And then there were two…
While Hobart and Oswego didn’t play this weekend (great foreshadowing for next weekend), Babson, Bowdoin, Salve Regina and UNE all fell from the unbeaten ranks showing that parity is going to play a major role in determining the best of the best in the remaining schedule. There were trophies hoisted in holiday tournaments with two programs, Dubuque and St John Fisher winning their first-ever collegiate tournament – certainly worthy of giving thanks for over the Thanksgiving holiday.
Here’s this week’s wrap-up of the many tournaments and other exciting matchups that took place over the holiday weekend:
Bowdoin/Colby Shootout
With Bowdoin and Colby both playing host to round-robin action in the tournament, the best record in the four-team event claims the title. While Colby finished with a win and an OT tie, Bowdoin did them one better with a 2-0 record with wins over Gustavus and St Anselm.
Following a 4-2 loss at Endicott on Tuesday, the Polar Bears opened the tournament hosting Gustavus Adolphus and trailed 2-0 after the first period. A four-goal second period, led by two goals from Ricky Volpe, was all the scoring the home team would need in a 4-2 win. On Sunday, the Polar Bears surrendered the first goal to the Hawks before scoring seven unanswered as they cruised to a 7-1 win. Jason Alegria led the way with two goals for Bowdoin.
Layer Eight Shootout
Formerly the Primelink, the Layer Eight is one of the longest standing tournaments in D-III, that always includes long-time rivals Middlebury, Norwich and Plattsburgh along with an invited fourth team which was Stevenson this year.
In the opening round Middlebury downed Plattsburgh, 5-2 while Norwich defeated Stevenson 4-1 with Frank D’Ancona setting up the opening two goals for the Cadets.
In the championship game, Norwich led 1-0 after the first period, Middlebury surged ahead, 2-1 in the second period and Norwich tied the game in the third period sending the title game to overtime. In the extra session goaltenders Andrew Heinze for Middlebury and Sami Molu for Norwich continued their outstanding play leaving the game to be decided by a shootout. D’Ancona who already posted one assist in the game, scored the only goal in the shootout giving the title to the host Cadets. D’Ancona earned tournament MVP honors finishing with one goal and three assists in the two games.
Skidmore Invitational
While Skidmore downed Alvernia 4-1 in their first-round game, Tufts continued their role as giant killers with their second win in a row over an unbeaten team. On Tuesday the Jumbos defeated Babson and in the first round of the Skidmore tournament, Tufts knocked off UNE, 3-2. Goaltender Gustave Bylin made 34 saves as the Jumbos were outshot 36-18 by the Nor’easters.
In the title game, Skidmore jumped to a 2-0 lead on goals by Bryan Tang and Cooper Rice in the first period. The Jumbos answered with three goals in the second period forcing the Thoroughbreds to come from behind in the final period. Ashton Breyer tied the game at 3-3 and overtime could not decide a winner. In the shootout Ethan Ullrick scored the decisive goal while Bylin sealed the win with a final save on Skidmore’s Theo Angelopoulos. Ullrick was named tournament MVP with Bylin and forward Trace Norwell being recognized on the All-Tournament team.
Superior Showdown
The host Yellowjackets were looking to play Lawrence who downed St Scholastica in their first- round game but ran into Nikita Borodayenko and Dubuque and the wrong side of a 4-1 score to the Spartans. Borodayenko was a factor in all four goals with three assists before closing out the scoring to send Dubuque to the title game.
Against Lawrence it was Borodayenko who netted the ultimate game-winner as Brock Weimer scored twice and goaltender Dazza Mitchell surrendered just one goal in a 5-1 win that gave Dubuque its first ever tournament title. Borodayenko was named the tournament MVP while Mitchell and forward Jack Paweski were named to the All-Tournament team.
Terry Moran Invitational
With St John Fisher downing Brockport, 4-2 in the first round and the hosts from Castleton shutting out Lebanon Valley, 5-0, the championship game between the Cardinals and the Spartans was set.
The first-year Cardinals took their first ever tournament win with a 5-0 shutout of the Spartans. Leyton Pettypiece paced the offense with a goal and two assists while goaltender Dylan Grover made 35 saves to earn the shutout win. Both Pettypiece and Grover were named to the All-Tournament team.
