Conference Preview 1/8/16 7 PM

There was plenty of non-conference action from the past week to catch up on, but let's skip over that for a moment and get ready for some good ole fashion conference action for the first time in almost a month. 

Amherst (3-4-3; 2-1-2 NESCAC) at Bowdoin (4-5-1; 2-3-1 NESCAC) 
Video

Oh what a difference a few games makes. Heading into the final contest of 2015, Amherst was one of the few unbeatens in the NESCAC and was nationally ranked. After falling to Middlebury in that game, the Purple&White were swept by Babson and Salem State in non-conference action last weekend and now have a losing record overall, for whatever that is worth.

Bowdoin hasn't played since a schizophrenic finale at home for 2015 in which they were blanked 2-0 by Tufts but then shalacked Conn College to close things out for the year. The Polar Bears are lead by superfrosh Cody Todesco , who has 14 poitns (6-8-14), six more than any other Bowdoin player.

The teams split the season series last season with both teams winning at home. The Polar Bears carried the matchup in Brunswick., 4-3, on the strength of a goal at the end of the second period by then Bowdoin senior Danny Palumbo. Current Bowdoin goalie Peter Cronin made 23 saves to vanquish the athletes formerly known as Lord Jeffs.

Hamilton (6-3-1; 2-2-1) at Colby (4-4-3; 2-3-1)
Video 

The blue battle. Colby only went 2-13-3 in conference last season last season, but went undefeated against Hamilton, winning in Clinton, NY and tying in Waterville, ME. The Continentals were without then freshman Evan Buitnenhuis (injury) in that 2-2 tie. Buitenhuis has established himself this season as one of the strongest goalies in the D-III nation, albeit often against some weak competition out of conference.

The Continentals enter the game with three straight wins, starting with their third straight over Williams and then adding two to begin 2016 in a home-and-home with Skidmore. Colby has been busy in the past week, defeating Nazareth in the open round of Plattsburgh's tournament before losing to the host Cardinals in the championship game and then tying University of Southern Maine this past Tuesday.

Maine governor Paul Leplage is in some hot water this week (again) for some peculiar statements. In honor of the only games tonight occuring in the Pine Tree State, here's another outfit with a french name, La Dispute with "The Most Bitter Beautiful Fruit"