On this Thanksgiving day be thankful for NCAA Division III hockey in the west region.
It was three years ago that there was no hockey at this time of the year, the grip of the pandemic still very much an issue.
But here we are, about a month into the season and it’s been entertaining to say the least so far. So be thankful for the hockey we have been able to watch so far and the hockey we will continue to watch over the next few months.
All three conferences out west have been competitive up to this point and I don’t expect that to change moving forward.
St. Scholastica hasn’t missed a beat, picking up where it left off, and is talented as ever as it takes aim at the MIAC tournament title this season that eluded it a year ago after winning the regular season championship.
The Saints are the lone unbeaten in the MIAC, and actually, the only remaining undefeated team in the west region. They are 7-0 overall and 4-0 in the conference, The Saints are thankful for that success but know there is still work to do.
Yet, while St. Scholastica appears to be the team to beat at the moment and could very well contend for a national title as well, the MIAC is always tough to navigate.
Four other teams have overall winning records (St. Olaf, Bethel, Augsburg and Concordia), and in the conference standings, there are just five points separating the second place team from the last. But it’s still early. No team has played more than four MIAC games. A lot can still happen.
Out in the NCHA, Adrian is the favorite but winning a championship in one of the tougher conferences in hockey will not be an easy thing to do.
The Bulldogs are tied with St. Norbert and Trine for first place in the standings. Aurora is only a game back and coming off a split in its series with Adrian last weekend. That’s something the Spartans are thankful for.
MSOE, Lawrence, Concordia, Marian and Lake Forest will not make anything easy on anyone in the conference. They’ll come ready to play like everyone else in the NCHA.
And for Dubuque, the first year program that is still searching for its first win, it will come at some point. But for now, the program and its fans can be thankful there is hockey to play at the school. It beats no hockey at all.
In the WIAC, UW-Stevens Point has established itself as the frontrunner for the time being. The Pointers have lost only twice all season and are unbeaten in league play.
But UW-Eau Claire, whose only loss came at the hands of the Pointers earlier this month, is going to be a tough team to play all season, and the Blugolds will be in the discussion for the conference title late in the year.
And you can never count out UW-River Falls, UW-Superior and UW-Stout. Northland has yet to win a conference game but the Lumberjacks have shown they won’t go down without a fight.
It’s going to be fun to see what’s ahead in the west region of D-III hockey. Be thankful for that.
And be thankful for the upsets and hard-fought games we have seen so far, and for the opportunity to see more games like it.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone. Feast on delicious food today and great hockey this weekend and the rest of the season.
