Sun. 3/9/25
NEPSAC Championships Scoreboard
We'll have highlights shortly
CHAMPIONSHIP SUNDAY
Sunday, March 9, 2025
At the University of Connecticut
Toscano Family Ice Forum; Storrs, Conn.
Martin/Earl Tournament (Large School):
#5 Westminster @ #3 Andover, 12:00 pm -- Andover 4, Westminster 1
Piatelli/Simmons Tournament (Small School):
#2 Berkshire @ #1 Kimball Union, 2:00 pm -- KUA 4, Berkshire 3
Stuart/Corkery Tournament (Elite 8):
#4 Cushing @ #3 Dexter, 4:00 pm -- Cushing 4, Dexter 3
Note that this year the Large Schools will precede the Small Schools.
Sat. 3/8/25
NEPSAC Boys' Semifinals Highlights
Saturday, March 8, 2025
First-Ever All-Mass. Elite 8
Dexter, Cushing Advance
Chudzinski (2g,2a) Too Tough to Handle
Penguins Advance to Third Straight Title Game
Andover's Anderson Posts 2nd Straight Shutout
Blake Burke's Shorty Sinks Bel Hill
Regan Leads Bears Past Bull
ELITE 8
#4 Cushing 4 @ #1 Deerfield 1 -- Fourth-seeded Cushing put an end to top-seeded Deerfield's 14-game winning streak and, in so doing, booked its third straight trip to the Elite 8 title game. The Penguins took a 1-0 lead in the first on junior Parker Murch's third goal in as many games. In the second, Cushing doubled the lead, thanks to senior Alex Gomes. The Big Green, unbeaten since Jan. 18th, made it interesting when Justin Tavares struck four minutes into the third to cut the deficit to one goal, but the Big Green was never able to sustain much offensively. Deerfield mustered only 15 shots on goal, and Cushing junior goalie Maksim Corovic batted away 14 of them. In the final three minutes, Penguins' junior Axel Favreau delivered the knockout goal and senior Eric Lund tacked on an empty-netter. Big Green standout junior goalie Elliot Lennon (24/27) took the loss. After the game, a skirmish ensued after Deerfield's Drew Keiver was knocked to the ice and caught beneath a mosh of happy Penguins rushing the glass fronting their supporters' section. Cushing (20-7-2) plays for all the marbles Sunday for the third straight year, having come up empty in previous seasons' championship defeats to Avon (’23) and Kimball Union (’24). Deerfield departs empty-handed after its best regular season (21-4-0) since USHR began tracking all statistics in 2002, and perhaps its best season since winning it all in 2003.
@ #3 Dexter 6, #7 Rivers 2 -- Junior Boston University commit Rian Chudzinski scored twice and added two assists, pacing third-seeded Dexter to its first Elite 8 title game appearance since 2020. Sophomore Noah Survilas added two goals and a helper of his own, including a goal 34 seconds into the game that set the tone for his team's offensive explosion. The hosts led 3-0 by the time 13 minutes had elapsed in the first, then, after #7 seed Rivers scored a PPG at the tail end of the first, Dexter came back with three more goals in the second. That middle frame included two goals — from Survilas and Chudzinski — in a 35-second stretch. All told, Dexter put 50 shots on Red Wings' junior goalie Derrick Huang, who stopped 44. Dexter's netminder, junior Colin Davis (31/33) earned the win. Dexter, the deeper team, came out of the gate with fire and purpose, forechecking hard and bottling up Rivers' all-freshman line of Sam Pandolfo-Carter Meyer-Finn Sears. Rivers finishes the season 20-5-1, and after a Small School championship berth last season elevated itself into the Elite 8 contender conversation in its fourth season under coach Freddy Meyer. Lots to look forward to in Weston, though the NTDP could come looking for one or more of the prized freshmen.
LARGE SCHOOLS
#3 Andover 7 @ #2 Avon Old Farms 0 -- Andover (17-9-3) senior goaltender Chase Anderson (36 saves) posted his second consecutive shutout to lead his team to a 7-0 trouncing of Avon (17-7-1). Leading the Big Blue attack were seniors Grayden Robertson-Palmer (1g,2a), Rui Han (2g), Peyton Militello (1g,1a), and senior defenseman Zachary Skowronek (1g,1a). Junior David O'Neill and sophomore Nate Kreppner also added goals. Avon Old Farms junior Anthony Palmer (26/33) took the loss. Senior Michael Heinke (4/4) relieved Palmer late in the game. Avon was shut out for the second time this season, the first at the hands of Deerfield and Elliott Lennon on Feb. 15th, a loss that the Winged Beavers recovered from with a six-game unbeaten streak (5-0-1) that was brought to a halt by Anderson and his Big Blue teammates. Andover has won six straight and eight of nine, their hottest stretch since winning the Flood-Marr behind Anderson's MVP performance in December. Andover will face #5 Westminster in the Large School Championship Game at UConn Sunday at noon.
