Men’s hockey (12-13-2, 8-10-0 NESCAC) captured a historic NESCAC Tournament victory — the team’s first since the tournament began in 2000 — on Sunday, defeating the fourth-seeded Middlebury Panthers (15-9-3, 9-7-2 NESCAC) 4-2 in the final. With the victory over the Panthers, the Ephs qualified for the Div. III NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2016.
The Ephs opened the tournament on Feb. 28 with a 3-1 quarterfinal victory over the third-seeded Tufts Jumbos (12-12-1, 9-9-0 NESCAC) in Malden, Mass. Traveling to Clinton, N.Y., for Saturday’s semifinals, the Ephs pulled off a 5-4 overtime upset victory over top-seeded host and reigning NESCAC champions, the No. 3 Hamilton Continentals (19-5-2, 14-3-1 NESCAC).
After a two-year absence, the Ephs’ return to the NESCAC tournament — for which only the top eight teams in the conference qualify — carried added significance for the seniors, according to captain and forward David Vieten ’26. “From day one, we talked about winning a NESCAC championship, and it’s no secret that we’ve been itching for one for some time now,” he wrote in an email to the Record. “For the seniors, we lost to Bowdoin in the finals our freshman year, and that feeling has stuck with us since then.”
After defeating the Jumbos the week prior, the sixth-seeded Ephs got off to a fast start against the Continentals on Saturday, with the packed stands adding to the intensity of the matchup. “There is something exciting about having the chance to silence a home crowd, and we took that opportunity,” Vieten wrote.
Forward Jackson Krill ’29, who was named the NESCAC Player of the Week for his performance in the tournament, scored the team’s first goal just over six minutes into the first period. Forward Brady Welsch ’27 contributed a power-play goal a few minutes later, giving the Ephs a 2-0 lead. As the period wound down, the Continentals responded with two goals in under two minutes, sending the teams into the second period tied 2-2.
A minute into the second period, the Continentals took a 3-2 lead when a deflected puck bounced into the net. Krill responded soon after, tying the game 3-3. After a Continental holding penalty early in the third, Welsch added his second power-play goal of the day to put the Ephs back in front. In the second half of the third period, the Continentals scored again, bringing the game to 4-4 and forcing overtime.
The Continentals outshot the Ephs 13-5 in overtime, but the Ephs’ penalty kill shut down two Continental power plays. Goalie Harrison Fogel ’27 also held strong, finishing with 37 total saves and blocking all 13 of Hamilton’s shots in overtime.
After nearly 15 minutes of overtime, Krill scored the game-winning goal to complete his hat trick, with forward Jake McManus ’28 and defenseman Wilson Farrow ’29 each contributing their second assists of the game.
Krill said reflecting on the game felt like a blur. “That was one of the coolest atmospheres I’ve ever played in,” he said. “It took every single guy on that team to do that. It’s not easy to go into a barn and pull out a win against the best team in the conference, and we had a special group that was able to do that.”
Entering the championship game against the Panthers, the Ephs remained confident and focused. “We beat them [during] the season, so we knew that we could do it,” McManus said. “It was just about executing and performing at our best.”
The team again jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead, with forward Logan Valkama ’27 scoring twice in the first period, including a power-play goal with 30 seconds remaining. The teams exchanged goals in the second period, with forward Ryan Kearney ’29 scoring to give the Ephs a 3-1 advantage. In the third period, the Panthers cut the deficit to one goal, but with less than three minutes remaining, forward Simon Gaul ’29 converted on a one-to-one against the Panthers’ goalie, securing the 4-2 win for the Ephs.
As the clock wound to zero, alums, family, and friends joined the team on the ice to celebrate the monumental victory. “They were great to help us get the energy going during the game,” McManus said. “Being able to celebrate with [them] on the ice afterwards was something that I don’t think any of us will ever forget.”
Vieten echoed the significance of the victory. “This was the moment we’ve dreamed about since we’ve been here,” Vieten wrote. “We couldn’t be happier and are thrilled we got to see our dream come to fruition.”
McManus credited the team’s camaraderie for fueling their success in the tournament. “We talked about being a family, and I think we bonded together and really embraced that mindset,” he said. “There are a lot of people that can get shout-outs, and deserve it, but ultimately, it was a great group effort the last two games.”
Krill emphasized the role that senior leadership played in fostering the team’s late-season success. “[Our seniors] were great mentors on and off the ice,” he said. “We’re going to continue to set that example so the guys after me know what it takes to have a winning mentality and continue the great culture that our seniors built.”
Hockey alums highlighted how a championship victory can strengthen a team’s bond. Sam Flood ’83, former captain and current Executive Producer of NBC Sports, reflected on the enduring connection shared by the 1981 team, which recently gathered to celebrate their 45th reunion. “There’s something unique that happens when a team has success and everyone works together to create lifetime memories,” he said. “I imagine in 2071, this group will get together for their 45-year celebration of winning the NESCAC championship.”
The Ephs are set to face off against No. 5 Utica (19-7-1) in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, which will take place in Utica, N.Y., on March 14.
Four games separate the Ephs from a national title, and the team is excited to try to keep its dream postseason run rolling. “We couldn’t be more thrilled to be headed to the tournament,” Vieten wrote. “We’ve shown we can compete with anyone, and will take each game one at a time from here on out, with the same mentality we’ve had all season.”
