2009–10 NESCAC men's ice hockey season

2009–10 NESCAC men's ice hockey season
Conference	NESCAC
Season	2009–10
Total teams	10
Champions	Bowdoin
Tournament champions	Bowdoin
Tournament runner-up	Amherst
Mvp	John McGinnis
Coach of the year	Terry Meagher
Top scorer	John McGinnis
Ncaa tournament	Bowdoin
Ncaa tournament champions	UW–Stevens Point
Prev season	2008–09
Next season	2010–11

Contents

Regular season
Conference tournament
NCAA tournament
Statistical leaders
Honors and awards
See also

2009–10 NESCAC men's ice hockey season was the tenth season of play for the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) in NCAA Division III men's ice hockey. The conference schedule began in late November 2009 and concluded with the NESCAC Men's Ice Hockey Tournament championship game on March 7, 2010. The Bowdoin Polar Bears captured both the regular season and conference tournament titles, earning the league's automatic bid to the 2010 NCAA Division III Men's Ice Hockey Tournament.

Regular season

The 2009–10 NCAA Division III men's ice hockey season saw the ten NESCAC members compete in a double round-robin format for the conference championship. Bowdoin, coached by Terry Meagher, secured the top seed with a strong league record, finishing just ahead of rivals Williams and Middlebury. Key non-conference results included a notable victory for Trinity over ECAC East power Norwich and a win for Amherst against SUNYAC contender Oswego State. The regular season was competitive throughout, with several teams, including Colby and Connecticut College, battling for the final playoff positions.

Conference tournament

The 2010 NESCAC Men's Ice Hockey Tournament featured the top eight teams in the conference standings, with all games played at the home rink of the higher seed. In the quarterfinals, top-seeded Bowdoin defeated Wesleyan, while Amherst upset second-seeded Williams. Middlebury advanced past Trinity, and Colby beat Hamilton. The semifinals saw Bowdoin top Colby and Amherst edge Middlebury to set up the championship final. At Sidney J. Watson Arena, Bowdoin defeated Amherst 3–1 to claim the NESCAC Men's Ice Hockey Tournament title and the conference's automatic qualifier to the NCAA Division III Men's Ice Hockey Tournament.

NCAA tournament

As the NESCAC Men's Ice Hockey Tournament champion, Bowdoin received the conference's automatic bid to the 2010 NCAA Division III Men's Ice Hockey Tournament. The Polar Bears were placed in the East Regional, hosted by Norwich at Kreitzberg Arena. In the first round, Bowdoin faced off against ECAC East champion and host Norwich Cadets. Despite a strong effort, Bowdoin was defeated 6–3, ending their season. The national championship was ultimately won by the UW–Stevens Point Pointers, who defeated Norwich in the national final.

Statistical leaders

Bowdoin forward John McGinnis led the conference in overall scoring with 41 points, also topping the league in goals with 22. His teammate, Kyle Shearer-Hardy, was among the leaders in assists. In goal, Amherst's Cole Anderson posted a standout goals against average and save percentage during conference play. Other notable statistical performers included Williams defenseman Justin Troiani and Middlebury forward Charlie Strauss.

Honors and awards

* **NESCAC Player of the Year:** John McGinnis, Bowdoin * **NESCAC Coach of the Year:** Terry Meagher, Bowdoin * **NESCAC Rookie of the Year:** Mike Moher, Trinity * **All-NESCAC First Team:** * F: John McGinnis, Bowdoin * F: Joel Covelli, Colby * F: Ryan Powell, Williams * D: Justin Troiani, Williams * D: Kyle Shearer-Hardy, Bowdoin * G: Cole Anderson, Amherst * **AHCA All-American:** John McGinnis, Bowdoin (East Second Team)