What a weekend with a plethora of great hockey in conference action with ranked teams battling for crucial points; tournament action where hardware was a clear focus and terrific non-conference games that produced the usual number of close contests if not upsets. There is always something new and exciting in the D-III hockey scene and if you read all the way to the end of this recap, there is some exciting NCAA tournament news pending soon that I am happy to pass along to the D-III hockey universe. But first things first, here is a recap of the great action in the first full week of 2024 in the East:
Codfish Bowl Tournament
Hosted by Massachusetts-Boston and the oldest of the D-III tournaments, the field included Worcester State, Suffolk, and Connecticut College. In the opening round game for the host team against Worcester State, the Beacons were behind after the first period on a goal by Evan Armit for the Lancers. The second period was all tilted the Beacons way as Ryan Leonard scored the first and last of four goals for the period and a 4-2 lead after two periods. Jazz Krivtsov added his second of the game for a 5-2 lead as the host school advanced to the title game with a 5-3 win. Bridgham Neugold scored a pair of goals for Worcester State in the loss while Beacon goaltender Sam Best made 23 saves in the win.
In the other semifinal, Suffolk played Connecticut College and a goaltending duel between CJ Hapward for the Rams and Sean Dynan for the Camels saw no goals in the opening period. In the second period, Suffolk opened the scoring with Ryan Webb finally beating Dynan for a 1-0 lead after two periods. The score looked like it would stand up until Cole Eichler tied the score with the extra attacker on the ice and just 26 seconds remaining in regulation time. Overtime couldn’t decide a winner, so the official result is a 1-1 tie, and a shootout was needed to decide a winner to advance to play in the championship game. The shootout was tightly contested like the regulation game going seven rounds before Conn College’s Andrew Eberling beat Hapward for the decisive goal to advance the Camels.
In the championship game, Massachusetts-Boston came out firing at Camels goaltender Sean Dynan but failed to score on their 41 shots attempted. Michael DiMascolo gave the Camels a 1-0 lead in the second period and a power play goal from Kareem Alazem less than a minute into the third period gave Dynan a two-goal cushion. Eichler sealed the 3-0 win with an empty-net goal to give Conn College the Codfish Bowl title.
In the consolation game, Worcester State scored once in each period and Jakub Kublik stopped 36 of 37 shots to give the Lancers a 3-1 win.
Comfort Inn Complex Winter Classic hosted by Plattsburgh
Plattsburgh played host to Rivier, Albertus Magnus, and Nazareth in their annual Winter Classic and fought off a difficult Rivier squad in their opening game by a 4-1 score. Colin Callanan scored for the home team just 18 seconds into eh first period, but Rivier took advantage of a power play goal from Cormac Hayes to tie the score at 1-1 midway through the first period. Simon Singher’s goal gave the Cardinals a 2-1 lead for the first intermission and that was all the scoring in the contest until Brannon Butler scored eight minutes into the third period and Ryan Butler added a late insurance goal into the empty net. Plattsburgh held a large advantage in shots, 38-19, with Luke Newell making 35 saves for the raiders and Eli Schiller stopping 18 in the Cardinal win.
In the other semifinal, Albertus Magnus played Nazareth and skated off with a 4-2 win to advance to the championship game. The Falcons started fast in the opening period scoring three goals from Tim Manning, Sam Anderson and Caden Pattison for a 3-1 lead after 20 minutes of play. Tyler Ignazzitto scored for the Falcons just 12 seconds into the second period and that is all Logan Bateman would need for goals as the Falcon netminder stopped 28 of 30 shots to earn the win.
In the title game it was the Colin Callanan who produced two goals to give the Cardinals a 2-1 lead after 20 minutes. Luk Jirousek, Adam Tretowicz and Thomas Maia extended the advantage to 5-1 before the Falcons added a pair of late goals for the 5-3 final and title to the host school. Shots favored the Cardinals, 35-19 and Callanan was named Tournament MVP.
The consolation game featured six special team goals, three by each team, but a pair of goals from Blake Frost led a Nazareth 5-4 win over Rivier.
Boston Landing Invitational
Nichols played host to Southern New Hampshire, Tufts, and Wentworth in this relatively new fixture on the D-III calendar. In the opening contest it was the Bison who secured their spot in the title game with a 4-1 win over the Penmen. Third period goals from CJ Zezima and Quinn McCarthy broke open a 2-1 game as Tyler Bost stopped 39 of 40 shots in the Nichols win.
In the other semifinal, Tufts fell behind Wentworth early in the second period before reeling off three unanswered goals for a 3-1 lead. The Leopards fought back with a goal late in the second period by Jacob Shankar and tied the score early in the third period on a goal by Desmond Johnson. Goals from Liam O’Hare and Harrison Bazianos in the final three minutes of regulation helped the Jumbos advance to the title game.
