Emerson Verrier stood on his head (44 saves) but it wasn't enough as the host Bantams scored one goal in each frame to advance to the NESCAC semifinals and excorcise their Quarterfinal loss as a one seed last season ( you know, if winning the NCAA title last year as a Pool C bid didn't already do that). After all other home teams lost today, Trinity will host the NESCAC semis/finals as they did as the #1 seed in 2014.
Three different Bantams scored (Knowlton, Hawkrigg, Orlando), including the hero of the 2013 NESCAC Quartefinals in Mike Hawkrigg, who had three points on the afternoon (1-2-3). The senior missed ten games this season to an ACL injury, and despite the statistics not being there this season as they have been in previous campaigns, the Bants are different team with him in the lineup. Alex Morin got the nod in net over Nate Heilbron and made 26 saves in his first taste of postseason action. Will be interesting to see who gets the start next week.
Post-game Tweet:
Looks like I'm not spending next weekend in Delaware either. Guess I've got three more hockey games to call this season #PUMPED#ILoveHockey
In one of the more bonkers NESCAC playoff games you'll ever see, Amherst scored six goals in the third period (including an empty netter) to upset the Polar Bears and end Terry Meagher's 33 year career as Bowdoin coach. None of the Purple and White's six goal scorers have more than four goals on the season, even after today. The sixth seed Purple and White will play fifth seed Middlebury next weekend at Trinity in the semis.
As they did in both regular season contests between the two squads this season, Hamilton and Middlebury ended regulation with the same number of goals. They went on to tie both of those contests, but this is the playoffs, so we can't have any of that. The goals in regulation ( for Middlebury, Murden for Hamilton) both came in the 1st 21 minutes of action. Hamilton carried most of the play in the 2nd half of the game, but Panther senior Liam Moorfield-Yee was up to the task, until Middlebury scored in OT (looked like Jake Charles on a broken play?) to lift the Panthers to the NESCAC semis.
Post Game Tweet:
5th seed Middlebury was on road in Quarters. They will be "home" against 6th seed Amherst (hosted by Trinity) next weekend. #BecauseNESCAC
Who needs home ice advantage or even an on campus rink? For the second straight season, an eight seeded Tufts team defeated the NESCAC regular season champion 2-1 in the NESCAC Quartefinals. Last year's victim was Trinity, while this year's is Williams, who now only have a distant chance at a Pool C bid for the NCAA tournament. Mason Pulde stood on his head, as he did last year, to earn the Jumbos their second straight (and second ever) trip to the NESCAC semis.
Amherst (9-11-4; 7-8-3 NESCAC) (all Stats from conference games) Offense - 1.83 G/GM (9th in NESCAC) Defense - 2.11 G/GM (2nd) PIM - 9.3/GM (4th) Power Play - 13.4% (9th) Penalty Kill- 87.5% (2nd) Special Teams Net - +2 (3rd) Bowdoin (13-7-4;9-5-4 NESCAC) Offense - 2.94 G/Gm (2nd) Defense - 2.33 G/Gm (6th) PIM- 9.2/GM (6th) Power Play - 15.7 % (6th) Penalty Kill - 77.6% (10th) Special Teams Net - -3 (9th)
Bowdoin PreviewAmherst Preview The Lowdown: The End of an Era Barring upsets of both Williams and Trinity this weekend, this will be the last home game of the 33 year Terry Meagher era at Bowdoin. A home playoff game to send off Meagher did not look likely at the midpoint of the season, as the first half saw the Polar Bears floundering in the NESCAC standings and included a rare OOC 8-3 thumping at the hands of in-state rival University of New England. But the emergence of the team's offense and Peter Cronin's work in net currently has Meagher's men on a ten game unbeaten streak (9-0-1), which has included wins over the top seeded Ephs and second seeded Bantams. The streak also includes a 3-1 victory over the PBs Quarterfinal opponent, defending NESCAC champion Amherst. That game came at Amherst, while the teams also tied in Brunswick in a 0-0 goalie fest, the first of its kind for Bowdoin in the 21s century. Amherst hasn't played on the road in the NESCAC quarters since 2007 when they finished fifth in the conference. The teams last met in the NESCAC playoffs in the 2014 finals when the PBs held that very same fifth seed and defeated the second seed Purple and White in double OT. Bowdoin has owned the playoff series against Amherst in general, winning six of the seven matchups all-time. Bowdoin last hosted a playoff game in the 2013 finals when they defeated Williams for their first of two straight titles. Part of the reason Amherst isn't hosting a NESCAC Quarterfinal is their anemic offense, which features exactly 0 players with double digit goals scored. Last year's NESCAC Rookie of the Year, David White, only has three goals this season as compared to the 20 he had in last year's run to the D-III Final Four. In net, Dave Cunningham has rebounded from an injury shortened 2014-15 campaign with a 1.99 GAA and .930 save percentage stat line in conference games, though Air Force transfer Connor Girard has seen significant time in net, especially down the stretch. If Amherst has moved towards a rotation in net, ironically Meagher has moved away from his preferred platoon of recent memory to the workhorse model for sophomore Cronin. The Norwell, Mass. native has solid but not overpowering numbers, though he has shown he can come up big in tight games, including a 33 save performance in the 1-0 win over Williams and 36 saves in the 2-1 win over Trinity, not to mention a 36 save effort in the win over Amherst and 46 saves in the 0-0 tie against the Purple and White. On the offensive end, the Polar Bears are paced by double digit goal socring underclassmen in freshman Cody Todesco and sophomore Matt Lison, who showed flashes of promise in his injury plagued freshman season. Last weekend, the NHL was supposed to air a segment on Boston College groeat Jerry York reaching 1,000 wins and Meagher retiring. The segment didn't air until later on NBC Sports Network, but you can find it here. It includes video of Bowdoin's final regular season home game against Trinity (complete with play-by-play from NSN's Rob Kennedy) and an interview with Bowdoin's bench boss. Pre-Game Tweet :
After a ten-game unbeaten streak, men's hockey will face Amherst on Saturday at 3 p.m. in the NESCAC playoffs. https://t.co/ON2TKzoscW
Colby (9-10-5; 6-9-3 NESCAC) Offense - 2.28 G/GM (7th) Defense - 2.72 G/GM (8th) PIM - 6.9/GM (9th) Power Play - 18.2 % (4th) Penalty Kill - 85.7 % (3rd) Special Teams Net - +3 (2nd) Trinity (18-5-1; 14-4-0 NESCAC) Offense - 3.44 G/GM (1st) Defense - 2.11 G/GM (2nd) PIM - 10.4/GM (2nd) Power Play - 18.5 % (2nd) Penalty Kill - 82.5% (7th) Special Teams Net - +2 (3rd) Trinity Preview Colby Preview
The Lowdown: 1st is the Worst, 2nd is the Best?
