#15 Evan Vanden Heuvel – Wisconsin-Stout Hockey (Photo by @segnaphotos)
Conference Championship weekend is coming up fast and like last year, we’ve had plenty of overtime excitement so far as this past week featured 10 overtime games including four that needed more than one! We’ll give a very brief recap of each overtime game along with a few notable results from the weekend.
This article will discuss some brief NPI talk, but lookout for Scott Huston’s weekly ‘Bracketology’ for both the Men’s & Women’s sides, respectively. With less games being played, the results become more and more important for determining at-large bids. Scott gives his thoughts & analysis along with a projected bracket based on the current-NPI rankings, while also discussing the potential movement and/or bracket positioning depending on the various outcomes that may take place the following week(end).
Also, please note, since the Northeast-10 does not have any effect on NPI and the Men’s Division III Ice Hockey NCAA Tournament, we’re simply highlighting the games that were played this past week as four went to at least one overtime.
Overtime Hockey = Playoff Hockey
Brockport @ Chatham – Chatham 4-3 (3OT)
After shocking Geneseo the weekend prior with a 55-save effort from goaltender David Filak, Brockport almost did the unthinkable and took Chatham to three overtimes, a game in which Brockport had the opportunity to win on numerous occasions, including a slight 2v1 empty net chance to seal it. The story of Chatham this season wasn’t if they were a good team or not, clearly, they are, but they hadn’t played the highest-level non-conference competition as we noted weeks ago, sitting with the 85th ranked strength-of-schedule.
The Cougars in this one didn’t have their best for most of this game, but they came alive in the 3rd period when they scored a rapid 14 seconds into the period to make it 3-2, then tied it up with the goalie pulled with just under two minutes left in the game. After a significant delay due to some board-glass needing repair and numerous overtimes, the game was able to be completed and Chatham fired in the winner just over two minutes into the overtime period.
In the game, both goaltenders made an incredible 61 saves apiece, David Filak again for Brockport & Cameron Kuntar for Chatham.
After defeating Brockport, Chatham visited SUNY Geneseo a mere three days later after their marathon and despite falling into a 5-1 deficit, the Cougars made a comeback as they got the score back to 6-5 Ice Knights in the 3rd period, but eventually fell 7-5 in the UCHC semifinals to the Ice Knights. Geneseo heads to Utica for the UCHC Championship.
Albertus Magnus @ Nazareth – Nazareth 4-3 (2OT)
Nazareth is having their best season in some time now under first year Head Coach James McDonald, they finished out the season with a 16-8-3 record after falling to Utica in the UCHC semifinals, setting up the Pioneers a date with their rivals Geneseo who won both games earlier this season.
In this one, Albertus held a pretty commanding
Wesleyan @ Middlebury – Middlebury 3-2 (2OT)
Instead of making a write up of this game, why don’t you just watch the incredible pair of goals scored by Middlebury in the span of 37 seconds with under two minutes left in the game, followed by the overtime winner…
Middlebury defeats Wesleyan 3-2 in 2OT. (Video via @middmhockey on X)
Connecticut College @ #4 Hamilton – Hamilton 5-4 (OT)
Hamilton without Luke Tchor for a stretch of games (4) has been one to forget for the Continentals, but this past weekend Tchor found himself back on the ice against the Camels of Connecticut College in the quarterfinal round of the NESCAC playoffs. Despite missing four games, Tchor is second on the team in points with 28 (15G, 13A).
Hamilton entered the game after a weekend home sweep in the wrong direction, the Continentals fell to Williams 4-3 & Middlebury 2-1 in OT this past weekend and still remained comfortably in the NCAA at-large field (NPI), but of course, I’d imagine you don’t want to begin your tournament campaign on a three game losing streak (if the Camels won).
This one was back-and-forth the whole way through…. We were tied 1-1 after the 1st after goals three minutes apart. Then the Camels led 3-2 after the 2nd period as they scored a rapid pair of goals in just over a minute’s time after a Hamilton goal, making it 3-2 entering the 3rd.
In the 3rd, Hamilton tied it up once again with an early goal just over two minutes in, followed by a Connecticut goal exactly 10 minutes later, putting the Camel’s back up 4-3 with just under eight minutes left in the game. Hamilton would be given a powerplay in which they capitalized on with just over four minutes remaining in the game, scoring the tying goal to send it to overtime was Max Bulawka.
The overtime hero would be Noah Leibl at 04:45 of the first overtime period, keeping Hamilton home as they welcome in the other three remaining NESCAC squads to Sage Rink next weekend for the semifinals / finals. Hamilton hosts Williams at 1pm ET, while Middlebury faces off with #9 Bowdoin at 4:30pm ET.
Westfield State @ Fitchburg State – Westfield State 4-3 (OT)
Fitchburg State is coming off an NCAA tournament appearance last season after they defeated Cinderella MCLA in the MASCAC Final 3-1. Following this, they visited Utica in round one and fell to the Pioneers 5-1. This season, they seemed to have a better season going for them than last year in the regular season, but they seemed to blow a tire late in the season, losing their final four games to finish the season 17-9-0. Their last four games they were outscored 17-6, losing to Anna Maria, MCLA, Westfield State 2x… An odd end to a season that showed quite a bit of promise in the MASCAC…
In this one, the Owls of Westfield State continued to find ways to win games as they won their 18th of the season. They went 6-1-1 in the month of February and now are 8-1-1 in their last 10 games after their latest victory over Fitchburg State.
