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| Hamilton teammates console Evan Buitenhuis after NESCAC title game OT loss. Conts will hope to surround him in celebration tonight as they did after the Oswego game. |
Hamilton at Norwich 7 PM Video
Offense - 3.21 G/GM (34th)
Defense - 1.71 G/GM (3rd)
PIM - 9.5/GM (70th)
Power Play - 16.41% (54th)
Penalty Kill - 89.5.% (3rd)
US News and World Report College score (out of 100) - 86
Norwich (24-1-3)
Offense - 4.25 G/GM (8th)
Defense - 1.68 G/GM (2nd)
PIM - 8.9/GM (73rd)
Power Play - 26.62% (6th)
Penalty Kill - 83.5.% (26th)
It won't be easy, but fingers crossed for both the Bantams and Continentals surviving this weekend with their title hopes still alive. Happy belated St. Patrick's Day as well.Offense - 4.25 G/GM (8th)
Defense - 1.68 G/GM (2nd)
PIM - 8.9/GM (73rd)
Power Play - 26.62% (6th)
Penalty Kill - 83.5.% (26th)
US News and World Report College score (out of 100) - 54
The Lowdown: Brian Lester is probably wrong
Am I homer? Damn straight I am, I want Trinity and Hamilton to win their respective games and make the dream of an All-NESCAC final remain a possibility for at least one more day. But I'm also a realist and recognize that Hamilton's task in particular is a pretty tall order: become the first team to beat Norwich in Vermont all season.
That being said, most college hockey observers would predict a low scoring affair in Northfield, Vermont this Saturday. Brian Lester, USCHO's D-III Western columnist, however,picks this to be a 4-2 game, but we can probably chalk this up to his not having likely watch any eastern games this season. But god bless USCHO, they do pretend to care about D-III hockey, so at least we'll give them that.
The Cadets of Norwich they have the obvious advantage in pedigree - a 26-14-12 record in the NCAA tournament, including three national titles 2000, 2003 and 2010 - vs Hamilton's lone NCAA experience of last weekend's game at Oswego, who also had a huge advantage in the history department.
Norwich last met a NESCAC team in the NCAA tournament just two years ago, when Amherst rallied to down the Cadets 4-3 in overtime on a Mike Rowbotham tally. The Purple and White had trailed until an Aaron Deutsch goal in the final fifteen seconds forced OT.
The Cadets and Continentals are longtime foes due to the old ECAC-E/NESCAC interlock, though they haven't played since 2010 in the last season of the interlock. Norwich hodls the 56-29-3 all time lead in the series.
In terms of shared opponents this season, for whatever that is worth, Norwich is 7-1-1 and Hamilton is 6-0-1 this season. The Continentals swept Skidmore and Middlebury, while going 1-0-1 against Williams and defeating New England College in non-conference action. Norwich won all games against those opponents, except for their sole loss of the season thus far at Skidmore in OT way back in November and a tie at Middlebury in January.
The Cadets are, obviously, not light on talent, nor experience with their top ten scorers all coming from the junior or senior classes. Up front they are led by All New England Hockey Conference First Team forward William Pelletier, whose 2.05 points per game (16-25-41 in 20 games) is the best in the nation. On the blueline, they also have a First Team All-Conference player in assist master Cody Smith (2-30-32). They also have the NEHC Second Team All-NEHC goalie in junior Braeden Ostepchuk, who appears in a rotation with senior Ty Reichenbach. The senior started the NEHC title game but Ostepchuk was in net for the Cadets 3-1 first round NCAA win against Salem State. They are experienced behind the bench as well, as Mike McShane won NECH Coach of the Year after leading his Cadets to its conferences best record for the 18th time in the last 19 seasons (what is now NEHC used to be ECAC-NE until recently).
For the Conts, you know the scouting by this point. Two of the hottest Conts recently are Robbie Murden, who has two goals in three games (including both goals against Oswego) since returning from a serious injury that almost ended his career with 99 points, and freshman blueline Bennett Morrison, who has eight points in his last seven games (5-3-8) and has turned into a terror from the point.
