This weekend pits some top squads facing each other, including a key matchup between No. 1 Plattsburgh and No. 10 Utica and another between No. 5 Wisconsin-River Falls and No. 6 Wisconsin-Stevens Point.
Friday, Jan.24
ECAC East
No. 4 Norwich at Massachusetts-Boston
A scarcity of scoring against opponents over .500 has been the unwanted path for the Beacons over the last three games. An 8-1 thrashing of (1-16-0) New England College could very well be a jump point to the offense, but the Cadets, with the eighth best defense in the nation, are unlikely to come out on the negative side of a classic “trap game.” Norwich 5-1
Friday-Saturday, Jan.24-25
ECAC-West
No. 3 Elmira at Oswego
Elmira has been bolstered lately by goalie Lisa Marshall, who has won her last five starts while posting three shutouts. Forward Ashley Ryan, among the top five in points per game average (1.80), has collected nine points in her last five outings. The Lakers are playing in their first home game of the second half. Elmira, 7-3-0 away from home, has fallen to Middlebury on two occasions and Norwich at the East/West Showcase. Elmira is 13-0-1 all-time against the Lakers. Elmira 5-4, Tie 3-3
Plattsburgh at Utica
A new face to the polls at No.10, Utica is coming off a weekend sweep against Chatham. The Cardinals hold a dominant 27-1-4 all-time record in matchups with the Pioneers. Leading scorer Megan Myers (13-10-23) is averaging just over six shots per game for Utica. Myers and her linemates will have to take advantage of any quality opportunities they get against the nation’s top goalie in Sydney Aveson. Plattsburgh 3-1, 2-0
MIAC
Gustavus Adolphus at St. Mary’s (home-and-home)
The Golden Gusties took an 8-2 win over the Cardinals last November in the season opener. St. Mary’s top three scorers managed to combine for just one point in a two-game series with Bethel. Coach Mike Carroll’s Gusties are entering on a 25-game win string against the Cardinals. Gustavus Adolphus 6-2, 5-1
NESCAC
Bowdoin at Middlebury
Middlebury, 4-0-2 since the break, possesses the top power play in the country (33.3 pct.), as well as the third-ranked penalty kill unit at 91.4 pct. The Panthers lost a late third-period lead against No. 9 Amherst in a 5-5 tie last week. Bowdoin’s offense has slipped to 27th in the D-III rankings. Panthers’ goalie Annabelle Jones has been unbeaten on home ice. Middlebury stays the course. Middlebury 4-2, 4-1
WIAC
Wisconsin-Stevens Point at Wisconsin-River Falls
Goalies Ashley Kuechle (Wis.-River Falls) and Janna Beilke-Skoug (Wis.-Stevens Point) take center stage once again in a crucial conference series. The Falcons are working on a 12-game unbeaten run, the most recent loss coming at the hands of the Pointers last November. Wisconsin-River Falls 4-3, Tie 4-4
