Happy Election Day! As my computer and Wi-Fi connection “elected” not to work yesterday, I am supplying an expanded version of the opening weekend wrap-up.
Well, if the week one results are any indication of the season ahead, then we should all buckle up for some exciting and unpredictable hockey in the east. The weekend saw a strong performance from number one-ranked Hobart and a split series between Utica and Adrian, but also saw a ranked Endicott loss to Southern Maine; back-to-back losses for #11 Plymouth State to the University of New England and Babson; St. Anselm winning the Buffalo State tournament and a host of other results including overtime thrillers that clearly illustrates how competitive the D-II/III landscape will be in 2024-25. There is lots to recap so here is some of the best highlights for this past weekend in the east:
CNE
Curry’s Shane Soderwall simply resumed where he left off last season by stopping a lot of pucks and not giving up goals. The Colonels’ netminder posted back-to-back road shutouts in a 2-0 win over Massachusetts-Boston and 3-0 win at Norwich. Soderwall made twenty-nine saves against the Beacons and followed that up with a perfect twenty-five save effort against the Cadets. Forward Eelis Laaksonen scored a goal in each game to help Curry to a strong 2-0-0 start on the season.
The University of New England may have been viewed as a dark horse in the CNE this season but their 5-0 win over #11 Plymouth State on Friday night certainly will garner some attention from future opponents. Goaltender Joe Stanizzi stopped all 39 Panther shots and received solid offensive support from captain Ryan Kuzmich (1G – 2A – 3 points), Drew Olivieri (0G – 3A – 3 points) and Dominic Murphy (2G – 0A – 2 points).
Suffolk opened their season on the road against Salem State and the Rams rallied from a 2-1 deficit in the third period with a goal from Cole Scott to tie the score at 2-2. Neither team could muster a game-winner in regulation but just over a minute into overtime, Gavin Havens provided the game-winning goal for Suffolk in a 3-2 overtime win. Goaltender CJ Hapward stopped thirty-eight shots for the rams to pick up the win.
MAC
League favorite Stevenson opened the season with a two-game series with Canton and after eking out a 4-3 win on Friday night, the Mustangs saw five different goal scorers in a more complete 5-2 win over the Kangaroos. The Mustangs broke open a 2-1 contest with three unanswered goals in the third period. Caden Smith scored goals in both games for Stevenson.
Alvernia opened their season with a pair of SUNYAC foes and split the two games with a runaway win over Morrisville and a lost to Cortland. On Friday, a hat trick from Frazer Dodd and two goals from Isaac Chapman helped the Golden Wolves to a lopsided 10-3 win over the Mustangs. On Saturday against the Red Dragons, a five-goal second period blew open a scoreless tie and gave Cortland a 5-2 win led by a pair of goals each from Nate Berke and Nathan Garnier.
Alvernia and Stevenson will open conference play this weekend against each other.
MASCAC
One of the new teams in the conference, Anna Maria, got their season off to a fast start by winning the Woo Cup tournament amongst the four teams from the Worcester, Massachusetts area. On Friday night, the AmCats broke open a 2-2 tie in the third period on goals from Owen Barrow and Brandon Della Paolera to secure a 4-2 win over Assumption. Saturday’s championship game against Nichols saw the AmCats score three times in the second period to erase a one-goal Bison lead on the way to a 4-1 victory. Derek Raposo scored one goal and added five assists for six points to pace the AMC attack.
Westfield State took the Western Massachusetts Invitational Tournament title with a pair of wins over Franklin Pierce and Western New England. In the opening round game Louis Ouellet and Cooper Board each scored two goals in a 5-2 win over the Ravens. In the title game, a Jesper Seeburg goal broke open a 2-2 tie in the third period and goaltender, Aiden Winslow made the one-goal lead stand up as he made thirty-two saves to help the Owls to the tournament title.
Rivier opened their season with a new cross-state rival as Keene State began play as a D-III hockey club this season in advance of their joining the new Little East conference next season. The game featured a lot of offense as the teams skated to a 5-5 tie in regulation. With just thirty seconds remaining in overtime, the Raiders’ Alfred Rotiroti scored from the slot past Owl netminder Will Slohm for a stunning 6-5 victory.
NE-10
St. Anselm traveled to Buffalo State for an opening season tournament and came home with the championship trophy. On Friday, the Hawks skated to a 2-2 overtime draw with Brockport with goals from Patrick DeMarinis and Hunter Brackett. The game required a shootout to determine a winner and after nine rounds, the Hawks Cam Collins provided the needed goal. Goaltender Cam Carroll made thirty-two saves to help the hawks advance. In the title game there was more drama as St. Anselm faced-off against the host Buffalo State Bengals. Buffalo State had a one-goal lead when the Hawks pulled the goalie late in the third period and found the equalizer off the stick of Luke Linart. In overtime, Mark Blaney secured the win just 56 seconds into the extra session and St. Anselm’s skated off with the title.
