1. Amherst (6-2-0; 5-1-0)
The week that was: The Lord Jeffs are tied for first with Williams, but unless Amherst can beat the Ephs in Williamstown later this year, Williams would own the ultimate tie-breaker should the two teams end up with the same record at the end of the year. The Ephs knocked off Amherst on Saturday in a defensive duel that only had 46 shots total in the game. The night before Amherst vanquished the Middlebury Panthers 4-1 on the strength of Brendan Burke (F, '16)'s first two collegiate goals in the third period.
The week ahead: Finals. After that, holiday time with friends and family before returning to campus for practice on the 28th. Amherst plays Plymouth State from the MASCAC in the first round of Norwich's Northfield Bank Tournament on January 3rd and then either lowly Milwaukee School of Engineering or Norwich in the next round.
After that it's four straight weekends on the road for the Lord Jeffs, including a trip out west to face North Collegiate Hockey Association (NCHA) foes Concordia College in Wisconsin and Lake Forest College in Illinois. The Lord Jeffs last traveled out west a decade ago, when they defeated St. Thomas and tied Gustavus Adolphus of Minnesota in January of 2004.
After that it's four straight weekends on the road for the Lord Jeffs, including a trip out west to face North Collegiate Hockey Association (NCHA) foes Concordia College in Wisconsin and Lake Forest College in Illinois. The Lord Jeffs last traveled out west a decade ago, when they defeated St. Thomas and tied Gustavus Adolphus of Minnesota in January of 2004.
Player of the week: Dave Cunningham (G, '16) The sophomore sensation stopped 51 of 53 shots he faced over the weekend, earning New England Hockey Journal D-III Player of the Week honors. Cunningham and the Jeffs haven't allowed more than two goals in a game this season, even in the two losses.
1. Williams (5-0-2; 4-0-2) 1st in NESCAC - 10 points
This week's record: (1-0-1; 1-0-1)
The week that was: The Ephs finished the weekend as the only undefeated team in the NESCAC and one of only three unbeatens in the nation. They tied Hamilton 1-1 in a game that the Ephs were trailing in the third period and the Continentals needed a 38 save performance from goalie Joe Quattrocchi (G, '14) to earn the tie. They followed that up with a 1-0 nail bitter against arch-rival Amherst to move in to a tie for first with the very same Lord Jeffs.
The week ahead: After break, the Ephs start the new year off in upstate New York at the Cardinal classic, where they play Hobart and then either 'Cac foe Hamilton or host and current number one team in the nation, Plattsburgh, in the next round. Just three days later they play Trinity at the much anticipated Frozen Fenway game.
Player of the week: Sean Dougherty (G, '15) Stopped 43 of 44 stops, 18 of which came in his first shutout of the year, on his way to earning NESCAC Player of the Week for the first time in his career.
3rd in NESCAC - 7 points
This week's record: (0-2-0; 0-2-0)
This week's record: (0-2-0; 0-2-0)
The week that was: Middlebury dropped both road games to fall from second to third in the 'Cac (likely would have a steeper decline if Trinity played in conference). More concerning for the Panthers, the goalie carousel is now back in full motion. Mike Peters (G, '15) had the job locked up through the first five games of the season, but then yielded to senior Nick BonDurant (G, '14) after letting up three goals on seven shots in the first period of the PrimeLink finals against Plattsburgh. BonDurant shutout Platty the rest of the way, but gave up four goals to Amherst and Liam Moorfield Yee (G, '16) - - who wasn't even on the initial roster this year - - played against Hamilton, giving up four goals on 22 shots in a 4-3 loss. The only netminder and class not to get a shot yet is freshman Drew Michals (G, '17).
The week ahead: The Panthesr start 2014 with their own Middlebury Classic in which they face off against feeble St. Michael's in the first round, and either Southern Maine or Neumann in the next round.
The week that was: Trinity, like Wesleyan, didn't play any conference games. Last Thursday, they lost a disappointing 2-0 game at home to Stonehill despite outshooting the Skyhawks 42-30 in the game and 22-6 in the final frame. They then exploded for a 6-3 victory on the road against Manhattanville on Saturday. Valiants goalie Alex Scola (G, '15) had entered the game with two straight shutouts over Tufts and Conn College.
The week ahead: Trinity returns to action on January 3rd in Beantown against Becker and then at home the next day against New England College to complete their OOC schedule. They return to conference action just three days later on January 7th against Williams under the lights at Frozen Fenway in a rematch of one of last season's NESCAC Semfinals, which the Ephs won, 4-2.
Player of the week: Mike Hawkrigg (F, '16) The Toronto, Onatario native is usually the one doing the distributing but on Saturday he was the one on the receiving end of the assists. First career hat-trick. 'Nuff said.
5. Bowdoin (5-3-2; 2-3-1)
5th in NESCAC - 5 pointsThis week's record: (1-1-1;1-1-0)
The week that was: Bowdoin lost 3-2 in OT to previously winless Conn College on Friday night in Brunswick. Max Fenkell, who left the UNE game after the second period and didn't dress for the games against Suffolk and UMD at Bowdoin/Colby Faceoff Classic, returned to the two goalie rotation with Steve Messina (G, '14).
The Polar Bears then exploded for five second period goals in an 8-4 drubbing of Tufts the next day. They then concluded play for NESAC schools in 2013 with a 3-3 tie at USM last night. If any team could use a break right now to get players healthy and figure out its identity, it's Bowdoin. 5-3-2 might not be a bad record for a lot of teams, but it is a disappointment for a squad that hopes to make it to the D-III Final Four that they are hosting in Lewiston. Still plenty of puck to be played, though, so I'm sure coach Meagher isn't panicked.