Trinity enters the playoffs as a non-one seed for the first time since the 2013 playoffs, which may be a good thing for the Bantams, at least from a NESCAC playoff perspective. Trinity may be defending national champions, but they were also knocked out of the 2015 NESCAC playoffs by eighth seed Tufts in the Quarterfinals. This year they won't be able to get a Pool C bid to the tournament if they get bounced today, so if they lose to Colby the title defense is over. In 2014, the Bantams hosted championship weekend but were upset by eventual NESCAC champion Bowdoin in the semifinals.
The Mules return to the playoffs after a one year absence after finishing ninth last season. Colby avoided a third straight matchup with Williams in the Quarterfinals (2013, 2014) by defeating Tufts in their final game of the regular season. Colby lost both of the games to the Ephs, but they have had an equally troubled past with the Bantams in the playoffs, going 0-4 All-Time. This season, the Bantams won both matchups between the squads.
If the Mules want to make it to their first NESCAC championship weekend since 2011 they will - pardon the cliche of all hockey cliches - need a big game from goaltender Emerson Verrier against the number one offense in the 'CAC three years running. Verrier, like his Pine Tree State sophomore counterpart Cronin, has been a mainstay in net, trailing just Cronin and Hamilton's Evan Buitenhuis for most minutes played in conference. Verrier (2.53 GAA, .921 save percentage) gave up four goals last time out in Hartford, but he also made 45 saves. Tufts Mason Pulde made 42 big saves in last season's upset of the Bantams in the Quartefinals. As always, a goalie stands on his/her head
On the other end of the ice, 2015 NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player Nate Heilbron has shared time in net with s Alex Morin. The sophomore has had the better go of it statistical in conferenrece (1.88 GAA , .931 save percentage vs 2.22 GAA, .921 save percentage), but the senior Heilbron has the experience with last year's championship run, though that included a loss in his only NESCAC playoff game.
On offense, sophomore Anthony Sabitsky leads the high octane Bants in overall scoring with 25 points (11-14-25) while junior Ethan Holdaway has had a breakout year in the goals department with 13 to lead Trinity. Reigning NESCAC Player of the Year Ryan Cole, who like now senior Mike Hawkrigg joined the 100 point club as a junior, hasn't had the same kind of output statistically as his first two seasons, but he has owned Colby for his career, posting 14 points (8-6-14) in six career games against the Mules.
Middlebury (7-10-7; 6-5-7) Offense - 2.56 G/GM (4th) Defense - 2.28 G/GM (5th) PIM - 8.2/GM (7th) Power Play - 16.7% (5th) Penalty Kill - 82% (8th) Special Teams Net - -1 (5th) Hamilton (13-7-4; 8-6-4) Offense - 2.56 G/GM (4th) Defense - 2.11 G/GM (2nd) PIM - 10.1/GM (3rd) Power Play - 13.6% (8th) Penalty Kill - 85.3% (4th) Special Teams Net - -2 (6th) Hamilton Preview The Lowdown: Even Stevens
From a pedigree standpoint, the schools couldn't be more different, with Middlebury sporting a 7-0 mark against Hamilton in the NESCAC playoffs as well as eight national titles and conference crowns to the Continentals zero in both categories. But as has been beaten to death here and elsewhere on the D-III hockey interwebs, Middlebury's dominance is a thing of the past with the Panthers now playing a road Quartefinal game in three of the last four years after finishing in the top three for the first 13 years of conferencce play. As for this season - the first of the post Bill Beaney era for Middlebury - these two teams matchup pretty evenly both in statistics and the fact that they tied both times they met in the regular season.
It is the first home playoff game for coach Rob Haberbusch, who took over for current UMass-Lowell coach Norm Bazin in 2011 after Bazin led the Continentals to the #1 overall seed only to be bounced by the eight seed Wesleyan Cardinals. At one point this season, an even higher seed seemed possible for Hamilton when they rode an 11 game unbeaten streak (9-0-2) in December and January. The Continentals went 2-4-2 down the stretch, including ties at Middlebury and Williams in the final regular season weekend. Middlebury was 0-3-3 down the stretch before beating Amherst on the final day of the season to earn the fifth seed.