The championship game went all Tufts way starting with John Mulvihill’s goal just 1:08 into the first period. Goals from Sam Miller, Trace Norwell and two from Tyler Sendlak helped seal a 5-0 win and Boston Landing championship for the Jumbos. Goaltender Payton Durand stopped all 20 shots from the Bison in the win. Liam O’Hare earned MVP honors and the Jumbos extended their win streak to six games with the tournament win.
In the consolation game, SNHU took a 2-1 first period lead over Wentworth only to see the Leopards rally to tie the score at 2-2 after two periods of play on a power play goal by Dane Probe. The third period saw a flurry of early scoring as Ian Worthley and Matt Smoliga gave the Leopards a two-goal lead in the first 2: 13 of the period. The Penmen rallied back quickly with Tucker Twardovsky scoring shorthanded and Alex Muthersbaugh adding a power play goal to tie the score at 4-4. Late in the third period, Jacob Shankar provided the game-winning goal at even-strength for a 5-4 Leopard win.
CCC
Endicott faced Conn College in a non-conference game on Tuesday and after a scoreless first period, the Gulls were chasing the Camels in the second period coming back from three one goal deficits. Midway in the third period, Jackson Sterrett gave the Gulls a one-goal lead, but the Camels responded late on a goal from Devon Newhook and the teams settled for a 4-4 overtime tie.
Curry skated past Johnson & Wales on Saturday by a score of 3-1. Austan Bellefeuille picked up a goal and an assist while Jesse Galassi chipped in with a pair of assists for the Colonels.
Independents
Canton extended their unbeaten streak to three games with an overtime tie and a win over Brockport this weekend. On Friday, goals came in pairs as twice the Kangaroos took two goal leads only to see the Golden Eagles respond and tie the score. Evan Pringle led the offense with three assists while Nic Herringer and Colton Sipperley each recorded a goal and an assist for Canton. Kelson Hopper stopped 51 shots for Canton to secure the tie. On Saturday, the re-match was tied at 3-3 midway through the third period. Scott Cremen delivered the game-winning goal in the final six minutes of regulation for a 4-3 Kangaroo win.
MASCAC
MASCAC was one of the conferences returning to league play this week and Fitchburg State picked up a pair of key wins to kick-off the New Year. On Thursday, the Falcons and MCLA Trailblazers played a scoreless tie through regulation with Max Macchioni and Matthew Gover respectively stopping every shot that came their way. In overtime Adam Nedelka took advantage of a power play and scored the decisive goal in a 1-0 win. On Saturday, the game was tight with Salem State as Erik Larsson scored late in the second period for the Vikings to cut the Falcon lead to 3-2. Oliver Crookston provided an empty-net goal for some breathing room in a 4-2 win.
Plymouth State rallied from one-goal deficits against Westfield State twice on Saturday to skate into the third period tied at 2-2. Early in the third period Ethan Stuckless scored with the man advantage and the Panthers remained unbeaten in MASCAC play with a hard fought 3-2 win over the Owls.
NE-10
Assumption played back-to-back non-conference games to open the second half and split games with Johnson & Wales and Wentworth. On Tuesday, the Greyhounds surrendered leads of 3-1 and 4-3 before losing in overtime to the Wildcats, 5-4 on a goal from JWU’s Joe Freeman. The following night, Ronny Paragallo scored a hat trick to lead the Greyhounds to a 5-2 win over the Leopards. Saturday’s league game against Post was postponed.
On Wednesday, Post played a crazy contest against King’s skating away with a 6-5 win. The lead went back and forth between the teams before Post secured a 5-3 lead after two periods of play led by Jack Engdahl’s two goals and an assist. King’s rallied to tie the score with a pair of goals in the third period before Patrick Murphy’s power play tally secured the thrilling 6-5 win for the Eagles.
After surrendering the first goal of the game to Anna Maria’s Spencer Carpenter, the St. Anselm Hawks scored the next four goals coming from Hunter Brackett, Will Christensen, Patrick DeMarinis and an empty-net, shorthanded goal from Will Van Der Veen. Cam Carroll made 36 saves in the 4-1 Hawks win.
NEHC
Battles amongst ranked teams highlighted NEHC’s return to league play. On Friday, No. 1 Hobart traveled to face No. 10 Skidmore and the expected defensive battle turned into a goal fest. The Statesmen took a 3-1 lead in the second period only to see the Thoroughbreds rally with goals from Connor Wood and Stephen Perez to tie the game at 3-3. Artem Buzoverya gave Hobart a 4-3 lead before the end of the second period and Luke Aquaro iced the game late in the third period for a 5-3 win. On Saturday, Hobart scored 12 goals including hat tricks from Khalil Fontana and Ignat Belov in a 12-0 rout of Castleton which extended the Statesmen win streak to nine games. Mavrick Goyer made 11 saves to earn the shutout.