After a scoreless opening period, the scoring began in the 2nd. Westfield took a 2-1 lead entering the 3rd period after scoring a pair of goals in the first three minutes of the 2nd period.
Following this, The Owls went up 3-1 after scoring just over a minute into the 3rd period, but the Falcons tied it up after scoring seven minutes later and then an incredible moment, tying it up with a mere eight seconds left in the game (19:52), sending it to overtime. In overtime, Cooper Board ended it just over four minutes in, sending Westfield State to the MASCAC title game with Anna Maria. We’ll see a first-ever NCAA tournament appearance from a team coming out of the MASCAC as neither Westfield State nor Anna Maria have ever qualified for the postseason.
MCLA @ Anna Maria – Anna Maria 3-2 (OT)
Death. Taxes. & MCLA in the MASCAC playoffs… The Trail Blazers may not win many regular season hockey games, but wow, they deliver every year (granted they haven’t been around a long time), but they always deliver us exciting hockey games in the postseason. Coming off an upset 3-2 win over Salem State, scoring two goals in the final five minutes after trailing 2-1 late to the Vikings.
In this one, MCLA was the only team on the board through two periods as they scored just past the midway mark of the opening period, leading 1-0 entering the 3rd period. The AMCats scored in just over 30 seconds into the 3rd, tying it up, but fell back down 2-1 after MCLA scored a quick four minutes later.
Nolan Ring, the sophomore transfer from SUNY Fredonia, would end up being the savior for the AMCats in this one, tying the game back up 2-2 with less than eight minutes left in the game, then proceeded to fire in the overtime winner just over a minute into the extra period. Anna Maria moves on to face Westfield State in the MASCAC final looking for the auto-bid.
(NE-10) Southern New Hampshire @ Saint Anselm – Saint Anselm 5-4 (OT)
(NE-10) Franklin Pierce @ Post University – Post 4-3 (OT)
(NE-10) Saint Anselm @ Saint Michael’s – 3-2 (3OT)
(NE-10) Post University @ Assumption – Assumption 2-1 (OT)
Wisconsin-Stout is one win away
#10 Wisconsin-Stout (20-5-1) hasn’t made an NCAA tournament appearance since 2009 when they made back-to-back appearances in 2008 & 2009 (only times in program history), but are now on the doorstep of getting back there under their sixth year Head Coach Mike MacDonald – SUNY Geneseo ’07.
The Blue Devils have been the most consistent team all year in the WIAC as Stevens Point & Superior both regressed heavily from last season, despite neither making the WIAC final last year as they were both upset in the semifinal round to Eau Claire & River Falls, respectively. UW-Stout swept UW-River Falls earlier this season, winning all three games by a combined 11-5, two on the road and one at home.
In this one, Stevens Point played one of their best games of the season all things considered, but Stout’s goaltending won the game in the end as freshman Sebastian Monaco made 25 saves in the shutout victory. Scoring the late winner was Noah Tyrrell with just over six minutes remaining in the 3rd period (13:29). Despite being outshot 25-11 on home-ice, the Blue Devils found a way to win as they’ve managed to do so for most of this season, never being counted out of any game regardless of the scoreboard. In my opinion, they’ve had one of the most impressive seasons of anyone in Division III, despite not getting some credit due to brand-name and the lack of recent historical success.
Wisconsin-Stout sits 9th in the NPI, but this is mostly useless as if they fall to River Falls they’ll find themselves out of the field unfortunately, despite having a stellar resumé compared to others in the field such as Salve Regina (17-3-0, 87th SOS).
Aurora completes the season-sweep of Adrian, winning for a FIFTH time…
#3 Aurora @ #2 Adrian – Aurora 6-2
Aurora (23-4-1) has really come along in the past few seasons under Head Coach Jason Bloomingburg as the Spartans have had Adrian’s number the past two seasons, now getting over the postseason hump against the Bulldogs. Aurora’s 7-2-0 in the last nine matchups, not many (if any) programs can say they’ve handled Adrian like this in that stretch of games, including now a Harris Cup playoff victory.
This season, these two met each other five times, two in conference play, two non-conference games, and one playoff game. Aurora won all five by a combined score of 21-9… three at home and two in Michigan…
Unfortunately, it appears as if both of these teams are on the outside looking in (especially Adrian) as Aurora has a very slim margin over Salve Regina in the NPI, where they most likely drop out with a loss to St. Norbert or get the final bid.
I wanted to highlight Aurora’s incredible feat this season of managing to defeat a team like Adrian five times, but I will leave the NPI and bracketology talk to Scott Huston who published his latest bracketology as we enter conference championship weekend. You can read all about it here in the latest edition.
Bracket release is this Sunday – March 8, 2026 (9:30pm EST – Men & 8:30pm EST – Women).
