A few teams dropped the puck last weekend, but the second half really starts in earnest on Thursday as most every team that’s participating in this season gets back on the ice over the next few days. The late start to the season, local regulations and quarantines have played havoc with schedules, so it seemed like a good time to remind everyone where the teams stand.
While some teams were able to play through most of the seven weeks since the season restarted, plenty of teams have yet to hit the ice for the first time. Here’s a breakdown of current records and planned schedules for the second half of the season for the 27 teams that are expected to play in this year. Information is current to the best of my knowledge as of the time of writing, but is subject to change.
As of now, the plan is for everyone to play as regular a schedule as is possible. Final standings will be calculated as a percentage of games played. Conferences seem to be planning for post-season tournaments, but we have to assume that this is also subject to the state of the world in early March.
Sacred Heart and LIU are the only NEWHA teams playing this season and at the moment have schedules of just eight and ten games, respectively, at the moment. St. Lawrence is currently scheduled for a modest 12 games. CHA teams have the most ambitious schedules, with teams scheduled to play 20-22 games.
Hockey East has contracted for a number of games to air on NESN, making it easier than ever to watch women’s college hockey. All their games are free to stream via CBS Sportslive.
CHA
Lindenwood – They started their year 0-6 before the break and will have 14 games in 2021, four each against RIT, Mercyhurst and Syracuse and two more games against Penn State.
Mercyhurst – The Lakers are 3-0 after two wins over RIT before the break and an exhibition win over D3 Adrian College on Saturday. They have 19 games on the docket in 2021, primarily against CHA opponents, with one game against Sacred Heart also on the schedule.
Penn State – Started the season 4-1-1 with games against Syracuse and Lindenwood. They have 14 games scheduled in 2021, including the final four of the regular season against Mercyhurst.
RIT – Were 0-3 in games before the break and have 17 games against CHA opponents on the schedule for 2021. They earned their first win of the season over Mercyhurst on Wednesday and will play them again today at 3 pm EST.
Robert Morris – After four games against Lindenwood before the break, they are 4-0. They have 18 games on the schedule in 2021, with two against Sacred Heart and the rest against CHA teams.
Syracuse – The Orange are 2-4-1 after games against Colgate, RIT and Penn State before the winter break. They have 15 games against the rest of the CHA scheduled for the second half.
ECAC
Clarkson – The Golden Knights were 1-2-1 after playing four games before the break against Colgate. They’ll open 2021 against LIU, but move into playing 14 games against the other three ECAC clubs to close out their schedule.
Colgate – They were 4-1-1 after games against Clarkson and Syracuse before the break. They’ll also play 14 games against the other three ECAC clubs in 2021.
Quinnipiac – The Bobcats won two games against Sacred Heart before the break. They defeated LIU 6-0 on Sunday and have two more games scheduled against the Sharks. They’ll also have 12 games against ECAC opponents.
St. Lawrence – They did not play in 2020 and will open in late January to play 12 games against their ECAC counterparts.
Hockey East
Boston College – The Eagles are 5-3 so far, with two losses to Providence and a big win over Northeastern to their credit already. They have 16 games against Hockey East opponents remaining on the schedule with a home and home against BU to close out the regular season.
Boston University – Didn’t start playing until December and went 1-2 in games against New Hampshire and Connecticut. Their first two games of the second half were already cancelled. Their remaining schedule has 16 games against other Hockey East teams.
Connecticut – Their first two games of the second half were cancelled and we may see more from them before they can play again. The Catamounts were 3-3-1 over their first seven games, including a victory over Boston College and a tie with Providence. Currently, they have 16 games scheduled before the regular season wraps up.
Holy Cross – Started the season 3-7 in games against Merrimack, New Hampshire, Vermont, Providence and Maine. They’ll hope to face conference foes 16 times before the season comes to a close, including four games left on the calendar against Boston College.
