My Three Sons, New Brunswick Style

Bowdoin, 12-5-2, 7-5-1, 4th place at
Amherst, 12-6-1, 10-3, 1st place (tie)
Video


Only a hockey writer of a certain age remembers that old chestnut My Three Sons starring Fred MacMurray as the avuncular cardigan-wearing, pipe-smoking, wisdom spouting father of a TV family from back in the day.

But as we consider Fenwick Weekend, Day 2 we'll admit to having seen more that a few decades worth of small college hockey. We also know when we've been scooped. USCHO's Tim Costello beat us to the punch with his feature on the three Fenwick brothers playing in NESCAC. Even so the entire editorial staff at Nescachockey.com has been hard at work on this feature since the middle of last season when Publisher Will Nescac first noted that the third Fenwick brother, Scott, then at the Northwood School, would be enrolling at Colby during the fall of 2013.

Scott joined his older brothers Chris, now a sophomore at Bowdoin, and Andrew, an Amherst junior, as the third Fenwick playing in NESCAC. We'll continuing breaking down the numbers and promise an in-depth feature (maybe at playoff time; right now it looks as though there's a good chance one Fenwick will be hosting another during the NESCAC conference tournament) breaking down all the important numbers. But for now, we'll just preview Day II of Amherst weekend, the sweet-spot on the Fenwick parents' travel schedule when they get to stop in one town, Amherst, and see all three sons as travel partners Colby and Bowdoin visit Amherst's venerable Walter Orr Arena.

Colby's Scott Fenwick #28 followed Bowdoin's Chris Fenwick #38 from the Northwood School to NESCAC,
where they joined older brother Andrew who wears #16 for Amherst. Here Scott follows Chris behind the net at
Waterville on November 22nd. It was the first collegiate game between the two brothers.

Last night was a mixed bag as Colby came into Orr rink last night with high hopes. The Mules had dumped the Lord Jeffs 5-2 in Waterville on January 10th. The resurgent Mules, solid this year at 6-6-1 in the conference, had a rough game. Goaltender Sam Parker, stellar during several big games this season, lost the puck in the vintage lights of the ancient Orr rink a couple of times giving up a few soft goals. Nick Lanza, a Colby Co-Captain, and one of three Concannon Award semi-finalists on the ice last night, got tossed late in the game after vigorously advocating the Colby postion after a scrum had dislodged the net.

To top it off, Scott Fenwick did not dress for Colby; after traveling 779 kilometers from Quispamsis, NB the Fenwick parents saw just one boy on the ice.

They'll have another shot this afternoon as Bowdoin visits Amherst. The Polar Bears needed the first period to shake off the long bus ride from Maine to Clinton, NY. After falling behind 2-0 to the Hamilton Continentals on Friday night, the Polar Bears rallied for three unanswered second period goals, all on special teams, and then held off the Continentals late.

Chris Fenwick played an integral part in the comeback. Down 2-1 in the middle of the second and knowing that his team leads the nation in short-handed goals Fenwick wisely went to the box on a roughing call. Concannon semi-finalist Colin Downey responded netting his third shorty of the year; it was Downey's team leading 15th goal of the season.

It was Bowdoin's 10th shorthanded goal of the year. While Bowdoin's penalty kill rate is just shy of 84% and good for only 5th in NESCAC; the Polar Bears have given up 13 power-play goals. Even so their special teams net is a healthy +13 and second to just to Middlebury's +15. Bowdoin's 10 shorties leads the league by a long shot. Twice this season the Polar Bears have netted two short-handed goals in one penalty kill: against Amherst on January 11th, and again against USM on January 28th.

Chris Fenwick is not likely to see the box again soon. In thirteen games this season the sophomore has been to the box just the one time. Brother Andrew, however, goons it up for the Lord Jeffs, he's been to the box twice this season in 18 games. Colby's Scott takes the family Lady Byng with no time in the box during 13 games for the Mules.

But this game has implications for more than just the Fenwick family. Amherst, tied with Williams for the league lead at the moment (Williams has a game in hand) can make a statement for hosting rights come tournament time. The Lord Jeffs hold the tie breaker over third place Trinity with two wins over the Bantams, and will have another chance at the Ephs during the final game of the season. Moreover a win today would extract a bit of revenge and wash away the Lord Jeffs' lost weekend in Maine when they fell to both Bowdoin and Colby.

Bowdoin meanwhile is looking to solidify its hold on the fourth and final home playoff spot. The Polar Bears are 7-2 since the break, but 5-2 in NESCAC suffering a 5-1 beat down at Trinity and a 2-1 home loss to Williams. So far this season the Polar Bears best game against a team above them in the NESCAC standings was their 4-2 win over the Lord Jeffs on January 11th.

Dynamic forward/defenseman Ollie Koo, one of last season's Concannon semi-finalists, and named a first team all USCHO defender last year has played just seven games this season. After playing the first games in November Koo was out until January 18th when he joined the Polar Bears for their come from behind win at Wesleyan; the following weekend he netted the tying goal with just 33 seconds on the clock before an overtime win against Middlebury. But Koo went down hard the following day against WIlliams and has not been back in the line-up since. He lead the team in scoring last season at 16-18-34, but so far this season has just 2 goals.