Conference scores 2/14/15

Heading into the final weekend of play, only the top and bottom of the conference have been decided: Trinity will be the one seed in the NESCAC playoffs and Wesleyan has been eliminated from playoff contention. The two teams play a home and home in the regular season finale. 

Tufts will likely take the eighth spot, but Colby has a shot sitting three points out. Tufts can lock up the eight spot with a tie or win over Colby in Waterville on Friday.  Seeds four through seven are the most up in the air with two points separating the four teams (Bowdoin, Conn College, Hamilton, Middlebury) in this group. 


Hamilton (8-8-6; 6-6-4 NESCAC)            4
Conn College (11-9-2; 8-7-1 NESCAC)     2
Box Score   Recap 

Hamilton scored four unanswered goals in the second and third to sweep the season series with the Camels and keep the Continentals' slim hopes of a home playoff game alive. Zach Arnold (G, '15) played solid in net making 40 saves and earning his first career win against a team without a PT Barnum attraction as their mascot. 

Hamilton sits in sixth place, one point behind the fourth place duo of Conn College/Bowdoin. The Conts hold the tiebreaker over Conn, but would lose in a tie with the Polar Bears. To make matters more interesting, Conn and Bowdoin play each other in Maine on Friday night.  Hamilton hosts Williams on Friday and Middlebury, who sits only one point behind them, on Saturday.

Murden hits Curtis for a breakway goal. Hamilton scores 4 unanswered goals to take 4-2 lead over Conn College with 3:24 to play.
— Hockey in the 'Cac (@hockeyinthecac) February 14, 2015

Bowdoin (13-6-3; 7-6-3 NESCAC)        3
Wesleyan (3-19-0; 2-14-0 NESCAC)     1
Box Score   Recap 

Bowdoin outshot Wesleyan 43-17 as the Polar Bears eliminated the Cardinals from NESCAC playoff contention. The Polar Bears take on Conn College on Friday in a game that will go a long way in determining the fourth and final home playoff game.

Bowdoin grabs key win: The Bowdoin men’s ice hockey team tallied one goal in each period to collect a key 3-1 ... http://t.co/HEAJxrRZdn
— Chris Roy (@Chris_MHJ) February 15, 2015

Colby (5-14-3; 2-11-3 NESCAC)       1
Trinity (19-2-1; 14-1-1 NESCAC)      5 
Box Score   Recap ha

Ryan Cole (F, '17) and Mike Hawkrigg (F, '16) scored two goals apiece as the Bantams locked up their second straight NESCAC regular season title. The Bantams went 3/6 on the power play and outshot the Mules 41-26 for good measure. Trinity will play two warm-ups for the playoffs against last place Wesleyan next weekend. For Colby, they'll return home for a Friday matchup with Tufts, a team they sit three points behind for the eighth and final playoff spot.

Congratulations to junior Mike Hawkrigg, who tonight joined the 100-point club with a two-goal, two-assist effort. pic.twitter.com/LME7ghXfSK
— Trinity Men's Hockey (@TCBantamsHockey) February 15, 2015

Amherst (16-4-2; 12-4-0 NESCAC)    3
Tufts (7-13-2; 4-10-2 NESCAC)         1
Box Score        Recap 

Conor Brown (F, '17) scored his tenth goal of the season to extend the Lord Jeffs lead to 3-1 with seven to play in the third and Amherst never looked back.  The Jumbos, who honored their six seniors in their last home game of the season, will travel to Maine for matchups with Colby and Bowdoin. The Jumbos have a three point lead on Colby as they look to secure their first playoff appearance since the 2011-12 season. Amherst hosts Middelbury and arch-rival Williams, who they have a three point lead on for the second seed.

Senior night for @shawnlpower came too quickly…. Going to miss those tufts hockey games more than anything.
— Jacqueline Lopez (@jacckiemlopez) February 15, 2015

Middlebury (9-10-3; 6-7-3 NESCAC)    4
Williams (14-6-2; 10-5-1 NESCAC)      5 
Box Score   Recap 

Williams fought back from  3-1 deficit to take their first lead of the game with 3:06 to play on Craig Kitto (F, '15)'s team leading 11th tally. Middlebury, who finds themselves in the seventh spot heading into the final weekend for the first time in the program's history, outshot Williams 39-25 on the evening. Jake Charles (F, '16) had his team leading ninth and tenth goals in a losing effort.

T-3minutes to Williams Amherst tip-off!!!
— Ephs Superfan (@EphsSuperfan) January 10, 2015

It's not a surprise, but we really don't know the shape of the NESCAC playoff matchups heading into the final weekend of regular season play. Here's I Am The Avalanche's music video for "Shape I'm In" featuring the best Brooklyn auto parts store turned music venue that yours truly has played at (#SaladDays)