In net, there is, of course, the NESCAC Player of the Year Evan Buitenhuis. Boots was tremendous last weekend, leading to this observation from one of the Oswego announcers:
In the USCHO pre-review, coach Rob Haberbusch talked about prep centering around executing his own team's game plan, which is something you will hear often from coaches this time of year. Norwich is the favorite, but the Continentals showed last weekend they have the recipe for going into a hostile building and taking the upset: discipline (0 penalties last week), opportunistic scoring and great goaltender. #RollConts
Endicott at Trinity 7 PM Video
Trinity (19-6-3)
Offense - 4.18 G/GM (11th)
Defense - 1.82 G/GM (4th)
PIM - 11.54/GM (63rd)
Power Play - 20.74% (26th)
Penalty Kill - 89.3% (4th)
US News and World Report College score (out of 100) - 75
Endicott (24-3-2)
Offense - 4.97 G/GM (1st)
Defense - 1.897 G/GM (6th)
PIM - 11.54/GM (63rd)
Power Play - 28.86% (2nd)
Penalty Kill - 86.7% (9th)
US News and World Report College score (out of 100) - 61
The Lowdown: This feels...new
If Trinity wins they'll make it to the DIII Frozen Four for the second time in three years, while Endicott would make their first trip in only their second year as an NCAA squad. The Gulls, whose success is sometimes seen as a bit suspect coming from the weaker CCC (formerly ECAC-Northeast), pulled out a gutsy win in the Cooler against Hobart last week to earn a trip to Hartford.
The Gulls are led by a pair of 40+ point scoring forwards up front in Tomy Bessinger and Cam Bleck and are anchored on the back end by Providence transfer Log Day, who leads DIII blueliners in scoring with 38 points (15-23-28). In net, Lake Superior transfer Kevin Alderidge has paced Endicott in net net with a .935 Save Percentage and a 2.02 Goals Against Average.
There are no common opponents this season between the two schools and it is the first ever meeting between the programs. Both are abundantly capable of winning this game and as seen between this twitter exchange between Ray Biggs, D3Hockey.com editor and Jake Donnelly, voice of the Bantams, pretty much anything can happen in this game. However the means or by what score, #RollBants and punch a ticket to Utica for a date with the naitonal semifinals and a plate of chicken riggies.
The Lowdown: Brian Lester is probably wrong
Am I homer? Damn straight I am, I want Trinity and Hamilton to win their respective games and make the dream of an All-NESCAC final remain a possibility for at least one more day. But I'm also a realist and recognize that Hamilton's task in particular is a pretty tall order: become the first team to beat Norwich in Vermont all season.
That being said, most college hockey observers would predict a low scoring affair in Northfield, Vermont this Saturday. Brian Lester, USCHO's D-III Western columnist, however,picks this to be a 4-2 game, but we can probably chalk this up to his not having likely watch any eastern games this season. But god bless USCHO, they do pretend to care about D-III hockey, so at least we'll give them that.
The Cadets of Norwich they have the obvious advantage in pedigree - a 26-14-12 record in the NCAA tournament, including three national titles 2000, 2003 and 2010 - vs Hamilton's lone NCAA experience of last weekend's game at Oswego, who also had a huge advantage in the history department.
Norwich last met a NESCAC team in the NCAA tournament just two years ago, when Amherst rallied to down the Cadets 4-3 in overtime on a Mike Rowbotham tally. The Purple and White had trailed until an Aaron Deutsch goal in the final fifteen seconds forced OT.
The Cadets and Continentals are longtime foes due to the old ECAC-E/NESCAC interlock, though they haven't played since 2010 in the last season of the interlock. Norwich hodls the 56-29-3 all time lead in the series.
In terms of shared opponents this season, for whatever that is worth, Norwich is 7-1-1 and Hamilton is 6-0-1 this season. The Continentals swept Skidmore and Middlebury, while going 1-0-1 against Williams and defeating New England College in non-conference action. Norwich won all games against those opponents, except for their sole loss of the season thus far at Skidmore in OT way back in November and a tie at Middlebury in January.
