The biggest weekend in Division 3 hockey lived up to expectations and then some.
The two days of conference playoffs had it all – from overtime game-winners to shocking upsets. When the smoke cleared, a dozen teams from New England still found themselves in the mix for a league championship and accompanying auto-bid to the NCAA tournament.
Tournament action continues this week Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. The NCAA tournament selection show is March 7.
Let’s take a look at the landscape, league by league.
MASCAC
Semifinals, Tuesday
#7 Framingham State (3-20-1) at #1 Plymouth State (17-5-2), 6 p.m.
#6 Salem State (11-12) at #5 Westfield State (13-11-2), 7:35 p.m.
The only team not involved in Saturday’s first round was arguably its biggest winner.
Plymouth State enjoyed the bye it received from finishing first and saw its biggest challenger for a league title – #2 Fitchburg State – upset by last-place Framingham State, 1-0. Standout goalie Brian McGrath (Worcester, Mass.) made 19 saves for the Rams, but Kaleb Kinskey finished off a Jacob Garman pass six minutes into OT for his first collegiate goal and a stunning win.
The Rams will be heavy underdogs in Plymouth, but the other semifinal is up for grabs.
Goalie Valtteri Valtonen got Westfield State to overtime against #4 UMass Dartmouth, stopping 38 of 39 shots, and senior Justin Collins (Wilmington, Mass.) ended it with his goal just 1:37 in for a 2-1 win.
Salem State was cruising for most of its game against #3 Worcester State, taking a 4-1 lead into the final minute before Worcester pulled its goalie and scored twice to make it 4-3, which is how the game ended.
COMMONWEALTH COAST
Semifinals, Wednesday
#4 Curry (13-7-1) at #2 Endicott (15-5-1), 7 p.m.
#6 Nichols (6-15) at #1 University of New England (17-3-1), 7 p.m.
The top two seeds took care of their quarterfinal business handily and will be favorites to meet in Saturday’s championship game.
Jared Christy had a hat trick for UNE in its 4-1 win over #8 Western New England (its ninth in a row), while Connor Amsley scored a pair of separation goals for Endicott as it handled #7 Wentworth, 6-1.
The upset victim was #3 Salve Regina, which peppered Nichols goalie Korbinian Lutz with 44 shots (holding a 44-24 edge) but scoring just one time in a 3-1 loss.
#5 Suffolk took Curry to the wire, with goalie Cal Wilcox (Pomfret, Conn.) performing superbly and making 45 saves. But the Colonels, down 1-0 after one period, turned the game around behind goals from leading scorer Timmy Kent and Alexander Bouchard for a 2-1 win.
NESCAC
Semifinals, Saturday
#3 Williams (12-10-1) vs. #2 Trinity (15-7-1), 1 p.m.
#5 Hamilton (10-9-1) at #1 Colby (16-5-2), 4:30 p.m.
The final weekend of the NESCAC season will take place in Waterville, Maine, after regular-season champion Colby cruised in its quarterfinal, beating #8 Tufts, 5-1. Former Dexter standout John McElaney (Walpole, Mass.) figured in four of the goals, scoring two and setting up two others, and the Mules got 19 saves from the reliable Andy Beran.
Trinity blanked #7 Conn. College, 5-0, behind its two leading scorers. Lucas Michaud (South Portland, Maine) scored twice and Jax Murray finished with three assists, while JP Mella (Stamford, Conn.) made 34 saves to record the shutout.
Williams and Hamilton will each bring a puncher’s chance into the semis after earning hard-fought quarterfinal wins. The Ephs got 19 saves from goalie Evan Ruschil and a strong defensive effort in front of him in their 3-1 over #6 Amherst, while Hamilton was the only road team to grab a win, 3-2 at #4 Wesleyan.
NEHC
Championship, Saturday
#6 Skidmore (16-9-2) at #4 Babson (18-5-2), 7 p.m.
The Beavers didn’t just win a dramatic 3-2 semifinal at #2 Elmira, thanks to Ryan Black’s (Pomfret, Conn.) winner almost 19 minutes into sudden death, they also earned the right to host the final after Skidmore upset top-seeded Hobart.
Babson’s dynamic top line figured in all three goals, with Mike Egan (Billerica, Mass.) scoring once and assisting once, and defenseman John Corrigan (Stoneham, Mass.) setting up two. Brad Arvanitis (Holliston, Mass.) matched his career high with 47 saves.
Babson and Skidmore split their regular-season meetings, each winning by multiple goals on their home ice.
@MikeZhe603
mzhe@hockeyjournal.com
