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Tuesday, March 11, 2008					

		HOCKEY HOSTS TRINITY IN NCAA DIVISION III PLAYOFF GAME

NEW BEDFORD, MA-Two years ago, the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth's hockey team became the first member of the Eastern College Athletic Conference Northeast to win an NCAA Division III playoff game. This year, the Corsairs will try to become the first ECAC Northeast team to host and win a playoff game when they meet Trinity (CT) at 7:00 p.m. Wednesday evening at the Stephan Hetland Memorial Ice Arena in the first round of the 2008 NCAA Division III Hockey Championships.

The Corsairs advanced to the NCAAs by winning the ECAC Northeast championship for the third consecutive year. Freshman Joe Hill (Newburyport, MA/Valley Jr. Warriors) scored the game-winning goal with just 14.9 seconds left in regulation time in a 5-3 UMass Dartmouth win against Nichols at Hetland Arena Saturday.  

Josh Rich scored 7:07 into the second overtime period to give Trinity a 3-2, double overtime win over Middlebury in the championship game of the New England Small College Athletic Conference Sunday afternoon at Colby. Wesley Vesprini was the goaltender in all three games of the NESCAC Tournament. Vesprini started nine conference games during the season, while David Murison started 11.

The Corsairs have a record of 18-8-1 and have won eight games in a row since losing to Salve Regina, 4-3 on February 6th. During that span, UMass Dartmouth has outscored their opponents, 39-19, has scored 14 power play goals to the opposition’s six, has converted 35 per cent of its power play opportunities, and has averaged 699 fans per game at the Hetland Arena, site of Wednesday’s game.

The Bantams are 15-10-2 and have won their last three games in succession after a 3-1 loss to Castleton State February 23rd. They have not lost more than twice in succession all year, and that happened only once.

“Trinity is red hot coming into the NCAA Tournament, having upset three outstanding NESCAC teams,” said UMass Dartmouth Head Coach John Rolli. “They won at Bowdoin and at Colby and defeated perennial power Middlebury. We’re going to have to play a very tight checking game to try to slow down the pace of play, and bottle up Trinity’s explosive attack. The keys for this game will be special teams and goaltending.”

The winner of Wednesday evening’s game advances to a quarter-final game at Elmira Saturday at 7:00 p.m.

					UMASS DARTMOUTH HOCKEY