Hamilton's success midseason was largely predicated on sophomore Evan Buitenhuis play in net and their top line of Robbie Murden, Neil Conway and Brandon Willett, who account for 36 of the teams 71 goals on the season (all games, including OOC). Junior Murden and sophomore Conway have particularly carried the load, with Murden's 20 points in conference games (10-10-20) coming in at #1 and Willet's 19 points (9-10-19) coming in at #2. The Boston Globe did a Q+A with Conway, who apparently wants to be the next Wolf of Wall Street.
For the Panthers, their scoring is more diffuse and senior laden with Evan Neugold leading the team in points (5-13-18) and Zach Hagerty leading the team in goals with eight. Senior Liam Moorfield-Yee has taken over in net after starter Stephen Klein went down with injury the first weekend in February. Moorfield-Yee has a 2.69 GAA and .927 save percentage in conference games this season, including a 37 save effort against Hamilton last weekend.
#8 Tufts at #1 Williams 4:30 PM Video Tufts (9-9-6; 5-8-5) Offense - 2.39 G/GM (6th) Defense - 2.33 G/GM (6th) PIM - 15.2/GM (1st) Power Play - 18.5% (2nd) Penalty Kill - 84.4% (5th) Special Teams Net - -2 (6th)
Williams (18-4-2; 14-4-2) Offense - 2.72 G/GM (3rd) Defense - 1.50 G/GM (1st) PIM - 6.6/GM (10th) Power Play - 19.2% (1st) Penalty Kill - 88.7% (1st) Special Teams Net - +6 (1st) Williams Preview Tufts Preview Berkshire Eagle Preview The Lowdown: Heavy is the head...
Williams won their first ever NESCAC regular season crown, thanks in large part to sweeping the season series with second seed Trinity. But the Ephs must be careful of the top spot, as they face off against a Tufts team that shocked first seed Trinity as an eight seed in last year's playoff. The Jumbos return the goalie from that upset, now sophomore Mason Pulde, who is second in NESCAC conferene games with a .946 save percentage just behind Ephs senior Noah Klag, who has a .961 saver percentage in conference, including two shutouts in wins over the Jumbos this season. The Ephs have two solid goalies and will likely start freshman Michael Pinios, who posted more minutes in conference games than Klag and had a solid .938 save percentage as well.
There's little history in the playoffs between these two squads as the Jumbos are making only their sixth appearance in the NESCAC tournament and the first back-to-back appearances for the program in coach Pat Norton's first season behind the bench. The Ephs and Jumbos met only one other time with fifth seed Williams defeating fourth seed Tufts in OT in 2012. It was the only home playoff game the Jumbos have ever had.
The Ephs score by committee with five players (Italiano, Young, Cretella, Massuci, Hunkele) having seven or eight goals on the season with Italiano's 21 points (8-13-21) leading the team. Frosh Roberto Cellini has six goals on the season but five have come in conference games. The Jumbos also spread the tallies around with Goldberg, Bell and Lackner all tied for the team lead with six conference goals. Brian Brown leads the team with 18 points (6-12-18) but only eight (1-7-8) come in conference games.
Williams should be able to take care of business at home, where they have gone 10-1-1 this season with the only loss coming out-of-conference vs Genesseo. A few quick goals early and another strong performance from Pulde, however, and the Jumbos could find themselves in championship weekend for the second straight year. The Ephs, however, would not be phased from coming behind as their current nine game unbeaten streak (8-0-1) includes a run of four straight games in which the Ephs trailed by two goals but ended up winning.
Pre-game Tweet:
@hockeyinthecac I want Bill Kangas to make his first dance (skate?). GO EPHS!
So you made it to the NESCAC playoffs. Congratulations! Now it all means nothing as you face the pressure of the single elimination tournament in which a loss means the certain end of your season if your mascot isn't an angry little bird or a purple cow. At the risk of dishonoring the memories of Freddie Mercury or David Bowie, here's The Used/My Chemical Romance's cover of "Under Pressure"
Hamilton 2 Williams 2 Box Score
Seamus O'Neill scored from the point at 10:19 of the 3rd to pull the Continentals even with the Ephs. Williams (18-4-2; 14-2-2) had already wrapped up the top spot in the NESCAC playoffs, but the tie locked up the fourth and final home playoff spot for Hamilton (13-7-4; 8-6-4). It's the first home playoff game for Hamilton in the Rob Haberbusch era and the first home game since 2011 when the top seeded Continentals were upset by the eighth seed Wesleyan Cardinals. The Continentals will host fifth seed Middlebury, while Williams will host Tufts, who shocked top seed Trinity from the same eight seed spot last year.
Middlebury (7-10-7; 6-5-7) jumped out to a 3-0 lead and Liam Moorfield-Yee made 21 saves on Senior Day to lift the Panthers to the season sweep of Amherst (9-11-4; 7-8-3). The win gives Middlebury the fifth seed and a trip to Clinton, NY while the loss drops Amherst to the sixth seed to travel to Brunswick to face the third seed Polar Bears of Bowdoin. It's the first road NESCAC game in the Quarterfinals for the Purple and White since 2007, when they finished fifth in the final regular season standings. NESCAC QUARTERFINALS 2/27/2016 #8 Tufts at #1 Williams #7 Colby at #2 Trinity #6 Amherst at #3 Bowdoin #5 Middlebury at #4 Hamilton
Williams rode a 32 save performance by Michael Pinios and goals by Joe Welch and Roberto Cellini to clinch the Ephs first ever NESCAC regular season crown. The Ephs will face eighth seed Tufts in the Quarterfinals next weekend. More on Amherst scenario below.