Elmira kept pace with their travel partner by taking two games on the weekend. On Friday, the Soaring Eagles fell behind early to the Spartans but scored four unanswered goals pacing a 4-1 win. On Saturday, Elmira faced Skidmore and followed the same recipe for a 3-1 win. Cooper Rice gave the Thoroughbreds an early 1-0 lead in the first period, but Elmira responded with goals from Mitch Haight, Chance Gorman, and Shawn Kennedy for a 3-1 win. Goaltender Kyle Curtin stopped 40 of 41 shots as Skidmore won the shot statistic, 41-25.
NESCAC
With Conn College and Tufts successfully winning holiday tournaments this weekend, the rest of NESCAC returned to conference play and Trinity continued their winning ways moving to the top of the standings with a pair of wins over Williams and Middlebury. On Friday, Ziv Deener-Chodirker’s second period goal for the Ephs sent the teams to the locker room trailing the Bantams by a 2-1 score. The third period was all Bantams including goals by James Barbour, Nicholas Siffringer, and Connor Sendlak within two minutes of each other that led a five-goal outburst and a 7-1 win. On Saturday, the game was a little tighter against a game Middlebury squad. Alexander Mozian scored a pair of goals in a 3-2 win.
Bowdoin scored the first three goals of the game on the way to a 4-2 win against Amherst on Friday night. Four different goal scorers contributed for the Polar Bears with Jesse Lycan and James Cerepak chipping in with a pair of assists each. On Saturday, Alex Kozic won the goaltending battle with Hamilton’s Jack Grant making 35 saves to earn a 2-0 shutout win. Gabe Shipper and Andy Stoneman provided all scoring Kozic would need as the Polar Bears picked up two big road wins.
SUNYAC
Cortland returned to action after the Oswego Classic with a non-conference game against Manhattanville on Tuesday. After falling behind 2-1 to the Valiants after the first period, the Red Dragons took advantage of two goals from Devlin O’Kane as part of four unanswered goals for a 5-2 road win. DJ Walsh picked up a pair of assists and goaltender Hunter Hein made 29 saves in the win.
UCHC
Utica returned to conference play with a weekend series against Manhattanville and skated away with a pair of victories by scores of 6-2 and 7-4. On Friday, a three-goal third period broke open a 3-1 contest as the Pioneers Andrew Della Rovere and Aiden Hughes each picked up a goal and an assist for Utica. Seven different players scored goals on Saturday as a four-goal second period gave the Pioneers a lead they wouldn’t relinquish against a Valiant squad that fought hard to come back. Drake Morse scored a goal and added two assists while Brian Scoville picked up three assists in the win that moved Utica to 7-0-1 in UCHC play.
Alvernia played a two-game series against Buffalo State and dropped Saturday’s game, 4-3 to the Bengals. The Golden Wolves scored first with Logan Vande Meerakker giving the visitors an early 1-0 lead before the Bengals tied the score in the final minute of play off the stick of Connor Bizal. Two goals in the second period gave Buffalo State a 3-1 lead that Vande Meerakker’s second of the game cut the deficit to one goal after 40 minutes. Ryan Messing restored the two-goal advantage and Eli Rivers late goal wasn’t enough to complete an Alvernia comeback. On Sunday, the Golden Wolves left no doubt for the outcome jumping to a 3-0 lead in the first period on goals by Vande Meerakker, Issac Chapman, and Christian Dahl on the way to a comfortable 7-2 win to earn a split of the weekend series.
Three Biscuits
Ronny Paragallo – Assumption – led the Greyhound offense with a hat trick in a 5-2 win over Wentworth on Wednesday night.
Mason Rosado – Babson – stopped all 23 shots he faced in Babson’s 4-0 win over New England College on Friday night.
Sean Dynan – Conn College – stopped all 41 shots he faced earning MVP honors as the Camels downed Massachusetts-Boston to take the 58th Annual Codfish Bowl with a 3-0 win.
Now for the fill-in on the teaser from the introduction to this week’s wrap-up column. Having had a recent discussion with a D-III NCAA Tournament Committee member, there is a submission pending with the NCAA based on the long-standing required ratio of total institutions playing D-III ice hockey. This information and formal request is seeking to expand the 2024 tournament to 13 teams from the current 12. The submission and supporting documentation has been submitted and seems likely to be approved at this week’s NCAA convention. Let’s all hope this comes to fruition and another institution gets an opportunity to play for a national championship starting this year.
