College Hockey:

ECAC East Season Preview

The interlocking schedule between the ECAC East and NESCAC conferences takes on a different look this year with the departure of the Salem State Vikings and long-time head coach Bill ONeill to the newly formed Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference (MASCAC). Replacing the Vikings are the Noreasters from the University of New England, who under head coach Brad Holt will begin their first season as a varsity program.

What wont be much different is the high level of play and tight race for playoff position that we have seen over the past several years, including league championship wins by Babson from a sixth and seventh seed in two of the last four seasons. Last year, the Beavers beat eighth seeded UMass-Boston in overtime to win the title and advance to the NCAA tournament.

You might think this is about parity. Well, that may be partially true in the sense that yes, any team can win in any given game. But do not confuse parity with mediocrity. This league has superb hockey teams from top to bottom, on both sides of the interlocking schedule, which makes it very challenging to produce wins every weekend. There are no nights off for any team and you better bring your best game if you want to be competing for a championship come March.

The past couple of seasons have found the teams separated by just one or two points, with tiebreakers determining the seeding positions. This year expect more of the same. Here is my shot at how they will all finish in the ECAC East.

Norwich Cadets

2008-2009 Overall Record: 13-8-4
2008-2009 League Record: 11-5-3
2008-2009 League Finish: First
2009-2010 Coaches Pick: First
2009-2010 USCHO Prediction: First

Team Overview: We have everyone back on defense, said head coach Mike McShane. We were pretty solid back there last year and if we can get a little better it should help us in those games where scoring is tough or you run into one of those hot goaltenders that a lot of teams seem to have now. I really like this group as they are working hard and seem to have a good atmosphere around the rink and in the locker room. Everyone is excited to get going as part of Norwichs celebration of 100 years of ice hockey at the school.

Special Teams: Sniper Nikita Kashirsky has graduated so the power play for the Cadets will be more about creating traffic and leveraging puck movement to create goals from the point or down low. Expect the penalty kill to be strong with the defensive unit intact and the return of goaltender Ryan Klingensmith.

Cadet forward DJ Fimiani has Norwich thinking about some unfinished business from last season (photo: Tim Costello).

Player to Watch: Captain Tyler Stitt will set the tone for the Cadets, and his leadership has already garnered the attention of his coach who likes what he sees on-and- off the ice. Fellow senior DJ Fimiani will be expected to build on his eight goals and 11 assists from last season and support a balanced offensive attack for Norwich.

Summary: If defense and goaltending win hockey games then clearly the Cadets are well-positioned to be successful this season. An early season tribute to the centennial of Norwich hockey and the national championship teams of 2000 and 2003 may stir some feelings of some unfinished business from last season. The Cadets have always hosted in March and this year should be no exception.

New England College Pilgrims

2008-2009 Overall Record: 15-10-2
2008-2009 League Record: 9-8-2
2008-2009 League Finish: Fourth
2009-2010 Coaches Pick: Third
2009-2010 USCHO Prediction: Second

Team Overview: We have a nice group coming back. said head coach Tom Carroll. You never really know how all of the pieces are going to fit together but we have a veteran group of guys who have been around for a couple of years and have helped the younger players get acclimated to college hockey and how we play at New England College.

Special Teams: Expect to see skilled forwards continue to excel on the Pilgrims special teams. Leading scorer Mark Ehl is back for his senior season and expects to exceed last years 10 goal and 17 assist output. Backstopping the Pilgrims is goaltender Aaron Harvey, who has proven to be a very consistent player for NEC. Harvey earned the number one billing by posting a 2.49 goals against average and an impressive .914 save percentage.

Player to Watch: Senior defenseman Trevor Turner (4-14-18) has been a leader on this team since he first stepped foot on the ice as a freshman. This will be Turners third year as captain of the Pilgrims, a rarity for most teams, at any level. Turner is solid on both ends of the ice and distributes the puck well in transitioning to the offensive zone. Dont expect a lot of goals from this blueliner, but he has tallied over 40 assists in the past two seasons.

Summary: The Pilgrims only play 10 home games this season, so being a good road team is going to be an important factor in the teams success. NEC always seems to be there at the end of the year in one of the top four playoff spots. This year should be no different; and if the younger players can come up to speed quickly like the experienced guys, Tom Carrolls squad could be playing for some hardware come March

Castleton State Spartans

2008-2009 Overall Record: 15-9-2
2008-2009 League Record: 11-6-2
2008-2009 League Finish: Second
2009-2010 Coaches Pick: Second
2009-2010 USCHO Prediction: Third

Team Overview: Last years group were the first seniors that I had brought into the program, stated head coach Alex Todd. There is a natural change in the atmosphere with a lot of new kids coming in this season and players who didnt have to be leaders last year moving into new roles on this team. It is an exciting time and we are looking forward to competing hard every night. We have improved our overall team speed and will be playing a little different style with this group.

Special Teams: Defenseman Omar Pacha led the Spartans in power-play goals last season with six. Expect some of the new look forwards to contribute to improving on last years 18.3% success rate. Goalie Seth McNary grew into the number one position last year after competing with two seniors. This season he will be pushed by two new freshmen. When McNary is on, his size and movement make it very difficult for teams to score in any situation so expect the penalty kill to put up solid numbers.

Player To Watch: Senior forward Steve Culbertson (10-18-28) is the top returning point getter from last years team. If he can duplicate those totals, he should easily eclipse the 100 point mark for his career at Castleton. His offense will be a much need commodity for the Spartans.

Summary: Just one point separated Castleton from cross-state rival Norwich for the top spot in the regular season. There are lots of new pieces on this years Spartan squad, so turning that youthful exuberance into focused play and strong results will be the challenge for captain Nick Westcott and his head coach. This program has come a long way quickly but still has yet to make the league finals so there is no lack of motivation for Castleton players this season.

Babson Beavers

2008-2009 Overall Record: 17-6-3
2008-2009 League Record: 13-4-2
2008-2009 League Finish: Seventh
2009-2010 Coaches Pick: Fourth
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