CCC TOURNAMENT RELEASE | SUFFOLK PLAYOFF PREVIEW
BEVERLY, Mass. – The second-seeded Endicott men's ice hockey team will host No. 7 seed Suffolk University this Saturday in the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Tournament quarterfinals at 3:00 PM at Raymond J. Bourque Arena.
Ticket prices for Saturday's game are as follows: Endicott students are free with I.D., $3.00 for non-Endicott students, senior citizens, and children 12 and up, $5.00 for adults (children under 12 are not charged admission).
THE MATCHUP/SERIES HISTORY: Endicott is 5-0-1 against Suffolk, which includes a 2-0-1 record at home. The Gulls have outscored the Rams 28-11 in the series and have won the last five matchups. This season, Endicott swept the regular season series by scores of 7-3 (2/2/18, road) and 6-1 (2/3/18, home).
SCOUTING ENDICOTT: The Gulls enter this weekend's postseason contest 4-4-2 in their last 10 games. During that stretch, Endicott has played two nationally ranked teams and a pair of regional powers as well.
As a team, the Gulls are ranked No. 1 in the country in points per game at 5.08, No. 20 in scoring defense (2.36), No. 1 in scoring margin (2.72), No. 2 in most penalty minutes (19.5 PIM/G), No. 7 on the power play (30-for-118, 25.4%), No. 17 on the penalty kill (109-for-127, 85.8%), No. 6 on combined special teams (139-for-245, 56.7%).
Individually, Endicott also showcases four student-athletes among the top-50 point scorers in the country. Ross Olsson (Billerica, Mass.) and Logan Day (Seminole, Fla.) are both tied for No. 13 overall on the list, while Jason Kalinowski (Stamford, Conn.) is situated 46th overall and Daniel Kucerovy (Bethel Park, Pa.) is 48th overall. Olsson and Day both currently have 35 points (16g, 19a, 1.46 | 15g, 20a, 1.46 P/GM), while Kalinowski has produced 28 points (8g, 20a, 1.22 P/GM), and Kucerovy has registered 30 points (18g, 12a, 30 P/GM). Day also is the top-scoring defenseman in the country by a difference of 0.14 P/GM.
Goalies Mark Specia (Ringwood, N.J.) and Justin Ketola (Esko, Minn.) – who have mostly split time in net this season – rank No. 20 (2.05) and No. 26 (2.21) in goals against average (GAA) this season.
SCOUTING SUFFOLK: The Rams are 3-6-1 in their last 10 games and 3-7-1 on the road in 2017-18. Suffolk ranks No. 48 in the country in points per game at 2.79 and No. 55 in scoring defense at 3.29.
Individually, Brian Brooks (Canton, Mass.) paces the Rams with a team-high 25 points this year on 10 goals and 15 assists. Mikhail Bryan (Dayton, Ohio) is second on the squad with 19 (12g, 7a) while Matt Bucher (Cromwell, Conn.) and Jack Kelly (Arlington, Mass.) rank tied for third with 14 points (both 6g, 8a), respectively.
In goal, Michael Levine (Clarendon Hill, Ill.) is 9-9-3 overall with a 3.23 GAA and 653 saves (.911%) in 21 games played (all starts).
WHAT'S AT STAKE
The winner of No. 11/11 nationally ranked Endicott (17-5-3, 13-4-1 CCC) and Suffolk (9-12-3, 6-10-2 CCC) will advance to the CCC Semifinals on Saturday, February 24. The lowest remaining seed left in the tournament will play the highest remaining seed on the road, while the third highest remaining seed will take on the second highest remaining seed on the road as well.
Tournament Schedule
(Games hosted by the higher seed)
Quarterfinals – Saturday, Feb. 17
#8 Western New England at #1 Salve Regina, 4 p.m.
#7 Suffolk at #2 Endicott, 3 p.m.
#6 Wentworth at #3 University of New England, 7 p.m.
#5 Nichols at #4 Curry, 4:50 p.m.
Semifinals – Saturday, Feb. 24
Lowest remaining seed at Highest remaining seed, TBA
Third highest remaining seed at Second highest remaining seed, TBA
Finals – Saturday, March 3
Semifinal winners at higher seed, TBA
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(Photo credit - David Le '10)