The opening rounds of Division 3 tournaments in New England could be looked at in two ways – a weekend of surprises or a weekend of carnage.
When it was over, some of the region’s top programs were coming to grips with the end to their seasons, and some of the dark horses were riding goaltending and defense into even bigger games.
In none of the four New England leagues has the tournament played out according to seed.
Let’s count down the weekend’s biggest upsets from the NESCAC, MASCAC, Conference of New England and NEHC.
4. CNE (semifinals): Endicott 4, University of New England 3 (OT)
It was also a great escape.
UNE had won 11 of its last 12 games coming in, and looked to be in great shape with a 3-1 lead in the third period. But Jackson Starrett quickly got one back for the Gulls, and sophomore Michael Casey scored with a little over a minute left in regulation to tie it.
That sent the game to OT, and Casey’s winner in the opening minute sent the Gulls (19-7-1) into next weekend’s championship game against top-seeded Curry.
At 18-7-1 and seventh in the NCAA Percentage Index, UNE will hope for some results to fall their way to grab a potential at-large bid to the NCAA tourney.
3. NEHC (quarterfinals): New England College 2, Babson 0
The third-seeded Beavers crashed out of the NEHC tournament – and the league altogether – with the loss. It was their third straight game (the previous two against Hobart) where they did not manage a goal.
So what propelled sixth-seeded NEC into its first NEHC semifinal since 2019-20? It starts with a hot freshman goaltender. Anthony Beaulieu (Lawrence, Mass.) was the Rookie of the Year in the league, and stopped 31 shots against Babson for his third shutout of the season.
The Pilgrims made sophomore Gunnar Sibley’s 10th goal of the season midway through the game stand up, and added an empty-netter to seal it.
NEC gets Hobart in the semis. Babson moves into the Little East Conference next season.
2. NESCAC (quarterfinals): Middlebury 1, Trinity 0
The second-seeded Bantams (16-7-2) were nearly airtight defensively, allowing just 12 shots on goal. But they managed just 19 of their own, and Middlebury sophomore goalie Andrew Heinze (North Andover, Mass.) denied them all.
Senior captain Jin Lee got to a loose puck early in the second period and scored the game’s only goal. In all, his team blocked 18 shots.
Seventh-seeded Middlebury gets top-seeded Hamilton next. Trinity, 13th in the NPI, holds out a fading hope for an at-large bid to the NCAAs.
1B. MASCAC (quarterfinals): MCLA 2, Plymouth State 1
Playing in its final MASCAC tournament, perennial top dog Plymouth lost to a league opponent on home ice for the first time in more than six years, a costly defeat that will almost certainly end its season.
The top-seeded Panthers (19-7) outshot the eighth-seeded Mass. College of Liberal Arts by a 44-17 margin, including 20-2 in the third period as they chased the game, but were denied by sophomore goalie Mat Gover (Atkinson, N.H.).
Like Babson, Plymouth State will move into the Little East next season.
1A. MASCAC (semifinals): MCLA 2, Anna Maria 1
So, what did Gover do for an encore? Just stopped 63 of 64 shots on Sunday as MCLA gutted out another huge win, over second-seeded Anna Maria, to reach its first MASCAC final.
Before this weekend, Gover was probably better known as a golfer than a hockey player. He reached the semifinals of the New Hampshire Amateur as a junior golfer, and has twice been named MASCAC Player of the year.
Goals by two other sophomores, Cade Herrera and Easton Moore, staked the Trailblazers to a two-goal lead in the second period, and they held on for a second straight big upset.
MCLA (6-19-2) will visit fourth-seeded Fitchburg State for the title and NCAA auto-bid on Saturday.
WHAT’S NEXT
NEHC
Semifinals (at Hobart)
Saturday, March 8
No. 6 New England College at No. 1 Hobart
No. 4 Skidmore vs. No. 2 Norwich
Championship (at Hobart)
Sunday, March 9
NESCAC
Semifinals (at Hamilton)
Saturday, March 8
No. 7 Middlebury at No. 1 Hamilton, 1 p.m.
No. 5 Tufts vs. No. 3 Colby, 4:30 p.m.
Championship (at Hamilton)
Sunday, March 9
CNE
Championship
Saturday, March 8
No. 3 Endicott at No. 1 Curry, 3 p.m.
MASCAC
Championship
Saturday, March 8
No. 8 MCLA at No. 4 Fitchburg State, 4 p.m.
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