Quite a weekend we had, with events in Texas, Illinois and New Jersey! The SCHL hosted their 3^rd event of the season at Lone Start Sports in Denton, TX; the ECRHA had a full slate of DI and AA games at I.S.C.A. in North Arlington, NJ; and the MCRHL had the MCRHL Inter-Regional Event, hosted at the Salt Creek Sports Center in Palatine, IL, which featured teams from the MCRHL and WCRHL.

NCRHA Division I Matchup of the Week

Arizona State University vs. Bethel University

Saturday, February 4 – 9am

Season Head to Head prior to this weekend: 0-0, teams have not yet met this season

Season Head to Head after this weekend: Arizona State leads season series 1-0, with 2-1 shootout win

It was the first game for each team on the weekend, and it started out like a morning game, a little slow, if you look at the scoring. Arizona State outshot Bethel 10-7 in the opening period, and netted the only goal of the period, with 3:50 left, on a goal by Cole Carpenter. In the 2^nd, Bethel would score the only goal, to tie it up with 2:41 left, a power play goal by Jason Santoriello. The 3^rd period would be scoreless, penalty-less, and take us into overtime. Shots were low overall, just 23 shots for ASU and 21 for Bethel on the game. The short overtime period was also scoreless, leading to a shootout, which the Sun Devils prevailed by scoring 2 to Bethel’s 0 in the shootout.

Both goaltenders earned stars of the game, ASU’s Lane Hartwell with the #1 star, stopping 22 of 23 shots, and Bethel’s Kyle Wedbush with the #2 star, stopping 20 of 21 shots.

NCRHA Division II Matchup of the Week

Michigan State University vs. The Ohio State University

Saturday, February 4 – 3pm

Season Head to Head prior to this weekend: Ohio State leads season series 2-1

Season Head to Head after this weekend: Ohio State leads season series 3-1, with 5-3 win

Michigan State and Ohio State have played each other 4 times now on the season, and will 2 times more before it closes out. Each matchup has been a good team, as they are fairly evenly matched. In this weekend’s DII featured matchup, it was Ohio State taking home the win. They got on the board first with a goal by Benjamin Biron (his 1^st out of 2 on the game), but were answered by Michigan State late in the first on a power play goal from Shane Stoitsiadis. 1-1 at the 1^st intermission. Michigan State would score just 25 seconds into the 2^nd, to take a 2-1 lead. Ohio State would score twice, Jake Cook and Biron’s 2^nd (on the power play), to take a 3-2 lead. Just 1:17 later, Michigan State’s Matthew Blaska would tie it up at 3, heading into the 2^nd intermission. Ohio State would then score the only 2 goals in the 3rd period, with Bradley Ryniawec getting the game winner (finishing with 1 goal and 3 assists) and then Jake Cook getting his 2^nd of the game.

After this weekend, the teams will play a double header on February 18 in West Bloomfield, MI.

NCRHA Division III Matchup of the Week

Colorado State University vs. Sam Houston State University

Saturday, February 4 – 7:45pm

Season Head to Head prior to this weekend: Colorado State leads season series 2-0, with 2 wins on Nov. 19-20

Season Head to Head after this weekend: Colorado State leads season series 3-0, with 18-4 win

The #2 and #3 SCHL Division III teams met for the 3^rd time this season, and it was Colorado State once again, this time taking home an enormous 18-4 win. 7 straight goals to start off the game by Colorado State, before Sam Houston got on the board just 2 minutes into the 2^nd period. As the Rams cruised to the win, Mason Martinez netted 8 goals, Keegan Barker had 2 goals and 6 assists, and Kobe Douglas had 3 goals and 1 assist.

There are still a couple SCHL events before the season closes out. Colorado State seems to have the #2 spot well in hand, while Sam Houston State is facing pressure from Louisiana Tech for the #3 spot.

NCRHA Division AA Matchup of the Week

Farmingdale State College vs. Slippery Rock University

Saturday, February 4 – 1pm

Season Head to Head prior to this weekend: Farmingdale leads season series 2-0, with a 5-4 win on Nov. 19 and a 4-3 win on Jan. 22

Season Head to Head after this weekend: Farmingdale leads season series 2-1 – Slippery Rock wins this weekend by a score of 8-1

Slippery Rock AA avenged the 2 losses to Farmingdale AA from earlier in the season, with a commanding 8-1 win this past weekend. It was Farmingdale on the board first, just 1:18 into the game, but 8 unanswered goals were scored by Slippery Rock for the win. The Pride got on the board late in the 1^st with their only goal of that period, scored 3 in the 2^nd, and 4 in the 3^rd. Slippery Rock’s Cameron Miller led all scoring with a hat trick, while several other teammates had multiple point games as well. Slippery Rock goaltender Benjamin Lydon stopped 20 of the 21 shots he faced for the win.

These 2 teams have completed regular season play, sitting comfortably in the #1 and #2 spots, while the rest of the ECRHA AA teams play this coming weekend, with UMass, Northeastern and Stony Brook completing their regular season at Longplex Family & Sports Center in Tiverton, RI.

NCRHA Cross-Divisional Matchup of the Week

Henry Ford College (JC) vs. Lindenwood Gold (AA)

Sunday, February 5 – 12pm

Season Head to Head prior to this weekend: Lindenwood Gold leads season series 1-0, with a 3-2 win on Nov. 20

Season Head to Head after this weekend: Lindenwood Gold leads season series 2-0, with 7-4 win

Another big win for Lindenwood Gold against the Henry Ford Hawks, this time a 7-4 win. 4 Lindenwood goals highlighted the 1^st period, while Henry Ford’s Dylan Pattenaude scored the 1^st goal out of his hat trick. Also earning a hat trick in the game was Lindenwood’s Dillon Dale, scoring 2 goals late in the game to put the icing on the cake.

In case you missed it, many of the games from the MCRHL Inter-Regional Event held at the Salt Creek Sports Center in Palatine, IL were livestreamed on the NCRHA TV platform. Download the app on your Roku, Firestick, Apple or Android phones, or watch online at www.ncrha.tv!