Bowdoin 4 Conn College 3
Conn College had nothing to play for except pride and trying to save off a winless season. The Camels fought hard but a Matt Rubinoff goal with 3:13 left lifted the Polar Bears past the Camels for a ten game unbeaten streak and a #3 seed in the NESCAC playoffs. In Terry Meagher's last game in Brunswick, Bowdoin will host either Middlebury or Amherst.
Trinity 5 Wesleyan 1
The Cole brothers each scored, Alex Morin made 32 saves and the Bantams ruined Cardinals senior goalie Nolan Daley's last start of his collegiate career (his only one this season). Wesleyan's season is over in the regular season for the second straight season and #2 Trinity will host #7 Colby next week.
Colby 4 Tufts 1
Colby scored two empty net goals to break open a tight game and steal the seven seed away from Tufts. Both finished with 15 points but the Camels win the tiebreaker by virtue of winning the season series (1-0-1).
Hamilton 1 Middlebury 1
All the scoring occured in the 1st, though there was plenty of action in OT including a spearing call in the final 20 seconds. This result leaves us with the scenarios below for the four through six seeds, which will be decided by the Hamilton/Williams and Amherst/Middlebury games on the final day of the regular season tomorrow.
QUARTERFINALS THAT ARE SET:
#7 Colby at #2 Trinity
#8 Tufts at #1 Williams
REMAINING PLAYOFF SCENARIOS:
Hamilton
Hamilton has the upper hand for the four seed (the fourth and final home Quarterfinal slot) and cannot be the sixth seed. If Hamilton wins or ties at Williams tommorrow, they are the four seed. Even if Hamilton loses, an Amherst/Middlebury tie or Middlebury win would give Hamilton the four seed.
Amherst
If Amherst and Middlebury tie tomorrow, the Purple and White get the six seed and will travel to #3 Bowdoin. Middlebury and Amherst would finish with the same points, but the Panthers would win the head to head (1-0-1). If Amherst loses tomorrow, they will also get the sixth seed.
If Amherst wins tomorrow and Hamilton wins or ties, Amherst gets the five seed and will travel to Hamilton for the Quarterfinals. If Amherst wins and Hamilton loses, the Purple and White will get the four seed and will host #5 seed Hamilton, who has not won at Amherst in a long time. The teams would tie in points and record, but Amherst would have a better record (3-3-2) against top 4 teams than Hamilton (3-5-0).
Middlebury
Middlebury can't get the fourth seed, as even if they win, they would lose the tiebreaker to Hamilton based on number of conference wins. If they do win, however, they would get the five seed and travel to Hamilton. If Middlebury ties Amherst they would also get the five seed beating out Amherst because of the head-to-head (see above). If Middlebury loses to Amherst, they will be the sixth seed and head to Bowdoin.
Bowdoin (12-7-4; 8-5-4) at Conn College (0-14-3; 3-17-3)
3 PM Video
The Polar Bears travel to New London for Terry Meagher's regular season finale with a nine game unbeaten streak (8-0-1), which was an eight game win streak until last night's tie at Tufts. Conn College also enters the game with some positive momentum, at least as much momentum as a team winless can have, after the Camels fought back for a 3-3 tie against Colby last night. The Camels will still become the first team to win less than two games in conference for a season (NESCAC conference play started in 1999-00) either before or after the interlock with the ECAC-East ended in 2011. It's been noted before, but it is a steep fall from grace for the Camels, who finished third last season. It's not the worst fall off, though, as that ignominy belongs to Colby after they finished first in 2008 and fell to last in 2009.
At the mid-way point of the season it appeared last weekend's home finale against Trinity would be the last game in Brunswick for 33 year head coach Terry Meagher. But timely goaltending from Peter Cronin (the Boston Globe did a Q+A with him last week) and increased offensive production have the Polar Bears a tie or win away from clinching a home playoff spot and the upper hand for the third seed.
The teams last met in Brunswick in January when the Polar Bears exploded for an 8-3 victory a day after being blanked by Tufts 2-0. This will be the last collegiate game for Conn College's two leading scorers, Tim DiPretoro and Joe Birmingham, who account for 23 of the 44 Camel goals on the season. In contrast, Bowdoin's two leading scorers, Cody Todesco and Matt Lison, are both underclassmen.
Trinity ( 17-5-1; 13-4-0 NESCAC) at Wesleyan (2-13-8; 2-8-7)
3 PM Video
The two travel partners face off again after the Bantams took care of the Cardinals last night in Hartford. There's little on the line in this game, as the Cardinals were eliminated from playoff contention last night for the second straight year and Trinity can't move out of the two spot unless they win and Williams loses both games this weekend. In an indirect way, it might be a blessing for the Bantams to not win the regular season crown. The last two seasons the Bantams have finished first and they were bounced in the semifinals and quarterfinals, respectively. Last season, of course, turned into a success with a strong out of conference schedule getting the Bantams into the NCAA tournament and winning the whole thing. This year, the Bantams were third in the east in the first edition of the NCAA Regional Rankings, behind Hobart and Williams, which are used to pick the NCAA field. D3Hockey.com's first edition of Bracketology projects the Bantams getting a Pool C bid for the second straight year if the Ephs win the NESCAC tournament. It's very early and obviously tentative, but the chance of two teams in the CAC in the NCAAs is still alive.
