Making Strides The 2009-2010 Division III women’s hockey season is well underway and we have already had a couple of major surprises to start off the season. Adrian, a team picked to make some major noise in their first season as an official member of the NCHA, is off to a 0-4 start; dropping two … Read more
It has become a rite of spring in the D-III hockey world when the Middlebury Panthers advance to the Frozen Four and a shot at winning another ice hockey national championship. This year the spring indicators took awhile to come to the forefront and while this team seems to be a late bloomer, they are … Read more
Three-time defending national champion Middlebury makes its 13th straight appearance in the NCAA quarterfinals as it hosts Mass.-Dartmouth Saturday. The Panthers downed Fredonia, 9-0, on Wednesday to advance. The Corsairs, top seed in the east, were denied a chance to host the game because the school did not put in a bid to host with … Read more
The defending three-time national champions find themselves in an interesting position this season as they start the tournament with a play-in game against the SUNYAC champions — the Fredonia Blue Devils. Having won their fourth consecutive NESCAC championship with wins over Colby and Bowdoin this past weekend, coach Bill Beaney likes what he is seeing … Read more
No ECAC Northeast team has hosted an NCAA game or received a first-round bye in the past, but Mass.-Dartmouth’s success (25-2-1) this season has put it in a position to do so. Unfortunately, the Corsairs may have to play a road game after all. While Mass.-Dartmouth was awarded the top seed in the Eastern Region … Read more
It was a weekend for the birds, literally. When four of the top teams from the ECAC West and the NESCAC met in the Cardinal Classic this weekend, the teams residing west of Lake Champlain found themselves playing in the late game on Sunday. In the end, the host team found themselves on top, of … Read more
Team Overview: “We basically won with really good team defense and exceptional goaltending,” said Middlebury coach Bill Beaney. “In fact we were a little challenged offensively which we would like to change this year.” Hard to believe a team that scored 137 goals last season was challenged offensively especially with junior Mickey Gilchrist (24-26-50) and … Read more
Bill Beaney, who led Middlebury to a 26-2-2 record and a third straight NCAA Division III title, has been named the winner of the 2006 Edward Jeremiah Award, given annually to the Men’s Division III Ice Hockey Coach of the Year. Beaney, who completed his 19th season with Middlebury, becomes the first four-time winner of … Read more
This year’s championship was the first Division III men’s ice hockey championship game ever televised to a national audience. Having a TV audience had several effects on the game — both large and small — over the course of the afternoon. Pre-game interviews with each of the head coaches were recorded about two hours before … Read more
Normally, a team would be apprehensive turning goaltending duties over to a freshman heading into a national championship weekend. However, for Middlebury, who had to turn to Doug Raeder due to an injury to Ross Cherry, that was never a concern. That’s because when you are the son of a former NHL goaltender, Cap Raeder, … Read more
Sunday’s national championship game is the second matchup for the title in three seasons between Middlebury and St. Norbert. The two teams split time this season at No. 1 in the USCHO.com poll. The Panthers won the the first of their two consecutive titles — and their sixth overall — in overtime, 1-0, at Norwich … Read more
It would be hard for anyone to argue with the success the Middlebury College Panthers have exhibited in winning seven of the past eleven national championships since the NESCAC school was allowed to play in the tournament, starting in 1995. Head Coach Bill Beaney has had very talented teams in winning those championships, but the … Read more
March, it’s the month of March. And if your team is still playing this week it’s a pretty big deal. Conference bragging rights and a chance to play in the national tournament is what it all comes down to before Sunday, March 5th. At the beginning of the year every team had goals set out … Read more
Twenty-eight teams will start this weekend full of playoff aspirations, looking to continue their seasons into March. By Saturday night half of the teams will move on and the rest of them will be done for the season. Win, you advance; lose, you go home. “It’s a really hard thing to identify with,” stated Curry … Read more
Can it be? Yes, as hard as it is to believe for both players and coaches, this next week represents the final games in the regular season. For some, it’s a chance to improve a playoff position; for others an opportunity to play more hockey in February and beyond. And for others, it’s a must-win … Read more
There is an old expression in New England. If you don’t like the weather, wait 10 minutes. The variability in climate in this part of the country is interesting to say the least and so is a look at the league standings after a single weekend of play at this point in the season. Teams … Read more
February 2nd… A day we all wait religiously to find out whether or not we should keep the winter clothes out for another couple of months based on the ability of a large rodent in Pennsylvania to see his own shadow. With all due respect to Punxsutawney Phil, I am not one to buy-in to … Read more
Statement games! When a team plays virtually the perfect game and far exceeds the anticipated result in their favor – that’s a statement game! Examples? Middlebury 9-1 over Bowdoin Norwich 7-0 over Trinity Curry 11-0 over Wentworth All three teams made statements in their recent wins over perennial rivals that have historically posed difficulties for … Read more
There’s a familiar feel to the NESCAC standings, but there’s something different about this weekend’s matchup between frontrunner Middlebury and second-place Bowdoin. The Panthers enter the weekend unbeaten but far from untested with nearly half of their victories by two goals or less. Meanwhile, the Polar Bears will be without several regulars due to injury, … Read more
Any coach will tell you that if you are going to be competitive and win hockey games, you need to have some solid goaltending. Having a consistent guy between the pipes can be the difference in winning and losing and on occasion help your team steal a win in a game that they maybe didn’t … Read more