It’s now down to just the remaining 11 teams starting with the first round on Wednesday night.
Who ends up in the Frozen Four in Maine and what new champion takes home the title for the 2013-14 season?
Our Division III columnists give this their best shot.
Katie Carito
First Round
Geneseo over Nichols
Norwich over Salem State
Oswego over Bowdoin
Quarterfinals
Adrian over St. Norbert
Norwich over Geneseo
Babson over Oswego
Wisconsin-Stevens Point over St. Thomas
Semifinals
Adrian over Norwich
Babson over Wisconsin-Stevens Point
Final
Adrian over Babson
Tim Costello
First Round
Bowdoin @ Oswego
This is the third meeting between the two teams in the NCAA tournament dating back to 2010. Both teams have shown prolific scoring capabilities, but this one is not likely to be like the 2011 game and end up with 12 goals scored. The visitors are at a disadvantage for the long bus trip, but this Bowdoin team seems to thrive on that. Polar Bears win by a goal. Bowdoin 5-4.
Nichols @ Geneseo
The Bison held off a game Wentworth team to win the auto-bid and Geneseo lost a wild one with Oswego 7-6. Something tells me the home team will tighten things up a bit defensively in this game. Geneseo 4-2.
Salem State @ Norwich
Last meeting between the two teams dates back to 2008-09 season when Norwich won by a score of 6-3. I expect this game to be tighter, but still with the home team prevailing and moving on. Norwich 4-1.
Quarterfinals
Adrian @ St. Norbert
Since the Bulldogs went out of the conference playoffs in the semifinals against St. Scholastica they haven’t played a competitive game during those two weeks. Meanwhile, the Green Knights have continued to fine-tune their championship form and take advantage of the practice-prepped Bulldogs. St. Norbert 5-3.
Wisconsin-Stevens Point @ St. Thomas
Both teams are highly-ranked and battle-tested, although the Tommies seem to be peaking at the right time of the season following last weekend’s MIAC conference championship. Home ice matters in this one. St. Thomas 2-1.
Norwich @ Geneseo
They say that having been there before means something, so in a game that matches two very competitive teams against each other, the team with the most experience in postseason play gets the nod and that means Norwich. Norwich 4-2.
Bowdoin @ Babson
These rivals have gone at it since the old ECAC days and sometimes that meant seeing each other three or even four times in a season. They haven’t played since NESCAC became a playing conference, but the rivalry lives on. Babson 3-2.
Semifinals
Norwich vs. St. Norbert
These two teams have played epic battles in the past in both the semis and finals. Add another chapter to the legend that has recently favored the Green Knights and continues in 2014. St. Norbert 3-2.
St. Thomas vs. Babson
This game could go for a while as both teams play extraordinary defense and their goaltending is among the best in the nation. It’s a one-goal contest and may need overtime to determine a winner. Babson 2-1.
Championship
Babson vs. St. Norbert
The battle between the teams in green is everything anyone could want in a championship game. The Green Knights have been here before and that is just enough to get by the Beavers. St. Norbert 2-1.
Nathan Fournier
First Round
Bowdoin at Oswego – Oswego
Nichols at Geneseo – Geneseo
Salem State at Norwich – Norwich
Quarterfinals
Oswego at Babson – Babson
Wisconsin-Stevens Point at St. Thomas – St. Thomas
Geneseo at Norwich – Norwich
Adrian at St. Norbert – Adrian
Semifinals
Babson vs. St. Thomas – St. Thomas
Norwich vs. Adrian – Adrian
Finals
Adrian vs. St. Thomas – Adrian
Dan Hickling
Oswego 4, Bowdoin
Geneseo 5, Nichols 4
Norwich 2, Salem St 0
Oswego 5, Babson 3
St. Thomas 3, Wisc-Stevens Pr 0
Geneseo 2, Norwich 1
Adrian 4, St Norbert 3
Semis
Oswego 4, St Thomas 2
Geneseo 5, Adrian 3
Final
Oswego 3 Geneseo 2
Brian Lester
Geneseo over Nichols, 3-2; Norwich over Salem State 4-2; Bowdoin over Oswego State 3-1; Adrian over St. Norbert 5-3; Babson over Bowdoin 4-2.
Norwich over Geneseo 2-1; Adrian over Norwich 4-2; Stevens Point over Babson 5-2; Stevens Point over Adrian 4-3.
Stevens Point is my national champ.
