Where: Brooks School Rink North Andover, MA
When: 7:00 PM Monday 2/18/13
Video/Audio: NA
Offense: 4.35 G/GM scored (1st in NESCAC; 5th in Nation)
Defense: 2.26 G/GM allowed (4th in NESCAC; 15th in Nation)
Power Play: 27/100 - 27.00% (1st in NESCAC; 6th in Nation)
Penalty Kill: 100/119 - 84.6% (4th in NESCAC; 21st in Nation)
Defense: 1.95 G/GM allowed (1st in NESCAC; 7th in Nation)
Power Play: 14/89 - 15.7% (9th in NESCAC; < 60th in Nation)
Penalty Kill: 90/102 - 88.2% (3rd in NESCAC; 4th in Nation)
The Lowdown: Finally...
Originally scheduled for Saturday, February 9th at Trinity, this Nemo postponed game is the last of the NESCAC regular season. The game will be hosted by the Brooks School in North Andover, MA, 112 miles from Brunswick, ME (Bowdoin) and 122 miles from Hartford, CT (Trinity). Bowdoin has already clinched the first seed for the NESCAC playoffs, so the thing they will be playing for, besides pride and preparation for the playoffs, is their NCAA regional rank, used to determine Pool C at large bids and seeding for the NCAA tournament.
Trinity has significantly more to play for in terms of the standings. Not only will this game determine the Bantams playoff seeding, but also whether they play at home or one the road next weekend. A win or tie for the Bantams has them playing at home against Wesleyan, and a loss has them on the road at Middlebury. For all the scenarios from this game, see our playoff scenario post.
The first time these two teams met in Brunswick back on January 12th, the Bantams went back to Hartford having been vanquished 5-2. Tonight's game might be a bit of redemption for Trinity goalie Benjamin Coulthard (G, Jr.). Here's what happened back on 1/12, as told by Benet Pols: "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 3rd period. Coulthard also leads all NESCAC goaltenders with three minor penalties earned on his own."
Key(s) to the game: Goaltending
Coulthard may have a quick temper, but he also has a quick glove. The junior is second in the NESCAC with a 2.02 Goals Against Average (GAA) and tied for first in save percentage (.941). Against a potent Polar Bear attack that has been held to under 30 shots just five times this season, goaltending is key. In the two most recent blemishes on their record (a 6-3 loss to Amherst and 3-3 tie with Wesleyan), Bowdoin had 40 shots in each contest. In the month of February, Bowdoin has had 35+ shots in all five games.
But who is Coulthard behind in GAA and tied with in save percentage? None other than Bowdoin's Max Fenkell (G, So.). Coach Terry Meagher follows a strict Friday/Saturday rotation between Fenkell and Steve Messina (G, Jr.), but with the oddity of a Monday night conference game, who will Meagher play? Messina has seen the bulk of midweek non-conference action and with only two games this week, one scenario might be Messina tonight, Fenkell against Hamilton on Saturday. We shall see.
Players to watch
Daniel Weiniger (F, Sr) Final regular season game for the only active member of the Polar Bears' 100-point club (55-57-112). The Jersey native and Phillips Exter alum has seven points (2-5-7) in six career games against the Bantams.
Twinstars - Chris (F, Sr.) and Jeff Menard F, Sr.) were not only born on the same date, but they chose the same sport, chose to play said same sport at the same college and have nearly identical career point totals: Chris ( 34-32-66), Jeff (25-40-65). In their final regular season collegiate game, the boys return to Brooks School, the traditional rival of their alma mater, Governer's Academy.
In honor of the finale of the long and winding road that is NESCAC regular season play, we present Ray Charles with the Count Basie Orchestra covering the Beatles' "The Long and Winding Road."
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