The week ahead: Bowdoin returns from break at home with their second game of the season against University of New England, the team they beat 9-3 for Meagher's 500th career win in November. They then return to conference play against Amherst and Hamilton that weekend.
Player of the week: Colin Downey (F/D, '14) Scored twice and added an assist in the rout of Tufts (2-1-3) and added an assist against Southern Maine. The senior from East Sandwich, MA leads the team with sixteen points (6-10-16) and sits just four points away from the 100 point club.
5. Colby (4-3-2; 2-3-1) 5th in NESCAC - 5 points
This week's record: (1-1-0; 1-1-0)
The week that was : Colby lost,5-2, at home on Friday to previously winless-in-conference Tufts. The score was tied at two after two, but the Jumbos netted three third period goals for the victory. Colby saved face against Conn College on Saturday, 4-3, but it took OT to do so.
The week ahead: Colby's the first NESCAC school to play in 2014, facing off against frequent 'Cac adversary Wentworth in the opening round of the Salem State Tournament. The Mules then play either another 'Cac frequenter in Babson or host Salem State in the second game of the tournament.
Player of the week: Ben Chwick (F, '14) Had a goal and an assist against Tufts before netting three points (2-1-3) against Conn College to end 2013 with a team leading 13 points (7-6-13). Chwick has stepped up his production after appearing for team USA in the Maccabiah Games this summer and his seven goals this year already match his career high for a season.
5. Hamilton (3-3-1; 2-3-1)
8th in NESCAC - 5 points
This week's record: (1-0-1; 1-0-1)
The week that was: Hamilton had the best week in the 'Cac. After a huge tie against now conference leader Williams, the Conts followed it up with a victory over third place Middlebury. Joe Quattrocchi (G, '14), who has the talent to be an elite netminder in the NESCAC if not the consistency, made 38 saves to earn the tie on Friday. The Conts survived a back and forth third period, scoring one more goal than the Panthers in the final frame to win 4-3 on Saturday. Hamilton is now 3-1-1 in their last five and if not for a third period collapse to Trinity would have a six game unbeaten streak.
The week ahead: Things don't get easier after break in the schedule department for the Conts, who have played the second hardest schedule in the nation so far this year according to the KRACH model. They open up 2014 against consensus number one Plattsburgh, then play either Hobart or Williams in the second of Platty's Cardinal Classic.
Player of the week: Joe Quattrocchi (G, '14) Didn't have the greatest game against Middlebury, but his performance against Williams earned the tie that may have given the Continentals the confidence needed to beat Middlebury.
8. Wesleyan (5-2-1; 2-2-0)
8th in the NESCAC - 4 points
This week's record: (1-0-0; 0-0-0)
The week that was: The Cardinals are in eighth by virtue of playing two less games than 4/5 of the league, not because they deserve to be here. In their only game of the week, Wesleyan dismantled a Hobart team that is better than their 2-4-4 record on the strength of freshman phenom Elliot Vorel (F,17)'s first career hat trick. Scoring clearly won't be the problem for the conference leading Cardinals (4.0 goals per game), but questions still remain on defense and in net.
The week ahead: Wesleyan concludes out-of-conference play with home games against New England College (January 4th) and SUNY Canton (January 5th).
Player of the week: Elliott Vorel (F, '17) Vorel continues his torrid pace and now leads the country in scoring with 19 points (10-9-19) and 2.38 points-per-game. While he'll likely slow down, Vorel is on pace for 57 points in the regular season alone. No NESCAC player has had 50 points in a season since Mickey Gilchrist (F,'06) did it for Middlebury in 2005-06 (24-26-50). Gilchrist only had 37 points in the regular season and needed the 2006 NCAA championship game against St. Norbert to reach the 50 point plateau.
9. Conn College (1-8-0; 1-5-0)
9th in NESCAC - 2 points
This week's record - (1-1-0; 1-1-0)
The week that was: Conn College breathed a sigh of relief on Friday when they finally won a game, beating Bowdoin 3-2 in OT. They followed it up with their third OT loss of the season to Colby on Saturday. This team isn't good, but they are a lot better than their stats or records show. The Camels could cause some headaches for teams up the standings later in the year if some people could actually put the puck in the net.
The week ahead: Conn College opens up 2014 with two SUNY schools that couldn't be more different. On January 4th, the Camels host the 2-9-1 Canton 'Roos, who are still in the probationary period for transfer from club to D-III. Three days later, Conn College travels to Oswego to take on the perennial national powerhouse Lakers. Player of the week: JC Cangelosi (F, '15) Didn't have a goal this weekend, but still leads the team in goals and had four points (0-4-4) to end 2013 with a team leading 13 points (5-8-13). The next highest scorer on the team is freshman Greg Liautaud (D,'14) with four points (0-4-4) and there in lies your problem, Camels.
9. Tufts (2-7-0; 1-5-0)
9th in NESCAC - 2 points
This week's record - (1-1-0; 1-1-0)
The week that was: The Jumbos got their first conference win on Friday against Colby to keep pace with Conn College on the strength of three third period goals that broke a 2-2 tie after two. They then followed it up with an 8-4 beatdown by Bowdoin.
The week ahead: The Jumbos start off the year in the most Boston Tournament ever, the Codfish Bowl. They first play University of Southern New Hampshire in the first round, then either Suffolk or UMass-Boston in the second round.
Player of the week: Tyler Voight (F, '15) Had three points in the win over Colby (2-1-3) and added an assist against Bowdoin.
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