It was quite a weekend for ranked teams who played each other in the east in what was for many the final weekend of play in the first half of the season. Hobart flexed its muscles handing rival Elmira a couple of lopsided defeats to remain undefeated on the season while Geneseo with a win and an overtime tie against Utica showed they too were worthy of their unbeaten record and sitting atop the UCHC. Wilkes and Stevenson split their weekend series as did Curry and UNE while Hamilton kept cruising in NESCAC. Elsewhere there were more great games, the usual surprises, and overtimes and, yes, even celebrity sightings at rinks where the home team showed off a bit for A-listers (see SUNYAC update below for more details). Here is the wrap-up across all the conferences in the east as we head to the semester break for most of the teams:
CNE
Endicott capped off a 3-0-0 week with a weekend sweep of Western New England. After shutting out Connecticut College, 3-0 on Tuesday night, the Gulls closed out their first half in CNE play with 4-1 and 6-1 wins over the Golden Bears. Andrew Kurapov paced the attack on Friday with a goal and an assist as the Gulls scored two early and two late goals to earn the win at home. On Saturday, the Golden Bears took a 1-0 lead off the stick of Nolan Dawson only to see the Gulls score the next six goals in 6-1 loss. Primo Self scored two goals and added an assist as Endicott produced three power play goals. Endicott is 7-1-0 in league play.
Curry and the University of New England split a two-game series with each team capturing a 2-1 win on home ice. Friday night saw the Nor’easters break a 1-1 tie in the third period on a goal by Chip Hamlett and goaltender Joey Stanizzi stopped 22 of 23 Colonel attempts in a 2-1 win. Back home on Saturday it was the colonels who returned the favor with George Vonakis producing the third period game-winning goal in front of Goaltender Shane Soderwall who stopped 29 of 30 UNE shots.
Suffolk extended their win streak to three games with a weekend sweep of Johnson & Wales by identical 1-0 scores. Michael McEachern’s first period goal was all goaltender CJ Hapward needed from the offense as he stopped all 22 Wildcats shot to pickup the shutout win on Friday. On Saturday, McEachern set up Ryan Webb’s second period goal and Hapward made 17 saves to post back-to-back shutouts for the sweep. The weekend wins moved the Rams to 6-4-2 overall and 3-4-1 in league play.
MAC
Wilkes looked to further solidify their position atop the MAC standings with some good results from a weekend series against an always contending Stevenson squad. On Friday, it was some special teams magic that helped the visiting Mustangs to a 2-1 overtime win. Liam McCanney scored Steven’s regulation goal while the team was shorthanded, and lake Benson sealed the win on the power play in the extra session. Goals were far more plentiful in Saturday’s re-match as the Colonels scored three times with the man advantage to stretch out a 5-1 lead before the Mustangs closed to within a goal at the end of the second period. Joe Johnson provided the only tally of the third period for the final margin of 6-4 and a weekend split for the Colonels.
Neumann played Alvernia to close out the first half of the season and also split their series and in the process picked up their first loss of the season. On Friday Max Donohoe recorded a hat trick and what stood as the game-winning goal as the Knights eked out a 5-4 win over the Golden Wolves. On Saturday, the visitors took advantage of a goal and an assist each from Frazer Dodd and Isaac Chapman in a 3-2 win to split the series. Goaltender Will Augustine stopped 32 of 34 shots to pick up the win for Alvernia.
Arcadia and Lebanon Valley also closed out the first half playing a weekend split with the Flying Dutchmen claiming victory on Friday night by a 3-1 score. Cade Helmer scored a pair of goals for LVC in the win. On Saturday, the Knights rebounded with a 4-1 win spearheaded by two goals from Jude Cole. Cole opened the scoring and then provided one of two empty-net goals for the Knights to provide the final margin of victory.
MASCAC
Plymouth State won a pair of games to remain unbeaten in MASCAC play entering the semester break. On Thursday, the Panthers took a big road win over Massachusetts-Dartmouth by a score of 4-2. The Panthers started fast on first period goals from Brendan Doyle, David Matousek and Tikhon Ashikhmin and took advantage of Patrick O’Connell’s ENG in the third to post the road victory. On Saturday, Aiden Winslow proved to be a very hot goaltender for Westfield State as the Owl netminder stopped 43 shots including 20 in the third period alone to keep WSU in the game. A scoreless regulation tie was ended just 24 seconds into the extra session as Will Pray and Connor Tait set up Rider McCallum for the game-winner in a 1-0 win.
