The two teams that have separated themselves from the pack in the MASCAC meet for a third — but possibly not final — time tonight.
Plymouth State and Fitchburg State have already split a pair of games this season and share first place, employing different styles. The Panthers have taken more shots and scored more goals (4.0 a game) than any team in the league.
Fitchburg State boasts one of the region's best goalies in senior Brian McGrath (Worcester, Mass.) and has allowed fewer goals (2.3 a game) than any team in the league.
Let's see where Plymouth, Fitchburg and teams from the region's other three leagues rank in our latest New England top 10, with conference tournament seeding starting to come into focus.
1. BABSON
Conference: NEHC | Record: 13-4-2 (8-4-2) | Previous: No. 1
Next game: Friday vs. Norwich (7 p.m.)
The Beavers have answered a two-game losing streak with four straight wins and are still right in the middle of an exciting league race. They sit just two points behind first-place Hobart, but are just one point clear of fifth-place Skidmore, with the top four teams earning home ice for the quarterfinals.
Senior Ryan Black (Pomfret, Conn.) enjoyed a productive weekend in wins at Skidmore (3-2) and Castleton (3-1), collecting two goals and three assists, enough to eclipse the 100-point mark for his career.
2. NORWICH
Conference: NEHC | Record: 10-4-4 (7-4-3) | Previous: No. 3
Next game: Friday at Babson (7 p.m.)
Nothing's come all that easy for Norwich lately, but these last two weekends of the regular season feature three opponents — Babson, Elmira and Hobart — that can sharpen it for another postseason run.
Clark Kerner has been one of the region's most impactful freshmen. The 5-foot-9 speedster from Kansas City leads the team in scoring with 11 goals and 22 points.
3. COLBY
Conference: NESCAC | Record: 11-3 (8-2) | Previous: No. 8
Next game: Tuesday at Conn. College (5:30 p.m.)
Any checklist for a successful Colby season includes beating Bowdoin, and the streaking Mules accomplished that for the second time on Friday, with goalie Andy Beran stopping 38 of 39 shots in a 3-1 win.
The Mules lead the NESCAC by a point but have two games in hand on nearest challengers Williams and Trinity. It's been a long time since the road to a league title went through Waterville, Maine, but if the Mules can keep limiting opponents' chances and goals, that's exactly what we'll be looking at.
4. SALVE REGINA
Conference: CCC | Record: 13-5 (11-3) | Previous: No. 9
Next game: Friday vs. Nichols (8 p.m.)
The Seahawks won an absolutely bonkers game at the University of New England on Monday night, 8-6, with both teams scoring four times in the third period. Mitch Walinski (Lincoln, R.I.), George Sennott (North Andover, Mass.) and Cayden Kraus each scored twice.
Salve has won nine of 10 and is in better form than anyone else in the top half of a wild Commonwealth Coast Conference race.
5. ENDICOTT
Conference: CCC | Record: 12-5-1 (9-4-1) | Previous: No. 2
Next game: Friday at University of New England (7 p.m.)
The Gulls have hit their first rough patch and are coming off back-to-back losses to second-division teams: 2-1 in overtime to Wentworth and 3-2 at Suffolk on Friday, with Nick Lachaine (Lakeville, Conn.) burying the third-period game-winner to seal the upset.
It's been feast or famine offensively since returning from the holidays: 20 goals in the four wins, but just three goals in the three losses. Key weekend ahead.
6. UNIVERSITY OF NEW ENGLAND
Conference: CCC | Record: 10-3-1 (9-3-1) | Previous: No. 4
Next game: Tuesday vs. Wentworth (6 p.m.)
The Nor'easters went 40 days (and nights) without playing a game, a stretch that saw five games canceled by COVID protocols in January. Their return might have been predicted — a 6-2 loss to Curry on Jan. 21 that saw them concede four goals in the first period.
But giving up eight more to Salve on Monday — on home ice — raises more questions. UNE can skate and score, but is it tight enough to get through what's shaping up to be a tough CCC tournament gauntlet?
7. PLYMOUTH STATE
Conference: MASCAC | Record: 11-4-2 (8-1-2) | Previous: No. 7
Next game: Tuesday vs. Fitchburg State (4 p.m.)
It's been an uneven return to action for the Panthers since the holidays and COVID protocols kept them from playing a game for more than a month.
They're generally handling the bottom-tier teams in their league, but needed Myles Abbate (Norwell, Mass.) to save them in last week's 3-2 overtime win against a decent UMass Dartmouth team. Abbate and teammate JR Barone share the MASCAC lead with 11 goals apiece
8. TRINITY
Conference: NESCAC | Record: 9-7 (7-5) | Previous: No. 6
Next game: Friday at Middlebury (7 p.m.)
The Bantams couldn't make it a weekend road sweep, losing in overtime at Hamilton (4-3) one day after a 3-1 win at Amherst.
Tilton School product Gerard Maretta is steadily putting together a strong first season. His eight goals lead a team that's looking for more consistent scoring.
9. CURRY
Conference: CCC | Record: 11-4-2 (9-3-1) | Previous: No. 10
Next game: Friday vs. Suffolk (7 p.m.)
Just when you think the Colonels were about to fall out of the race for first place and gravitate back to where they were expected to finish, they turn in a game like the 6-2 rout of UNE on Jan. 21.
They showed off their scoring depth in that win — six different goal-scorers — like they have all season, and now have eight players producing double-digit points. Curry seems to be in this for the duration.
10 (tie). UMASS BOSTON
Conference: NEHC | Record: 12-7-2 (8-4-2) | Previous: NR
Next game: Friday at Johnson and Wales (7 p.m.)
The Beacons made it through their most brutal stretch of the season with a 3-2-1 record. That included a close loss to Norwich (2-1), a win at Babson (5-4) and a 2-2 tie with first-place Hobart on Saturday. Good stuff.
Junior goalie Sam Best (Woburn, Mass.) made 30 saves against No. 5 Hobart, the latest proof that the Beacons can play with anyone in the region.
10 (tie). FITCHBURG STATE
Conference: MASCAC | Record: 11-4 (9-2) | Previous: NR
Next game: Tuesday at Plymouth State (4 p.m.)
The Falcons have won five straight since returning from break, a 4-0 blanking of Plymouth State included during that stretch. McGrath made 51 saves in that game — his eighth shutout of the season — and owns a 2.25 GAA and .934 save percentage.
Players like junior forward Anthony Ceolin (Simsbury, Conn.) are also hitting their strides, but McGrath is the biggest reason that Fitchburg should have a chance to win every game come MASCAC tournament time — and has a chance to win tonight.
@MikeZhe603
mzhe@hockeyjournal.com
