We’re quickly approaching conference playoff time in D-III hockey and we had many good conference-play matchups this past week. We had some games moved back a day or two, mostly out west due to the winter storms wandering their way through, but here’s your east recap highlighting the main events from each league!
CCC
Western New England vs Salve Regina – (WNE 6-2 & Salve 3-2 (OT))
We had a matchup between two of the top-three teams in the league, it was a weekend series featuring Western New England & Salve Regina. WNE entered the weekend 8-3-2, while Salve entered 6-4-3.
When it was all said and done, WNE won game one and Salve won game two in overtime. These two kept the top of the league interesting, seemingly allowing Endicott to pull further ahead of the pack. Here’s how it happened:
Game one featured a relatively easy win for WNE on the scoresheet, winning 6-2, outshooting the Seahawks 32-24, however, the winning goals didn’t come until late. Penalties were 7 for 14 on Salve and 3 for 6 on WNE.
Both teams were matching goals until the 3rd period, WNE scoring first late in the opening frame (Maddy Tucker, 18:17), then the pair would trade goals, Salve scoring early in the 2nd (Jillian Egan, 2:48), then WNE’s Maddie Pope put the Golden Bears back on top, scoring five minutes later. That would hold up until Salve’s Ashtyn Bringardner scored with less than 20 seconds left in the period (19:41.6) to tie it up heading into the final period.
The 3rd was then the floodgates opened for the Golden Bears… It began a quick twenty seconds into the period when Ziya Damas scored (00:21) to put WNE up 3-2. We then saw WNE add a pair of powerplay goals around midway and near the end of the final period (Allison Walker, 9:01 & Maddie Pope, 16:43). Kelly Yorkey then added the last goal at 16:59, giving WNE the 6-2 win.
Game two more briefly, involved the Seahawks scoring the game-tying goal with under 30 seconds to go, scoring at the 19:37.6 mark to send the game to overtime was Emily Wroblewski as many alumni watched on.
Maddie Cox would then score the winner for Salve in OT to split the series with WNE. Salve outshot WNE in this one 35-25, while penalties weren’t as prevalent, Salve with 3 for 6 and WNE 1 for 2. Salve takes games two 3-2 in OT.
#14 Endicott vs University of New England – (Endicott 4-0 & 4-2)
Endicott entered leading the CCC and extended their overall lead after their sweep of Univ. New England this past weekend. The Gulls took game one 4-0 & game two 4-2.
In game one, Endicott scored a pair in the first two periods, Rivers Morris (8:36) & Quin Healy (20:00), scored right as the clock expired according to the Endicott game-recap, so we’ll go with that, giving the Gulls the 2-0 lead entering the 3rd.
Jenna Seibold would add the third tally at 8:20, while her teammate Payton Hansen scored about five minutes later, capping off Endicott’s 4-0 win on Friday in Biddeford, ME.
In Beverly, MA on Saturday, Endicott scored the same number of goals (4), but allowed two, still earning the win.
The Gulls came out firing once again in the opening period, scoring twice to take a 2-0 lead at the end of 1 (Lily Anderson – 3:21 & Rivers Morris – 10:01).
The Nor’easters would come back though, scoring once in the 2nd (Jamie DuPont – 9:50) and once in the 3rd (Keely Kasputis – 14:52) to tie it up 2-2. Then, Endicott found their stride, scoring on the powerplay at 15:47, the eventual game-winning-goal, Jess Burwell. Aurora Devereaux then capped off the win with an empty netter with just under twenty seconds remaining in the game. Gulls take it 4-2.
NEHC
#11 Elmira vs #8 Norwich – (1-1 tie)
The main event of the weekend was the Friday matchup between the two familiar rivals in #8 Norwich & #11 Elmira, in which the game ended in a 1-1 tie.
The stat sheet was lopsided in this one, Cadet’s goaltender Leocadia Clark continued her stellar season with a 44-save effort in the tie, while Elmira started their backup goaltender Chloe Beaubien, who made 18 saves in the tie.
As mentioned with the save totals, Elmira outshot Norwich 45-19, while penalties were even at four apiece for eight minutes each.
The Cadets lone goal came in the middle of the 2nd period on the powerplay (9:29), it was Olivia Boyer who gave Norwich the 1-0 lead headed into the final period.
Elmira’s Claire Meeder would tie it up at 9:38, almost the same time as Norwich’s goal in the previous period. We would see no more scoring from these two rivals, who’re on pace to see each other four times this season, assuming they see each other in the NEHC conference tournament, likely the finals to determine who gets a bid to the NCAA tournament, as it currently looks unlikely either will qualify for an at-large bid unless Norwich essentially wins out. Even with Norwich winning out, it’s unlikely they’ll pass the highly-ranked-pairwise MIAC or NESCAC teams near the top.
