NESCAC 2017 to 2018

[obserbear]

Re: NESCAC 2017 to 2018

Amherst got up 3-0 early in the 2nd and held on to defeat Conn College by a 3-1 final.

Conn had early 1st period pressure on a powerplay and nearly cashed in a 2x1 when Pavia left the box and got in close on Plaman in the Mammoth net, forcing Plaman to make a series of stops. Amherst got a bit of a Goal God gift on their first score. Lima took the puck wide right, deep into the corner and then along the goal line; Lima's low angle shot was off Conn goalie Mertz and then deflected off Eickhoff into the net to Mertz stickside. Mertz took a drive off her throat shield, breaking it and halting play at 17:10. Amherst got the gamewinner from Toupal at 18:50 of the 1st. DelRosso made a nifty play keeping the puck in zone, passed to Toupal moving right to left on her forehand beating Mertz from the left circle.

I totally missed what was described to me as a classic Toupal goal at :51 of the 2nd. Toupal alone switching forehand to backhand for an easy insertion from top of the crease (assists Savage and Flynn). Conn scored on a powerplay late in the 2nd. Kohl passed to her left to Pavia on the point; her drive was fought off by Plaman and Helm put back the rebound up gloveside, to make it a 3-1 final.

Conn outshot Amherst 16-1 in the 3rd, but Plaman was equal to the task. Amherst forwards were frequently blocking shots in the 3rd. Coach Steele went empty net for over 3 minutes, but Conn was never was able to get the puck into a scrum at the crease.

 

[obserbear]

Re: NESCAC 2017 to 2018

Another season in the books.
Thanks to Middlebury for providing the venue for such exciting hockey this weekend.
Most of all, thank you players (coaches and parents) for all the passion you lay out there every game!

 

[Mucker44]

Re: NESCAC 2017 to 2018

Missing your NESCAC Championship recap???

 

[obserbear]

Re: NESCAC 2017 to 2018

Missing your NESCAC Championship recap???

One of the top games of the year. Amherst was much more comfortable on the big Kenyon ice Sunday (neither the Mammoths nor Camels ever really looked in sync in the semi on Saturday). Middlebury is relentless in working down low, cycling and setting up shots in close from spaces and angles created by constant motion. The 'zebras' let two teams play a high energy, physical, clean contest resulting in an essentially clean sheet (1 hook, 1 trip for both teams and the entire game...although Wulf's goal was really a powerplay goal, coming :04 after the penalty was off the clock).

Midd's first goal came with Leidt pinching the puck at the blueline on the boards in front of the Midd bench. Leidt fed left to Young (and with Winslow swooping in on net to her left), Young rifled a forehand, beating Plaman up on the short gloveside from the right circle.

Wulf's back breaker came in classic powerplay style: Jackson from left point, across to Lafontaine, with Lafontaine's low drive deflected in the high slot by Wulf; Plaman was moving to her gloveside and the puck eluded her stickside. I saw the goal as a Goal God tribute to Wulf (5'3"), a senior, who plays a tenacious, grinding game in spaces where much 'bigger' players fear to tread.

Plaman was outstanding in net for the Mammoths, controlling the puck and thwarting Midd in close. It is easy to overlook Han (unless you see a body of her work) in the Panther goal. Han (.944%, 1.24GA) rarely faces too many shots, skates a lot to keep loose when a stoppage is in the other end, and then makes a jaw dropping save on the odd rush her way.

Midd did an excellent job not allowing Amherst's Toupal space and time to create her magic.

Congratulations to the Mammoths and Coach Matthews on advancing to the NESCAC final.

Congratulations to the Panthers and Coach Mandigo upon their third straight NESCAC championship and their advance to the NCAA quart-final on Saturday at Plattsburgh. Hope to see you all in Stafford Saturday!

 

[obserbear]

Re: NESCAC 2017 to 2018

Sadly, another NESCAC season comes to an end on the ice at Stafford and for a second consecutive season there will be no NESCAC squad participating in the DIII finals. That said, Middlebury and Plattsburgh went at it and provided a high energy, physical battle. The refs seemed judicious in officiating the carnage, although the 3 goals scored were all really 'powerplay' goals (both Cardinal scores came 3 seconds after a Panther penalty expired). Coach Houle faced the added challenge of finding line combinations with 2 forwards out of action and an in game injury to leading scorer Moriarty (not on ice after the 1st). A tribute to the Cardinal team and their depth to carry the day and find a way to win!

Middlebury got an early boost with a powerplay, but as the 1st period wore on the Cardinals were flying. Middlebury had a good opportunity on the powerplay around 11: when Winslow got open in the slot, but moving right to left and on her backhand the attempt was wide to Cardinal keeper Abbott's gloveside. Sheeran broke down the left side about 13:25, forcing her way in close, Han made a series of saves down low, but Sheeran drew a hook on the play. The Cardinals peppered Han's net as the period wound down; Han played :20 without her stick, made a huge left pad save at 19:30, and the 1st ended without any score.

Plattsburgh's Abbott was stellar in net thwarting Leidt on a drive from the top of the right circle at 3:57 and fending a Zumwinkle drive off her blocker at 4:30. Plattsburgh cashed in following expiration of a powerplay. McArdle was open for a drive from the right circle; Han made the initial stop, but couldn't control the puck, the rebound was collected by McArdle and she scored up short gloveside (assists to Hudson and Viola). The Panthers responded with their own powerplay goal; win the faceoff in the right circle, drawn to Marotta at right point, a soft pass to the left to Leidt for an open drive, tipped by Winslow in front of Abbott, in low for the goal.

The 3rd afforded the Panthers an early powerplay and Leidt, on left point, had several open looks, firing high and wide to Abbott's gloveside. Han was hung out to dry at 4:20 on a 2x1, but fought the attack off at her stickside post. The gamewinner came as a Middlebury penalty expired. McArdle got the puck to Viola in the left circle; Viola got the puck on net and Songin found the rebound and scored up from the stickside of Han. Coach Mandigo got Han off for a full 2 minutes around 18:, but Abbott was strong in the Cardinal net and Millen iced the contest drilling an empty netter from center ice for the 3-1 final.

Congratulations on a great season for Middlebury and Good Luck to Plattsburgh as they continue their amazing quest for a 5th straight NCAA DIII title!