Who:#8.Hamilton College Continentals(6-15-3; 4-12-2)at #1. Bowdoin College Polar Bears(19-3-2; 13-3-2)
Where: Sidney J. Watson Arena Brunswick, MEWhen: 1:00 PM Saturday 2/23/13
Video/Audio: Bowdoin Webcast Live Stats
Overall (Conference Rank) Conference Games (conf. rank)Offense: 2.21 G/GM (10th) Offense: 2.33 G/GM (9th)
Defense: 3.67 G/GM (9th) Defense: 3.56 G/GM (7th)
Power Play: 13/121 -10.7% (10th) Power Play: 10/87 -11.5% (10th)
Penalty Kill: 70/92 - 76.1% (8th) Penalty Kill: 50/67 - 74.6% (9th)
Overall (Conference Rank) Conference Games (conf. rank)
Offense: 4.38 G/GM (1st) Offense: 4.22 G/GM (1st)
Offense: 4.38 G/GM (1st) Offense: 4.22 G/GM (1st)
Defense: 2.58 G/GM (4th) Defense: 2.61 G/GM (4th)
Power Play: 29/107 - 27.1% (1st) Power Play: 21/78 -26.9% (2nd)
Penalty Kill: 101/125 - 80.8% (6th) Penalty Kill: 74/93 - 79.6% (6th)
The Lowdown
Hamilton comes into Brunswick following a 4-3 OT loss in their regular season finale to Williams in which the Conts were winning 3-0 in the third. After clinching the first seed last weekend, Bowdoin fell, 10-5, to Trinity in a Nemo makeup game on Monday.
Bowdoin beat the Continentals in the teams two meetings this season and have a clear statistical advantage in this one. Here's what the NESCAC has to say about the matchup:
Bowdoin (19-3-2, 13-3-2 NESCAC) locked up the top seed with a dramatic 2-1 overtime triumph over Connecticut College on Saturday. With the win, the Polar Bears put an exclamation point on an outstanding regular season that included sweeps of Williams and Hamilton. Over the course of the year, Bowdoin’s high-powered offense has netted 105 goals and scored three or more times in 22 of its 24 games.
Up first for the Polar Bears will be eighth seeded Hamilton (6-15-3, 4-12-2 NESCAC). The Continentals solidified their spot in this year’s field with a 7-3 victory at Connecticut College on Monday. Though they own a 2-1 edge in three previous postseason meetings with Bowdoin, they haven’t reached the semifinals since 2010. The Polar Bears won that matchup 6-2 and also defeated Hamilton twice this season. They have made three straight trips to the semifinals.
Up first for the Polar Bears will be eighth seeded Hamilton (6-15-3, 4-12-2 NESCAC). The Continentals solidified their spot in this year’s field with a 7-3 victory at Connecticut College on Monday. Though they own a 2-1 edge in three previous postseason meetings with Bowdoin, they haven’t reached the semifinals since 2010. The Polar Bears won that matchup 6-2 and also defeated Hamilton twice this season. They have made three straight trips to the semifinals.
USCHO's Tim Costello did a preview for all four games, and even got Conn College coach Jim Ward to give his input (full preview here) Here's what Costello had to say about this game:
No. 1 Bowdoin vs. No. 8 Hamilton
The Polar Bears had absolutely nothing to play for in Monday’s neutral site make-up game with Trinity, which was won by the Bantams by a 10-5 score. The top seeds control their own destiny, and can host the final four teams at “The Sid” with a win against Hamilton on Saturday. The Continentals are really beat up, have lost a lot of players to injury, and face a very long bus trip for the quarterfinal match-up. Those items don’t work in the favor of the visitors for sure.
The Polar Bears had absolutely nothing to play for in Monday’s neutral site make-up game with Trinity, which was won by the Bantams by a 10-5 score. The top seeds control their own destiny, and can host the final four teams at “The Sid” with a win against Hamilton on Saturday. The Continentals are really beat up, have lost a lot of players to injury, and face a very long bus trip for the quarterfinal match-up. Those items don’t work in the favor of the visitors for sure.
The season series went to Bowdoin by scores of 6-2 and 5-2, and the Polar Bears leveraged their speed and offense with a big third period in the first game and a big opening period in the last game between the two at home. After Monday’s loss to Trinity, it might be fair to look for some angry Polar Bears coming out aggressively in the first period looking to match the blueprint for success found in the last game these two teams played against each other.
So coach Ward, what do you think on this one?
“It’s hard to see Hamilton traveling there and winning,” said Ward. “They are just so banged up, and missing some key players that would help them offensively. Their goalie is going to have to be great, and they are going to have to play things very tight and try to frustrate Bowdoin into making some mistakes. Monday might have actually helped Bowdoin ramp it up for the weekend. I think they win and host.”
Read more: http://www.uscho.com/2013/02/21/a-most-interesting-round-of-eight/#ixzz2LjvhVVEQ
For Bowdoin's preview of both their men's and women's playoff doubleheader, click here. For Hamilton's preview, which features nice capsules on each team including playoff history, click here.
Players to watch
Anthony Ruberto (F, Sr.) With the Conts losing the scoring of Dimare, even before his season ending injury, the team needed someone to step up his production. The Senior from Ontario ended up leading the Continentals in scoring (9-9-18) for the highest output of his collegiate career; scored in all four conference wins, including multi-point games in three of them: @Trinity (1-1-2), Colby (1-2-3), @Conn College (1-2-3).
Daniel Weiniger (F, Sr.) How will the co-captain do in his first playoff game of his last season. Also, can he handle the immense pressure of being named our Bowdoin MVP for the regular season?!
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