Saturday, February 20, 2016

Conference Preview 2/20/16

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.

Pre-game Tweet:

 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.

Pre-game Tweet:


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:


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.

Pre-game Tweet:


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:


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" 
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