The Cadets are, obviously, not light on talent, nor experience with their top ten scorers all coming from the junior or senior classes. Up front they are led by All New England Hockey Conference First Team forward William Pelletier, whose 2.05 points per game (16-25-41 in 20 games) is the best in the nation. On the blueline, they also have a First Team All-Conference player in assist master Cody Smith (2-30-32). They also have the NEHC Second Team All-NEHC goalie in junior Braeden Ostepchuk, who appears in a rotation with senior Ty Reichenbach. The senior started the NEHC title game but Ostepchuk was in net for the Cadets 3-1 first round NCAA win against Salem State. They are experienced behind the bench as well, as Mike McShane won NECH Coach of the Year after leading his Cadets to its conferences best record for the 18th time in the last 19 seasons (what is now NEHC used to be ECAC-NE until recently).
For the Conts, you know the scouting by this point. Two of the hottest Conts recently are Robbie Murden, who has two goals in three games (including both goals against Oswego) since returning from a serious injury that almost ended his career with 99 points, and freshman blueline Bennett Morrison, who has eight points in his last seven games (5-3-8) and has turned into a terror from the point.
In net, there is, of course, the NESCAC Player of the Year Evan Buitenhuis. Boots was tremendous last weekend, leading to this observation from one of the Oswego announcers:
Evan Buitenhuis of Hamilton played the literal best game in the net as I've ever seen in the Div. III hockey level. That's an elite talent.— Brian Krosky (@krosky_OS) March 12, 2017
In the USCHO pre-review, coach Rob Haberbusch talked about prep centering around executing his own team's game plan, which is something you will hear often from coaches this time of year. Norwich is the favorite, but the Continentals showed last weekend they have the recipe for going into a hostile building and taking the upset: discipline (0 penalties last week), opportunistic scoring and great goaltender. #RollConts
Endicott at Trinity 7 PM Video
Trinity (19-6-3)
Offense - 4.18 G/GM (11th)
Defense - 1.82 G/GM (4th)
PIM - 11.54/GM (63rd)
Power Play - 20.74% (26th)
Penalty Kill - 89.3% (4th)
US News and World Report College score (out of 100) - 75Endicott (24-3-2)
Offense - 4.97 G/GM (1st)
Defense - 1.897 G/GM (6th)
PIM - 11.54/GM (63rd)
Power Play - 28.86% (2nd)
Penalty Kill - 86.7% (9th)
US News and World Report College score (out of 100) - 61
The Lowdown: This feels...new
If Trinity wins they'll make it to the DIII Frozen Four for the second time in three years, while Endicott would make their first trip in only their second year as an NCAA squad. The Gulls, whose success is sometimes seen as a bit suspect coming from the weaker CCC (formerly ECAC-Northeast), pulled out a gutsy win in the Cooler against Hobart last week to earn a trip to Hartford.
The Gulls are led by a pair of 40+ point scoring forwards up front in Tomy Bessinger and Cam Bleck and are anchored on the back end by Providence transfer Log Day, who leads DIII blueliners in scoring with 38 points (15-23-28). In net, Lake Superior transfer Kevin Alderidge has paced Endicott in net net with a .935 Save Percentage and a 2.02 Goals Against Average.
There are no common opponents this season between the two schools and it is the first ever meeting between the programs. Both are abundantly capable of winning this game and as seen between this twitter exchange between Ray Biggs, D3Hockey.com editor and Jake Donnelly, voice of the Bantams, pretty much anything can happen in this game. However the means or by what score, #RollBants and punch a ticket to Utica for a date with the naitonal semifinals and a plate of chicken riggies.
@D3HkyBiggsy @hockeyinthecac honestly. I've been pouring over the two teams for three straight days. This game could be ANYTHING.— Jake Donnelly (@JacobDonnelly31) March 18, 2017
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