Sound the alarm. Norwich is out. For the first time since 1998, the Cadets were faced with a conference quarterfinal game away from home. And, for the first time since 2009, their season won't advance to the semis, thanks to an overtime loss at Babson on Saturday night. The NEHC is on to its semifinals...
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For the first time since 1998, the Cadets were faced with a conference quarterfinal game away from home. And, for the first time since 2009, their season won't advance to the semis, thanks to an overtime loss at Babson on Saturday night.
The NEHC is on to its semifinals this weekend, while tourney play gets under way for the region's other three leagues: the NESCAC, MASCAC and Commonwealth Coast Conference.
Let's see where the region's teams slot in our latest top 10.
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1. BABSON
Conference: NEHC | Record: 17-5-2 (11-5-2) | Previous: No. 1 Next game: Saturday at Elmira (7 p.m.) in NEHC semifinals
Andrew Holland couldn't have picked a better time to score his first goal of the season. The junior from Winchester, Mass., ended Saturday's conference quarterfinal game against Norwich by depositing a rebound nearly 13 minutes into sudden-death overtime for a 2-1 win.
The fourth-seeded Beavers split two games with second-seeded Elmira during the regular season, each winning handily on home ice. Top-seeded Hobart hosts No. 6 Skidmore in the other semi.
2. UNIVERSITY OF NEW ENGLAND
Conference: CCC | Record: 18-3-1 (17-3-1) | Previous: No. 6 Next game: Saturday vs. Western New England (7 p.m.) in CCC quarterfinals
The charging Nor’easters secured first place in the Commonwealth Coast by beating their top two challengers last week, each by a single goal.
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In Tuesday's 5-4 win against Endicott, leading scorer Jake Fuss (Fairfield, Conn.) scored two goals. Three nights later against Salve Regina, Justin Dixson finished off an Anthony Sciucco (Winchester, Mass.) pass for the third-period game-winner in a 3-2 win.
3. COLBY
Conference: NESCAC | Record: 15-5-2 (12-4-2) | Previous: No. 3 Next game: Sunday vs. Tufts/Middlebury winner (2 p.m.) in NESCAC quarterfinals
With the hot breath of second-place Trinity on its neck, Colby needed to close the regular season with home wins against Tufts and Conn. College over the weekend to lock up first place for the first time since the 2007-08 season.
Not only did the Mules win both games, they did so with their defense not allowing a single goal. Andy Beran stopped 17 shots in a 3-0 win over Tufts and 19 shots in a 4-0 win over Conn. College.
4. ENDICOTT
Conference: CCC | Record: 18-6-1 (15-5-1) | Previous: No. 5 Next game: Saturday vs. Wentworth (TBA) in CCC quarterfinals
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The Gulls would have loved to close out Tuesday's game at UNE after leading by a goal entering the third period, but will settle for second place, a position secured when Andrew Kurapov scored a third-period game-winner to beat Salve Regina, 2-1, on Saturday.
The loss to UNE marked the first time all season goalie Conor O'Brien (1.38 GAA, .949 save percentage) had allowed more than three goals in a game.
5. TRINITY
Conference: NESCAC | Record: 14-7-1 (12-5-1) | Previous: No. 8 Next game: Sunday vs. Bowdoin/Conn. College winner (1 p.m.) in NESCAC quarterfinals
The Bantams couldn’t quite catch first-place Colby, but nobody in the league is playing better hockey heading into the playoffs.
Trinity made it five straight wins with its weekend sweep of Wesleyan. Sophomore Ned Blanchard (West Hartford, Conn.) scored the overtime game-winner in Friday's 3-2 triumph, and a goal from senior Connor Sundquist (South Glastonbury, Conn.) kicked off a run of five straight tallies in Saturday's 6-3 game.
For the first time in 13 years, the Cadets were bounced out of the conference playoffs in the quarterfinal round.
Drennan Atherton, the Goalie of the Year in the NEHC, kept Norwich in its overtime loss to Babson by making 38 saves, but his club couldn't produce more than a third-period, shorthanded goal from Callum Jones.
With a PairWise ranking of No. 16, it's likely the Cadets will miss the NCAA tournament when that field is announced on March 7.
7. PLYMOUTH STATE
Conference: MASCAC | Record: 17-5-2 (14-4-2) | Previous: No. 7 Next game: March 1 vs. Worcester State/Westfield State winner (TBA) in MASCAC semifinals
The Panthers won nine of 10 to close the regular season and fend off challenger Fitchburg State for the top spot, but they probably need to win the conference tournament, too, to assure a return trip to the NCAAs.
Myles Abbate (Norwell, Mass.) and JR Barone shared the league's goal-scoring title with 16, while ranking second and third, respectively, in points. The Panthers own a top-10 offense nationally at 4.12 goals per game.
8. SALVE REGINA
Conference: CCC | Record: 16-7-2 (14-5-2) | Previous: No. 4 Next game: Saturday vs. Nichols (TBA) in CCC quarterfinals
Losses to UNE and Endicott to close the regular season knocked Salve down to third place, but it should have a great chance to avenge one -- or both -- of those losses in the playoffs.
Mitch Walinski's (Lincoln, R.I.) 17 goals ranked second in the CCC to Timmy Kent of Curry, and his 30 points ranked third.
9. FITCHBURG STATE
Conference: MASCAC | Record: 17-5-1 (14-3-1) | Previous: 10 (tie) Next game: Saturday vs. Framingham State (4 p.m.) in MASCAC first round
The Falcons have gotten some nice contributions from their freshmen up front and have gone 11-1-1 since the holiday break, just missing overtaking Plymouth State for first place.
Thomas Harty (Billerica, Mass.) is the reigning MASCAC Rookie of the Week, while Zackery Diomont of Billerica, Mass. (11-9-20) and Toivo Kramer (7-8-15) are also teasing bright futures.
The Beacons won 14 games in essentially a rebuilding season, swept Babson, beat Elmira and tied Hobart. Good stuff.
But the last 60 minutes and 1 second will sting, after they gave up a last-second goal to Skidmore to close the regular season -- and drop them a spot in the standings -- and then got handled by the Thoroughbreds, 5-3, in the conference quarterfinals Saturday night, allowing four unanswered goals and struggling all night on the faceoff.
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2. UNIVERSITY OF NEW ENGLAND