Fitchburg State also closed out the first half with a pair of wins in conference action starting with Thursday’s 1-0 overtime win over MCLA. Both goaltenders were outstanding, but Frederick Soderberg proved to be one save better as Jack Johansen finally solved the Trailblazers’ Matthew Gover in the first minute of overtime for a 1-0 win. On Saturday, the Falcons surrendered the first goal of the game to Framingham State before responding with five unanswered goals to cruise to a 5-1 win. Five different players scored with Samuel Rennick pacing the attack with a goal and two assists.
On Sunday, in a non-conference game, the Falcons dropped a 4-0 decision to Keene State who swept two weekend games of their own having downed St. Michael’s on Saturday in overtime, 4-3, on a goal from Corey Tumenas.
Anna Maria closed out the first half with a split in their final two MASCAC contests. After blowing out Framingham State on Thursday by a score of 7-2, the AmCats lost their scoring mojo in a 3-1 loss to Worcester State on Saturday. Guillaume Coulombe paced the offense against the Rams scoring two goals and assisting on a third in the win over the Rams. On Saturday, the Lancers had the hot goaltender as Wyatt Friedlander stopped 46 of 47 shots and Martin Dlugolinsky scored a pair of goals in a 3-1 win over the AmCats.
NE-10
In a league where you play all your conference foes four times, the familiarity often breeds some interesting results as was the case in Post securing a weekend sweep of games over Assumption. Aidan Canady produced a goal, and an assist and Wyatt Noble scored the game winner in the third period as the Eagles took a 5-3 win over the Greyhounds on Friday. Goaltender Benjamin Cunneen stopped 51 of 54 shots to backstop Post to the win. On Saturday, Cunneen was again impressive stopping 43 of 44 shots as the Eagles eked out a 2-1 win with Scotty Swain netting the game-winning goal midway through the third period.
Southern New Hampshire moved above .500 in NE-10 play with a weekend sweep of Franklin Pierce to conclude their first semester in conference play. On Friday, the Penmen used goals from Tyler Murray and Ryan Pomposelli and 31 saves from netminder Collin Berke to post a 2-0 shutout win over the Ravens. On Saturday, the game was again low-scoring as the Penmen rallied from a one-goal deficit to earn the 2-1 win with Murray scoring the winning goal late in the third period.
NEHC
Hobart hosted rival Elmira and demonstrated why they are the nation’s #1 team with a pair of dominant wins over the Soaring Eagles. On Friday, a five-goal third period blew open the contest and helped the Statesmen to a comfortable 7-1 win over the visitors. Chirs Duclair opened and closed the scoring for Hobart while Bauer Morrissey added a pair of assists. On Saturday, Hobart closed out the first half with a solid and balanced 6-0 win with six different goal scorers supporting Mavrick Goyer in goal. Goyer made 16 saves to earn the shutout win that moved Hobart to 10-0-0 on the season.
Babson took advantage of a weekend sweep of New England College to close out the first half at 5-3-0 in NEHC action. On Friday, Danny Cavanagh, Wyatt George, Tommy Rooney, and Brendan Kennedy scored four unanswered goals to pace a 4-1 Babson road win. Goaltender Nate Mueller made 20 saves to earn the win. On Saturday, the Beavers started fast taking a 2-0 lead only to see Egor Osipik answer with a pair of goals form the Pilgrims to tie the game at 2-2. Ian Driscoll answered with a power play goal and Thomas Kramer added the final tally in the final minute of the third period for a 4-2 win. Mueller was again solid in goal making 28 saves to backstop the Babson sweep.
Skidmore traveled to play Massachusetts-Boston in the final series before the semester and each team took a win over the weekend. On Friday, the Beacons scored a pair of power play goals and two shorthanded goals to pace a 6-3 win over the Thoroughbreds. Jazz Krivtsov led the attack with two goals and an assist. On Saturday, the Thoroughbreds rebounded with a 4-0 win with Evan Brown assisting on three of the Skidmore goals. Goaltender Tommy Aitken stopped 38 Beacon shots to earn the shutout win and help Skidmore move to 5-3-0 in NEHC play.
NESCAC
Hamilton hosted Williams and Middlebury over the weekend and extended their win streak to three games with 5-1 and 6-0 wins respectively over the Ephs and Panthers. On Friday, the Continentals erupted for four goals after a scoreless first period with Jacob Ierfino scoring twice to lead the attack in a 5-1 win. On Saturday, Ierfino got the party started in the final minute of the opening period and Hamilton added five more goals from five different players to post the 6-0 win over Middlebury. Goaltender Charlie Archer stopped 24 shots to earn the shutout for Hamilton who will close out the first half with a non-conference game on Friday against Nazareth.
