By Warren Kozireski —
Typical of their season, Hobart shutout third-ranked Trinity 2-0 to win their second consecutive Division III men’s hockey national championship. Typical because it marked the team’s 13th shutout of the season breaking the previous mark of 12 held by Geneseo since 2019.
The Statesmen were the number one seed going into the tournament and defeated Curry 4-3 in four overtimes and second-ranked Utica 3-1 to reach the title game. They outscored their opponents 161-30 this season.
Hobart is the first team to win back-to-back national championships in Division III men’s ice hockey since St. Norbert in 2011 and 2012.
RIT won their fourth Atlantic Hockey Conference championship and earned the automatic bid into the NCAA tournament. They are the fourth seed (15th overall) in the Sioux Falls Regional and will battle number one seed Boston University in the first round at 5pm Thursday.
The conference top-seed Tigers played every playoff game on home ice sweeping best-of-three series with Robert Morris and Niagara before taking down American International, who finished fifth in the regular season, in the final 5-2.
“Our penalty killing was outstanding, and then when the power play got its opportunities, we capitalized quickly there as well,” RIT head coach Wayne Wilson said after the final. “I think the thing I can say about this team, probably more so than a lot of other teams I’ve coached, is contributions came from everyone.”
Cornell won their 13th Whitelaw Cup as champions of the ECAC, but first since 2010, when they took down St. Lawrence 3-1 in the championship game. They swept Harvard and beat Dartmouth in the semi-finals to advance.
The Big Red earned the automatic bid to the NCAA tournament and are a third seed. They were placed in the Springfield Regional and will face-off against second seed Maine in the first round at 5:30pm Thursday.
(Photos by Koz/NY Hockey OnLine)
