NESCAC MIH Finals Preview: Trinity vs Wesleyan 2 PM

Stats are regular season conference rank. 

Wesleyan (14-11-1; 8-9-1 NESCAC)

Offense - 2.44 G/Gm (1st)

Defense - 2.50 G/Gm (6th)

PIM- 8.0 /GM (10th)

Power Play - 13.3% (6th) 

Penalty Kill - 88.2% (4th)

Special Teams Net -  + 1 (4th)

Trinity (19-6-1; 12-5-1 NESCAC)

Offense - 3.06 G/GM (2nd) 

Defense - 1.94 G/GM (1st) 

PIM - 11.9 /GM (2nd)

Power Play - 22.4% (1st)

Penalty Kill - 90.5% (3rd)

Special Teams Net - +9 (1st) 

Live Video Link     2 PM   Hosted by Williams 

Welcome back my friends, to the show that...ends today. After both nutmeg teams notched 3-2 victories in the semis, the Cardinals and Bantams will face each other in the NESCAC finals today at Lansing Chapman Rink in Williamstown, MA. It marks the first time since 2014 that the championship weekend host will not play in the title game. That season,  fifth seed Bowdoin knocked off top-seeded host Trinity to take on second seed Amherst and the Polar Bears went on to defeat the then Lord Jeffs in double OT by a score of...you guessed it, 3-2. 

This season will also feature a fifth seed vs second seed in matchup between the travel partners Wesleyan vs Trinity. This will mark the first time the two have met in the finals because it is the first time the Cards have actually made the finals. Wesleyan had never even made the semis before 2017 but have now made the conference final four for four straight seasons. They finally cracked into the title game with yesterday's 3-2 OT thriller over the host Ephs. The Cardinals held a 2-0 lead late in the third before two Williams goals in the final five minutes forced OT. Less than five minutes into the extra frame, Cardinals freshman blueliner Jake Lachance threw one in on net from left circle and it trickled past Cosimo Lazzarino for Lachance's first collegiate goal. First team All-NESCAC forward Walker Harris potted a helper on the play.  On the other end of the ice, 2019 NESCAC player of the year and recently named 2020 All-NESCAC Second Team goaltender Tim Sestak made 40 saves. 

If Wesleyan are NESCAC championship game neophytes, Trinity are old hands with their fifth straight championship game appearance since 2015 when the Bants failed to make the conference finals but did go on to win the national title. It's the first time since 2017 that the Bantams won't be hosting the championship game when they beat host Hamilton in OT. The Bantams beat the Continentals for the second straight season in the semis yesterday thanks to All-NESCAC second team defenseman Liam Feeney's second goal of the afternoon with just 14 seconds left in regulation. Player of the Year Barclay Gammill had three assists on the afternoon. Jonah Capriotti, who was in a rotation with All-NESCAC goalie Teddy Loughborough but has taken over full time duties since mid February, made 18 saves for the victory. 

The winner today will earn an automatic bid to the 12 team NCAA DIII men's hockey tournament that starts next week. Wesleyan has never been while Trinity has gone four of the last five seasons, including winning the national title in 2015 and making the title game in 2017. There is a shot that Trinity gets an at large bid even if they lose but I am sure Matt Greason and company don't want a scenario in which they are anxiously awaiting the selection of the field tomorrow morning. 

It's the finals, baby, anything can happen. Tim Sestak could stand on his head and lose as they did last year in the semis against Amherst. The Bantams could also be upset by an upstart middle tier seed like they did in the 2018 title game. The story remains untold until 2 PM Today...

In honor of two nutmeg state teams playing for a title in Massachusetts, here's  doo wop group the Nutmegs with a live version of  their hit "Story Untold" from the Cambridge Armory in 1973