Last weekend saw all the home teams take care of business except one where Norwich defeated Salve Regina. Saturday night finds the top two seeds ready to fight for their spot in this year’s D-III Frozen Four as part of three key east v. west quarterfinal games while Norwich and Hamilton face-off with the winner guaranteeing the east on spot in the semifinal round.
Hard not to be excited about the action that brings the regional competition to the forefront and winners being one step closer to the national championship prize. Missing my partner in crime, Brian Lester especially this time of year but looking to build on a 5-1 first-round record:
Friday, March 20, 2026 – Sunday, March 22, 2026
NCAA Quarterfinal Round Games
(3) St. Norbert v. (1) Hobart
The Green Knights have a daunting task ahead of them but then again Tim Coghlin coached teams usually thrive in that atmosphere. The Statesmen are rested, healthy, unscored upon this post-season, unbeaten at home and unbeaten on the season to date. No team stays in the present like Mark Taylor’s squad and Tanner Daniels, Bauer Morrissey and Damon Beaver show SNC why they are three-time national champions with a hard-fought and gritty win – Hobart, 3-0
(12) Norwich v. (6) Hamilton
The Continentals blew open a close game against Neumann with a huge third period while the Cadets started fast and finished strong in a runaway win over Salve Regina. Goals will be harder to come by in this one as both teams will want to keep the opposition chances limited. Sami Molu was great last week when he needed to be against the Seahawks and is the difference in the game as the Cadets get an extra one past Aksel Reid and breath a bit easier after an empty-net goal – Norwich, 3-1
(7) Wisconsin – Stout v. (5) Utica
This east v. west match-up is the most intriguing of the four games on Saturday for me. UW-Stout is a team that hasn’t received a lot of fanfare yet wins games by having teams play to their style. The Pioneers will certainly have a raucous crowd supporting their hunt to return to the Frozen Four and there may be some frazzled nerves as this one will need bonus hockey to decide a winner and probably more than one OT session. Junior class has stepped up all year and get it done again so the Pioneers play at home next week – Utica, 3-2
(4) Aurora v. (3) Endicott
The Spartans and their high-powered offense face-off against a team that loves to play low-scoring and opportunistic hockey. Goaltender Peter Sterling and freshmen forwards Sebastien Speck and Louie Kamienski show why they are mature beyond their college experience in leading the Gulls to a thrilling overtime win, where like the other quarterfinal games, it is a shame that one of these teams has to go home. Kyle Furey leads a strong defensive showing by the home team – Endicott, 2-1
It’s coming down to the cream of the crop playing each other and that means teams are leaving nothing in the tank in the drive to play in the Frozen Four next weekend – “Drop the Puck!”