Louie Educate blasted onto the scene in the ECAC Northeast last season. The Nichols freshman scored 27 goals in 27 games, finished with 42 points, and posted seven game-winning tallies for Nichols.
Then he bolted.
So, to say Saturday’s contest between Utica, Educate’s new home, and Nichols at the Utica Memorial Auditorium is your ordinary, run-of-the-mill, nonconference game is inaccurate. Both the Pioneers and the Bison want to win for different reasons, and clearly, Educate wants to show both sides he is worth all the hype.
Either way, he’s been as advertised in Utica. The Pioneers are 7-2 this season, they are 6-1 at home, they are ranked No. 9, and Educate has led the charge from the first drop. Entering the weekend, he had eight goals and 18 points, both team highs, and was averaging a lofty two points per game.
All in all, Utica — given the home crowd — may be too much for the Bison. Nichols (6-3) is 4-1 on the road, but this chore might be just a little too big. Utica 4-3
Western New England at Brockport
The Golden Bears need a feel-good game to shake a roller coaster run of late. They took a 2-2 mark in their last four games into the weekend action, and the host Golden Eagles might be the effective elixir for Western on Saturday. Brockport, 3-8-1 through Thursday, is just 2-3-1 at home. Western New England 5-2
Johnson and Wales at Southern New Hampshire
Tough to figure out the Wildcats, who had lost three in a row only to whack Western New England, 4-1, last Saturday. But the Penmen have their own issues, having won only once in their last four. Johnson and Wales 4-2
Becker at Westfield State
The Hawks are still looking to put it all together. When offense gets it going, the defense lags behind, and vice versa. Somewhere, there is a healthy medium. But it likely won’t come against an Owls team that needs to stem the tide. Headed into the weekend, Westfield State had lost three straight after opening with six consecutive wins. The talent is there; it just needs to come out. Westfield State, 3-2
Last week: 2-2; Overall: 15-7-1.
