NCAA Division 3 Game Previews for Salem State University and Endicott College men’s ice hockey teams – Both on the road tonight.
NORTHFIELD, VT – The Salem State men’s hockey will travel to Norwich to take on the Cadets tonight, who are nationally-ranked No. 1, in the opening round of the 2017 NCAA Division III Men’s Ice Hockey Tournament.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH GAME – Pre-game at 6:45 p.m.
Salem State, which won its second straight Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference Championship (MASCAC), will face the New England Hockey Conference (NEHC) champions, who are riding a 21-game unbeaten streak. The first round game will take place at Kreitzberg Arena in Northfield, Vt. on March 11th at 7:00 PM. The winner will advance to the quarterfinals to face either Oswego State or Hamilton.
Salem State (15-9-3), won its third conference championship in four years, and fourth overall since 2010 with a 4-3 victory over top seed Plymouth State. The Vikings are making their tenth trip to the NCAA Tournament. Norwich (23-1-3) claimed its 12th NEHC Tournament title this past Saturday with a 4-1 win over New England College to earn an automatic berth into the 12-team NCAA Tournament field. Salem State faced the Cadets in the first round of the 2014 NCAA Division III Men’s Ice Hockey Tournament with the Cadets winning 8-2.
Ticket information can be found @www.cadetstickets.com
BEVERLY – The No. 7/7 nationally ranked Endicott men’s ice hockey team (23-3-2) will travel to No. 4/5 Hobart (20-4-4) this Saturday to play in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at The Cooler in Geneva, N.Y. at 7 PM.
TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets will be purchased on a first-come, first-served basis. Ticket prices are as follows: $6 for adults, $4 for students with ID and $3 for children 12 and under. Children 2 and under get in free.
THE MATCHUP/SERIES HISTORY
Saturday’s meeting will be the first between the two programs. Endicott enters this weekend’s NCAA Tournament first round matchup on an 11-game winning streak. During that span, the Gulls have outscored their opponents 67-21 (includes two shutouts). Endicott also sports a 9-1-2 record on the road this season.
Meanwhile, Hobart has won five in a row headed into Saturday, and also boasts a 9-2-3 record at The Cooler in 2016-17. The Statesmen have outscored opponents 24-7 during that span.
SCOUTING ENDICOTT: The Gulls’ national rankings include – No. 1 scoring offense (5.00 g/gm), No. 6 scoring defense (1.93 g/gm), No. 1 scoring margin (3.07), No. 2 power play (43/148, 29.1%), No. 11 penalty kill (138/160, 86.2%), No. 2 combined special teams (181/308, 58.8%), No. 2 team winning percentage (23-3-2, .857%), No. 2 longest current unbeaten streak (11-0-0).
NOTABLE GAMES
- No. 13/14 Norwich, October 28, 2016 (Tie, 3-3 OT)
- No. 11 Neumann, January 7, 2017 (W, 4-3 )
- University of New England, March 4, 2017 (W, 5-4, CCC Championship)
SCOUTING HOBART: The Statesmen’s national rankings include – No. 12 scoring offense (4.00 g/gm), No. 14 scoring defense (2.32 g/gm), No. 11 scoring offense (1.68), No. 47 power play (29/166, 17.5%), No. 6 penalty kill (120/137, 87.6%), No. 47 combined special teams (149/303, 49.2%), No. 6 winning percentage (20-4-4, .786%), No. 5 longest current unbeaten streak (5-0-0).
NOTABLE GAMES
- No. 10 Babson, October 28, 2016 (W, 3-1)
- Trinity (Conn.), December 9, 2016 (Tie, 4-4 OT)
- University of New England, January 4, 2017 (W, 5-1)
- No. 4 SUNY Geneseo, January 24, 2017 (W, 3-2)
- Utica, March 4, 2017 (W, 2-1 OT, ECAC West Championship)
STUDENT-ATHLETES TO WATCH – ENDICOTT
Tommy Besinger (Milton, Mass.): Ranks No. 5 in the country in points per game at 1.71… has compiled 17 goals and 31 assists for 48 points… holds single-game record for most assists with five which occurred this season against Salve Regina University on January 28, 2017… that was a 9-1 victory for the Gulls… No. 3 in the country in assists per game (1.11).
Ross Olsson (Billerica, Mass.): Ranks No. 11 nationally in points per game at 1.52… has registered 17 goals and 18 assist for 35 points… leads the program in career points with 65 (29g, 36a)… No. 7 in the country in power play goals (8).
Cam Bleck (Lake Forest, Ill.): Ranks No. 20 in the country in points per game at 1.41… has tallied 21 goals and 17 assists for 38 points… scored the CCC Championship game-winner with 8.7-seconds remaining after giving Endicott a 4-3 advantage earlier in the third period with a beautiful toe-drag, sniper from the left face-off circle… No. 6 in the country in goals per game at 0.78 (21g)… tied for first in all of NCAA Division III in power play goals at 10 total.
Logan Day (Seminole, Fla.): Leads all defensemen in the country in points per game at 1.32… has collected 37 points on 15 goals and 22 assists… the No. 2 defenseman in the country has 34 points (8g, 26a, 34p)… only one of four defensemen to have 10 or more goals… leads all defensemen in total goals, and has three more than the No. 2 defenseman who plays for Hobart (Jonáš Ťoupal)… ranks No. 27 in Division III in points per game at 1.32.
STUDENT-ATHLETES TO WATCH – HOBART
Nick Bingaman (Paradise Valley, Ariz.): Leads the Statsemen with 28 points (18g, 10a)… his 18 goals ranks No. 23 for goals per game (0.64) in Division III.
Jonáš Ťoupal (Vcelna, Czech Republic): Second on the team in points with 22 on 12 goals and 10 assists… ranks No. 17 nationally among all Division III defensemen in points per game (0.79).
Frank Oplinger (Sewickley, Pa.): No. 29 in the country in goals against average at 2.34… Endicott’s Kevin Aldridge (Birmingham, Mich.) is No. 12 at 1.99… Oplinger has allowed two goals or less in his last five games
WHAT’S AT STAKE
The winner of No. 7/7 Endicott (23-3-2) and No. 4/5 Hobart (20-4-4) will play the winner of No. 8/9 Trinity (18-6-3) and No. 12/12 Plattsburgh (17-9-1) in the NCAA Tournament quarterfinals on Saturday, March 18.
NOTES
- Endicott is ranked No. 7 in both the D3hockey.com and USCHO.com polls
- Hobart is ranked No. 4 via USCHO and No. 5 by D3hockey
- Trinity is ranked No. 8 by D3hockey and No. 9 by USCHO
- Plattsburgh is ranked No. 12 in both polls
