{"id":138967,"date":"2023-02-21T13:00:31","date_gmt":"2023-02-21T19:00:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-admin.uscho.com\/?p=138967"},"modified":"2023-02-21T13:44:25","modified_gmt":"2023-02-21T19:44:25","slug":"d-iii-east-hockey-playoff-game-picks-part-i-february-21-2023","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp-admin.uscho.com\/2023\/02\/21\/d-iii-east-hockey-playoff-game-picks-part-i-february-21-2023\/","title":{"rendered":"D-III East Hockey Playoff Game Picks – Part I – February 21, 2023"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"
In the playoffs a hot goaltender can steal a game and carry his team a long way as Cortland’s Luca Durante looks to do in the SUNYAC tournament starting on Wednesday against Buffalo State (Photo by Darl Zehr Photography)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This week is all about the conference tournaments as we enter the official win-or-go-home portion of the 2022-23 season. I will be doing this week\u2019s extensive picks in two parts starting with the quarterfinal rounds taking place Tuesday through Thursday and re-calibrating for the weekend\u2019s quarterfinal and semifinal rounds across the conferences. Last week\u2019s volume-based picks showed playoff caliber excellence at 14-1-0 (.933) which now brings my season total up to a robust 123-51-12 (.694). It is time to pick the winners that will contend for the conference titles but if the season was any indication, expect some upsets among these games too. Here are the early week picks for the quarterfinal rounds:<\/p>\n

Tuesday, February 21, 2023<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

NE-10 Quarterfinals<\/u><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Post v. Assumption<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

February has not been a good month for the Greyhounds as they dropped from first in the standings to third over the final weeks of the regular season. If you are going to do a reset, no time like the playoffs to get your game back with everything to play for. Home ice is the one-goal difference here \u2013 \u00a0Assumption<\/strong>, 3-2<\/strong><\/p>\n

Franklin Pierce v. Southern New Hampshire<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The Penmen have been playing their best hockey over the past several weeks including a pair of sweeps that helped them capture home-ice for the opening round of the playoffs. Looking for continued good play and some special team\u2019s excellence that advances the home team to the semifinals \u00a0\u2013 SNHU<\/strong>, 4-2<\/strong><\/p>\n

Wednesday, February 22, 2023<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

CCC Quarterfinals<\/u><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Wentworth v. (9) University of New England<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The Nor\u2019easters are the defending champions but open the tournament with a quarterfinal matchup with the Leopards who will not be an easy out. Lots of experience from last year\u2019s Frozen Four run to lean on for the home team who starts fast in route to the win \u2013 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0UNE<\/strong>, 5-2<\/strong><\/p>\n

Western New England v. Salve Regina<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The Seahawks could be a dark horse with solid goaltending and the talents of Johnny Mulera and Mitch Walinski generating offense in tight playoff-style play. The Golden Bears have had a good season but will need to be at their best to upset the Seahawks and an overtime goal is what keeps the home team playing on Saturday \u2013 \u00a0Salve Regina<\/strong>, 3-2<\/strong><\/p>\n

SUNYAC Quarterfinals<\/u><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Buffalo State v. Cortland<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The Red Dragons has something every team wants entering the playoffs and that is a hot goaltender. Luca Durante always has the ability to steal a win for his team but so too can Emil Normann for the Bengals. Expect an empty-net goal to provide the final margin for the home team \u2013 \u00a0Cortland<\/strong>, 3-1<\/strong><\/p>\n

Fredonia v. (11) Geneseo<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The Knights are four-time defending champions and only need to look back a couple of weeks to a loss against Fredonia that has them playing in the quarterfinal round for the first time in years. Strong motivation to win and advance to the next round \u2013 \u00a0Geneseo<\/strong>, 5-2<\/strong><\/p>\n

UCHC Quarterfinals<\/u><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Arcadia v. (1) Utica<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The Pioneers are on a mission and coming off back-to-back wins over the same Arcadia team this past weekend. There will be no looking past the quarterfinal opponent as the home team looks to stay unbeaten against UCHC teams. More of the same for the Pioneers \u2013 \u00a0Utica<\/strong>, 7-1<\/strong><\/p>\n

Alvernia v. Nazareth<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The Golden Flyers worked exceptionally hard on the ice to capture the No. 2 seed but should not look past the Golden Wolves who can score goals. Home ice record has been impressive for the Golden Flyers, and they take advantage of it with a late spurt that earns a comfortable win \u2013 \u00a0Nazareth<\/strong>, 5-2<\/strong><\/p>\n

Chatham v. Stevenson<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

It took a while for the Mustangs to get their game kicked into high gear but with the return of Austin Master and Ryan Kenny from the World University Games, Stevenson has all the pieces to make a run at the UCHC title. Step one achieved in a hard-fought win over the Cougars \u2013 \u00a0Stevenson<\/strong>, 4-2<\/strong><\/p>\n

Wilkes v. Manhattanville<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The Colonels have had a good second half of the season but find themselves on the road to face a resilient Valiants squad. No. 4 vs. No. 5 is always a coin toss game and in this case, it is the Colonels who pull the \u201cupset\u201d with an overtime thriller \u2013 \u00a0Wilkes<\/strong>, 3-2<\/strong><\/p>\n

Thursday, February 23, 2023<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

MASCAC Quarterfinals<\/u><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Salem State v. Fitchburg State<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The Falcons have unleashed their offense in recent games which bodes well for a playoff run. Erik Larsson has taken over games for the Vikings in the past month so look for more goals than usual in a playoff game as the home team steals one late \u2013 Fitchburg <\/strong>State, 5-4<\/strong><\/p>\n

Massachusetts-Dartmouth v. Westfield State<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

These two teams wrapped up the regular season on Saturday with the Owls eking out a one-goal victory. The stakes are higher on Thursday night, but the outcome is the same with an overtime goal sealing the win for the home team \u2013 Westfield State, 4-3<\/strong><\/p>\n

It is the chance to play for the conference championship which seemed so very far away back in October and November last fall. It\u2019s here now so time to leave it all on the ice – \u201cDrop the Puck!\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This week is all about the conference tournaments as we enter the official win-or-go-home portion of the 2022-23 season. I will be doing this week\u2019s extensive picks in two parts starting with the quarterfinal rounds taking place Tuesday through Thursday and re-calibrating for the weekend\u2019s quarterfinal and semifinal rounds across the conferences. Last week\u2019s volume-based […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":132306,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[5,934],"tags":[820],"coauthors":[822],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nD-III East Hockey Playoff Game Picks - Part I - February 21, 2023 - College Hockey | USCHO.com<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"This week is all about the conference tournaments as we enter the official win-or-go-home portion of the 2022-23 season. 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