NESCAC
#9 Colby vs #6 Middlebury – (1-1 tie & Middlebury 2-0)
The main attraction in the NESCAC this past weekend was played in Middlebury, VT between #6 Middlebury & #9 Colby.
The Mules entered the game off to a strong start, they came off a series split with #7 Hamilton, but otherwise, looking strong after winning their first-ever NCAA tournament game as a program last season vs Norwich in the first round of the tournament.
In game one, it was a low-scoring defensive affair as we’ve come to expect from the NESCAC. Colby outshot Middlebury convincingly 36-24, while penalties were low, a pair on Colby totaling four minutes, whilst one on Middlebury for two minutes.
It was Middlebury who got on the board first, scoring at 13:17 of the opening period was Jordan Hower. Colby then answered late in the 2nd period, it was Breanna Studley at 17:45 tying it up 1-1.
No goals would be scored in the 3rd and this ended in a tie. Panther’s goaltender Sophia Merageas made 35 saves in the deadlocked game.
In game two, shots were more even, Mules led 36-32, while penalties were similar, both teams only committing one minor for two minutes each.
Middlebury scored both of their goals in the 2nd period, relatively close to each other. Raia Schluter at 15:36 & Sabrina Kim at 17:37, giving the Panthers the 2-0 lead headed into the 3rd period. It would be a scoreless final frame, giving Middlebury the win and weekend win overall.
Goaltender Sophia Will got the start for Middlebury, making 36-saves in the shutout win.
SUNYAC
#5 Plattsburgh vs Morrisville (Plattsburgh 7-1 & 4-1)
Plattsburgh, who haven’t lost a conference title in what seems like forever because it pretty much has been, are coming off their loss to Oswego last weekend, were in a tighter game than expected vs the Mustangs of Morrisville.
Friday’s game was a blowout, a 7-1 Cardinal victory, but Saturday was a little too close for comfort if you were a Cardinal fan.
Morrisville opened the scoring early in the 1st period, Kendal Kalinowski put the Mustangs up 1-0 for six minutes until the Cardinals’ Taya Balfour tied it at 10:28 of the period, just over the halfway point.
Plattsburgh has found themselves down 1-0 early in multiple games this season, needing to comeback from, something I’m sure they’ll be looking to improve on come SUNYAC tournament time and NCAA’s.
The score would remain deadlocked 1-1 until just past the midway mark of the final period, Ciara Wall scored at 11:41, giving Plattsburgh the 2-1 lead, which would then double about five minutes later (16:31, Ivy Boric scored, making it 3-1, essentially sealing the deal. An empty-netter would be added by Zsofia Pazmandi in the final minute, capping off the 4-1 victory and season-series–sweep of Morrisville.
UCHC
The notable series in terms of the ranked teams in the UCHC went as planned, #10 Utica swept Stevenson, winning 9-0 & 7-1, improving their record to an impressive 13-1-2. While #15 Nazareth swept Alvernia, winning 4-1 & 5-1, improving their record to 9-5-1.
Nazareth will need to win the UCHC conference tournament if they’re looking to get into the NCAA tournament, their strength-of-schedule isn’t going to be enough it doesn’t seem to put them high enough in pairwise, so they’ll need to repeat as UCHC champions.
Utica on the other hand, has a chance at an at-large bid, but in a sense, they almost need to win the UCHC as well, due to if they lose any games, their pairwise will tank due to the SOS issue mentioned above with Nazareth. Will this be the year they get over the Nazareth hump? We’ll get a possible title-game preview soon when those two square-off in Utica for a weekend series.
Wilkes vs Chatham (Wilkes 4-1 & 2-1)
Wilkes was a wildcard entering this season, we expected Chatham to be improved (which they are), but Wilkes had an impressive recruiting class, consisting of many new Canadian players, which seem to be working as they’re now 8-6-1, previous most wins in program history for a single season was five (5) back in 2020.
In game one, Wilkes goaltender Audrey Milne made 30 saves on 31 shots and in game two, she made 21 saves on 22 shots, a great weekend for her.
During game one, Wilkes jumped out to a 3-0 lead, scoring 13:46 into the 1st (Lily Zingaro), then a pair in the second, (Milica Velcek – 9:30 & Chayce Hyndman – 10:09). The Colonels led 3-0 entering the 3rd.
Wilkes then went up 4-0 (Jordan Ferry – 13:13), while Chatham tacked one on at the end, (Morgan Black – 19:01.4), ending the game 4-1.
Game two was quieter, a 2-1 victory for the Colonels. The Cougars went up 1-0 first in this one, scoring just before the midway mark of the 2nd period, it was Allison Corser-James (9:25). Shortly after, Wilkes would tie it up and then take the lead. Haylee Bouchard scored a short few minutes later (11:44), and her teammate Amanda Spreadbury scored in the final minutes of the middle-frame (16:38), which would hold, giving Wilkes the massive UCHC series sweep over Chatham who had only lost one game this season prior to this weekend (Nazareth).