Maine – Played two games the opening weekend in November before sitting idle for a month. They are 4-4 after games with Holy Cross, New Hampshire, Providence and Northeastern. Their final 16 games culminate with a series against Boston College before hosting Northeastern.
Merrimack – Managed to play four games just before the break and are 1-3. They’ll open up the second half against BC this week. Their schedule in the second half doesn’t include Northeastern and has one series with BU. Their lone win was over Holy Cross.
New Hampshire – The Wildcats are 3-7, with wins over Boston University, Holy Cross and Vermont. They were scheduled to play the Terriers again last weekend, but the series was cancelled. UNH is slated for a home and home with Northeastern this weekend. Currently, they’re scheduled for 14 games in the second half.
Northeastern – The university postponed winter sports into December and they had to cancel a series, so the Huskies have played just four games. They are 3-1, with a loss in their opening weekend to Boston College. The schedule has 16 games left on it, including four in a row against Vermont and a showdown with BU slated for next weekend. Providence – Shocked BC by sweeping them in the second weekend of play. The Friars are 6-1-1 and will open up January play on a home and home with BU. They’ll play the Terriers four times and also go against BC and Northeastern in their final 16 games.
Vermont – The state of Vermont was shut down for the beginning of the season and the Catamounts didn’t get on the ice for the first time until the week before Christmas. They are 3-1 in games against Holy Cross and New Hampshire. They don’t have any games scheduled for next weekend, but otherwise have a tough gauntlet to close out the year, with four games in a row against Northeastern, a series with Merrimack, a series with BU and a series with Providence to close out their regular season.
NEWHA
LIU – The Sharks did not play in 2020. At the moment, they have ten games on their calendar against Sacred Heart, Clarkson and Quinnipiac, who beat them 6-0 on Sunday. Their second game of the season with Sacred Heart was postponed.
Sacred Heart – There are currently eight games on the Pioneers calendar in 2021 against Mercyhurst, LIU, Robert Morris and Quinnipiac. Their first game of the season was postponed.
WCHA
Bemidji State – The Beavers had early games cancelled, but played four games in December and two last weekend. They are 1-4-1 in games against Ohio State, St. Cloud State and Minnesota State. They have 14 games on the schedule, playing Minnesota and Wisconsin in back to back weeks in February.
Minnesota State – Played eight games before the break and lost a series against Wisconsin last weekend. They are 2-7-1 with wins over St. Cloud State and Bemidji State. There are 12 games left on their schedule and they close the season with four straight games against Minnesota Duluth.
Minnesota Duluth – UMD had to postpone their games against Minnesota this week as they were unable to meet the minimum requirement of eligible players. They had their series with Wisconsin before the break cancelled, but were able to play six games and have a 4-2 record against Minnesota, Minnesota State and St. Cloud State.
Minnesota – Started the year 5-1 with their only loss coming to Ohio State. Their games with UMD were postponed last weekend. They have 13 games currently scheduled, though both schools have said they want to reschedule last weekend’s series. The Gophers have also been proactive in adding extra games when theirs are cancelled. They’ll play St. Cloud State three times this week, starting tonight.
Ohio State – Were able to play just four games before the break. They are 4-2 after two games last week against Bemidji. Their losses came to Minnesota and Wisconsin. They have 12 games left on their schedule including two at Wisconsin this week and four straight (with an off week currently scheduled in between) against Minnesota before closing out at home against St. Cloud State.
St. Cloud State – One of the first teams to need to postpone games, they were able to play six before the holidays and are 2-4, with wins over Minnesota State and Bemidji State. They’ll play three games with Minnesota this week. The only team they’re scheduled to paly more than one weekend series with in the second half is Bemidji State.
Wisconsin – The number 1 Badgers are 3-1, with wins over Minnesota State and a split against Ohio State. They played just two games before the break due to Covid protocols. They host the Buckeyes and Gophers over the next two weeks and are scheduled to finish the season against UMD.