#5 Westminster 4 @ #1 Belmont Hill 3 -- Westy senior Blake Burke's shorthanded goal with 1:11 left in regulation lifted the fifth-seeded Martlets to their first Championship Sunday appearance since 2016, when they fell to Thayer in the Large School title game. It's a heartbreaker for top-seeded Bel Hill, which, after junior Dartmouth commit Jake Tavares tied the game with a powerplay goal earlier in the third, went on the power play in the waning moments with a chance to win it. It was a finish perhaps befitting of a wild game. Westminster junior Owen Burke scored in the second, tying the game 1-1 less than 30 seconds after Belmont Hill junior Patrick Woods had put his team ahead. Sophomore David Bosco's PPG gave the Sextants the lead back five minutes later, and Bel Hill took that 2-1 advantage into the second intermission. In the third, the Marlets broke through, jumping ahead on two goals — from seniors Quinn Pine and Derek Rhodes — in a span of 90 seconds, which set up the seesaw finish. In net, Belmont Hill junior JJ Thibodeau (24/28) suffered the loss. Westminster used two goalies: regular starter Jack Fitchthorn (8/8), who felt sick since breakfast, was relieved 12 minutes into the game by freshman Cayden Weichselbaumer (21/24). Belmont Hill ended the regular season on a 10-3-0 stretch, with one of those losses coming in the regular-season finale last weekend at Westminster.
SMALL SCHOOLS
@ #1 Kimball Union 11, #5 St. George's 0 -- Kimball Union senior goaltender Blake McMeniman posted a 27-save shutout, and his teammates scored bushels of goals to lead the Wildcats to the Small School Championship Game (vs. Berkshire, Sunday at 2:00 pm). Seniors Mickael Tissier (3g,2a), Iain Olsen (1g,4a), and Corwith Simmers (2g,2a) led the points parade. Four of KUA's goals were powerplay tallies, with three coming in the third when St. George's was called for five straight penalties. KUA outshot the Dragons, 33-27. KUA (23-7-2) has won four straight, sweeping the Lakes Region Tournament, topping Gunn in the quarterfinals and, today, St. George's. The Dragons (15-11-2) had a strong first half. They were 11-4-1 on Jan. 22nd but went 4-7-1 thereafter.
@ #2 Berkshire 3, #3 Holderness 1 -- A 1-1 third-period deadlock was broken by two goals from Berkshire senior Evan Regan, both assisted by fellow senior Duncan Thompson. After a scoreless first period, the two teams traded powerplay goals in the second, with Berkshire junior Dominic Somma and Holderness senior Will Rob finding the back of the net. Berkshire (23-6-1) will advance to the Small School Championship Game (vs. KUA, Sunday at 2:00 pm). Holderness (21-6-1) posted another 20-plus win season under head coach Alan Thompson.
Tomorrow:
CHAMPIONSHIP SUNDAY
Sunday, March 9, 2025
At the University of Connecticut
Toscano Family Ice Forum; Storrs, Conn.
Martin/Earl Tournament (Large School): #5 Westminster @ #3 Andover, 12:00 pm
Piatelli/Simmons Tournament (Small School): #2 Berkshire @ #1 Kimball Union, 2:00 pm
Stuart/Corkery Tournament (Elite 8): #4 Cushing @ #3 Dexter, 4:00 pm
Note that this year the Large Schools will precede the Small Schools.
Sat. 3/8/25
NEPSAC Boys' Semifinals Scoreboard
Saturday, March 8, 2025
All Games at Campus Sites
Please send info to staff@ushr.com
ELITE 8
#4 Cushing 4 @ #1 Deerfield 1
@ #3 Dexter 6, #7 Rivers 2
LARGE SCHOOLS
#5 Westminster 4 @ #1 Belmont Hill 3
#3 Andover 7 @ #2 Avon Old Farms 0
SMALL SCHOOLS
@ #1 Kimball Union 11, #5 St. George's 0
@ #2 Berkshire 3, #3 Holderness 1
Up Next:
CHAMPIONSHIP SUNDAY
Sunday, March 9, 2025
At the University of Connecticut
Toscano Family Ice Forum
Storrs, Conn.
Martin/Earl Tournament (Large School): #5 Westminster @ #3 Andover, 12:00 pm
Piatelli/Simmons Tournament (Small School): #2 Berkshire @ #1 Kimball Union, 2:00 pm
Stuart/Corkery Tournament (Elite 8): #4 Cushing @ #3 Dexter, 4:00 pm
Note that this year the Large Schools will precede the Small Schools.
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