Tim Costello
There isn’t much time for teams to transition from the regular season mindset to playoff mode but for teams in the CCC, SUNYAC and UCHC, the playoff journey starts on Tuesday and Wednesday with first round games. Here is a quick preview of the games on tap as teams pursue their all-important conference championships. CCC … Read more
A lot of movement in the standings was seen in the NESCAC, SUNYAC and NE-10 amidst the last weekend of regular season play. The NEHC playoff saw a big quarterfinal upset with No. 2 Babson losing to No. 7 Southern Maine and all across the remaining conferences regular season title winners were determined before playoffs … Read more
It is amazing how much is still left at stake for teams in many conferences entering the final 7 to 10 days of the regular season. Teams have to take care of their own business before any scoreboard watching to see if there is help from a spoiler elsewhere. Just watching my own game right … Read more
Bison are unique animals in their ability to take on storms head on where other animals run away. Their time in the storm is shorter as they face it head on, but that doesn’t make things easier when they are in the maelstrom. Like their animal mascot, the Nichols hockey team has faced a major … Read more
As a true indication of the competitiveness in the conferences, it took right up to the penultimate week of play to determine a couple of regular season conference winners in Geneseo and Norwich. That said the ride in the rest of the conferences has suspense in every game and it looks like the No. 1 … Read more
It is always comes right down to the final weeks in the regular season with important games and watching to see what other teams might be able to help you out buy playing spoiler. Spoiler or not, I finished the week with a better mark of 6-3-0 (.667) that helped improve the overall percentage slightly. … Read more
The landscape of the NE-10 conference so far this season has been one where literally, anyone can win on any given night. With just eight points separating first from sixth and two points separating third place from sixth place, there is ample opportunity for a team like last year’s champions from Southern New Hampshire to … Read more
Despite her best efforts across the region, not even Mother Nature could get in the way of some great hockey this weekend. Yes, there were some postponements but the delay only kept building on the suspense of key outcomes among league leaders. Trinity had a bounce back weekend, St. Michael’s continued their torrid play, Wilkes, … Read more
It is always great when the matchups include battles for top seeding, playoff position or playoff eligibility. This week we have an abundance of all those things which should showcase some terrific hockey. On the not so terrific front, I finished the week with a sub-par record of 4-3-2 (.555) which by no means is … Read more
Following this past weekend’s important sweep of Massachusetts-Boston and Babson, the No. 1 ranked Norwich Cadets are solely focused on their next opponent and seem to be very locked in on avoiding distractions and the constant attention that is found in polls, stats and other outside influences they can’t control. Part of that outside avoidance … Read more
Big games require big time effort and that was clear in the performances of teams like Norwich, Williams, Hobart, Wilkes and UNE over the weekend. Other teams continued to stumble a bit as was the case for Plymouth State, Stevenson and Trinity. The groundhog came out yesterday and saw his shadow so just maybe an … Read more
We may officially be approaching the “scoreboard-watching” portion of the season even though most coaches won’t admit to it. Teams will be looking to take care of their own business on the ice but would appreciate a little help from other opponents in the battle for conference positioning and seeding. I finished with a record … Read more
Having an 10-1-0 record since late November last year, Elmira is among four teams at the top of the UCHC standings that are separated by just three points. During that time, they have won the WB Mason Winter Classic at Plattsburgh; knocked off then No. 2 ranked Geneseo and defeated key conference foes like Utica … Read more
Goals – they are either the hardest things to find or they come in bunches that sometimes defies the logic of the game. This weekend saw Trinity, Hobart and others struggle to find goals against some outstanding goaltending while teams like Endicott and the University of New England scored at an astonishing rate. You take … Read more
Points every weekend is the mantra for many coaches in the midst of key league battles. With just a few weeks remaining in the regular season, it is all about the points as virtually every league is competitive and having a top three within four points of each other. This past weekend I finished with … Read more
Following an inaugural season that finished at 4-16-4, coach Dave McCauley’s aspirations for the AmCats were much higher entering their second season playing as an independent. With eight games remaining on the schedule, Anna Maria is 9-5-3 on the season and looking for more winning hockey to close out a winning season. “I am really … Read more
Points matter! Every game in league play has crucial points on the line and playing a critical rival means you can take points away from them with the win – the proverbial four-pointer. Lots of tight league action this week saw several hard-fought ties and late third period drama across several conference games. Here is … Read more
The level of play across each of the conferences has been great so far and everything is shaping up for some chaotic conference battles in January and February. Like some teams, my game improved a lot this past weekend as I finished with a record of 7-1-1 (.833) among some interesting matchups in and out … Read more
Riding a five-game win streak and 10-2-2 on the season, the Utica Pioneers are starting to play some consistent hockey and that has the coaching staff very optimistic about a special second half of the season. Following road wins over Adrian, a two-game series, and a win at Oswego this past weekend, the Pioneers have … Read more
Teams believed to be among the best in the nation seem to be rising to the top and playing great hockey whether in big nonconference games or important league rivalries. Trinity, Norwich, Utica, Geneseo and Hobart all had big wins while teams on the rise like Babson, New England College and the University of New … Read more