'18-'19 NESCAC season

[obserbear]

Re: '18-'19 NESCAC season

What is with the goalies?

Grant absolutely stones Midd (37/37) and is lit up by Trinity (22/28)

San Roman is pulled Friday (6/24) and rebounds for a shutout win Saturday (27/27)

Is the 'play the Panthers on Saturday' effect that strong?

[bearcat]

Re: '18-'19 NESCAC season

What is with the goalies?

Grant absolutely stones Midd (37/37) and is lit up by Trinity (22/28)

San Roman is pulled Friday (6/24) and rebounds for a shutout win Saturday (27/27)

Is the 'play the Panthers on Saturday' effect that strong?

Does Wesly win over Trinn today officially KO the PooBears??

[tjoneslo]

Re: '18-'19 NESCAC season

Yes. Even if the Bear's win both games against Trinity, the cardnials have the tie breaker (a win and a tie against Williams, vs 2 losses).

I'm not assuming this will happen, but stranger things have.

[Scott_TG]

Re: '18-'19 NESCAC season

Due to the forecast, tomorrow's Middlebury @ Plattsburgh game postponed

WHKY | BREAKING: due to the impending winter storm coming to the Champlain Valley, tomorrow's @CardinalsWHKY game against Middlebury has been postponed to Tuesday, Feb. 19, at 7 p.m. #CardinalCountry

— Plattsburgh State Cardinal Athletics (@PlattsAthletics) February 11, 2019

[Birdwatcher]

Due to the forecast, tomorrow's Middlebury @ Plattsburgh game postponed

WHKY | BREAKING: due to the impending winter storm coming to the Champlain Valley, tomorrow's @CardinalsWHKY game against Middlebury has been postponed to Tuesday, Feb. 19, at 7 p.m. #CardinalCountry

— Plattsburgh State Cardinal Athletics (@PlattsAthletics) February 11, 2019

Thought that would be the case.

[obserbear]

Re: '18-'19 NESCAC season

Rescheduled for 2/19

[obserbear]

Re: '18-'19 NESCAC season

Williams (17-4-3, 10-4-2 NESCAC) won the regular season NESCAC championship for the first time by skating to a 2-1 OT win against Middlebury (14-6-3, 9-5-2 NESCAC) this evening at Lansing-Chapman. Heiting (27/28) was strong in net for Williams, outdueling Middlebury's Han (22/24) for the win.

The Ephs took the lead late in the 1st. Welch launched a long low wrist shot from the top of the left circle that deflected off a D skate, changing direction and in beneath Panther goalie Han. Assists to O'Connor and Reisman on the play.

Williams appeared to score shorthanded early in the 2nd. Midd net minder Han parried a drive from top of the left circle with her left pad and the rebound was in from low edge of the right circle, however no goal was ruled due to contact with goalie Han on the play.

Midd was finally able to beat Eph goalie Heiting as time ran down in the 3rd. Barney won a puck in the neutral zone and lugged it wide down the left boards, turned the D, walked in and got the puck on net. Heiting made the initial save, but Portner found the rebound as she raced into the slot and put the puck in up over Heiting. The Ephs had great chances in the closing minute and the horn sounded with a mad scramble at the Middlebury crease.

OT ended with Dunn scoring unassisted, making a play grabbing a Midd breakout as she came off the left wing half boards, walking into open space in the slot and beating Han low for the game winning, NESCAC regular season title winning goal.

NESCAC playoffs next Saturday will see #1 Williams host #8 Wesleyan and #2 Middlebury host #7 Conn College. Amherst (11-10-2, 7-6-3 NESCAC) needs a point against Wesleyan Sunday to move past Colby (12-9-3, 8-8 NESCAC) for #5. Hamilton (15-7-2, 9-5-2 NESCAC) ties for #2 with Midd, but Midd owns the tie breaker. Trinity (11-10-3, 8-5-3 NESCAC) earned the #4 seed.

Congratulations to the Eph players and Coach Gillis on their weekend!

[ONR]

Re: '18-'19 NESCAC season

Has Williams ever swept both Amherst and Middlebury?

[obserbear]

Re: '18-'19 NESCAC season

Has Williams ever swept both Amherst and Middlebury?

Williams swept Amherst in years prior to '05-'06, back in the distant early years of NCAA DIII women's hockey, when Williams was in the mix at the top and Amherst had yet to establish a solid program. The Ephs made the NCAAs in '02-'03, losing a quarterfinal at Manhattanville 5-1. I was told last evening at Lansing-Chapman that this was the Ephs first sweep of the Panthers and obviously the first time achieving both in the same season.

[bearcat]

Re: '18-'19 NESCAC season

Williams swept Amherst in years prior to '05-'06, back in the distant early years of NCAA DIII women's hockey, when Williams was in the mix at the top and Amherst had yet to establish a solid program. The Ephs made the NCAAs in '02-'03, losing a quarterfinal at Manhattanville 5-1. I was told last evening at Lansing-Chapman that this was the Ephs first sweep of the Panthers and obviously the first time achieving both in the same season.

something tells me you will see several upsets this weekend....wouldn't be surprised if Hamilton lost in round 1 [as usual]...Midd also looks vulnerable based on the losing streak they're on, and they did tie Conn earlier in the year and there was that 1vs8 disaster a few years back... and I would hardly call Amherst an underdog vs Trinny.

[obserbear]

Re: '18-'19 NESCAC season

[QUOTE=bearcat;6766588]there was that 1vs8 disaster a few years back... /QUOTE]

Middlebury did indeed lose to Conn 2-1 OT in the NESCAC quarters in 2014. An incident occurring in the last game of the regular season (a 3-2 loss at Norwich) was followed by a strangely similar play in practice that week (teammate on teammate) resulting in the team captains and coaches suspending the two players (combined 26 goals and 50 points on a team scoring a total of 81 goals and 222 points) for the NESCAC playoff the following Saturday. Conn won the playoff and we all headed south to Williamstown for the NESCAC finals the following weekend (which may happen again, but there are those nasty quarterfinals first).

