A pair of overtime games determined the matchup for the NESCAC Men's Ice Hockey Championship game set for Sunday, March 8 at Hamilton College's Sage Rink. The sixth-seeded Williams Ephs upset host and top-seeded Hamilton, 5-4 in overtime, while the No. 4-seeded Middlebury Panthers defeated No. 2 Bowdoin, 3-2 in overtime.
Williams is the fourth No. 6 seed to reach the championship game (last: Colby, 2018) and will play in the final for the sixth time in program history. Middlebury returns to the championship game for the first time since 2012. The Ephs and Panthers split the regular-season series. Middlebury defeated Williams 4-2 on January 17 in Williamstown and Williams posted a 2-1 win at Middlebury on February 14. The Panthers own a 4-0 edge in the NESCAC Tournament series. The teams last met in the 2009 semifinals, a 4-1 Middlebury victory, and last squared off in a championship game in 2000, a 3-2 overtime victory for the Panthers first NESCAC title.
TICKETS
Tickets for the semifinal games are $8 for adults, $5 for seniors, $3 for students/children 3 and older, and children under 3 are free. A limited number of tickets will be available at Emerson Lobby on Sunday, March 8 starting at 12:30 p.m. Doors will open at 1:00 p.m. with the game scheduled to begin at 2:00 p.m. Cash is the only form of payment accepted.
HOW TO WATCH
A live webcast will be available at NESCAC.com on computers and mobile devices. The webcast can also be seen on Roku, AppleTV, and Amazon Fire devices. Search for
NESCAC Network and download the channel.
Click here for more information.
CHAMPIONSHIP GEAR
NESCAC Men's Ice Hockey Championship merchandise is available now on SquadLocker. NESCAC Championship gear can be personalized with a name or number and shipped directly to your home. Click the Shop Now button below.
No. 6 Williams def. No. 1 Hamilton, 5-4 (OT) | Box Score
Jackson Krill completed a hat trick with an overtime winner 14:52 into the extra period, lifting No. 6-seeded Williams to a 5-4 upset victory over top-seeded Hamilton. Krill netted the game-winner on an even-strength tally assisted by Wilson Farrow and Jake McManus, capping a dramatic come-from-behind effort for the Ephs (11-13-2).
Williams trailed 3-2 entering the second period after Hamilton scored twice in the final 1:40 of the first to erase a 2-0 deficit. Liam Varmecky's unassisted goal just 1:29 into the second gave the Continentals their only lead of the game at 3-2, but Krill answered at 5:19 to even it at 3-3.
Brady Welsch scored both of his goals on the power play, including the go-ahead tally 2:27 into the third period. Noah Leibl tied the game again for Hamilton (19-5-2) at 11:03 of the third, forcing overtime.
Williams goaltender Harrison Fogel stopped 37 of 41 shots, including 13 in overtime, while Hamilton netminder Aksel Reid made 25 saves.
Krill finished with three goals and two assists. Welsch added two goals and a helper, while McManus and Farrow each recorded two assists.
No. 4 Middlebury def. No. 2 Bowdoin, 3-2 (OT) | Box Score
Cole Semeniuk scored the overtime winner 11:19 into the extra period, lifting fourth-seeded Middlebury to a 3-2 victory over No. 2-seeded Bowdoin. Semeniuk, who notched his third goal of the season, converted an even-strength tally assisted by Revy Mack and Landon Brownlee to send the Panthers (15-8-3) past the Polar Bears (18-7-1).
The game was a back-and-forth affair, with four ties. Bowdoin struck first when Bryce Bollman tallied his ninth goal of the season at 11:40 of the second period on an assist from Louie Marcellino. Middlebury answered less than four minutes later as Reece Brednich knotted it at 15:24 on a goal assisted by Michael Fairfax and James Schneid.
Schneid broke the deadlock 9:30 into the third period, burying his second of the season on assists from John Halverson and Brownlee to give Middlebury a 2-1 advantage. The Panthers appeared poised to close it out, but Bowdoin pulled goaltender Jacob Osborne with under two minutes remaining, and Daniel Menyalkin converted with an extra attacker at 18:33 to force overtime.
Middlebury goaltender Andrew Heinze turned aside 32 of 34 shots while Osborne made 37 saves in a losing effort.
