MARSHFIELD, Mass. – The New England Hockey Conference 2022-23 coaches' poll was released on Thursday morning, tabbing UMass Boston Men's Ice Hockey to finish tied for fifth in the standings with Babson College as both programs earned 67 points in the poll.
2018 conference champion Hobart College was ranked first in the poll with seven first place votes and 95 total points, the Statesmen are coming off a 13-2-2 season in conference (first in conference) and an at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament. Ranking second, Elmira College garnered two first place votes and 82 points following their 11-4-2 conference campaign to finish second in the conference last season and earn an at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament.
Also ahead of the Beacons were Skidmore College in third with one first place vote and 71 points followed by Norwich University with 68 points.
UMass Boston, tied for fifth with New England Hockey Conference 2022 Champion Babson, is coming off a 10-4-4 conference season in which they finished third while going 14-8-4 overall during their 2021-22 season. The Beacons fell in the NEHC Quarterfinals versus Skidmore College, 5-3, at home last year.
UMass Boston will be returning 22 players to their roster for the 2022-23 season, but lose their top three scorers in senior forwards
Ethan Nitkin (17 goals, 15 assists),
Chris Peters (13 goals, 24 assists), and
Jeffrey Skinner (10, 10 assists).
Junior forward
Corey Clifton returns to the Beacons, coming off an eight-goal season followed by sophomore forwards
Ty Mathews and
Alex Duncan who each contributed six goals during their rookie campaign.
The Beacons also return senior goalie
Sam Best who is coming off a junior-year campaign in which he went 12-4-4, allowing 48 goals across 23 games played for a 2.40 goals against average.
New to UMass Boston this winter will be freshman forwards
Jude Kurtas,
Mike Manzo,
Grady Friedman,
Jazz Krivtsov, junior transfer forward
Evan Googins, and junior transfer defender
Blake Coleman.
The Beacons have recorded an above .500 record in each of their last ten seasons under head coach
Peter Belisle who enters his 17th season behind the bench and received two votes in the DCU/USCHO.com Division III Men's Ice Hockey Poll.
UMass Boston begins their 2022-23 campaign on October 28th against UMass Dartmouth at home inside the Edward T. Barry Ice Rink with puck drop scheduled for 7:00 PM.
2022-23 New England Hockey Conference Men's Hockey Coaches Poll
| #1 |
Hobart College (7) |
95 Points |
| #2 |
Elmira College (2) |
82 Points |
| #3 |
Skidmore College (1) |
71 Points |
| #4 |
Norwich University |
68 Points |
| T5 |
Babson College |
67 points |
| T5 |
University of Massachusetts Boston |
67 Points |
| #7 |
New England College |
38 Points |
| #8 |
University of Southern Maine |
29 Points |
| #9 |
Castleton University |
19 Points |
| #10 |
Johnson & Wales University |
14 Points |
(First Place Votes in Parentheses)