[bearcat]

Re: '18-'19 NESCAC season

[QUOTE=obserbear;6766890]

there was that 1vs8 disaster a few years back... /QUOTE]

Middlebury did indeed lose to Conn 2-1 OT in the NESCAC quarters in 2014. An incident occurring in the last game of the regular season (a 3-2 loss at Norwich) was followed by a strangely similar play in practice that week (teammate on teammate) resulting in the team captains and coaches suspending the two players (combined 26 goals and 50 points on a team scoring a total of 81 goals and 222 points) for the NESCAC playoff the following Saturday. Conn won the playoff and we all headed south to Williamstown for the NESCAC finals the following weekend (which may happen again, but there are those nasty quarterfinals first).

Crazy as it sounds, it's not out of the question that all 4 high seeds loose this weekend. It's been that kind of year...A hot goalie and a lucky goal and there you go...Wesly in the finals!

[tjoneslo]

Re: '18-'19 NESCAC season

Well this was a wild weekend for the NESCAC.

Williams takes care of the Wesleyan and hosts the semi finals and finals next weekend.

The Middlebury / Conn College game was exciting. Midd looked flat for the first two periods. Conn scores twice in the second period. Midd comes alive in the third period. With Han pulled in the last two minutes, scores twice in the last minute of the third period (a nice tip and a scrum in front of the net). Midd scores early in the overtime period to win.

The Amherst / Trinity game was going into the second half of the third period with Trinity leading 1-0. Amherst scores twice in less than a minute to take a 2-1 lead. Trinity then ties the score less than a minute to go. Amherts manages the upset by scoring early in the Overtime.

Hamilton wins over Colby 3-1 (1 ENG).

This sets up the semi-finals of Williams vs Amherst and Midd vs Hamilton next weekend.

It was great seeing all the teams play well. And good luck to all the teams next weekend.

[obserbear]

Re: '18-'19 NESCAC season

Old news, but amazing afternoon Saturday at Kenyon saw Midd storm back from down 2 with :37 to play, winning 3-2 in OT against Conn College.

The win was the most stunning comeback I have seen. Conn built an early lead on a carryover powerplay in the 2nd. Helm fought along the left half boards, out to Dillion at left point and across to Michel for a rip from inside edge right circle high slot, in under Panther goalie Han. Minutes later Michel and Gualtiere sprung Dillion on a breakaway. Dillion came wide left and with a D drapped over her, holding her edge and on her backhand, converged on the crease with the puck in the net beneath Han. No penalty or goalie interference: well played.

Middlebury was energized playing the 3rd, but Camel goalie Mertz was outstanding and had great D support in the kill zone. Looking at the closing moments of their collegiate careers Jackson and Marotta led the Panther charge in the final seconds. Playing with the extra attacker, Jackson fed Marotta in the high slot and her open look wrist shot sailed in over Mertz with :37 to play. Following the faceoff with empty net looming behind, Portner got the puck to Zumwinkle for a drive which Mertz fought off only to have Jackson dig the puck home.

Gualtiere challenged Han in the opening seconds of OT with a blast from low edge left circle that Han shouldered to the left corner. A quality scoring chance, but it just was not the Camels' day. The gamewinner saw Jackson muscle the puck loose in the right circle, get a shot towards the net. Letterie deflected the initial shot and Camel netminder Mertz made the stop but Leidt caught the rebound and backhanded the puck up, floating over Mertz and into the net.

[CrossCheck]

Re: '18-'19 NESCAC season

Old news, but amazing afternoon Saturday at Kenyon saw Midd storm back from down 2 with :37 to play, winning 3-2 in OT against Conn College.

The win was the most stunning comeback I have seen. Conn built an early lead on a carryover powerplay in the 2nd. Helm fought along the left half boards, out to Dillion at left point and across to Michel for a rip from inside edge right circle high slot, in under Panther goalie Han. Minutes later Michel and Gualtiere sprung Dillion on a breakaway. Dillion came wide left and with a D drapped over her, holding her edge and on her backhand, converged on the crease with the puck in the net beneath Han. No penalty or goalie interference: well played.

Middlebury was energized playing the 3rd, but Camel goalie Mertz was outstanding and had great D support in the kill zone. Looking at the closing moments of their collegiate careers Jackson and Marotta led the Panther charge in the final seconds. Playing with the extra attacker, Jackson fed Marotta in the high slot and her open look wrist shot sailed in over Mertz with :37 to play. Following the faceoff with empty net looming behind, Portner got the puck to Zumwinkle for a drive which Mertz fought off only to have Jackson dig the puck home.

Gualtiere challenged Han in the opening seconds of OT with a blast from low edge left circle that Han shouldered to the left corner. A quality scoring chance, but it just was not the Camels' day. The gamewinner saw Jackson muscle the puck loose in the right circle, get a shot towards the net. Letterie deflected the initial shot and Camel netminder Mertz made the stop but Leidt caught the rebound and backhanded the puck up, floating over Mertz and into the net.

Typical Conn. When you go into a shell and try to protect at 2 goal lead, [and get badly outshot in the 3rd] you will inevitably lose the game. I recall it happened to them in playoffs vs. Bowdoin back in 2015 in nearly identical fashion...Steele never learns.

That said, on the OT goal, the refs missed a clear Midd icing, and then an obvious checking penalty that knocked the Conn D-woman flying, right in front of the goal, that gave Midd the open space they needed to score the OT winner.