Amherst (9-9-4;7-6-3) at Williams (17-4-1; 13-2-1) 3 PM Video
Williams heads into the biggest little hockey game in America a win or tie away from their first ever NESCAC regular season top spot. The defending NESCAC champion Purple and White enter the game in fifth place, one point behind travel partner Hamilton for the fourth and final home playoff spot. The two teams last met earlier this season in Amherst with both teams coming away with a point in a 2-2 tie. Noah Klag and Dave Cunningham were the goalies in that game, though they might not be today, as both teams have two goalies that see significant action with freshman Michael Pinios likely in net for the Ephs today and transfer Connor Girard seeing the bulk of time between the pipes recently for Amherst. Williams is riding a seven game win streak, but they'll look to break their come from behind trend as the last four included two goal deficits for the Ephs to overcome.
Pre-game Tweet:
MEN'S HOCKEY looks to wrap up No. 1 seed for NESCAC tournament at home vs. Amherst & Hamilton Eagle Online https://t.co/qpzVHkbYTB
Colby (8-10-5; 5-9-3) at Tufts (9-8-6; 5-7-5)
4 PM Video
Both teams enter the game having clinched a playoff spot with a tie and a Wesleyan loss. For Colby, it's pretty simple: a win gets them the seventh spot and a loss/tie puts them in eighth. For Tufts a loss puts them in eighth, a tie gets them seventh, and a win assures them seventh with a chance at the sixth seed with two Middlebury losses. The teams last met in December in Maine with both teams earning a 2-2 tie. Today will be the last home game (well as much of a home game as you can have at an off-campus municipal rink) for Tufts seniors and co-captains Stewart Bell and Brian Oullette.
Hamilton (13-7-2; 8-6-2) at Middlebury (6-10-6; 5-5-6)
4 PM Video
Both teams come in to the game with some negative momentum with Middlebury losing three straight and Hamilton losing three of the last four. Both teams also enter the game, however, with legitimate chances at a home playoff game. The Continentals currently sit at fourth, two points behind Bowdoin and one point ahead of Amherst/two points ahead of sixth place Amherst. A win today for the Conts and an Amherst loss or tie would clinch the first home playoff game for Hamilton since they were upset as the top seed by eighth seed Wesleyan in the 2011 Quarterfinals.
For Middlebury, a win would move them into a tie Hamilton and earn them the tie breaker in a head-to-head tie with a showdown with Amherst on Sunday looming. While the Panthers have a shot at a home game, they also have a shot to fall to seventh place if they lose both games to Hamilton/Amherst and Tufts beats Colby.
The Conts and Panthers last met in December with a 49 save effort from backup Liam Moorfield-Yee earning the Panthers a 3-3 tie. Moorfield-Yee has been the Panthers starter since early February when Stephen Klein left a game with an injury, so we'll see if Klein is still out today.
Pre-game Tweet:
Enjoy learning the history of the game including this plaque honoring Phil Latreille at Middlebury's Kenyon Arena. pic.twitter.com/a9AJepZOUa
It's the final collegiate games for Conn College and Wesleyan seniors and the final home game for Tufts seniors. Everyone save the Camels and Cards are also shuffling for position in the final NESCAC standings. Here's a very dated 2003 song, Junior Seniors infectious "Move Your Feet"
Senior Nate Heilbron made 35 saves on Senior Night in Hartford, as Trinity (17-5-1;13-4-0) continued their recent dominance over travel partner Wesleyan (2-13-8; 2-8-7). Jay Matthews scored two goals for the vanquished Cardinals, who will miss the playoffs for the second straight season after they were eliminated from contention with the loss coupled with a Colby tie against Conn college. The Bantams keep their slim hopes of winning a third straight NESCAC regular season crown alive, though they will likely end up in second as Williams only needs one point this weekend to lockup the top spot.
Matt Melanson scored in the final two minutes for Bowdoin (12-7-4;8-5-4) to force OT in a back and forth game that saw no lead bigger than one goal for either team. Mason Pulde made 45 stops for the Jumbos while Peter Cronin stopped 32 for the Polar Bears. The tie clinched a playoff spot for the second straight season for Tufts, while Bowdoin is a point or tie against winless Conn College from locking up a home playoff spot.
With no playoff spot to compete for, Conn College (3-17-3;0-14-3) fought back from a 3-1 deficit with two third period goals 23 seconds apart (including William White's first collegiate goal) to earn a tie against visiting Colby (8-10-5; 5-9-3). Despite not pulling out the victory the Mules clinched a playoff spot to return to the NESCAC postseason after a one year absence.
Coach Blaise MacDonald's son Cam doubled his goals for the season with a hat-trick as Colby (8-10-4;5-9-2) jumped Wesleyan (2-12-8;2-7-7) for the eight and final playoff spot with two games to play. Emerson Verrier made 39 stops for the win as the Cardinals outshot the Mules 42-28.
On Senior Day for Amherst (9-9-4;7-6-3), Dave Cunningham made 18 saves to win his last regular season game at Orr Rink and his first start in net since the end of January. Tim DiPretoro scored his team leading 14th goal for Conn College (3-17-2; 0-14-2), who run the risk of becoming the first team in NESCAC conference play (started in 1999) to not win a game in conference play either before or after the ECAC-E interlock ended in 2011. Reigning NESCAC Second Team All-NESCAC goalie Tom Conlin made 39 saves in a losing effort. The Jeffs ended the weekend in fifth place, one point behind Hamilton for a home playoff spot.
