Bowdoin at Trinity Postponed. Makeup date and time TBD

  Check our Nemo page, for up to date schedule changes (updated Saturday afternoon)

Preview by Benet Pols 
Who: Bowdoin College Polar Bears (17-2-1; 11-2-1)  at Trinity College Bantams (11-5-3; 8-3-3)
Where: Koeppel Center  Hartford CT
When: Postponed. MAKEUP TBD 
Video/Audio: Trinity Live Stream  Live Stats

Offense: 4.45 G/GM scored (1st in NESCAC; 5th in Nation)

Defense: 2.35 G/GM allowed (4th in NESCAC; 18th in Nation)

Power Play: 24/88 - 27.27% (1st in NESCAC; 5th in Nation) 

Penalty Kill: 88/104 - 84.6% (4th in NESCAC; 22nd in Nation)

Offense: 2.89 G/GM scored (6th in NESCAC; 42nd in Nation)
Defense: 1.95 G/GM allowed (2nd in NESCAC; 8th in Nation)
Power Play: 12/80 - 15.00% (9th in NESCAC; < 60th in Nation)
Penalty Kill: 76/88 - 86.4% (3rd in NESCAC; 12th in Nation)

The Lowdown: Dodging Nemo

With all of Friday's men's NESCAC hockey action cancelled, the Polar Bears should arrive in Hartford after the bulk of the much ballyhooed winter storm Nemo has passed by. Provided the power stays on at the Koeppel Community Sports Center rink, the anticipated rematch with the  Bantams will kick-off an important weekend for both teams. Rescheduling because of the storm has the two teams playing unusual Sunday games, with Bowdoin at Wesleyan and Trinity hosting Colby.

Trinity’s fortunes have been rising since the Polar Bears beat them 5-2 back on January 12^th in Brunswick. The streaking Bantams won five in a row including tough road wins at Amherst and Williams before falling 3-2 at Middlebury last Saturday. Trinity is holding fourth place, but is just a point out of second.

Key(s) to the game: Goaltending focus

Trinity Junior Benjamin Coulthard (G, Jr.)  leads NESCAC with a .942 saves percentage and is fourth in goals against average with a compact 2.03; but he has to keep his cool. Back in Brunswick on 1/12, when teammate Zachary Lombardi  (F, Sr.) was called for a crosscheck at 11:19 of the second, Coulthard’s loud and colorful protestations earned him a misconduct. It doesn't show in the box score, but the referee, headed to the scorer to deal with the minor stopped, blew the whistle, pointed to Coulthard and put his hands on his hips. Coulthard spent the remainder of the second period in the box and did not return for the 3^rd period. Coulthard also leads all NESCAC goaltenders with three minor penalties earned on his own.

After a rough start against Amherst last week—four goals on the first six shots--the Polar Bears’ Junior Steve Messina (G, Jr.) was pulled after the first period for sophomore Max Fenkell (G, So.). Fenkell also took his regular Saturday start against Hamilton. However, Messina’s prior two starts were solid one-goal efforts, including a 35 save gem at Williams. In Bowdoin's normal rotation, Messina starts the first game of the weekend with Fenkell taking the 2^nd game.

Players to watch 

Daniel Weiniger  (F, Sr.) was hot last weekend for Bowdoin, picking up a hat trick against Hamilton and notching a goal and an assist against Amherst in a losing effort. The Co-Captain’s 111 career points (54-57-111) in 93 games puts him 22^nd on the all time Bowdoin scoring list. Last week’s effort earned him NESCAC player of the week honors.

Chris Menard (F, Sr.) leads Trinity with 10 goals, but shows just two helpers. Brother Jeff paces the team in points with 14 (4-10-14). Trinity is averaging just 2.89 goals per game and Chris Menard is the only player in double figures for goals; by contrast, the Polar Bears have five players with at least 10 goals. Clearly Trinity’s defense—second stingiest in NESCAC at 1.95 goals allowed--will have to maintain its form for Trinity to win.