There’s still a lot of season left, but if it ended today, Brown would host a first-round series in the ECAC Hockey playoffs.
That’s a big step for a young team that hasn’t played in a home playoff game since 2013.
The Bears (8-10-3 overall, 5-6-3 ECAC Hockey) are in that position thanks to a 6-3-0 mark over its last nine games, including a 3-1-0 record in league play.
Brown began 2019 by beating Robert Morris and Union to win the Three Rivers Classic in Pittsburgh. It was the program’s first in-season tournament win since 2004.
The Bears are currently in seventh place in ECAC Hockey with 13 points, two behind sixth place Dartmouth and five points out a of top-four spot and a first-round bye.
That makes this weekend especially big for Brown, as its travels to Princeton Friday before heading to No.5 Quinnipiac Saturday. The Tigers sit four points behind the Bears, while Quinnipiac is one point behind first-place Cornell.
The last time the Brown hosted a playoff series, it made it all the way to the league championship game in Atlantic City as a No.7 seed where it lost 4-0 to Union.
That team was led by senior goalie Anthony Borelli and his .942 save percentage, and 22-goal scorer Matt Lorito. Brown might not have any player who will reach those marks this season, but the Bears have gotten contributions from throughout the lineup.
“This is a group that is much more than superstar individuals,” Brown coach Brendan Whittet said. “Not that we are devoid of players that have high-end ability, but for the most part we have been a team that rolls four lines and seven defensemen. Different people have stepped up and produced. It’s been nice to be rewarded.”
Senior Tommy Marchin, the Bears’ leading scorer, has 13 points in 21 games. But Brown has seven players with at least four goals and has scored at least three goals seven times in its last nine games after only reaching that mark twice in its first 12 games.
“For the most part, we’ve been pretty consistent in terms of puck possession and generating opportunities at the net,” Whittet said. “Statistically, when looking at our Corsi, we were way up there at the beginning of the year, but we weren’t winning.”
Like other coaches throughout college hockey, Whittet and his staff have begun using advanced metrics to help supplement their breakdown of each game.
“I think it’s just one of those things to see how your team is doing, how a specific line is doing,” Whittet said. “It’s something else to look at and to analyze. I do know if those numbers are low, you’re not going to win a lot of hockey games. When we have the puck, we’re holding on to it. We have some big bodies and try to play a heavy game.”
Brown is in position to host a playoff series despite a season-long struggle on the power play. The Bears are just 6-for-66 on the man advantage, including 2-for-45 in league play.
“When you look at where our power-play numbers are, it’s amazing where we are [record wise],” Whittet said. “We’ve added different players and tried to tweak some things because we have to get that going.”
However, the Bears have been a disciplined team and are strong on the penalty kill. Brown is allowing 2.82 goals per game, which is the program’s lowest market since 2014. Much of that is due to a solid second half by goalie Gavin Nieto, who missed last Saturday’s game against Yale with an injury and is out this weekend as well. Sophomore Luke Kania started in Brown’s 4-3 loss to the Bulldogs.
“He’s been tremendous,” Whittet said of Nieto, adding that he expected the junior back sooner rather later.
In addition to playing well in its own zone, the Bears defense has shown the ability to move the puck too. Junior Zach Giuttari is second on the team in points, while senior Max Gottlieb and sophomore Tony Stillwell are good skaters as well.
“I really, really enjoy the makeup of this team,” Whittet said. “It’s a special group that, when we are on, is a very good hockey team.”
