The rest of the MASCAC might want to watch out if the defending champs from Plymouth State address their coach’s concern about having “underachieved” last season. Panthers coach Craig Russell isn’t taking anyone lightly and knows his team is going to have to be better to be in the same position again next March. “We … Read more
Framingham State’s T.J. Brown thinks so. John Rolli, an institution at Massachusetts-Dartmouth, does too. It is the opinion many, including those two MASCAC bench bosses, that conference title chase will boil down to two squads, Salem State and Plymouth State. Just like last year when they shared the regular-season crown. “I think the league should … Read more
Shayne Toporowski has been named head coach at Worcester State, but he won’t have to move far.
The MASCAC could be a multiple horse race for the 2013-14 season. In the league coaches’ poll, last season’s regular-season champion Plymouth State and Westfield State each received three first-place votes. Massachusetts-Dartmouth – last year’s MASCAC tournament champion – is right behind in third place while Salem State is in fourth picking up the other … Read more
The Plymouth State Panthers pulled off one of their most exciting wins in program history last season with a double-overtime victory over the Salem State Vikings to not only capture the MASCAC title, but head to the NCAA D-III Tournament. For the rest of the teams, the extra two periods of play should serve as … Read more
Teams use early-season tournaments as preparation for the long season.
This year, there’s a bigger incentive to play for in the MASCAC. An automatic bid to the NCAA tournament is up for grabs for the first time in the league’s three years as an organized Division III hockey conference, and the winner of the MASCAC postseason tournament has a chance to make history as the … Read more
Thirteen new players, including four new goalies, have Worcester State coach John Guiney hopeful for a turnaround season. “Overall, we should be stronger up front with more offensive skill,” he said. “On defense, we will be more experienced.” After allowing just over five goals per game last season, the Lancers have brought in four freshman … Read more
The NCAA men’s and women’s ice hockey rules committee gets this chance only once every two years, so there’s a little more emphasis to get it right. In the next month, leading up to and through the committee’s meeting June 8-11 in Indianapolis, the dialogue about potential rules changes will lead to debate and then … Read more
Worcester State coach John Guiney sees his team coming along. “We’re getting a little more mature as far as experience, and we’ve brought in new players.” Fourteen new players, to be precise, and they will join fourteen returning players. “We would get behind a lot last year by a goal or two, and that just … 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
It’s hard to believe, but there are only about six weeks left in the regular season as the teams start looking to play there best hockey down the stretch. No doubt the holiday hangovers have to be quickly swept aside and the focus needs to be there each game with some pivotal match-ups in league … Read more
Happy New Year! 2006 is starting out with a flourish as teams get back to the ice and look to work off some indulgences taken over the holiday break. For some squads, the holiday season represented a chance to flex some muscle in some classic seasonal tournaments. While for other teams, the break represented a … Read more
“It’s the most wonderful time of the year…” Really, it is! The holidays are upon us (reminder to self–only 9 shopping days left out there) and for many teams there is a lot to be celebratory about in the first half of the season. For others the stockings are a bit mixed on the present … Read more
Just about a month into the season and already some interesting races are starting to heat up in each of the three divisions. Finishing the first half of the season on a high note will be important as teams look to build up positive momentum prior to breaking for the holidays. Let’s take a look … Read more
A League Up and Coming When is a preview not really a preview? In this case it is when we take a look at the nation’s largest conference comprised of teams playing at both the D-II and D-III levels. Sixteen teams in all who have officially dropped the puck on the season but are very … Read more