Dear Santa –
We all have been thoroughly thrilled by the action in D-III in the first half of the 2022-23 season and would collectively be even more excited if you could give us more of the same in the second half, right through the national tournament in March. That may be a lot to ask for from the fan base, but we deserve it based on all we have endured in recent years with the challenges the pandemic has brought to our hockey spirit. More importantly, it is what the players and teams deserve as they continue to work hard and play with great enthusiasm across each of the conferences in the east. Here are some specific requests for each of the leagues with the hope you can deliver something wanted and needed to each and every conference this holiday season. We will make sure to leave out some cookies, not some over-baked “pucks” to enjoy on your yearly sleigh ride. Here are some conference wishes for the remainder of the season and new year:
CCC
Each of the big four in the conference, Curry, Endicott, Salve Regina and University of New England have been nationally ranked at some point in the first half and the race seems to be shaping up to once again be a dogfight to the finish amongst them. While that is always fun to see, Santa how about helping the new coaches at Nichols (Alex Gacek) and Suffolk (Shawn McEachern) to help make the race in the second half a little more exciting and competitive.
On the player front, it is hard not to get excited when Timmy Kent steps on the ice for Curry so let’s make sure he gets a little stick magic for the second half. Oh and Santa, Shane Miller at Western New England almost had a 20-point first half as a defenseman. How about some more offensive magic for him and the Golden Bears to make the title chase more interesting.
Independents
Alright big guy, we didn’t get this last year off our wish list, but the Independents could use a little love, and nothing says we love you like some votes in the polls. The Falcons from Albertus Magnus have been flying high in the first half, including a 10-3-0 record and news that they will be joining the NEHC for the 2024-25 season. They have big wins over Hamilton, Wilkes, and an overtime win over Trinity, again, this year. So, could we maybe spice up the DCU/USCHO D-III poll with some votes if not a top 15 ranking for the Falcons, as an Independent, if they continue flying high?
Logan Bateman may be the best goaltender in D-III that no one talks about. All he has done this season includes a .928 save percentage; a 1.91 goals-against average; ten wins and two shutouts. How about some love for the man behind the mask in the Falcon goal Santa – he certainly has earned it so far this season.
MASCAC
While Plymouth State sits atop the league at the break, the next two teams are just two wins behind in the points race. Santa, that means we should have an awesome race for playoff positioning and a great playoff in the league which means great hockey for the MASCAC fans across the board. Let’s keep the action building right to the end with all the teams in the hunt for the conference title. And Santa, if PSU wins the league again this year, how about the Panthers getting an NCAA win on their resume. They were so close last year, and Craig Russell’s team wants it even more this year.
Santa, Bob Deraney has really boosted the Worcester State team since his arrival and their positioning near the top of the standings is no accident. How about Brendan Ronan and company find a little Holiday magic in the second half and make the MASCAC race even more entertaining.
NE-10
It is a race top to bottom in the NE-10 with just six points separating the top five teams. No one has been able to run away and hide like Southern New Hampshire did last year in the first half. The new conference schedule where teams play each other four times seems to be bringing the teams tighter in the standings so let’s make sure that this race comes down to tiebreakers deciding playoff seeding and an exciting playoff round to crown the conference champion.
Santa – Franklin Pierce has been a lot of fun to watch this year and especially Conor Foley who already has 12 goals and 22 points in the first half. How about you make sure his sticks have some extra goal magic in the second half that we might see a 20-goal and 50-point player in the league this season?
NEHC
The other conferences probably wish the NEHC would suffer some horrible drop-off amongst its top tier and ranked teams to create more opportunity for others in consideration for post-season tournament qualification. That isn’t really in the spirit of the season so Santa, how about this idea? The more the merrier, right? Let’s get Skidmore some respect and in the discussion along with the usual suspects and see if the second half can also continue to invigorate New England College, Massachusetts-Boston and Castleton to make things a little more chaotic in the race for the home-ice seeds and conference championship.
Santa – sometimes you need to do things for the greater good and Hobart coach Mark Taylor has taken on an in-season international tournament for Team USA at the World University Games. The USA roster also includes forward Luke Aquaro and defenseman, Cooper Swift from Hobart. The Statesmen finished the first half a perfect 11-0-0 so let’s make sure they continue their strong play under assistant coach Tom Fiorentino so that coach Taylor and staff can stay focused on getting a medal for the USA in Lake Placid.
NESCAC
Well Mr. Claus, you certainly got our attention with the great starts for Amherst, Bowdoin, under new coach Ben Guite, Colby, and Wesleyan in the first half. And thank you for making sure Jack Arena didn’t have to wait to 2023 for his 500th career win. So now, about the second half, there really isn’t a league that historically sees the parity in the standings top to bottom like NESCAC does so let’s not go tinkering with the recipe here. More of the same please with everyone battling to the bitter end for points and playoff position where anything can happen and usually does.
Oh, and one last thing for me as a “Midd” hockey alum if you could Santa – it’s the Panthers 100th year anniversary of hockey (that’s a big deal) and there is a big celebration on January 27-28. Is it too much to ask for some Kenyon Arena magic on the ice and a pair of wins for the fans, players and alums to celebrate? Hope there is room in the your gift bag for this wish.
SUNYAC
While Geneseo is in an unaccustomed position looking up in the standings, the defending champions are right there in the mix as just four points separate the top four teams. Oswego is enjoying the view from the top and Plattsburgh is close behind in what should be a thrilling race in the second half. Oswego and Plattsburgh will potentially face each other two more times in the regular season including a possible championship matchup in the Cardinal Classic to open the New Year. Oh Jolly One, let’s keep the action and rivalries great on the ice in the second half because we already know it will go to the next level of intensity come playoff time.
Santa – please keep Geneseo’s Peter Morgan healthy as he is worth the price of admission any time he steps on the ice and has the puck on his stick and while you are at it, how about a hot streak from Luca Durante and the Cortland Red Dragons to make the title chase something beyond the usual suspects come February.
UCHC
While it is no surprise to anyone that Utica is unbeaten in UCHC play and sits near the top the league standings, the same can’t be said for second place Nazareth who reeled off five straight wins to open conference play and sits at 6-2-0 in the UCHC. The Golden Flyers might be this year’s surprise team in the conference so let’s keep coach George Roll’s boys, especially Henry McKinney and Raphael Provencher “Roll-ing” in the New Year to make the playoff battle even better.
Games in hand aside, just five points separate the top eight teams in the league and we certainly have not seen the best from Stevenson and Wilkes, yet! Santa – let’s make “yet” happen early in January and have the tiebreaker gurus go into circuit overload with playoff permutations come February.
WUG (World University Games)
A brilliant staff has been organized and the roster announced just this week that will keep some of D-III’s best players occupied as they wear the USA sweater in Lake Placid for the 31st edition of the World University Games. These players will miss a couple of weeks with their college teams but will be the first to represent the USA in this prestigious international competition. Please help coach Taylor’s staff and players represent the USA well and most importantly have fun while playing on the world stage. Finally, let them all return to their schools healthy and ready to have all the teams competing at full strength for the conference titles and NCAA tournament qualification.
Santa, I hope your receiving this over a week before the big day gives you some time to generate some of the seasonal magic for the wishes above. All the hockey to date has been great and at its most competitive level ever across the country. Here’s hoping your gifts just make that even better in the new year!!
No matter what holiday you celebrate this time of the year, here are best wishes to all for the very best of the season and a joyous and healthy New Year!
Back to it with coverage for end of year tournaments and action into 2023!!
