Where: Sidney J. Watson Arena Brunswick, ME
When: 1 PM Saturday 3/2/13
Video/Audio: Video Live Stats
Overall (Conference Rank) Conference Games (conf. rank)
Offense: 3.30 G/GM (4th) Offense: 3.39 G/GM (3rd)
Defense: 2.09 G/GM (3rd) Defense: 2.06 G/GM (2nd)
Power Play: 19/95-20.0% (6th) Power Play: 12/68 -17.6% (7th)
Penalty Kill: 95 /109 - 87.2% (2nd) Penalty Kill: 75/86 - 87.2% (2nd)
Overall (Conference Rank) Conference Games (conf. rank)Offense: 3.08 G/GM (6th) Offense: 3.00 G/GM (6th)
Defense: 2.04 G/GM (2nd) Defense: 1.94 G/GM (1st)
Power Play: 13/80-26.2% (9th) Power Play: 11/61 -18.0% (6th)
Penalty Kill: 71/83 - 85.5% (3rd) Penalty Kill: 56/64 - 87.5% (1st)
The Lowdown: This is kind of important...right?
After nearly four months of regular season hockey and one week of playoff puck, we have finally reached the grand finale weekend of NESCAC hockey. Trinity got here by defeating sixth seeded Wesleyan in a 5-4 OT Quaterfinal thriller, while the Ephs survived a surging seventh seed Colby, 2-1, in the round of eight.
Both teams feature better defenses than offenses, with Williams coming in at number one and Trinity number two in goals allowed in conference games. Much of this success comes from having the two best goalies in the league. But don't take our word for it. Yesterday, Bantam backstop Ben Coulthard (G, Jr.) was named to the first team All-NESCAC, while Ephs netminder (and Joe Concannon semifinalist) Sean Dougherty (G, So.) was named to the second team. Trinity graduates five players this year while Williams graduates six. Both squads seniors play an integral role to their respective teams success, but both also have key underclassmen contributors.
Both teams feature better defenses than offenses, with Williams coming in at number one and Trinity number two in goals allowed in conference games. Much of this success comes from having the two best goalies in the league. But don't take our word for it. Yesterday, Bantam backstop Ben Coulthard (G, Jr.) was named to the first team All-NESCAC, while Ephs netminder (and Joe Concannon semifinalist) Sean Dougherty (G, So.) was named to the second team. Trinity graduates five players this year while Williams graduates six. Both squads seniors play an integral role to their respective teams success, but both also have key underclassmen contributors.
We aren't going to make predictions, but we will give the advantage nod in each of five categories: history,offense, defense, special teams and goalie. If you would like background for the Bantams and Ephs this season, check out our regular season reviews for Trinity and Williams.
History
Most recently, the Bantams hold the advantage, having beaten and tied the Ephs this season (1-0-1). In Hartford on January 4th, the teams skated to a 1-1 tie in a goalie duel (shocker!), with Dougherty making 39 saves and Coulthard making 33. In Williamstown in February, the Bantams took the regular season series with a 3-1 win; Coulthard made 35 saves and Dougherty made 33.
Most recently, the Bantams hold the advantage, having beaten and tied the Ephs this season (1-0-1). In Hartford on January 4th, the teams skated to a 1-1 tie in a goalie duel (shocker!), with Dougherty making 39 saves and Coulthard making 33. In Williamstown in February, the Bantams took the regular season series with a 3-1 win; Coulthard made 35 saves and Dougherty made 33.
In most recent NESCAC playoff history, the Ephs hold the edge, having beaten the Bantams,4-3, in the Quarterfinals of the 2011 'CAC tourney. Current Bantam leading scorer Chris Menard (F, Sr.) and current Ephs Eric Rubino (F, Sr.) and John Wickman (F, Sr.) scored in the contest. Williams would then go on to the finals, where they would lose to Bowdoin.
The Polar Bears didn't actually keep the title, as they became the first NESCAC school to voluntarily vacate a championship in a controversial decision after a hazing incident (read more). Williams wasn't awarded the crown after the fact and now 2011 champion "none" has more NESCAC men's hockey titles than Bowdoin, Williams, Wesleyan, Hamilton, Conn Colllege, Tufts and Colby. Congrats "none."
