Conference Roundup 1/20/17

Hamilton (11-2-2; 6-2-2 NESCAC)       1
Amherst (10-3-1; 6-3-1 NESCAC)       2   OT
Box Score 

Thomas Lindstrom scored his team leading tenth tally with 3:09 left in OT to push Amherst past Hamilton. On the first day of the new Presidential administration, the Continentals were searching for their first win at Orr Rink since January 2005 in what was technically still the first term of George W. Bush.

The loss was also the second in a row for Hamilton, who had started the season out 11-0-2. The Continentals jumped out to a first period lead after Tyler Bruneteau tipped in a Brad Smelstor shot past Connor Girard. The Conts outshot the Purple and White 11-4 in the first period, but would be outshot 26-12 in the final two periods and overtime. One of those shots was the equalizer from PJ Conlon in the 2nd period. Evan Buitenhuis made 28 saves in defeat while Girard had 22 saves in victory.

The travel partners are off from conference play on Saturday. Hamilton finishes off its cupcake of a non-conference schedule vs lowly Franklin Pierce, a school named after a former ineffectual president and Bowdoin alum. Amherst, now winners of seven in a row, head to Wuh-stah (Worcester) to take on the Greyhounds of Assumption.

The loss for Rob Haberbusch's squad also puts four teams (Hamilton, Williams, Amherst, Colby) within two points of the top spot. Things will start to take shape in a few weeks when everyone has played the same number of conference games. The bottom line is that a traditionally tight confrence like the NESCAC is even more wide open than ever.


Conn College (3-9-2; 1-6-2 NESCAC)    4
Wesleyan (8-4-2; 4-3-2 NESCAC)           4     OT
Box Score 

Some teams just know how to not win. Conn College squandered a 4-0 lead after two periods but held on for a tie against the host Cardinals. The Camels jumped out to the lead with tallies from four different skaters, including senior Brian Belisle's team leading ninth goal on a feed from fellow senior and assist man Joe Birmingham. The Camels outshot the Cardinals 20-18 through the first two periods, but an onslaught of 17 shots in the third lead to four tallies,  two apiece for Walker Harris and James Klein. Frosh Connor Roddericks, who seems to have won the starting job for the Camels, made 38 saves while Dawson Sprigings stopped 24.

Conn College heads to Trinity on Saturday looking to get their second conference win of the season and enter back into the NESCAC playoff picture, while Wesleyan hosts a Jumbo team that looks to rebuild after a thrashing from those Bantams, who have been the most dangerous NESCAC team in the Trump era.


Bowdoin (7-9-0; 4-7-0 NESCAC)     4
Williams (8-5-2; 5-2-2 NESCAC)    5
Box Score

David Italiano scored twice and Williams held on for a victory that moves them within a game of first place in the conference.   Junior Stephen Morrisey had 23 saves and won but let up four goals, his weakest appearance this season in his first career home start. Across the ice, Nathan Colannino stopped 23 of 24 shots he faced in relief of Peter Cronin, who gave up four goals on 13 shots.

The Polar Bears look to cure their road ills on Saturday against winless Middlebury. The Polar Bears are in their first season under Jamie Dumont while the Panthers are in the second year of the Neil Sinclair era.   Both coaches take over for legends (Terry Meagher and Bill Beaney) who took over their respective schools in the Regan era but retired under Obama.  For Williams, who have been coached by Bill Kanas since Bush 41, welcome in the Colby Mules on Saturday, with a shot at tying for the top spot in the 'Cac on the line.


Colby (7-4-3; 6-3-2 NESCAC)                      4
Middlebury (0-13-2; 0-9-0 NESCAC)         3
Box Score

The Mules held off three unanswered goals from the Panthers to drop Middlebury to a woeful 0-13-2 start to the season.  Middlebury has now accumulated the most losses in a season since the second term of Ronald Reagan (7-16-1 in 1987-88)...and there are still nine games to go in the season. The fall of the Middlebury program from eight national titles is hackneyed by this point, but the descent to this nadir is news.  Other than the fight that lead to a third period comeback, the Panthers other small bright spot was freshman Trevor Turnball's (1-1-2) night that put him in the double digit column for the season (6-4-10).

On the other side, Colby's Sean Lawrence earned his second win in three starts since transfering with 27 saves. Junior Phil Klitirinos had a three point evenin (1-2-3) and senior Jack Burton had his team leading 13th and 14th points with a goal and an assist. The Mules head to Williamstown for a big matchup with Williams on Saturday while Middlebury looks to translate the fight they showed in the third period to their first win of the season against Bowdoin on Saturday.


Tufts (7-5-3; 5-3-1 NESCAC)      1
Trinity (9-5-1; 5-4-0 NESCAC)   7
Box Score

Trinity rebounded from a terrible weekend in the Pine Tree State last weekend to blow out the Jumbos and remind people why they entered the season as the favorite to win the conference. The Bantams aren't even in the top half of the CAC right now, but could end the regular season at the top. As we said, it's a wide open league. Senior Ethan Holdaway had two tallies and the Bantams scored all against three Jumbo goalies, while Anthony Farinacci ruined Alex Morin's bid at a shutout late in the third.  The Jumbos head to Wesleyan while the Bantams host Conn College. Trinity, the alma mater of conservative commentator Tucker Carlson and conservative Pulitzer prize winning writer George Will, look to extend their dominance under Trump (who Will hates, by the by).


Sorry Hamilton, the party is over. Two straight losses from the Conts have ended their surprise frontrunner status in the CAC and the election to crown a regular season champ is now wide open. On the political front, whether you want to Make America Great Again or Make America Rage Again, hopefully you can appreciate the music of Rage Against the Machine, Cypress Hill and Public Enemy, even if you disagree with their message. Here's super group, Prophets of Rage, with a live version of the "Party's Over" performed in the hockey haven of Toronto.