.)   For Amherst goaltending with solid defense is king. The Lord Jeffs'
Corey leads NESCAC in goals against average at 1.73, but he’s just fourth in save
percentage. Amherst will need to stifle the shooter and clear rebounds. High scoring
Wesleyan got off just 15 shots while losing at Amherst last week.


In honor of the second ranked and NESCAC leading Polar Bears coming out of (relative) hibernation, we present a live version of Mastodon's "Sleeping Giant"