There were many marque matchups this past weekend featuring ranked teams in important conference action with points and positions in the standings on the line. Just two teams remain without a loss this season (Hobart and Hamilton) showing off the ever-present parity across the D-II/III landscape.
Here’s this week’s wrap-up of the key matchups that took place over the past weekend that puts a bow on the first half for many teams entering finals for the first semester:
Ranked team battles deliver exciting hockey
No. 4 Oswego hosted No. 1 ranked Hobart in a battle of SUNYAC unbeatens. The Statesmen wasted no time in taking a lead on Tanner Daniels’ goal just seventeen seconds after puck drop. Daniels would add a second tally as Hobart extended their lead to 4-1 after two periods and cruised to a 5-2 road win over the Lakers.
Trine hosted St, Norbert in a two-game series between the No. 5 and N.,10 ranked teams. On Friday night, the Thunder raced out to a 3-0 lead on Friday only to see the Green Knights rally to send the game to overtime where Logan Dombrowsky netted the game winner just over one minute into the extra session. On Saturday, Trine took a 3-1 lead into the third period before Braydon Breahm and Dombrowsky scored less than two minutes apart in the third period to tie the game. Overtime could not decide a winner and the Green Knights took the shootout for a great road trip.
No. 8 Curry and No. 7 University of New England played a key two-game series in CNE action with each team capturing a win as the visitor. On Friday, Curry scored once in each period with two goals coming from Gage Dill in a 3-1 win over the Nor’easters. Back at home on Saturday, the Colonels jumped out to a first period lead on another Gill goal only to see UNR tally three goals in a row for a 3-1 lead. With less than five seconds remaining in the period Curry’s Manny Cabral cut the deficit in half setting up an exciting third period. UNE goaltender Harrison Chesney saved his best for the third period as he stopped all fifteen Curry shots to preserve the lead and Mike Tersoni added an empty-net goal for the 4-2 final score and weekend split between the two CNE contenders.
Exciting conference battles tighten races
MASCAC saw conference contenders Fitchburg State face-off with Anna Maria on Saturday with both teams unbeaten in league play entering the matchup. In a playoff style game, there was no scoring in the opening period but the Falcons would take a 1-0 lead early in the second period on a goal by Jack Saavedra. The AmCats would even the score in the third period when Patrick Crooks found the back of the net but the Falcons continued their pressure on goaltender Matthew Hennessey with 21 shots in the period and Devin Niles scoring the game-winner for a big home-ice win for Fitchburg State.
Wilkes and Stevenson played a two-game series with both teams chasing Neumann in the MAC and the Mustangs took two big wins over the Colonels. On Friday, the Mustangs jumped to a 2-0 lead only to see Wilkes come back to tie the score at 2-2. In overtime. Aiden Lindley was the hometown hero, scoring the game-winner with less than twenty seconds remaining in overtime. On Saturday, goaltender Ford DeLoss was outstanding as Wilkes outshot Stevenson by a 34-21 margin but could not solve DeLoss who stopped every attempt in a 4-0 Mustangs win. Four different players scored for Stevenson who moved to 6-1-0 in MAC play while Wilkes dropped to 4-3-1.
In MIAC action, St john’s and Bethel split a two-game series over the weekend. On Friday, Bethel started fast taking a two-goal lead on goals from Jack Brown and Joe Kelly. Jordan Newpower cut the lead in half in the opening minute of the second period but Bethel’s Joe Westlund scored in the final minute of the period with what proved to be the game-winning goal in a 3-2 road win. On Saturday, the Johnnies battled back in a goal filled affair to take a 6-4 win to split the series. Carter Krenke and Jack Wandmacher each scored two goals to lead the johnnies attack and move them to 3-1-2 in MIAC play.
Wisconsin – Stevens Point picked up an overtime tie against Wisconsin – Stout before earning a win over Beloit in WIAC action. On Friday, the Pointers scored a pair of power play goals in the second period for a 2-1 lead over Stout but Hayden Stocks scored a power play goal for the visitors that led to a 2-2 overtime tie. On Saturday, UWSP had things much easier in a 6-0 win over Beloit. Alec Hamady paced the offense with two goals as the Pointers scored twice in each period for the comfortable win over the Buccaneers. Goaltender Alex Proctor made 17 saves to earn the shutout win.
“Vlad, the In-netter”
There are very few sporting events that are as exciting as an overtime goal. The game-winning event is both thrilling for the scoring team and devastating for the team surrendering the decisive marker. This past weekend one player experienced that thrill on back-to-back games as Plattsburgh took a pair of OT wins over Fredonia and Buffalo state in SUNYAC play.
On Friday, Alexander Moliner provided the game-tying goal in the final five seconds of regulation against Fredonia to send the game to overtime where Vladislav Pshenichnikov provided the game-winner just one minute into overtime. On Saturday, the Cardinals took one-goal leads three different times only to see Buffalo State answer to tie the score at 3-3 after two periods of play. Neither team could break the tie in the third period setting up more drama from Pshenichnikov who again scored the decisive goal less than ninety seconds into overtime for a second 4-3 OT win that leveled Plattsburgh’s record at 3-3-0 in SUNYAC play.
USCHO Game Pucks
Evan Plunkett – St Michael’s – stopped 65 of 67 shots including a 25-dave shutout as the Purple Knights swept NE-10 leaders Franklin Pierce over the weekend with 3-0 and 6-2 wins over the Ravens.
Logan Dombrowsky – St. Norbert – completed a Green Knights comeback from a 3-0 deficit with an overtime winning goal in a 4-3 win over Trine on Friday night.
Vladislav Pshenichnikov – Plattsburgh – the Cardinal forward provided a pair of overtime winning goals for Plattsburgh who took 4-3 OT wins over Fredonia and Buffalo State over the weekend.
Just one week remaining on the schedule for a few teams still playing to close out the semester. Lots of interesting conference matchups for teams to have to think about over the holidays so some wins to close the first half will go a long way to some happy holiday sentiments.