Amherst also extended their win streak to three games with a weekend sweep of Middlebury and Williams. On Friday, the Panthers got on the board first off the stick of Revy Mack before the Mammoth scored four unanswered goals on the way to a 4-1 win. On Saturday, Amherst came back from a 3-1 deficit with two third period goals by Max Thiessen and Bobby Luca to tie the score at 3-3. Josh Burke provided the overtime winner on the power play for Amherst with just two seconds remaining in the extra session in an exciting 4-3 win over the Ephs.
Conn College split a series against Bowdoin and Colby to finish the first half at 4-2-0 in NESCAC play. After falling to Bowdoin 5-1 on Friday night where the Polar Bears raced to a 3-0 lead on the way to a comfortable win, the Camels rebounded against a hot Colby squad on Saturday. The Camels started fast with the first three goals and cruised to a 6-3 win over the Mules. Logan Cleary and Will Lawrence each scored a goal and added an assist for the Camels.
SUNYAC
Fredonia leveled their conference record at 3-3-0 on the final weekend of the semester with a sweep of Plattsburgh and Potsdam by identical 2-0 scores. Spurred on by the celebration of the 30th anniversary of their NCAA team, the Blue Devils were motivated by a attendance by alumni and a pre-game talk from NBA legend Charles Barkley and took advantage of 32 saves from Charles-Anthony Barbeau and goals from Luke Morris and Riley See in a 2-0 win over the Cardinals. Fredonia completed their weekend success with a 2-0 win over Potsdam where Barbeau recorded his second shutout in a row by again recording 32 saves in the win. Morris again provided the game winner while Gavin Bloder added some insurance just thirteen seconds after Morris scored on the power-play.
Cortland won they only game they were able to play as Saturday’s contest against Oswego was postponed due to rink and ice issues. On Friday, the Red Dragons improved to 5-0-0 on the road with a 3-1 win over Canton. Trailing 1-0 after two periods, Cortland saw third period goals from Dino Mannetta, Domenic Settimo and Colby Seitz to down the battling Kangaroos.
In yet another game that is becoming increasingly formulaic in D-III hockey, Canton rallied on Saturday from a 3-1 third period deficit to Morrisville with two goals by Brendan Morrow and Reilly McKinnon’s EAG in the final thirty seconds of regulation to send the game to overtime. Jackson Drysdale provided the game winner with just one minute remaining in the bonus period for a 4-3 Kangaroo OT win.
UCHC
In the new contending battle for UCHC supremacy, Utica traveled to face Geneseo for a weekend series that featured a pair of top five teams in the rankings nationally. On Friday, Jakob Breault for the Pioneers and Alex Dameski for the Knights exchanged goals in what finished as a thrilling 1-1 overtime tie (Utica won the shootout). Goaltenders Bryan Landesberger (Utica) and Adam Harris (Geneseo) were outstanding in the game that had a definite playoff feel. On Saturday, Harris (50 saves) and Peter Morgan with two goals were too much for Utica as the Knights skated off with a solid 5-2 win in a game that featured pure action and zero penalties. The win kept Geneseo among the unbeatens as they close the first half at 10-0-1.
Chatham ended the first half on a positive note taking two games at home against Manhattanville to post their first conference wins on the season. The Cougars downed the Valiants on Friday as Michael Roby had a hand in all the Chatham scoring with two goals and an assist in a 3-2 win. On Saturday, Roby setup the game winner from Camden Smith midway through the third period in a hard-fought 2-1 win to sweep the Valiants.
Three Biscuits
CJ Hapward – Suffolk – stopped a combined 39 shots from Johnson & Wales to help the Rams to a pair of 1-0 wins over the Wildcats which moved Suffolk to fourth in the CNE standings.
Charles-Anthony Barbeau – Fredonia – picked up a pair of shutout wins over Plattsburgh and Potsdam with matching 32-save performances for the Blue Devils over the weekend.
Max Donohoe – Neumann – recorded a hat trick in pacing the Knights to a thrilling 5-4 win over Alvernia on Friday night.
For most the first half of the season has come to a close at the semester break. There are a very few games upcoming during the upcoming week, but this past weekend should have everyone excited and waiting with great anticipation for the second half and pursuit of conference and national tournament glory. Will be checking in with Santa later this week so we can see who is on his naughty and nice list entering the holiday season.
