It's been an uneven return to play for the region's Division 3 teams since the holidays.
While some of New England's top teams have returned to the ice and thrived, COVID cases and protocols have kept others -- including three teams in our top 10 -- from returning to action.
Two of those teams play in the Commonwealth Coast Conference, setting up a bloated schedule these last five weeks of the regular season. Four teams, separated by no more than games in hand, are all poised to finish first.
Teams from all four leagues in the region are represented in our New England top 10.
1. BABSON
Conference: NEHC | Record: 9-2-2 (5-2-2) | Previous: No. 1
Next game: Tuesday at New England College (7 p.m.)
The Beavers saw their six-game unbeaten streak snapped over the weekend, but it wasn't an unproductive trip to central New York. They bounced back from Saturday's 5-3 loss to No. 10 Elmira to take down league power and fifth-ranked Hobart, 5-3, on Sunday.
Balanced scoring continues to be on display. Seniors Matt Wiesner and Ryan Black (Pomfret, Conn.) had goals in both games, and six players have already produced double-digit points.
2. ENDICOTT
Conference: CCC | Record: 11-3-1 (8-2-1) | Previous: No. 3
Next game: Friday at Wentworth (7 p.m.)
The Gulls were handed a chance to feast on second-division teams in January and they continued to do just that over the weekend, handcuffing Nichols by 4-1 and 3-2 scores to run their win streak to three.
The weekend saw seven different players score goals and goalie Conor O'Brien move his save percentage to a ridiculous .956.
3. NORWICH
Conference: NEHC | Record: 8-3-4 (5-3-3) | Previous: No. 2
Next game: Tuesday at Middlebury (7 p.m.)
Unlike Babson, the Cadets couldn't take any points from its trip to Elmira and Hobart, losing a pair of one-goal games two weekends ago.
They bounced back with two wins over the weekend, including a hard-fought 2-1 decision over UMass Boston that saw freshman Patrick Delvecchio score the third-period game-winner off senior defenseman Devon Becker's nation-leading 19th assist,
4. UNIVERSITY OF NEW ENGLAND
Conference: CCC | Record: 8-1-1 (7-1-1) | Previous: No. 4
Next game: Friday at Curry (6:50 p.m.)
COVID issues have kept the Nor'easters from playing a game in 2022, which is a shame, because perhaps no team in the region closed out 2021 playing better.
If any current players are good enough to extend their careers into the American Hockey League they'll get a taste of the scheduling that awaits soon. UNE is slated to play three games in four days starting this weekend with a home-and-home series with Curry.
5. WILLIAMS
Conference: NESCAC | Record: 7-5 (7-2) | Previous: No. 6
Next game: Friday vs. Colby (7 p.m.)
The Ephs are setting the pace in the NESCAC, even though they're coming off a 3-0 loss at No. 2 SUNY-Geneseo on Saturday, a game that saw them keep the explosive Knights off the scoreboard for the better part of two periods.
"What made the difference ... was that they were able to capitalize on their scoring opportunities, while we did not," said coach Bill Kangas afterward. "After making the first goal, they took that momentum and were quick to score the next."
6. TRINITY
Conference: NESCAC | Record: 7-5 (5-3) | Previous: No. 5
Next game: Friday vs. Conn. College (7 p.m.)
Saturday's 4-2 loss at Colby marked the first time since November the stingy Bantams and goalie Patrick Pugliese had given up more than three goals in a game.
It took an overtime goal from junior Andrew Troy to salvage the weekend trip to Maine with a 2-1 win at Bowdoin.
7. PLYMOUTH STATE
Conference: MASCAC | Record: 8-3-1 (5-0-1) | Previous: No. 7
Next game: Tuesday at Fitchburg State (6:30 p.m.)
Another team that hasn't played a game in more than a month. The Panthers are slated to return to action Tuesday at Fitchburg State, perhaps their top challenger in the MASCAC.
Grad student forward JR Barone has been one of the team's many bright spots, leading the league in plus-minus (plus-12).
8. COLBY
Conference: NESCAC | Record: 7-3 (5-2) | Previous: NR
Next game: Friday at Williams (7 p.m.)
The Mules have been excellent since returning from break, a stretch that includes an impressive non-conference win over Endicott (2-0) and victories in three of four league games.
Senior forward Justin Grillo (5-7-12) is averaging a point-and-a-half per game (best in the NESCAC) and sophomore goalie Andy Beran (1.61 GAA, .935 save percentage) has been rock-solid in net.
9. SALVE REGINA
Conference: CCC | Record: 9-4 (7-2) | Previous: No. 8
Next game: Friday at Western New England (7 p.m.)
Yet another team that hasn't made its return to action since the calendar flipped, the Seahawks now face a sprint to the regular-season finish line that features three games in four days in each of the next two weekend.
Junior forward Mitch Walinski (Lincoln, R.I.) -- who shares the league lead in points with Kevin Obssuth of Wentworth -- is riding a five-game point streak that can be traced back to Thanksgiving weekend.
10. CURRY
Conference: CCC | Record: 10-3-1 (8-2-1) | Previous: No. 10
Next game: Tuesday at Amherst (7 p.m.)
It took an overtime power-play goal from Mark Zhukov to jump-start a weekend sweep of Wentworth, but it's two more wins for a team that's right in the thick of the Commonwealth Coast race.
The next 11 days should tell us a lot more: a game against Amherst from the NESCAC, then back-to-back home-and-homes against league contenders UNE and Salve Regina.
@MikeZhe603
mzhe@hockeyjournal.com
