Happy New Year!!
While we ring in 2024, there was a lot of great hockey action closing out calendar 2023 across the east including a pair of tournaments that saw Stevenson and the University of New England emerge victorious against two pretty solid groups of contenders. There was also some great non-conference action and dare I say several upsets, surprise, surprise! Here is this weekend’s wrap-up that officially concludes the 2023 portion of the season:
Northfield Bank Tournament
Hosted by Norwich, the field included the University of New England, Wesleyan and Aurora from the west rounding out the competitors. On Saturday, UNE took a 2-1 win over Wesleyan led by Logan DiScanio’s two goals and 16 saves from goaltender Billy Girard IV. All the scoring in the contest came on the power play and the Nor’easters held a decisive advantage in shots over the Cardinals, 43-17.
In the other semifinal, the host Cadets needed a late third period rally to tie the score before winning the game just 25 seconds into the extra session on a goal from Bryan O’Mara. Aurora’s Jakson Kirk scored in the final minute of the first period to tie the game at one and gave the visitors a 2-1 lead in the third period. With just over 25 seconds remaining in regulation and the goaltender pulled for the extra attacker, O’Mara set up Clark Kerner for the tying goal before becoming the OT hero with the game winner.
In the title game on Sunday, Ryan Kuzmich gave the Nor’easters a 1-0 lead, but the Cadets tied it on a power play goal from Jed Brazo with just 43 seconds remaining in the period. Both goaltenders were solid in a scoreless second period setting up a tense third period where Dominic Murphy scored on the power play for UNE to give them the 2-1 win and tournament title. Goaltender Billy Girard IV stopped 36 of 37 Norwich shots to earn the win and tournament MVP honors.
In the consolation game, shorthanded goals from Owen Sweet and Parker Sondag helped Wesleyan to a 5-2 win over Aurora. Marc Smith picked up the win in goal making 21 saves.
Oswego State Hockey Classic presented by Best Western and Clarion
Oswego played host to Cortland, Stevenson, and Concordia (WI) in their annual tournament and found their guests from the west to be opportunistic in an 8-5 upset win over the Lakers on Saturday. Despite outshooting Concordia by a 54-23 margin, the Lakers were undone on special teams where the Falcons scored three shorthanded goals, two power play goals and added an empty-net goal among their eight tallies. Goaltender Gabe Rozek stopped 49 shots in the win while Alex Ochitwa had a five-point game with one goal and four assists.
In the other semifinal, Cortland faced Stevenson and there were goals aplenty. John Musella scored two goals in the first five plus minutes of the opening period to give the Mustangs an early lead, but the Red Dragons scored three unanswered goals to hold a brief 3-2 lead early in the second period. Stevenson then reeled off five straight goals including Musella’s third of the game for a commanding 7-3 lead on the way to a 7-4 win. Ty Outen stopped 36 of 40 shots in the win.
In the championship game, Evan Beers and Zach Bannister gave Stevenson an early 2-0 lead before Concordia’s Preston Hazelton halved the deficit with a goal just over a minute into the second period. Three more goals for Stevenson, including Musella’s fourth of the tournament sealed the title with a 5-1 win over the Falcons.
The consolation game matched up SUNYAC rivals with first period goals for Cortland and Oswego being the only scoring through overtime. Cortland took a shootout win in nine rounds in a game that officially is recorded as a tie.
Non-conference
Babson opened the final weekend of 2023 with a tidy road win against St. Michael’s on Friday afternoon. Wyatt George scored a hat trick as the Beavers extended the Purple Knights’ winless streak to seven games with a 6-3 win. Tommy Rooney chipped in with a pair of goals and Ian Driscoll recorded three assists for Babson.
Trine traveled east for a two-game series with Hamilton with both teams earning a win apiece over the weekend. On Friday, the visitors skated to an early 2-0 lead before the Continentals rallied behind goals from Devon de Vries, Luke Tchor and Grisha Gotovets for a 3-2 lead. With just under 90 seconds in regulation time remaining, the Thunder tied the game on a goal by Matteo Ybarro and won the contest on Bobby Price’s game-winner just 58 seconds into the extra session. On Saturday, four different players scored for Hamilton and goaltender Charlie Archer stopped all 32 shots he faced in a 4-0 win for Hamilton.
On Saturday, Williams traveled to Albertus Magnus and skated away with a 3-2 upset win over the Falcons. Cal Sandquist stopped 34 of 36 shots and Nicholas Rashkovsky, Connor Tobin, and Owen Stadheim scored for the Ephs to close out 2023 with their second win of the campaign.
Bowdoin cruised to a 7-2 win against St. Anselm on Sunday with Michael Dinges leading the Polar Bear attack with a three-point game on two goals and an assist. Three goals in both the first and second period were more than enough offense for Bowdoin who picked up their fifth win of the season on the road.
Amherst continued a strong weekend for NESCAC teams with a 4-2 win over No. 12 Endicott on Sunday. Tyler Bourque and Ryan Tucker scored goals just 33 seconds apart to give the Mammoths an early 2-0 lead over the Gulls. Andrew Kurapov cut the lead in half with a quick strike to open the second period, but Amherst responded in less than two minutes with a power play goal from Connor Guest for a 3-1 lead. Cass Bowes scored to again bring the Gulls to within a goal, but Andrew Carmody iced the contest with a goal late in the third period to give Amherst a “mammoth” win to close out 2023. Goaltender Connor Leslie stopped 28 of 30 shots in the win for Amherst.
No. 1 Hobart extended their win streak to seven games with an 8-1 rout of Middlebury on Sunday. Kahlil Fontana recorded four assists while Tanner Hartman and Tanner Daniels each scored a pair of goals to lead the Statesmen. Goaltender Damon Beaver stopped 29 of 30 shots in the win.
After losing to Lake Forest on Saturday 8-3, Canton earned a split of their two-game series out west with a 4-1 win on Sunday. The Kangaroos fell behind 1-0 in the first period but ended the second period tied on a goal by Conor O’Brien. Nic Herringer’s shorthanded tally midway through the third period gave the Roos a 2-1 lead and Colton Sipperley and Niko Schoner padded the advantage for the 4-1 final result. Trey Miller stopped 40 of 41 shots in the win for Canton.
Three Biscuits
Wyatt George – Babson – the Beaver forward recorded a hat trick in a 6-3 win over St. Michael’s on Friday afternoon.
John Musella – Stevenson – led the Mustangs with four goals in the two games of the Oswego State Hockey Classic including a hat trick in a 7-4 win over Cortland in the opening round.
Billy Girard IV – UNE – stopped 52 of 54 shots, including 36 of 37 in a 2-1 win over Norwich in the championship game of the Northfield Bank Tournament which earned him MVP honors.
Not surprising to see more terrific hockey as the last days of 2023 came to an end. It looks like more fabulous action on the ice will welcome in the New Year. Can’t wait to see what 2024 brings for the conference title chases and national tournament in March.
