Tim Costello
It is finally here! After an absence of two seasons, the D-III NCAA Tournament is back and what a great field of 12 teams that will contend for the title. The bracket did seem pretty straight forward this time around and the Selection Committee did a great job in keeping the integrity of the top … Read more
It was a long time coming but the Utica Pioneers celebrated their UCHC championship win with over 3000 excited fans that filled the Utica Memorial Auditorium for the first time in a very long time. In a season where the program has matched or set a new standard with statistics like wins, there is just … Read more
With Geneseo’s fourth consecutive SUNYAC title wrapped up with a 6-1 win over Oswego last weekend, senior forward Dan Bosio became the first Knight in program history to win titles in all four of his seasons as a player. While his play on the ice has spoken volumes for the Knights all season long, Bosio … Read more
While the body of work included wins over other NCAA tournament teams like Geneseo and Babson, Elmira finds a very familiar opponent from their current conference and dating back to the days of the old ECAC West in Saturday’s first round NCAA matchup. It’s their biggest and oldest rival, Hobart on the schedule and the … Read more
The Hobart Statesmen have established a new record for consecutive appearances in the NCAA tournament with their seventh coming this year on an at-large bid. While the consistency has been remarkable, Hobart is looking to payoff their place in the tournament with a national championship and their coach Mark Taylor knows how hard that is … Read more
The NESCAC champions from Trinity are riding an eight game win streak to close out the regular season and conference tournament. During the NESCAC playoffs, the Bantams surrendered just one goal in three games playing stifling defense and scoring early and opportunistically to advance into the NCAA tournament. The early part of the season did … Read more
With three teams from the NEHC in the NCAA tournament, the quality of the league overall and schedule of tough games found every weekend tests the resolve of every team. The conference champions from Babson feel like they are battle-tested and appreciate the opportunity to take the next step in the 12-team field selected for … Read more
For the fifth time in program history, the Plymouth State Panthers will play an opening round NCAA game in the 2022 tournament bracket looking for their first win on the national stage. With a core group of returning seniors and graduate students, PSU won their third consecutive MASCAC title to earn the conference auto-bid and … Read more
After Saturday’s thrilling 3-2 overtime win over Endicott to win the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC), the University of New England enters the first round of the D-III NCAA tournament with a lot of momentum and excitement as they will host Plymouth State on Saturday in first round action. The Nor’easters have been hot at the … Read more
The prize was there for all to see and no matter how your team got to the semifinals or finals of the conference tournament, there was everything to play for in this ultimate week of conference action. So, congratulations to Assumption, Babson, Geneseo, Plymouth State, Trinity, University of New England and Utica who played great … Read more
Currently standing at No. 2 in the nation, the 24-2-1 (17-0-1 in conference play) Utica Pioneers have already established a new threshold for wins in a season but look to add so much more over the upcoming weeks. This Saturday, the Pioneers host the No. 8 ranked Wilkes Colonels for the UCHC championship – the … Read more
All I can say about last week is, it probably reflected the incredible parity, across all of the teams and conferences. This is exactly what you want in the playoffs – teams needing to go out an earn the win. My picks at 9-10-0 (.474) last week mirrored the stunning results – took too many … Read more
The best thing about playoff hockey is you never really know what is going to happen. How about a No. 1 seed, three No. 2 seeds and four No. 3 seeds all being dispatched from their conference tournaments this week? The NEHC championship is going to be hosted by the No. 4 seed (Babson) playing … Read more
After playing eleven games in 22 days, where they had lost just one game, the young Stevenson Mustangs were focused on the UCHC playoffs and a chance to get back to the championship game where they lost last season to Elmira in the only conference contested for title in the East. This year’s team has … Read more
If last week was any kind of true indicator for what we are going to see in the playoffs across the region, then the excitement and drama level may hit an all-time high for the D-II/III action on the ice in the playoffs. Overtime games were already abundant last week and there is no higher … Read more
Overtimes and more overtimes in conference tournament action and battles to the very end in conference play. It was all on display this week in early playoff action in the NEHC as well as the final week for most conferences in the regular season. Here’s this week’s wrap-up for all of the excitement: CCC The … Read more
For senior goaltender Conor O’Brien, there is a whole lot of hockey yet to be played this season in the ultra-Competitive Commonwealth Conference (CCC). The Gulls are right in the mix of a season long battle among the top four teams to determine the regular season champion and seeding for the conference tournament starting next … Read more
It’s a crazy week already with losses by Geneseo, Endicott and Plymouth State before Wednesday. It is also the opening week of the playoff season for the NEHC with Wednesday’s opening round games that saw New England College and Southern Maine fill out the quarterfinal pairings with wins in overtime. It’s also the final week … Read more
Yes, it is a super Sunday and not because of the pigskin event scheduled for today that will captivate most of America. It is mid-February, and we have our first coronations for regular season titles with Hobart in the NEHC and Utica in the UCHC emerging as the top seeds in tournament play. Other conferences … Read more
More teams are going to be in the playoffs across most of the conferences which means the balance of the remaining schedule is more interesting for everyone looking to make a move in the standings either just for position or for home-ice position or a bye. Final week of the regular season for NEHC teams … Read more