Column

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

After an 0-2 start to the season, the Oswego State Lakers have gone 15-3-1 to move into the national rankings (No. 11) and contention in the highly competitive SUNYAC. There have been a lot of moving pieces with personnel this season, but Coach Ed Gosek and his staff feel the team is still finding the … Read more

Things are getting even tighter across most of the conferences with stunning upsets, overtime thrillers and great overall action with many teams finding their game at the right time of the year.  Here’s this week’s wrap-up for all the great action: CCC Salve Regina has surged to the top of the standings picking up a … Read more

Welcome to February and the start of the final push of the regular season for position and seeding in the upcoming conference tournaments. There isn’t much room in any of the leagues, particularly at the top where home-ice is at stake. It’s time for everyone’s best brand of hockey as many of the games are … Read more

When the D-III season came to an abrupt ending back in 2020 just prior to the start of the NCAA tournament, Plymouth State won the MASCAC title and was set to face Endicott in the first round of the national tournament. That game and the rest of the tournament never happened, and the Panthers aren’t … Read more