Over spring break, the Continentals reached the NCAA quarterfinals where they lost to 2nd-ranked Curry College 4-1. The previous week, Hamilton had beaten ninth ranked University of New England 4-2 in the first-round game. Hamilton (21-7-1 overall) set a team record with 21 wins this season and their first ever NESCAC title, and ended the season ranked eighth overall in the nation. This was the second time Hamilton has reached the quarterfinals, with the other appearance in 2017.The team’s first matchup of the NCAA tournament was against the University of New England on Mar. 16. The Continentals went down early on a break away goal from the Nor’easters seven minutes into the first period. Devon de Vries ’27 evened the score with two and a half left in the first. De Vries was positioned in the slot where he backhanded a low shot from close range. Ryan Sordillo ’27 made it 2-1 with 30 seconds remaining in the period. Sordillo wove past defenders after gaining possession of the puck near the red line. After reaching the right face-off dot he took a wrist shot that slotted past the goaltender’s blocker side for the goal.
Justin Biraben ’27 gave the Continentals a two-goal lead with six minutes to go in the second period. The University of New England cut the Continentals’ lead back to one on a power-play goal three minutes into the third period. Desperate, UNE pulled its goaltender for a sixth skater with a little more than a minute left. 10 seconds later, Hamilton took advantage when Jackson Krock ’26 picked up the puck in the neutral zone and beat a defender to deposit it into the empty net with 57.5 seconds remaining. The game ended 4-2 and Hamilton moved on to the quarterfinals.
Hamilton played Curry in the NCAA quarterfinals on March 23. Despite the teams combining for five power play opportunities in the first neither were productive as the first period ended 0-0. The Continentals held an 18-7 shot advantage after the first 20 minutes. The Colonels’ scored first two minutes into the second period and would double it to make it 2-0 seven minutes into the second.
Hamilton got a goal back a minute into the third period after Luke Tchor ’27 beat the goalie with a high wrist shot to his blocker side inside the left post to make it 2-1. Curry added an insurance goal with seven minutes left and the game and with three minutes left would ice it with an empty netter. The game ended 4-1. Curry went on the loss 2-1 in OT to Utica in the next round.
While the season is over, the team has lots to be proud of. Goalie Charlie Archer ’25 finishes his Hamilton career with a .943 save percentage and 1.53 goals against average. This puts him second all-time for Continentals in save percentage behind Evan Buitenhuis ’18 who has a .944. Archer is now first all-time in goals against average beating Buitenhuis, who had a 1.67. Archer had 1113 career saves, which puts him barely outside the top five all-time for Hamilton. All of this came after his junior season last year was cut short due to injury. These stats include all of Hamilton history dating back to when the college was a DI program.
Three members of the team were named to the 2024-25 CCM/American Hockey Coaches Association Men’s Division II-III All-America Team. Tchor, James Philpott ’25 and Archer were selected to the teams. Philpott and Tchor were on the first team in the East and Archer was on the third team in the East. Hamilton Men’s Hockey has had 11 players collect 14 all-America honors in team history. Philpott was a third team all-American last season. By being named to the first team this year, he joins forward Gus Katsuras ’06 and Buitenhuis as the only two-time selections in team history. Tchor who was also named NESCAC Player of the Year, was a finalist for the Sid Watson Award, which is given to the best NCAA II-III men’s hockey player. Curry goalie Shane Soderwall ’27 won the award.
This hockey season has been one for the record books. The team will say goodbye to six graduating seniors, including captains William Neault ’25 and Philpott. With a strong underclass, the team will hope to take their success into next year.
