The Continentals took the ice last Friday night ready to play for something bigger than hockey. For their first game of the weekend series against Bowdoin College, the women’s ice hockey team partnered with the Michael J. Fox Foundation to advocate for finding a cure for Parkinson’s Disease, a progressive disorder that affects the nervous system and severely impacts bodily mobility. According to their website, the Michael J. Fox Foundation aims to find a cure for Parkinson’s Disease through “an aggressively funded research agenda” and support those currently living with Parkinson’s Disease by “ensuring the development of improved therapies.” The team raised awareness for the disease during their Friday game and in the week leading up to the game. Members of the team set up shop outside of the Howard Diner, selling T-shirts featuring a fox dressed in Hamilton hockey attire. All proceeds raised went directly to the Michael J. Fox Foundation. The Continentals took the Foundation’s core values of cooperation, tenacity, adaptability and optimism to heart in their Friday game against the Polar Bears. Decked out in purple, yellow and orange uniforms, the team came out strong.
The Continentals set a fast-paced tempo that the Polar Bears scrambled to match. While a bizarre sequence of events put the Polar Bears up 1–0 at the end of the first period, the Continentals remained hopeful and determined to redeem themselves. The Continentals finally got the answer they had been looking for in the third, thanks to a shot from Sami Quackenbush ‘24.
Quackenbush’s goal sent the game into a sudden-death extra period, ultimately ending with neither team scoring and the game ending in a tie. It might not have been the result that the Continentals wanted. Still, it was enough to fuel the fire for their rematch against Bowdoin the following day.
On Saturday, the Continentals retook the ice for their Winter Classic game. The team looked for a win to close out the series and gain points in the NESCAC standings. The Continentals did just that. From the start, the Continentals played with poise, perception and purpose. While neither team saw a goal in the first period, the Continentals out-shot the Polar Bears 14–5, ready to take control. Captain Abby Smith ’24 ignited a spark for the Continentals during the second period. A fast take into the neutral zone led to a beautiful goal. Bowdoin kept poking and prodding Hamilton’s defense, itching for a goal to even the score.
The Continentals stood firm, playing the game at their own pace. While goaltender Teagan Brown ’27 saw an abundance of shots on goal during the third period, with many coming during power plays for the Polar Bears, Brown never wavered, making some great saves. The Continentals delivered the final blow to the Polar Bear’s confidence during the third period, with forward Claire McGennis ’24 doing the honors. From there, the Polar Bears were never able to recover. They traded their goaltender for a sixth skater at the very end of the third period, to no avail. Hamilton never allowed a goal in response, beating Bowdoin 2–0.
While the weekend series might not have necessarily been the sweep the Continentals wanted, it was still arguably a successful weekend due to other events that greatly impacted the NESCAC standings. The Continentals picked up 4.5 points this week in the NESCAC standings, (1.5 points for the tie and three points for the win). These 4.5 points were critical to the Continentals’ place in the NESCAC and national rankings not only for this week but for their hopeful playoff run. Williams College only picked up three points last weekend for their Saturday win over Trinity College, putting Hamilton in fourth place in the NESCAC standings. Moreover, the Continentals remained in eighth in the USCHO Division III Rankings this week, while NESCAC competitors like Middlebury College and Colby College fell to seventh and twelfth place following losses for both teams last week.
With the regular season coming to an end for the Continentals, it will require determination and possibly some good luck. The Continentals will play Connecticut College at home this weekend, where they will also celebrate the team’s nine seniors on Senior Day. The Camels are currently last in the NESCAC standings, but the Continentals definitely should not over look them–with nothing on the line, the Camels might be looking to spoil the Continentals’ win streak. To ensure a weekend series sweep, it is critical for the Continentals to play their own game and set the pace from early on. With a talented senior class, there are no doubts that the Continentals can come away with two wins and another six points in the NESCAC standings.
Following their two games against Connecticut College, the Continentals will face one of their fiercest competitors, Middlebury College, away in Vermont. The two games are guaranteed to be nail-biters, as it is the final weekend series before the seeds for NESCAC playoffs will be announced. The winner of these two games will likely come down to the team that has the strongest defense. For Hamilton, players like Quackenbush, Ferguson and Brown will be essential to garnering wins over the Panthers.
Additionally, it is always nice to have some luck on the Continentals’ side, and in these last two weeks of regular play, they just might get it. Wesleyan University, currently residing in third place in the NESCAC Women’s Ice Hockey standings and 1.5 points above the Continentals, faces a tough Colby team this upcoming weekend and a gritty Trinity team the weekend after. If the Cardinals end up losing two or three of these four games, they risk giving up their third-place spot to the Continentals and even their place in the national rankings. Middlebury, currently sitting in second place and 5.5 points above the Continentals, faces a smart and fast Williams team this upcoming weekend. While the Panthers could redeem their Norwich loss with two wins against the Ephs, they could also crack under the pressure. However, time will only tell what will happen.
The Continentals cannot control every factor. They have power over their own game, important for reaching that comfortable third-place spot in the NESCAC standings and a higher placement in the USCHO national rankings. There is fierce competition that lies ahead for our Continentals, but with the team’s current strides, it is certainly a possibility to clinch the coveted third-place spot. Let us hope Hamilton’s Womens Hockey team continues on this positive stride.
