No doubt some of the elite teams are rising to the occasion at the right time of the year and there were big and important wins for Hobart, Adrian, Bowdoin, Endicott, Norwich and St. Mary’s this weekend to name just a few. The races are heating up as the number of games keeps counting down. Lots to cover in this week’s wrap-up.
Here’s the scoop on the action across the country this weekend:
63 and counting…
There was great anticipation for Friday night’s matchup between the top two teams in the SUNYAC as Hobart played host to second place Oswego who was looking to avenge in earlier season loss in their own rink to the Statesmen. Not exactly how the home team was looking at things in “The Cooler.”
Hobart took a 2-0 lead late in the first period on goals by Khalil Fontana and Tanner Daniels and then blew the game open with four goals in the second period including two from Easton Ryan. Hobart cruised to a 6-1 victory, outshooting the Lakers by a 43-17 margin in sealing their 63rd consecutive win at home matching the record of Ned Harkness’ great Cornell teams from the early 1970’s.
“The record means a lot,” said head coach Mark Taylor. “One of the captains during those years was my mentor, Brian McCutcheon. I know that record, I know that time period so to be attached to them, I am humbled by that and take a lot of pride in it. For these guys it means a lot. That record has been standing there for a long time. We haven’t broken yet – we just tied it. Got another game next weekend.”
Molu help Cadets stay atop LEC standings
After Babson and Norwich both won their Friday night contests, the Saturday match-up between the top two team in the Little East had a lot riding on the outcome. Norwich has been surging in conference play while Babson was unbeaten away from home so far this season.
The Beavers came ready from the moment they got off the bus and peppered Cadets’ goaltender Sami Molu with 18 first period shots. Two first period goals from Nick Cordeiro and Boyd Stahlbaum were all that Molu would need as he stopped 38 of 39 Babson shots on the way to a 3-1 win that padded their margin at the top of the LEC standings. The extra margin may be important as Babson still has a game in hand on Norwich in the final two weeks of the regular season.
Polar Bears down Hamilton
In another battle between top teams in conference, Bowdoin hosted Hamilton on Friday night in a playoff hockey atmosphere. Each team scored one goal through the first two periods of play and late in the third period the game appeared to be headed to overtime. Michael Dinges had other ideas as the Polar Bear forward scored the decisive goal in the final minute of regulation to hand the Continentals their first regulation loss in NESCAC this season.
Jacob Osborne was stellar in goal making 25 saves while helping to hold Hamilton to just 1 for 4 on the power play.
Ground gained on Friday wouldn’t have meant much if Bowdoin couldn’t sweep the weekend and they played another solid game in a 3-0 win over Amherst to earn the weekend sweep. Both goaltenders were sharp as neither the Mammoth nor Polar Bears could break the ice with a goal in the first forty minutes of play. In the third period Bowdoin broke through for three goals on the way to a 3-0 shutout win. Osborne earned the shutout making 29 saves.
Saini paces Bulldog sweep
Adrian was looking stretch their point margin atop the NCHA standings as they played a two- game series with Concordia (WI). Forward Patrick Saini was the star of the weekend as he figured prominently in the Bulldog attack in both games netting five goals in the two-game series sweep.
On Friday night, Saini recorded a natural hat trick that blew open the game in a 4-1 win. On Saturday, it was Saini again opening the scoring with back-to-back goals in the opening period as Adrian cruised to a comfortable 8-1 win over Concordia.
With the sweep and other results in conference going their way, Adrian now holds a six-point lead over Trine who they face this upcoming weekend.
Hawks’ offense helps Rocha reach 100 wins
The St Anselm Hawks seem to be finding their game at the right time of the season as they extended their current win streak to three games with a weekend sweep of Franklin Pierce that moved them into second place in the NE-10 standings.
On Friday night the offense showed up in a big way as Cam Collins scored one goal and added three assists to pace the Hawks. The 7-2 win over the Ravens saw the Hawks pour almost 60 shots at a pir of netminders for FPU. Sean Connolly scored two goals and added an assist in the win that gave St. A’s coach and alum Larry Rocha his 100th victory with the program.
Saturday saw a fast start with Chris Cordeiro scoring his first of two goals in the game less than three minutes after the opening face-off. Collins added another first period tally and the Hawks were off and running on the way to a 4-0 win. Goaltender Cam Carroll picked up his first shutout of the season and was exceptionally sharp in the third period where he stopped all 14 Raven shots he faced.
The Hawks will travel to play first place Assumption in a key two-game series next weekend.
USCHO Game Pucks
Sami Molu – Norwich – recorded 38 saves including 18 in the opening period as Norwich held off Babson by a 3-1 score despite being outshot by a 39-16 margin.
Patrick Saini – Adrian – scored a natural hat trick for the Bulldogs in their 4-1 win over Concordia on Friday night. He followed that performance up with the first two goals of the Saturday game for a five-goal weekend as Adrian swept Concordia (WI) in NCHA play
Chris Kernan – St. John’s – netted the unassisted overtime winner on a breakaway in the Johnnies 3-2 win over Gustavus on Saturday night that ended the Gusties 12-game win streak.
There are just a couple of weeks remaining on the schedule and still lots to settle in the standings in every conference.
*Thanks to Hobart Athletics and Russell Jaslow for video and audio from Hobart head coach Mark Taylor.