Utica Thanksgiving Showcase
The Pioneers played host to Massachusetts-Boston in the opening round of the tournament and needed an overtime goal from Andrew Della Rovere to earn a place in the championship game with a 5-4 win. In the other first round game Hamilton cruised by Morrisville 6-0 with Luke Tchor pacing the Continentals attack with two goals and an assist in the comfortable win over the Mustangs.
The title game, between two top ten teams was a close low-scoring affair with the Pioneers taking a 1-0 lead in the opening period before Tchor tied the game in the second period for Hamilton. In the final period, Clarence Beltz scored to give the Continentals a lead and Justin Biraben sealed the win with an empty-net goal for the 3-1 final score. Tchor was named the tournament MVP while Beltz, defenseman John Wojciechowski and goaltender Aksel Reid were recognized on the All-Tournament team for Hamilton.
NESCAC flexing non-conference muscle
In addition to the tournament wins posted by Bowdoin and Tufts, NESCAC teams proved to be challenging for other ranked opponents over the weekend.
Despite not winning their tournaments Colby and Middlebury finished 1-0-1 over the weekend in non-conference action.
Amherst defeated Geneseo, 3-0 on Saturday behind 25 saves from first-year goaltender Vincent Lamberti. Josh Burke paced the offense with a goal and an assist as the Mammoth held the Knights in check for the full sixty minutes. On Sunday, Amherst traveled to Babson where Lamberti was again outstanding in a 1-1 overtime tie (Babson won shootout).
Connecticut College provided the other giant-slaying over the weekend as the Camels knocked off previously unbeaten Salve Regina on Sunday. Tied at 2-2 after two periods of play, Ryan McKenna gave Conn College a one goal lead and Jack Houser sealed the victory with an empty-net goal in the final two minutes of regulation. Goaltender Kellen Beauton earned the win making 31 saves including 15 in the final period.
After an 0-4 start to the season, Trinity was looking to establish a win streak against a ranked Curry team. The Colonels jumped out to a 2-0 lead but the Bantams chipped away with a goal in the second period and two in the third period for the 3-2 win. Brendan Dumas netted the game-winning goal and added an assist while goaltender Devon Bobak made 38 saves in the win.
Green Knights and Blugolds split series
Running a gauntlet schedule to open the season (Trine on tap to close out the first half), St Norbert played a home-and-home series with WIAC contender Wisconsin-Eau Claire over the weekend and each team took a victory on home ice.
On Friday, Logan Ganz gave the BluGolds an early 1-0 lead, but the Green Knights reeled off the next seven goals to coast to a 7-1 win. Braden Lindstrom scored two goals while TJ Koufis picked up three assists in the win.
On Saturday, Luke Lavery and Kade Peterson helped the Blugolds to a 3-1 lead after two periods, but Calvin Hanson cut the deficit in half for the visitors early in the third period. Dayne Hoyord scored late in the final period for some insurance as UWEC skated off with a 4-2 win.
USCHO Game Pucks (non-tournament play)
Tyler Schwindt – Elmira – posted a five-spot with three goals and two assists to pace the Soaring Eagles to a 10-4 win over UCHC opponent King’s on Friday. Schwindt’s hat trick included two power play goals in the second period where Elmira scored five goals to blow open the game.
Blake Cotton – Trinity – scored a hat trick to help the Bantams earn their first win of the season in a 6-1 romp over Plymouth State on Tuesday night. Cotton opened the scoring and added two more goals in the second period to complete his hat trick.
Brendan Bottem – Marian – in a game that featured strong defensive play, Bottem helped the visiting Sabres to a 2-1 win over Augsburg on Tuesday night netting the overtime winning goal.
There was a lot to give thanks for over the holiday weekend with great hockey, surprise and first-time tournament winners along with the requisite number of surprising results (moving away from the upset term as it just may not be applicable anymore) to the delight of fans across the country. I must admit that I am not a fan of settling a championship game with a shootout and would much prefer to see extended or additional overtime sessions to decide a winner in game action. That said the formats are what they are (for now) and there will surely more of the same on display as we close out the first half and look to the next round of holiday tournaments in the new year.