Ephs Climb 3 Spots in National Poll to 11th

Matt Masucci '11

WILLIAMSTOWN, MA -- Bill Kangas’ unbeaten Williams men’s ice hockey team 6-0-1/4-0-0 NESCAC has climbed from 14th to 11th in the latest US College Hockey Online poll. The Ephs collected 101 points in the poll, just two behind 10th ranked Hamline.

This is only the second time the Ephs have gone into the holiday break without a loss (when playing at least five games before the end of the first semester]. In 1993-94 the Ephs won all five games before the break and then won their first game after the holiday season to post the program’s best season-opening win streak at six.

This year’s Eph sextet won its first two contests before playing to a 4-4 tie with Babson and then reeling off four more wins to open the season with a program best seven games without a loss.

“I’m pleased with our start and I like the commitment our players have made to the team, but we will face the iron of our schedule after the break… there’s a lot of hockey left to play,” noted Eph head coach Bill Kangas.  “We also realize that we still have a lot of things to work on to get where we want to be at the end of the season.”      

The Ephs’ success is centered on their defense where in four NESCAC contests they have allowed just 4 goals for a 1.0 goals a game average.  Senior netminder Marc Pulde has allowed just one goal in 120 minutes in NESCAC and sports a .979 save percentage, to go with his 0.50 goals against average, while sophomore Ryan Purdy has allowed three goals in 120:58 for a goals against average of 1.49.  Purdy has a .947 save percentage. Pulde has turned aside 47 of 48 shots, while Purdy has stopped 54 of 57.

Nationally and counting all games played Pulde leads all Division III goalies in goals against average 0.40 and save percentage (.983) having stopped 57 of 58 shots. Purdy ranks eighth nationally in goals against average (1.49) and fourth in save percentage (.952), stopping 160 of 168 shots.

The Ephs also top NESCAC in penalty kills with a 91.3% success rate.

Senior captain and forward Alex Smigelski and junior forward Matt Masucci lead the team with three goals and three assists each. The Ephs are averaging 3.5 goals a game in NESCAC play.

The Ephs will return to action January 8th when they host archrival Amherst at 7:00 PM in Lansing Chapman Rink.

USCHO.com Division III Men's Poll

December 14, 2009