The busiest day of opening weekend featuring four conference games, including the openers for Bowdoin, Colby, Middlebury and Williams. Hamilton also hosts Franklin Pierce tonight, while Amherst has the rest of the weekend off after defeating Hamilton last night.
Colby at Middlebury
7 PM Chip Kenyon Arena Middlebury, VT
Live Stats Video Middlebury Season Preview Colby Season Preview
Burlington Free Press Middlebury Preview WCAX Middlebury Preview Maine Hockey Journal Colby Season Preview
Former Middlebury All-American Neil Sinclair becomes the first coach to take the whistle from Bill Beaney since...Neil Sinclair in 2002-03 when Sinclair coached the Panthers during Beaney's sabbatical. Sinclair would love for that 22-5-2 mark he had back in 02-03 as he takes over a team which suffered its first losing season in 27 seasons last year with a 10-12-3 mark. Sinclair was a logical choice as the replacement given his relationship with the school, but he is coming off a less than stellar ten year tenure at Skidmore that ended with a 4-19-3 mark in his last year in Saratoga Springs, NY.
As far as the talent he will be taking over, the Panthers return nearly all of their production from last season, including leading scorer Jake Charles (F, '15), who was the only Panther to break double digits in the goal column. Charles ended the 2014-15 campaign in ignominy, however, as he missed the playoff loss to Amherst after a game DQ in the season finale against Hamilton.
Beaney was a favorite of the goalie carousel, which certainly had its detractors, but Stephen Klein (G, '18) ended up winning the full-time starting job down the stretch. It will be interesting to see if Klein has earned the job for Sinclair as well, or if senior Liam Moorfield-Yee (G, '15) or frosh Henry Cutting (G, '19) get a shot.
In terms of style of play, the BFP article has some quotes from Sinclair that he will continue the aggressive forechecking style and uptempo play that Middlebury hockey is known for. He also admits that the standards of Middlebury hockey (8 national titles under Beaney, but none in the last decade) will likely never be repeated. He's right. There's just too much parity in the NESCAC and DIII hockey now, and that's probably a good thing.
As far as their opponent for the opener, Colby is also coming off a disappointing season in which they failed to make the playoffs, finishing ninth in the conference. They had a very young team last season, and return 10 of their 11 top scorers, including top scoring classmates Devin Alpert (F, '17) and EJ Rauseo (F, '17), who combined for 23 of the teams 63 goals. The MHJ has quotes from Colby coach Blaise MacDonald saying he expects a jump in secondary scoring this season from other returning players.
In net, Colby only returns 341 minutes of collegiate action in sophomore Emerson Verrier (G, '18), but MacDonald thinks he can be a solid netminder at this level. He better hope so, as the backups are both freshman and not very highly regarded recruits at that.
Last season the two squads played two tightly contested games, tying 2-2 in Maine in November and going to OT in Vermont in January with Charles scoring the game winner for the Panthers in OT for the 4-3 victory.
The beginning of a new season brings new hope and everyone has to believe they have a shot at a NESCAC title when they sit at 0-0-0. Here's to the belief of these two programs looking to have a rebound year. The Bravery "Believe"
Bowdoin at Williams
7 PM Lansing Chapman Rink Williamstown, MA
Live Stats Video Williams Preview Maine Hockey Journal Bowdoin Preview
Berkshire Eagle Preview
Williams opens up at home in a rematch of the 2015 NESCAC Quarterfinals, a game which the fourth seed Ephs won 4-3 in OT on the strength of then senior Craig Kitto( F, '15)'s goal. The Ephs went 2-0-1 overall against the Polar Bears last year with a regular season tie in Brunswick opening weekend and a win in Wiliamstown in January.
The Ephs will look for their ever elusive first NESCAC title this season, after five straight seasons of making the semifinals which includes three losses in the championship game. Last season they lost a 1-0 final to arch-nemesis Amherst. The goalie in that tight-kit affair was Sean Dougherty (G, '15), a three year starter and two time All-NESCAC selection. Replacing him is the biggest question for the Ephs, who have a goalie competition which features a freshman, Michael Pinios (G, '19), a sophomore, Stephen Morrisey (G, '18), who has only one game of collegiate experience, and a senior, Noah Klagg (G, '16) who has ten games of collegiate experience. Before we write Klagg off, remember that Danny Vitale (G, '15) had even less playing time before taking over for Dave Cunningham last season and Vitale took Amherst all the way to the NCAA semis.
For the skaters, the Ephs do lose top scorer Kitto, along with smoothing passing d man David Jarrett (D, '15) and stay at home blueliner Brian McNamara (D, '5). They do return standout freshman David Italiano (F, '18) as well as much of their offensive output and defensive corps from last season. Like most seasons, expect Williams to hang around the top half of the division.
If the other conference game tonight features a team that lost a coaching legend, this game has a NESCAC stalwart that is on his way out. Bowdoin coach Terry Meagher announced before the season that this would be his 33rd and last season as the Polar Bears coach.
If Williams biggest question is in goal, Bowdoin's biggest question is on the other end of the ice. The Polar Bears graudated their top two scorers in John McGinnis, who is currently playing professionally on the SPHL's Hunstville Havoc with Trinity's Jackson Brewer - and Connor Quinn. Sophomore Matt Lison (F, '18), represents the highest returning offensive production (7-6-13) and he did that in just 12 games in a season cut short due to injury. Expect to see significant time for freshman.
It's not the biggest question for Bowdoin, but the loss of Max Fenkell (G, '15) also leaves a void for the PBs. Peter Cronin (G, '18) saw plenty of playing time in Meagher's rotation, posting a 6-3-1 mark and a .911 save percentage. It will be interesting to see if the coach will go with a goalie rotation of Cronin and one of the two frosh for his final year behind the bench.
As part of the Movember campaign, the Ephs will sell fake mustaches at the game, raffle off a signed team stick and fans can vote on the Eph with the best mustache. All proceeds go to the Movember Foundation.
In honor of Movember, here's a live version of Spinal Tap's "Tonight We're Gonna Rock You Tonight" with Derek Small's iconic 'stache.
NON-CONFERENCE: Franklin Pierce (1-5-0) at Hamilton (0-1-0)
7 PM Sage Rink Clinton, NY
Live Stats Video
After several years of having one of the hardest Out-of-Conference schedules in the 'CAC, Hamilton is taking it easy this year with home-and-homes with Canton and Skidmore, along with games at home against Franklin Pierce and Daniel Webster, who is playing in their first season as an NCAA D-III hockey school. To put tonight's opponent in perspective, the Ravens only win this season came against Daniel Webster.
So tonight should be a welcome respite for the Conts from the onslaught of the NESCAC season, especially after a tough loss at league powerhouse Amherst last night. Since there's not much to say hockey wise, here are some random facts about former U.S. President Franklin Pierce:
- he was the 14th President
-the anniversary of his birth is in just two days (November 23, 1804)
- he went to Bowdoin!
-he died of cirrhosis of the liver after a lifetime of heavy drinking
-he is considered one of the worst Presidents of all-time
After taking their lumps against Amherst, Hamilton gets a cupcake game to start the home schedule. Here's The Presidents of the United States of America with their 90s hit "Lump"
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