Last year, Williams made it to the semifinals where they lost to eventual conference champion Amherst, while Trinity lost in the first round to Bowdoin.
In a broader look at tournament history, Trinity gets the nod. The two other times these two met -the 2002 and 2003 Quarterfinals- the Bantams came out victorious. Second year Trinity skipper Matt Greason took home NESCAC Coach of the Year honors yesterday, but a decade ago he was on the ice as a Bantam senior in the 2002 game against the purple cows.
Greason didn't score in that contest, but he was second on the team in points for the season (11-17-28). Greason returns to Maine, where he grew up, and to Bowdoin, where his grandfather worked for over fourty years. The Bowdoin community might know his grandfather as A. Leroy Greason, a professor of English and Bowdoin College President from 1981-1990. A. Leroy was one of only fourteen white male presidents in the school's 14 president history. All kidding aside, Matt's grandfather graduated from Wesleyan in 1944 , making the Greason ties to the NESCAC long, storied and multi-schooled.
Greason didn't score in that contest, but he was second on the team in points for the season (11-17-28). Greason returns to Maine, where he grew up, and to Bowdoin, where his grandfather worked for over fourty years. The Bowdoin community might know his grandfather as A. Leroy Greason, a professor of English and Bowdoin College President from 1981-1990. A. Leroy was one of only fourteen white male presidents in the school's 14 president history. All kidding aside, Matt's grandfather graduated from Wesleyan in 1944 , making the Greason ties to the NESCAC long, storied and multi-schooled.
Trinity has won the 'CAC crown twice, in 2003 and 2008, and been the runner-up to Middlebury in 2002 and 2008. Williams has been the bridesmaid but never the bride, losing their two finals appearances in 2000 and 2011. Overall, Trinity has a 15-10 record in conference tournament play, while Williams has a 7-13 mark.
Advantage: For their winning the season series and past championships, this category goes to Trinity.
Offense
Trinity scored more than Williams in both conference and non-conference play. The Bantams are led by the senior "Law Firm" (according to the Trinity announcer) line of Menard, Menard and So, who account for 26 of the teams 81 goals. On the second line, Jackson Brewer (F, So.) is tied for the team lead in points (11-12-23) and Zachary Lombardi (F, Sr.) has provided some offense as well with the team going (11-1-1) in games that he gets a point. Mike Hawkrigg (F, Fr.) came on late in the year, with the most notable outburst being his game tying and game winning goals last week against Wesleyan (video here).
Trinity scored more than Williams in both conference and non-conference play. The Bantams are led by the senior "Law Firm" (according to the Trinity announcer) line of Menard, Menard and So, who account for 26 of the teams 81 goals. On the second line, Jackson Brewer (F, So.) is tied for the team lead in points (11-12-23) and Zachary Lombardi (F, Sr.) has provided some offense as well with the team going (11-1-1) in games that he gets a point. Mike Hawkrigg (F, Fr.) came on late in the year, with the most notable outburst being his game tying and game winning goals last week against Wesleyan (video here).
Williams offense is led by their top scorer Peter Mistretta (F, So) (14-6-20) , who has missed the five games since suffering a concussion and is unlikely to play this weekend. In his absence, Nick Anderson (F, Jr.) has three goals in his last three games and player of the game from the Quaterfinals, Craig Kitto (F, So.), now has six points this year (2-4-6), all in the last five games (played eight total) after missing the first seventeen games of the season.
Advantage: Considering recent outputs and the injury to Mistretta, this one goes to Trinity.
Defense
Shots on goal can be a misleading stat, as shots don't always mean quality shots, but the disparity here is too large to ignore. Trinity lets up 35.2 shots per game while Williams let's up 29.0 SPG. Some of that differential comes from puck vacuum defenders like sophomore Eph Brian McNamara (D, So.).
