Thanksgiving is behind us and there are two more weeks of feasting before Division 3 stops to catch its breath at the holiday break.
This weekend features a number of tasty entrees, a menu topped by two of the region's heavyweights — Babson and Norwich — going at it Friday night in Babson Park, and undefeated NESCAC rivals Colby and Bowdoin clashing Saturday night in Waterville, Maine.
All four of the region's leagues are represented in our latest power rankings, and designating a No. 1 was no easy task.
Here is a look at our latest regional Top 10.
1. BABSON
Conference: NEHC | Record: 7-2-1 (4-1-1 NEHC)
Previous ranking: No. 4
Next game: Friday vs. Norwich (7 p.m.)
The Beavers' recent three-game out-of-conference swing through the NESCAC was largely successful, producing two wins and an overtime loss to Williams. They're winning with strong defense and goaltending, and balanced scoring, something coach Jamie Rice (Newton, Mass.) knew was essential following the graduation of two-thirds of their dynamic top line. Nine players have at least five points, including senior forward Andrew Holland of Winchester, Mass., and Belmont Hill (4-3-7). Great test looming Friday vs. Norwich.
2. NORWICH
Conference: NEHC | Record: 6-2 (4-1 NEHC)
Previous ranking: No. 3
Next game: Friday at Babson (7 p.m.)
The Cadets saw their three-game win streak end with Saturday's 3-1 loss to No. 14 Plattsburgh in the final of the FirstLight Shootout, a game that saw them fall behind by two goals before mounting a comeback. "I thought our second and third was pretty good, but we need to have a better start," said coach Cam Ellsworth. Sophomore forward Clark Kerner has picked up where he left off a year ago, with six goals already to his name.
3. TRINITY
Conference:Â NESCAC | Record: 3-1 (2-0 NESCAC)
Previous ranking: No. 2
Next game: Friday at Hamilton (7 p.m.)
The Bantams are hoping Saturday's 5-4 loss to independent Albertus Magnus was an aberration, not the start of a leaky trend. Few teams in Division 3 can match their firepower, which was on display in a 10-3 rout of Tufts in their opener. Jax Murray, who made an immediate impact last season after transferring from Arizona State, already has four goals and three assists on the young season. Bantams are one of four NESCAC teams -- with Colby, Bowdoin and Wesleyan -- with wins in their first two league games.
4. ENDICOTT
Conference: Commonwealth Coast |Â Record: 7-1 (6-0 CCC)
Previous ranking: No. 5
Next game: Friday at Wentworth (7 p.m.)
The Gulls have won six straight since suffering a 3-0 loss to Norwich in late October, feasting on the bottom half of their conference. Goalies Atticus Kelly (1.31 GAA, .948 save percentage) and Ryan Wilson (1.25, .941) have formed a nice tandem in the wake of standout Conor O'Brien's departure, and have given their team a chance to win every night. The schedule gets stiffer following this weekend's set with Wentworth, with the remainder of December and all of January stacked with tilts against the CCC's top teams and a couple of non-league games against NESCAC foes.
5. COLBY
Conference:Â NESCAC | Record: 4-0 (2-0 NESCAC)
Previous ranking: No. 8
Next game: Saturday vs. Bowdoin (7 p.m.)
In any season, games between Colby and Bowdoin are intense, hard-fought and incredibly meaningful to both fan bases. When both teams bring a 4-0 record into the matchup, which they will do on Saturday, the rivalry reaches another level. The Mules have followed their blueprint for success expertly so far: strong defense, stellar goaltending from Andy Beran (1.32, .959), and offense from players like defenseman Jack Sullivan and forward John McElaney (six points apiece).
6. UNIVERSITY OF NEW ENGLAND
Conference:Â Commonwealth Coast |Â Record: 4-3 (4-2 CCC)
Previous ranking: No. 1
Next game: Friday vs. Suffolk (7 p.m.)
No reason to hit the panic button yet in Biddeford, Maine, but the defense could be a lot better. The Nor'easters allowed six goals in back-to-back losses to Salve Regina and Stevenson the past two Saturdays and already have some significant ground to make up on first-place Endicott. No team in the league has allowed more goals on the power play (nine) than UNE.
7. PLYMOUTH STATE
Conference: MASCAC | Record: 5-3-1 (4-0 MASCAC)
Previous ranking: No. 6
Next game: Thursday at Framingham State (7:30 p.m.)
The Panthers are taking care of business in the MASCAC and coming close in some out-of-league tests. They lost one-goal games to Babson and Anna Maria, and took No. 4 Utica deep into the third period in Friday's 5-3 loss in that program's Thanksgiving Showcase. Sophomore Ethan Stuckless has had the hot hand, with four goals in his last four games. Coach Craig Russell (Northfield, Vt.) earned his 200th career win in Saturday's 1-0 triumph over Trine.
8. SALVE REGINA
Conference:Â Commonwealth Coast |Â Record: 4-1-1 (4-1-1 CCC)
Previous ranking: No. 9
Next game: Saturday at Curry (3 p.m.)
The Seahawks have been idle since splitting a series with UNE on the weekend before Thanksgiving, one that saw them score five times on the power play in the 6-2 win. UMaine transfer John Mulera is averaging better than a point per game to lead the attack. "We still have a lot of work to do; this Thanksgiving break will give our guys a time to get healthy and spend time with their families, and we look forward to returning back to action in December," said coach Zech Klann.
9. BOWDOIN
Conference:Â NESCAC | Record: 4-0 (2-0 NESCAC)
Previous ranking: NR
Next game: Saturday at Colby (7 p.m.)
No reason to ask new coach Ben Guite how he tweaks things after a loss. Four games into his tenure, he hasn't lost yet. Guite did inherit a stocked cupboard, with just about everyone back from last season, and he's crafting a team that's scoring at a rapid rate, producing at least four goals every time out. Saturday's 6-0 blanking of UMass Boston featured six different goal-scorers. It's all added up to the Polar Bears' best start to a season in 13 years.
10 (tie). WESLEYAN
Conference:Â NESCAC | Record: 4-0 (2-0 NESCAC)
Previous ranking: NR
Next game: Friday at Amherst (7 p.m.)
With 15 goals in its last two games, Wesleyan's offense looks to be in midseason form. Senior forward Go Uemura scored twice in a season-opening win over Conn. College and hasn't let up and has six goals already to his name. The 4-0 start to the season is the program's best since the 1972-73 campaign.
10 (tie). CURRY
Conference: Commonwealth Coast | Record: 5-2 (4-2 CCC)
Previous ranking: NR
Next game: Saturday vs. Salve Regina (3 p.m.)
The Colonels are scoring a robust 3.71 goals per game, and part of the reason for that is offense from the blueline. Senior Nick Favaro and big freshman Matt Connor (Nottingham, N.H.) each have seven assists in the first seven games. The only sour note was a 3-2 loss to Western New England that closed out the pre-Thanksgiving part of the schedule.
@MikeZhe603
mzhe@hockeyjournal.com
