The Hamilton men’s hockey team (13–10–3 overall) made it to the semi-finals round of the NESCAC hockey tournament for the second time in three years. However, they fell to the eventual winner, Trinity College (19–3–5 overall), 2–1 in overtime on Saturday, March 2 in Hartford, C.T.
After falling to a 0–1 deficit just 15 seconds into play, the men answered back quickly in the second period. In the 100th game of his career, Jon Stickel ’19 scored the lone goal for the Continentals 44 seconds into the second period to tie the game at one apiece. Defenseman Steve Cochrane ’20 took a slapshot from the point that Stickel tipped into the opposite corner of the net for his fourth goal of the season. The Continentals were able to carry the tie through the rest of the second and the third, taking them to overtime against Trinity for the third time this season.
In the first two matchups this season, the Continentals and the Bantams tied after five minutes of overtime play and no goals for either team. This semi-final game would not end the same way, with the teams playing 20-minute, sudden death overtime until a goal was scored and the winner was crowned. Unfortunately for the Continentals, Trinity found the back of the net with just over seven minutes left to play in the period, ending the run for Hamilton. Goaltender Anthony Tirabassi ’20 made an outstanding 52 saves on the evening as the Continentals were outshot by a 2:1 ratio. Trinity held NESCAC All-League player Jason Brochu ’19 to just four shots on net.
The Continentals went 5–1–1 in their last seven games, and will look to build on that strength next season despite the loss of an impactful class of graduating players: Stickel, Brochu, Rory Gagnon ’19, Ian Nichols ’19, and Ian Chen ’19.
The women’s ice hockey team had a historic season as well, setting a record for program wins at 16 on the season and making it to the NESCAC tournament semifinals for the first time in twelve years. Their season came to an end Saturday as the team fell to #2 Middlebury 3–1.
NESCAC Women’s Hockey Rookie of the Year Nancy Loh ’22 scored the Continentals’ only goal with just under seven minutes left to play in the game. On the powerplay, Emily Williams ’19 wristed a shot into traffic that was knocked to the stick of Maddie Beitler ’21. Beitler collected the puck and slipped it to Loh, who wasted no time finding the back of the net and pushing the score to its final 3–1. Loh is second in the league for points per game and tied for second in the league for assists (0.58). The goal was Loh’s team-leading eleventh of the season.
Hamilton netminder Gab Venne ’22 made 26 saves in the game. Her first-season stats read like that of a veteran, with a 1.33 goals against average and a 0.949 save percentage, second-best in the league.
This year’s team has a lot to be proud of. Defenseman Taegan Blackwell ’19 earned all-NESCAC honors for her play this season, recording a goal and nine assists for the Continentals.
Forward Andrea Rockey ’19 said of the season, “Our senior class has definitely seen the team improve every year, and we’ve all been a part of some really great moments with the team. This was one of those moments for sure.”
The team will lose senior leaders Rockey, Blackwell, Williams, Jenna Jewell ’19, and Olivia Hawes ’19, but still have much to look forward to next season with a several star first-years ready to take the helm.
