#8 Hamilton Continentals (6-16-3) 3 #1 Bowdoin Polar Bears (20-3-2) 5
It was over when...: Kyle Lockwood put in an empty netter to complete his hat-trick and seal the 5-3 win after the Polar Bears entered the third period down 3-2. Scroll down or click here for Benet Pols full recap of the game. Joe Quattrocchi (G, Jr.) had 31 saves in the loss, while Steve Messina (G, Jr.) made 16 in the victory. Both teams had four power play opportunities, with Hamilton converting on none and Bowdoin scoring once on the man advantage. Hamilton heads home to Clinton with the season over, while Bowdoin hosts the NESCAC semifinals and finals next weekend. The Polar Bears play Middlebury in the semis on Saturday.
Lockwood gets his hatrick on the open net. 5-3 Bowdoin 38 ticks to go @nescachockey
— Benet Pols (@BenetPols) February 23, 2013
No word if Hamilton coach Rob Haberbusch got the memo that his team won the worst jerseys in the NESCAC poll, but he surprised his team before the game with some spiffy new uniforms that were actually buff and blue. Before losing in the third, Hamilton took a surprising 3-2 lead into the final period in the new unis against the heavily favored Polar Bears.
Player of the game: (from Benet Pols) Kyle Lockwood (D/F, Jr.) for his three goals and one assist (3-1-4). The Junior from Ridgefield, CT has been hot lately. In the Polar Bears final regular season home game last Saturday he notched the Polar Bears's only two goals against Conn. College, including the game winner in overtime. Honorable mention has to go to line mates MacGregor & Toczylowski. The line had a hand in all five of Bowdoin's goals. Toczylowski finished the night with three assists, while MacGregor had a goal and an assist. MacGregor has been plagued by injuries and played in just 13 games this season, but has been all around the net the past two weeks.
Finally, a tip of the hat to Freshman defender Gabe Renaud. With the Bears down in the third period the Freshman from Quebec played as if it was the last game of his career rather than the last of the season. He committed himself to the boards several times keeping the puck in the offensive end and keeping the Polar Bears's hopes alive.
Box Score: Hamilton 3/Bowdoin 5 Hamilton Recap Bowdoin Recap
#7 Colby Mules (7-15-3) 1 #2 Williams Ephs (16-6-3) 2
It was over when...: The Ephs held off the Mules, who had a 10-3 shot advantage in the third, to hold on to the 2-1 lead Williams carried into the final frame. Pretty evenly played game overall, with both teams getting 28 shots and going 0-2 on the power play. Williams advances to the semifinals with the win and will play Trinity at host Bowdoin next Saturday. Colby's season is done. Sean Dougherty (G, So.) made 27 saves for the win, while Sam Parker (G, So.) had 26 saves in defeat.
The Ephs led off the scoring with about seven minutes remaining in the first, when Craig Kitto (F, So.) found Nick Anderson (F, Jr.) for a goal. The second period was the most active from start to finish, but the scoring didn't occur until the final minute. After the Ephs killed off a penalty, Kitto maneuvered around defenders for an unassisted goal with 32.5 seconds remaining in the period. Not to be outdone, the Mules responded when Matt Gelnaw (D, Jr.) followed up his own rebound for a goal to make it 2-1 with only four seconds remaining in the second.
Colby put forth a fine effort in the loss that ended their season. The Mules went 4-1-2 (4-1-1 in conference) in their final seven games of the regular season, after starting (3-14-1); the late season surge moved them from last in the NESCAC to the seven seed in the conference playoffs. They also improved on the 9-2 drubbing the last time Colby travelled to Williamstown in January. As assistant coach Chris Hall tweeted out (reproduced below) after the game, the Mules are very hopeful about their future.
The future is bright for @colbyhockey. Looking forward to building from the foundation we laid this season. #isitnovemberyet #longsummerPlayer of the game: Craig Kitto (F, So.) The kiddo (only a soph.) from Virginia assisted on the first goal and scored the winning goal for two points on the day (1-1-2). After a successful freshman campaign in which Kitto was third on the team in points (8-14-22), he missed the first 17 games of this season. The sophomore Eph now has six points this year (2-4-6), all in the last five games. His offensive output will be important going forward in the tournament, as Williams leading scorer Peter Mistretta (F, So.) has missed the last five games.
