2012 ECAC Northeast Hockey Tournament Field Announced

CENTERVILLE, Mass. – Eastern College Athletic Conference Commissioner Rudy Keeling has announced the 2012 ECAC Northeast Ice Hockey Tournament seedings. Wentworth Institute of Technology finishes the season in the top spot, followed by Curry College in the number two position. Nichols College, Western New England University and Johnson & Wales University finish out the season in the third, fourth and fifth spots, respectively. Becker College secured the sixth seed for the 2012 tournament.

Wentworth was voted No. 2 in the 2011-12 preseason poll after finishing the 2011 season with a 14-9-4 (10-3-1 league) record and second seed placement in the 2011 tournament. In 2012, the Leopards finished the season with an 18-6-1 overall record (11-2-1 league), and clinched the first place berth in the 2012 tournament. Wentworth is led by freshman forward Mike Domsodi (Kirkland, Quebec/Nanaimo, BCHL) who has 33 points overall, with 18 goals and 15 assists. Senior forward Skylur Jameson (Long Beach, Calif./Wichita Falls, NAHL) recorded 33 points on 10 goals and 23 assists this season. Wentworth has received a first round bye and will play the lowest remaining seed at home on Wednesday, Feb. 29th at 8:00 p.m.

Curry College earns the No. 2 seed in the 2012 ECAC Northeast tournament after a 13-10-2 overall season record (11-3-0 league). As the defending ECAC Northeast champions, the Colonels bring back a precision team led by senior defenseman Ryan Barlock (Niles, Ill./Springfield Jr. Blues, NAHL), who recorded 38 points on 11 goals and 27 assists, and senior forward Payden Benning (Estevan, Saskatchewan, Estevan Bruins, SJHL), who finished the regular season with 35 points on 19 goals and 16 assists. Curry College has received a bye in the 2012 ECAC Northeast Tournament and will play the highest remaining seed at home on Wednesday, Feb. 29 at 7:35 p.m.

No. 3 seed Nichols College, which finished the regular season with an 11-12-2 overall record (9-4-1 league) will play No. 6 seed Becker College (9-14-2 overall, 4-9-1 league) at home on Saturday, Feb. 25 at 2:40 p.m. Nichols and Becker split two games this season, with Becker earning a 4-0 win on Nov. 19 as Nichols secured a 4-1 win on Feb. 4.

No. 4 seed Western New England University (13-11-1 overall, 8-5-1 league) will take on the No. 5 seed Johnson & Wales University (13-9-3 overall, 7-5-2 league) at home on Saturday, February 25th at 1:45 p.m. In three games this season, Johnson & Wales has come out on top twice, earning a 6-4 win on Jan. 18 and a 10-3 victory on Feb. 8. Western New England secured a 5-2 win on Nov. 10.

Wentworth's opponent as well as ticket information will be made available on the evening of Saturday, February 25.

(Release Courtesy of the ECAC)

ECAC Northeast Ice Hockey Tournament Schedule

First Round
No. 6 Becker at No. 3 Nichols, Feb. 25, 2:40 p.m.
No. 5 Johnson & Wales at No. 4 Western New England, Feb. 25, 1:45 p.m.

Semifinals
Lowest-Remaining Seed at No. 1 Wentworth, Feb. 29, 8:00 p.m.
Highest-Remaining Seed at No. 2 Curry, Feb. 29, 7:35 p.m.

Finals
Semifinal Winners, Mar. 3, TBA (if Wentworth advances to the finals the game will be at 2:00 p.m. at Matthews Arena)