Hamilton (13-7-2;8-6-2) scored two third period goals but could not overcome a 4-1 deficit after two as Tufts (9-8-5;5-7-4) freshman David Lackner had his first multi-goal game. Hamilton's Evan Buitenhuis gave up 4+ for the second time in three games after starting his collegiate career giving up 3 or less in his first 23 starts. Tufts ends the weekend in seventh place while Hamilton holds on to the fourth and final home playoff spot.
In his last regular season home game as Bowdoin (12-7-3;8-5-3) coach, Terry Meagher led his troops to their eighth straight victory in an upset of Trinity (16-5-1;12-4-0). Anthony Sabitsky scored the Bantams only goal in the third, as Bowdoin goals from Matt Sullivan and Spencer Antunez in the first turned out to be enough for the Polar Bears. The win moves the Polar Bears one point ahead of Hamilton for third, while the loss makes Trinity a virtual lock for second as Williams is one win or tie in the final weekend away from clinching the regular season NESCAC crown.
Tufts (8-8-5;4-7-4) senior Stewart Bell's team leading seventh goal in the third wasn't enough as Amherst (8-9-4;6-6-3) sophomore Thomas Lidstrom's team leading eight goal earlier in the third proved to be the game winner. Connor Girard made 33 saves for his second straight win and fourth straight start since Dave Cunningham left in the 1st period in a January 30th loss at Wesleyan. For Tufts, Mason Pulde had 39 saves in defeat. Pulde has made 35+ saves in six of his twelve starts this season.
The win keeps Amherst in sixth place with 15 points headed into the final three games, one point behind Middlebury for fifth and a commanding three points ahead of seventh place Tufts, who they hold the tiebreaker over after the Purple and White swept the season series with Saturday's win.
Matt Yablog and Daniel McMullan had their first goals of the year, Matt Lison scored twice and Bowdoin (11-7-3-7-5-3) scored early and often as a group to rout Wesleyan (2-11-8-; 2-6-7) for the Polar Bears' seventh straight. Dawson Sprigings and Nolan Daley each gave up four goals apiece on 31 total Bowdoin shots, while Peter Cronin made 16 saves for the victory. The win moves Bowdoin into the fourth and final playoff spot and just one point behind Hamilton for the third seed. The Cardinals remain in the eight and final playoff spot, one point ahead of Colby, whom the Cardinals play on Sunday.
All three Conn College (3-16-2; 0-13-2) goalies gave up at least one goal as Hamilton (13-6-2;8-5-2) moved into sole possession of third place with the blowout. The slew of scoring including first collegiate goals from the Ians (Nichols and Chen), a four point game from Brandon Willett (1-3-4) and Robbie Murden's team leading 14th goal. The Camels, who were eliminated from playoff contention last weekend at Tufts have now been outscored 17-3 in their last two games.
Anthony Sabitsky scored with 1:22 left to give Trinity (16-4-1; 12-3-0) their first lead of the game over Colby (7-10-4; 4-9-2), who held 1-0 and 2-1 leads in their bid for an upset. Alex Morin made 28 saves for the win while Emerson Verrier gave up three goals and made 31 saves in defeat. The win keeps Trinity in the hunt for the top spot three points behind Williams with three to play for the Bants and two to play for Williams. For the Mules, they are on the outside looking in at the playoffs, just one point behind eighth place Wesleyan, who the Mules play in Waterville on Sunday.
Williams (17-4-1;13-2-1 NESCAC) erased two goal deficits in both contests (as they did in both games last weekend) to sweep the home-and-home with travel partner Middlebury (6-10-6; 5-5-6). Friday's game at Middlebury might be the last on the road for Williams, as the Ephs are close to clinching their first ever NESCAC regular season title. Two wins at home against Amherst and Hamilton, or one win and a loss/tie by Trinity in their last four would give the Ephs the crown and home ice throughout the NESCAC playoffs.
On Thursday in Williamstown, the Ephs scored three goals in the third to erase a 3-1 Panthers lead after two and put Williams up 4-3. Later in the period on the power play, Middlebury's Zach Weir scored his first collegiate tally to force OT. In the extra period, Colby Cretella scored an opportunistic goal with Middlebury changing lines to lift the Ephs to the 5-4 victory (Box Score). Liam-Moorfield Yee, starting in place of injured Panther goalie Stephen Klein, had 45 saves in defeat, while Michael Pinios made 26 saves for the victory.
The next night in Vermont was a Hag(g)erty evening. Middlebury opened up a 2-0 lead in the 2nd on Zach Haggerty's third goal in two nights. The Ephs quickly struck back with goals by Thursday night hero Colby Cretella and sophomore Joe Welch (his college first). In the third, Williams scored the game winner on Alex Hagerty's fourth of the season for the 3-2 victory (Box Score). Moorfield-Yee stopped 31 shots while Pinios turned aside 21 of 23 Panther attempts.
The ability to keep his team focused after falling behind two goals in the last four speaks at least indirectly to the coaching job of Bill Kangas, who has manned the Williams bench since 1989. Kangas, who coach Williams to an NCAA title in women's golf in the fall, also serves as the committee co-chair for the NCAA selection committee for D-III men's hockey. In the next few years he should join NESCAC coaches Terry Meagher and Jack Arena, as well as recent retiree Bill Beaney on the exclusive list of NCAA coaches with 400 wins in men's hockey.