— Chris Hall (@chall4431) February 23, 2013
Box Score: Colby 1/Williams 2 Colby Recap Williams Recap
#3 Wesleyan Cardinals (10-11-4) 4 
#6 Trinity Bantams (15-6-3) 5 OTIt was over when...: Mike Hawkrigg (F, Fr.) scored his second goal with 2:58 remaining in the first OT period to send Trinity to Brunswick for the NESCAC semifinals. Tough loss for Wesleyan, who had a 4-2 lead halfway through the third period. Shots in favor of Trinity 45 to 41; the Cardinals went 1/4 on the PP while Trinity went 1/2. Ben Coulthard (G, Jr.) made 37 saves in the win while Nolan Daley (G, Fr.) made 40 saves in the loss.
The Bantams got out in front on a goal by Jeff Menard (F, Sr.) 2:37 into the game. Wesleyan tied it early in the second on a power play goal from Donald Kleckner (F, Sr.). Wesleyan opened up a 3-1 lead by the end of the second on goals from Terence Durkin (F, Fr.) and Tommy Hartnett (F, Jr.). Trinity cut it to 3-2 on a Conor Coveney (F, So.) goal before Keith Buehler (F, Jr.) put the Cards back up by 2. A Zachary Lombardi (F, Sr.) goal (Bantams are now 11-1-1 in games that he gets a point) cut it to 4-3 and then Hawkrigg's goal with 1:09 left forced OT.
The OT was a spirited affair, with chants of "Lets' go Ban-tams" and "Let's go Card-nals" ringing from the crowd. Trinity outshot Wesleyan 15-7, but both teams had their opportunities in the extra frame before Hawkrigg's wrap around ended it. Both goaltenders played extremely well in the OT. Despite the loss, the freshman Daley showed yet again that the Cards have quite the net-minder going forward. Chris Horvatitis, the TV voice for Oswego, tweeted this about the OT.
An incredible exhibition of goaltending in the OT of Trinity/Wesleyan.This was the third time the travel partners faced off in nine days, with Trinity winning two of the three, both in OT. Despite their campuses being only 20 miles apart, it was also the first time these two met in the NESCAC playoffs. The Cardinals go home to Middletown to prepare for next season, while Trinity will face off against Williams in the NESCAC semifinals hosted by Bowdoin next Saturday.
— Chris Horvatits (@chrishorvatits) February 23, 2013
Player of the game: Mike Hawkrigg (F, Fr) assisted on Lombardi's goal and then scored the game tying goal in regulation and subsequent winning goal in OT for three points on the day (2-1-3).
Box Score: Wesleyan 4/Trinity 5 OT Wesleyan Recap Trinity Recap
#5 Middlebury Panthers (13-10-2) 4
#4 Amherst Lord Jeffs ( 15-7-3) 3
It was over when..: Middlebury withstood two Amherst goals in the final three minutes to hold on for the victory, just a week after losing to the Lord Jeffs at Orr Rink to end the regular season. With the win, the Panthers face Bowdoin in the NESCAC semifinals next Saturday in Brunswick. Mike Peters (G, So.) made his fourth straight start for the Panthers and made 26 saves in the win. Nathan Corey (G, Sr.) made 19 saves in a losing effort to end his collegiate career. Middlebury went 1/2 on the PP, while Amherst went 0/4.Andrew Kurlandski (F, Jr.) led off the scoring with four minutes to go in the first when he put in a rebound off a Rowbotham shot to put the Jeffs up. Middlebury would take the lead on a pair of goals in the second by the Robbies. Robbie Donahoe (D, Jr.) scored a power play goal on a 4-3 to knot the game at 1. Later, Robbie Dobrowski (F, So.) scored to make it 2-1. In the third, a pair of Louis Belisle (F, Jr.) goals gave Middlebury a commanding 4-3 lead. But the Jeffs weren't done, as Kevin Ryder (D, Fr.) scored with 2:47 remaining in the final frame. Amherst then pulled Corey with about a minute and a half to go and Kurlandski scored his second of the day with 1:12 remaining. But the initial three goal deficit proved to be too much, and the rally fell short.
The loss ends the season for the defending NESCAC champions and 2011-12 Frozen Four participant Lord Jeffs. Despite losing D-III Player of the year Jonathan La Rose (G, '12), Amherst had high expectations for the season. They came in to the season ranked sixth nationally by USCHO, and were picked to finish first in the league by the WordPress Blog. As for Middlebury, they are off to Maine for the semis, and at least one Panther fan will be making the trek via plane.
Congrats @absofsteele and middlebury hockey. Booking my flight home for next weekend!Player of the game: Louis Belisle (F, Jr.) The Quebecois assassin (and I don't say that in jest) scored his team leading 12th and 13th goals of the season, the second of which ended up being the game winner.
— Jennifer (@jennsteele48) February 23, 2013
Box Score : Middlebury 4/Amherst 3 Middlebury Recap Amherst Recap
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