Finally.
It wasn’t just that top-seeded Plymouth State was back in the MASCAC championship game for the seventh time in eight years on Saturday, knowing that only the winner would get a bid to the 12-team NCAA tournament.
No, it was also that across the ice was old nemesis Salem State, a team that finished sixth of seven teams in the standings but won two playoff games on the road to reach the final for the eighth time in nine years under longtime coach Bill O’Neill (Lynn, Mass.). Twice in the last four years, the Vikings has personally denied Plymouth’s bid for titles.
This time, the Panthers took the final step. In front of a full house at Hanaway Rink, Evan Morelli (Reading, Mass.) recorded 17 saves -- his program-record ninth career shutout -- and his team skated past Salem, 3-0, to win the MASCAC tournament for the first time since 2015.
“I'm so incredibly happy for the senior class to finally get one,” said Plymouth State coach Craig Russell (Northfield, Vt.).
In all, five New England teams made the NCAA field -- four conference champions and UMass-Boston, which received an at-large bid. Plymouth will visit No. 7 Hobart (19-7-2) in a first-round game on Saturday.
Other first-round games Saturday include Commonwealth Coast champion and No. 12 University of New England (20-6-2) playing at NESCAC champion and No. 8 Trinity (19-3-5); and No. 11 UMass-Boston (19-7-1) hosting Manhattanville (17-8-5).
NEHC champion and No. 4 Norwich (21-4-3) earned a first-round bye and will host the Trinity/UNE winner in the March 16 quarterfinals. The Cadets took down Hobart in the conference final, 2-1, getting 29 saves from tourney MVP Tom Aubrun and winning their 13th game in a row.
Nothing could top the drama at Trinity, which needed overtime in both the NESCAC semis against Hamilton (2-1) and the final against Amherst (3-2), a game that ended when junior Taggart Corriveau (New Britain, Conn.) one-timed a pass from Lucas Michaud (South Portland, Maine) that found the back of the net with 0.1 seconds on the clock.
”We found a way to get by,” said Trinity coach Matt Greason (North Bridgton, Maine). “It’s just a special days for these guys that they’ll never forget.”
Plymouth State improved to 17-7-3 while topping Salem for the fourth time this season. The Vikings (10-17-1) had knocked off third-seeded UMass-Dartmouth and second-seeded Westfield State to advance to their eighth title game in nine years.
Senior Ryan Stevens scored the game-winner in the final minute of the opening period and added a second-period assist to collect tournament MVP honors. The 6-foot-3 forward notched a goal and four assists in the Panthers' two playoff wins.
Six times in the last eight years, Plymouth has finished atop the MASCAC standings in the regular season. But only twice before this had it finished the job by winning the league tournament.
"I thought the guys were super-focused and ready to go," said Russell. "It's tough to manage the energy in that building with a crowd like that for the first time all season, but they did a good job with that. The team played a strong two-way game and special teams were lights out. … They guys executed our game plan and this time of the year that's all you can ask for.”
Team of the Week
Trinity
Before Corriveau could beat the overtime buzzer and send the Bantams to the NESCAC championship, they needed senior captain Ryan Pfeffer (Canton, Mass.) to end a taut semifinal against Hamilton with a game-ending overtime goal of his own for the 2-1 win.
The wins gave Trinity, which overtook Wesleyan for first place by sweeping a home-and-home over the final weekend of the regular season, its third conference title in the last four years.
Player of the Week
Ryan Bloom, jr., F, University of New England
Bloom scored the second of a four-goal barrage to overcome an early 1-0 deficit at top-seeded Salve Regina Saturday in the CCC final. He added a shorthanded goal later in the Nor’easters’ 6-2 win that earned them their first conference title and second NCAA trip.
Bloom (21-20-41) is tied for ninth in scoring in Division 3, and shares the national lead with five shorthanded goals.
Games to Watch
NCAA tournament, first round, Saturday
Manhattanville at UMass-Boston, 7 p.m.
University of New England at Trinity, 7 p.m.
Plymouth State at Hobart, 7 p.m.