It might not have been a good series for current Panthers but it has been a good week for recent Panthers. Louis Belisle ('14) on loan to the ECHL's Wheeling Nailers (Penguins affiliate) from the SPHL's Columbus Cottonmouths, scored his first ECHL goal last night in the Nailers 5-2 victory over the Adirondack Thunder in upstate New York. Several dates late for the primaries, Belisle and the Panthers head to New Hampshire on Valentine's Day for an afternoon matchup with the Manchester Monarchs (Kings affiliate). The Monarchs roster includes Belisle's former teammate, Robbie Donahoe ('14), who has five points (2-3-5) in 23 games for the Monarchs this season.
You're off from games the next few days, current Panthers, and two of your former teammates are facing off against one another in the next state over on Sunday afternoon. Just sayin'.
Williams has fallen behind in the last four, but they came around in all four, and are on the verge of coming around to their first ever #1 finish in the ''CAC. Here's a stripped down version of Murder By Death's "I Came Around" with just an acoustic guitar and cello in a van. So there's that.
In New London, Tufts (8-7-5; 4-6-4) demolished Conn College (3-15-2; 0-12-2) to finish off the weekend sweep of the home-and-home and eliminate the Camels from playoff contention. The win moved Tufts into seventh heading into the final two weeks.
Trinity (15-4-1; 11-3-0) outshot Middlebury (6-8-6; 5-3-6) 43-18 en route to a comfortable victory to rebound from their OT loss to Williams on Friday night. The win keeps the Bantams a point behind Williams for first and Middlebury remains tied for third with Hamilton as the Conts lost as well on Saturday.
Williams 4 Wesleyan 3 Box Score Recap Williams (15-4-1; 11-2-1) overcame a 2-0 1st period deficit for the second day in a row to come back and defeat Wesleyan (2-11-8; 2-6-7). Ephs frosh Roberto Cellini had two goals and an assist along with his goal against Trinity to earn NESCAC Player of the Week honors. If the playoffs started after this game, the first seed Ephs would have played the eight seed Cardinals, who are looking to return to the playoffs after finishing last in the conference in 2014-15. Amherst 2 Colby 1 Box ScoreRecap
Max Roche's first collegiate goal turned out to be the difference, as Amherst (7-9-4; 5-6-3) held on to defeat visiting Colby (7-9-4; 4-8-2 NESCAC) for goalie Conor Girard's first NESCAC win.The Mules appeared to tie it at the buzzer, but the refs ruled that the puck went in after the clock had struck zero. The Purple and White end the weekend one point ahead of seventh place Tufts and two points behind fifth place Bowdoin. Colby is one point behind Wesleyan for the final playoff spot. Bowdoin 6 Hamilton 2 Box ScoreRecap
After an 11 game winning unbeaten streak, Hamilton (12-6-2; 7-5-2) has now lost three of its last four. Bowdoin (10-7-3'6-5-3) is trending the opposite direction with six straight, including its first two wins outside the friendly confines of Maine on this roadtrip. With 79 as the official attendance, many of which were Continentali hockey alumni, the shots on goal (35 for Bowdoin, 32 for Hamilton) nearly matched what the Box Score had for butts in seats. The convincing win for the Polar Bears moves them one point behind Middlebury and Hamilton for the third spot and a home playoff game in Terry Meagher's last hurrah as Bowdoin's coach for 30+ years.
He Shoots, He Scores. Zander Massuci lists the Ephs past the Bantams in OT and in to 1st place. Photo courtesy of Jeffrey Melnik/d3photography.com
Williams 5 Trinity 4 OT Box Score Recap
In Hartford, the main event of the evening between Trinity (14-4-1; 10-3-0 NESCAC) and Williams (14-4-1; 10-2-1 NESCAC) lived up to the hype. The Ephs battled back from a 2-0 deficit, there were five total goals scored in the third and it culminated with a Zander Massuci tally 37 seconds into OT on a feed from reigning NESCAC player of the week Tyler Young to lift Williams into first place and earn the Ephs a sweep of the regular season series between the top two teams in the CAC.
The game featured the return of Trinity senior Mike Hawkrigg, who had an assist after been out since an ACL injury New Years weekend. Ephs freshman standout goalie Mike Pinios, who splits time with senior Noah Klag, gave up more than two goals for the first time in his short 11 game career, but I'm sure he won't mind with the final result. It's a ways off, but the loss for Trinity probably means the NESCAC has little to no hope of getting two teams in the NCAA tournament as they did last season. The extra tightness of an already historically tight league is exciting, but it also means NCAA Pool C bids are the collateral damage.
Colby 2 Hamilton 1 OT Box Score Recap Colby (7-8-4;4-7-2 NESCAC)'s Devin Albert scored on a beautiful feed from Cam MacDonald 27 seconds in OT to lift the Mules past Hamilton (12-4-2; 7-4-2 NESCAC) for the second straight year in a low scoring, extra frame game in Clinton. The Conts end the night tied for third with Middlebury, while Colby remains tied for eight with Tufts. The last time nine teams had at least 10 points for the whole season was 2011-12, when Hamilton and Conn College tied for eighth with ten points. The difference this year is that all teams still have five games to play.