Shots on goal can be a misleading stat, as shots don't always mean quality shots, but the disparity here is too large to ignore. Trinity lets up 35.2 shots per game while Williams let's up 29.0 SPG. Some of that differential comes from puck vacuum defenders like sophomore Eph Brian McNamara (D, So.).
Advantage: Williams
Special Teams
Both teams have great penalty kills and mediocre power plays. In conference games, the resultant Special Teams Net was +5 for the Ephs (2nd in NESCAC) and +2 for the Bantams (6th). No special teams goals were scored in either of the two previous contests, though special teams can always be a deciding factor in hockey, especially in close games.
Advantage: slightly to Williams.
Both teams have great penalty kills and mediocre power plays. In conference games, the resultant Special Teams Net was +5 for the Ephs (2nd in NESCAC) and +2 for the Bantams (6th). No special teams goals were scored in either of the two previous contests, though special teams can always be a deciding factor in hockey, especially in close games.
Advantage: slightly to Williams.
Goaltending
As the All-NESCAC selections suggest, both teams have no problems in net. Part of giving up more shots has meant that Coulthard has had some bigger tests, such as the 44 save shutout against Amherst or the 53 save affair against Middlebury. The junior out of Pomfret has given up nine goals combined in the past two games -the most he has given up in any back-to-back games this season- but he has also made 86 shots in that period and won both games.
As the All-NESCAC selections suggest, both teams have no problems in net. Part of giving up more shots has meant that Coulthard has had some bigger tests, such as the 44 save shutout against Amherst or the 53 save affair against Middlebury. The junior out of Pomfret has given up nine goals combined in the past two games -the most he has given up in any back-to-back games this season- but he has also made 86 shots in that period and won both games.
Dougherty's worst two game goal output was also nine goals, but that was over a month ago. In the past two he has only let up four, but he has also done so on only 48 shots. Both goalies lost in their game at "The Sid" this season, with Dougherty losing a tough 2-0 game on 30 shots, while Coulthard lost and was kicked out of the game after 3 goals on 22 shots. (for more, see Benet Pols' description of the incident).
Advantage: For Coulthard's first team selection and a propensity to lock down teams when he is on, we give the slight advantage to Trinity.
In the end...
Anything could happen, but expect a close one. Trinity bested Williams in head to heads this year, but if it is a 1 goal game, Wiliams has an 8-1 record in such games, while Trinity has a 5-3 ledger in such tight affairs. But in a game this close, you could cherry pick stats to give the advantage to either team.
Predictions from other sources
USCHO's Tim Costello chooses Trinity, 2-1, predicting a potential OT game and saying, "The Bantams got it done in the extra session last weekend, and history repeats itself here." (full picks)
The Burlington Free Press chooses Williams 3-2. (Full picks)
In the USCHO fan forums weekly "NESCAC Pick'em contest" (thread here), of the 8 posters making predictions, they are evenly spit. Four for Williams, four for Trinity.
Predictions from other publications/forums will be added as they become available.
Predictions from other sources
USCHO's Tim Costello chooses Trinity, 2-1, predicting a potential OT game and saying, "The Bantams got it done in the extra session last weekend, and history repeats itself here." (full picks)
The Burlington Free Press chooses Williams 3-2. (Full picks)
In the USCHO fan forums weekly "NESCAC Pick'em contest" (thread here), of the 8 posters making predictions, they are evenly spit. Four for Williams, four for Trinity.
Predictions from other publications/forums will be added as they become available.
Additional Reading
Players to watch (besides the goalies...that's too easy)
John Wickman (F, Sr.) In his sophomore year, Wickman scored the game winning goal against Trinity in the playoffs. Can he have a repeat performance two years later?
Mike Hawkrigg (F, Fr.) After scoring only five goals in his first 23 games, the Ontario native has four in the last two, including last weekend's heroics against Wesleyan. Can he be the difference again?
Not that anyone needs pumping up come Semifinals time, but we present British Prog Rock band The Alan Parsons Project's instrumental "Sirius". You may not know the name, but you know the song. It was used by the Chicago Bulls as their intro music in their 1990s heyday and has become ubiquitous throughout indoor sporting venues from hockey rinks to basketball gyms.
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