Norwich won two games at the Primelink Great Northern Shootout, which featured a remarkable field with the Cadets being joined by No. 7 Middlebury, No. 8 Plattsburgh and No. 10 Potsdam. With a 5-4 win over Middlebury Friday and a 5-2 win over Potsdam, Norwich took the title and, in the process, narrowly edged out Wis.-River Falls for first place in the USCHO.com Division III Men’s Poll. Last week, the two teams were tied for first place; this week, a single point separates them.
In the other games in the Shootout, Potsdam and Plattsburgh tied at 3 in the first semifinal, before Potsdam advanced with a 2-1 shootout win. In the consolation game on Saturday, Plattsburgh put the hurt on Middlebury, 6-1. Correspondingly, this week Plattsburgh climbs a spot while Middlebury drops two places.
Elsewhere, St. Thomas eked out a 1-1 tie with unranked Wis.-Eau Claire, before handing defending national champion Wis.-Superior a 2-1 setback.
No. 5 Bowdoin delivered a convincing win over Curry, 10-2 in the second game of the Face Off Tournament, after dropping an exhibition bout with the US Under-18 Team, 6-1. Bowdoin improved two places to No. 5 with the win.
Coming up this week, No. 14 Colby, new in the poll this week, faces No. 5 Bowdoin on Tuesday. The fate of the SUNYAC might become clearer on the same day, as No. 10 Potsdam hosts No. 8 Plattsburgh in an attempt to resolve the 3-3 tie the teams played to in the Primelink Shootout.
The MIAC and the NCHA continue to do battle, this time as No. 6 St. Thomas takes on No. 2 Wis.-River Falls on Friday and No. 11 St. John’s hosts No. 9 Wis.-Superior on Saturday.
The USCHO.com Poll is compiled by U.S. College Hockey Online, and consists of 15 voters, including coaches and beat writers from across the country.