Middlebury 3 Wesleyan 3 OT Box Score Recap
In the only OT game of the night that ended in a tie, host Wesleyan (2-9-8; 2-4-7 NESCAC) - who didn't tie in 24 games last season (3-21) - overcame a 2-0 deficit in the first five minutes to battle back for their seventh tie in thirteen conference games this season. Jaren Tanaka, who had the goal that lifted Wesleyan past Amherst for the first time since 2008 last weekend, netted the equalizer in the third. The Cardinals are now tied with the aformentioned Purple and White with 11 points, so a team with two wins on the entire 2015-16 campaign is in sixth place because #ThisSeason.
For Middlebury (6-7-6; 5-2-6 NESCAC), starting goalie Stephen Klein gave up one goal in 28 minutes and left with what must have been an injury. Senior Liam Moorfield-Yee stopped 22 of 24 shots in relief. The tie moves Middlebury into a tie with Hamilton for the third spot. The Panthers brutal OOC has them in third place in the CAC with a losing record overall, because #ThisSeason.
Bowdoin 3 Amherst 1 Box ScoreRecap
Unlike the last time these two met back in Brunswick earlier this year, someone actually scored! Spencer Antunez broke a 1-1 tie in the 2nd en route to Bowdoin (9-7-3; 5-5-3 NESCAC)'s fifth straight win and Amherst (6-9-4;4-6-3)'s fourth straight loss in conference. Sophomore Peter Cronin made 36 saves for the win while Air Force transfer Connor Girard fell to 1-6-0 on the season with 22 saves and remains winless in conference.
The Polar Bears, who picked up their first win outsideo f Maine, are in sole possession of fifth place and a win over Hamilton on Saturday would put them one point within a home playoff game. The Purple and White are tied for sixth, likely to finish without a home playoff spot for the first time since 2007. A loss to Colby on Saturday would also make a NESCAC playoffs without Amherst for the first time ever a real possibility heading into the final two weeks of the regular season.
Tufts 4 Conn College 1 Box Score
In the first leg of a home-and-home this weekend between the travel partners, Tufts (7-7-5; 3-6-4 NESCAC) took care of business to put Conn College (3-14-2; 0-11-2 NESCAC) on the verge of elimination from playoff contention. Four different Jumbos scored and Mason Pulde once again needed to stand on his head with 50 saves, but the Jumbos kept pace with Colby to stay tied for the eight and final playoff spot. For the Camels, who hosted their first ever NESCAC playoff game last season, a sunken season would be officially lost with a loss at home to Tufts on Saturday.
All games start at 7 PM EST, except the Williams/Trinity matchup that starts at 7:30 PM and the Tufts/Conn College game at 8 PM.
We've entered the home stretch, with only three weekends and six games left per team in the regular season. The featured game of the evening is the one with the 7:30 PM start in Hartford, between Trinity and Williams (Video). The first place Bantams, who lost to the Ephs earlier this season in Williamstown, enter the game one point ahead of Williams for first place. A win by the Ephs would jump them into first place and would give them a tiebreaker over the defending national champions.
The two Maine members of the 'CAC return from a week off and hit the road for their longest roadtrip of the season. Colby enters their game with Hamilton (Video) in a tie for the eighth and final playoff spot with Tufts at eight points. The Mules are winless on the road in conference play (0-4-1) this season and take on a Hamilton team in third place with 16 points that is 3-1-1 at home and dismantled the Mules 7-1 in Waterville earlier this year.
Three hours eastbound and down, Bowdoin takes on an Amherst team (Video) that has an identical 4-5-3 record in conference, good enough for fifth in the 'CAC. Continuing with the even stevens theme, The teams last met earlier this year and skated to a 0-0 tie, the first of its kind for the Polar Bears in the 21st century. Like Colby, Bowdoin is seeking their first road win in conference as well as their first win outside of the friendly confines of Maine. The Polar Bears, however, also enter tonight's contest with a four game win streak, to contrast with Amherst' three game losing streak in conference.
Heading back to Connecticut, fourth place Middlebury takes on seventh place Wesleyan (Video ), two teams that skated to a 3-3 tie earlier in January in Vermont. Up the road just outside Bah-stahn, eight place Tufts hosts last place and winless in conference Conn College (Video) for the first leg of a home-and-home this weekend. If the Camels can't come out of the weekend with at least a point, they would be eliminated from playoff contention if Wesleyan picks up even a point.
The home stretch has got everyone under pressure, especially teams like Williams/Trinity battling for the top spot in the 'Cac. ZZ Top "Got Me Under Pressure"
Hamilton 2 Wesleyan 1
James Klein's team leading 11th goal wasn't enough as Hamilton (12-4-2; 7-3-2 NESCAC) held on for a 2-1 victory (Box Score) to bounce back after having their 11 game unbeaten streak snapped the night before against Trinity. The loss dropped Wesleyan (2-9-7; 2-4-6 NESCAC).
The Continentals scored in each in the first two periods with tallies from freshman Richard Court and sophomore Brandon Willett, with team points leader Robbie Murden earning a helper on each. The host Cardinals outshot Hamilton 44-22, but Evan Buitenhuis made 43 saves to end the weekend in first in the D-III nation with a .957 save percentage for the season. Trinity 4Amherst 1
In Hartford, Amherst (6-8-4; 4-5-3 NESCAC) scored 34 seconds into the game on a Will Vosejpka rebound but would be blanked the rest of the way (Box Score). Trinity (14-3-1; 10-2-0 NESCAC) scored four unanswered in the first and second to avenge a loss at Amherst earlier in the season and to earn their seventh straight. Connor Girard made 31 saves but fell to 1-5-0 on the season while Nate Heilbron stopped 21 shots to move to 6-2-1/
