Here’s a look at the college hockey holiday tournaments that start Saturday:
Florida College Hockey Classic
Where: Germain Arena, Estero, Fla.
Saturday’s schedule: Maine (9-6-1) vs. Princeton (3-11), 4 p.m. EST; No. 15 Cornell (7-4-2) vs. New Hampshire (9-9-1), 7:30 p.m.
Sunday’s schedule: Third-place game, 4 p.m. EST; championship game, 7:30 p.m.
Live audio: Maine | Cornell | New Hampshire
Notes to know: This is the 14th version of the tournament, which was originally known as the Everblades College Classic after the ECHL team that plays in Germain Arena.
• Maine has won two straight championships and six of the first 13.
• Princeton also faced the Black Bears in the first round of its only other appearance at the tournament in 2009. The teams tied 6-6, with Maine advancing by winning a shootout.
• Cornell and New Hampshire have met once before in Estero, with the Big Red winning 5-2 in 2006.
• New Hampshire is averaging 4.44 goals per game in nine wins and 2.11 goals per game in nine losses.
Social snippit:
Loading the bus this morning at 6. pic.twitter.com/DMVMyHuHNU
— UNH Wildcats Hockey (@UNHHockey) December 27, 2013
Unloading the bus tonight at 6pm in Florida- much better. pic.twitter.com/eLerg9FuVJ
— UNH Wildcats Hockey (@UNHHockey) December 27, 2013
Catamount Cup
Where: Gutterson Fieldhouse, Burlington, Vt.
Saturday’s schedule: Canisius (5-8-1) vs. No. 10 Massachusetts-Lowell (11-5), 4 p.m. EDT; No. 9 Clarkson (12-3-1) at Vermont (8-6-1), 7 p.m.
Sunday’s schedule: No. 9 Clarkson vs. No. 10 Massachusetts-Lowell, 4 p.m. EDT; Canisius vs. Vermont, 7 p.m.
Live video: All games (free)
Live audio: Canisius | Clarkson | Vermont
Notes to know: This is the 18th annual Sheraton/TD Bank Catamount Cup, and Vermont beat Union and Princeton to win last year’s title.
• Host Vermont is 13-4-1 in the tournament under coach Kevin Sneddon. The Catamounts have won four titles, all in the last eight years.
• Canisius’ penalty kill has scored two short-handed goals in its last seven games while allowing only one goal.
• Massachusetts-Lowell is 7-3 in nonconference games this season, with ECAC Hockey (Quinnipiac) and Atlantic Hockey (Sacred Heart) teams accounting for the losses.
• Clarkson has won nine of 10 games decided by one goal.
Social snippit:
Practice for @GriffsHockey at Gutterson Fieldhouse at UVM. Prepping for the Catamount Cup #gogriffs pic.twitter.com/D2J7buLnEv
— Nate Lull (@NateLull) December 27, 2013
Others
Started Friday: Great Lakes Invitational, Three Rivers Classic
Starting Sunday: UConn Hockey Classic (Massachusetts, No. 8 Quinnipiac, Sacred Heart, Connecticut), Ledyard National Bank Classic (No. 16 Northeastern, Air Force, No. 5 Providence, Dartmouth).
Starting Jan. 3: Mariucci Classic (No. 2 Ferris State, Rensselaer, Colgate, No. 1 Minnesota).