St. Michael’s played Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) in a two-game series and skated away with a pir of wins by scores of 5-1 and 4-0. On Friday, five different players scored goals for the Purple Knights including power play tallies from Quinn McCarthy and David Ciancio. Saturday saw the Purple Knights score three goals in the third period to break open a one-goal game and goaltender Ethan Plunkett made nineteen saves to earn the shutout win.
Southern New Hampshire opened the season against Framingham State and needed an Austin Hirschberger goal in the third period to earn a 3-2 victory over a stout Rams team. Goaltender Collin Berke made thirty-four saves including thirty in the final two periods to earn the win for the Penmen.
NEHC
Hobart opened their season with a pair of SUNYAC opponents and captured wins over Oswego and Potsdam to start the 24-25 campaign. On Friday, Luke Aquaro opened and closed the scoring for the Statesmen in a 5-2 win over the Lakers. On Saturday, Tanner Daniels, and Ryan Remick each scored a pair of goals as Hobart netted four in the final period for a comfortable 6-0 win over the Bears. Mavrick Goyer earned the shutout making ten saves.
Despite being outshot by a 48-18 margin, the Southern Maine Huskies took advantage of some great goaltending from Mason Palmer and a stunning overtime goal from Nick Nault to upset Endicott on Saturday night. Palmer finished the game with forty-six saves while Nault scored his first goal just 38 seconds into the extra session to stun the Gulls at home.
Babson opened play against Plymouth State who had already lost their opener 5-0 against UNE on Friday. There was plenty of offense on Saturday night with the teams exchanging goals over the second and third periods for a 4-4 tie entering the final minute of play in regulation time. Brendan Kennedy stunned the Panthers with a goal with just four seconds remaining on the clock for a 5-4 Beaver win. Wyatt George scored two goals for Babson while goaltender Brett Cleaves stopped 38 of 42 shots to earn the win.
Skidmore traveled to play Wentworth in their season opener and after a scoreless first period, found their mark with three goals in the final forty minutes for a 3-0 win over the Leopards. The Thoroughbreds held a large shot advantage at 47-22 over Wentworth with Kevin Urquhart, Evan Brown and Jacob Zwirecki providing all the scoring goaltender Joshua Seeley would need in the shutout win.
SUNYAC
Plattsburgh opened their season against VSU-Castleton on Friday night and Kevin Weaver-Vitale was the star for the Cardinals as he scored two goals and assisted on a third tally in a 6-3 Cardinal win over the Spartans. Plattsburgh held a wide advantage in shots at 44-14 and scored a power play and shorthanded goal to hold down the Spartans.
Prior to Saturday’s road win against Alvernia, Cortland opened their season with a game against Lebanon Valley. The Red Dragons used seven different goal scorers including a five-goal second period to cruise to a 7-2 win over the Flying Dutchmen. Matthew DeSpirit scored one goal and added two assists while Nate Berke chipped in with a goal and an assist for Cortland.
The Red Dragons open their home schedule with a ranked opponent on Saturday when Adrian comes to upstate New York.
UCHC
The Utica vs. Adrian matchup always is a post-season national tournament level preview, and this year was no different with each team securing a win in the two-game series hosted by Adrian. On Friday, Adrian took a 2-1 lead very early in the third period and then forward Shane Murphy went to work for the Pioneers. Murphy tied the game just three minutes after the Bulldogs’ goal and then gave Utica a stunning win in the final half minute of regulation time with an assist from transfer Johnny Mulera for the 3-2 final score. On Saturday, the game again was a back-and-forth affair with Adrian rallying to tie the score at 3-3 after two periods of play. Two goals from Jacob Suede and Bradley Somers in the final period secured an Adrian win and series split.
It does seem strange covering a Geneseo result in the UCHC section but here we are describing the Knights’ opening night win over MAC contender Wilkes. Five different players scored for Geneseo in a 5-2 win that saw Geneseo break the game open with three goals in the third period. Congratulations to head coach Chris Schultz and assistant coach Kris Heeres, who has been there for them all, on reaching the 300-win plateau with the victory over the Colonels.
Three Biscuits
Shane Soderwall – Curry – stopped a combined fifty-four shots in back-to-back shutout wins over Massachusetts-Boston and Norwich.
Nate Nault – Southern Maine – scored the overtime winner in a stunning 3-2 Huskies win over a ranked Endicott squad on Friday night.
Mark Blaney – St. Anselm – scored the overtime winning goal for the Hawks to secure a 4-3 win over Buffalo State to win the Buffalo State Invitational Tournament on Saturday.
Bonus Biscuit
David “Duke” Snyder – Wesleyan – condolences and wishes for fond memories to both the Snyder and Wesleyan hockey families on the passing of the long-time coach and father of Wesleyan men’s ice hockey. Duke was one of the good ones!
Week one was nothing short of amazing and some of the matchups in week two appear to keep that trend going into November. Can’t wait to see what happens next and trying very hard not to be surprised by any of it. It is going to be a fun ride!
