Wentworth Institute of Technology: Athletics > Varsity Sports

Season In Review

During the 2006-07 season, the Wentworth hockey team stood at 7-7-3 with eight regular season games remaining and used a 7-1 mark to close out the regular season before win its first two playoff games and falling to UMass Dartmouth in the championship game of the ECAC Northeast Tournament. Late season runs seem to be a habit as this year’s edition of the Leopards played some of its best hockey down the stretch to not only make the post-season for the 11th consecutive season, but to garner home ice for the first round.

The Leopards opened the season with a pair of conference wins over Worcester State and Western New England before losing to nationally ranked Hobart and suffering its first loss to Suffolk in 10 years. A pair of road wins – at Franklin Pierce and at Connecticut College – gave Wentworth a 4-2 record. However, the win over Connecticut College would be the last win for the Leopards for exactly two months.

A 9-1 loss at New England College began a seven-game losing streak; Wentworth’s longest streak of its kind since the 1996-97 season. During the slide, the Leopards were outscored 44-9 and scored more than one goal just twice. While the losing streak came to an end on Jan. 20 with a 6-0 win over Assumption, losses to nationally ranked Babson and Curry dropped Wentworth’s record to 5-11 with nine games to go.

In an almost-repeat performance from a season ago, the Leopards seemed to turn the corner with a hard-fought, 3-2 win at Nichols, a team that would eventually lose in the ECAC Northeast Finals. That win began a stretch that saw Wentworth go 6-1-1, with the lone loss coming at eventual league champion UMass Dartmouth. The streak also allowed the Leopards to make a run in the standings and secure home ice for the first round of the playoffs. A 7-6 loss at Johnson & Wales on the last day of the regular season put Wentworth at 11-13-1 overall and 10-5-1, good for fourth place, in conference play.

Looking to avenge an early-season loss the Leopards hosted Suffolk in the league quarterfinals. Wentworth jumped out to a 2-0 lead by scoring goals in the first and second periods before the Rams cut the lead to 2-1, 1:38 after Wentworth had gone up 2-0. Suffolk would get a goal with 12:44 remaining in regulation to tie the game, a held off three quality scoring chances by the Leopards, meaning that for the second time in three seasons the Leopards were heading to overtime in their opening round playoff game.

Despite hitting the post and having a shot saved in the opening minutes of overtime, Wentworth could not get the game winner. A little under five minutes into the extra session the Rams were able to score on their fourth shot of the extra session, ending the Leopards’ season at 11-14-1.

Statistically speaking, senior Matt Koehler led the offense with 14 goals and nine assists for 23 points. Five of his 14 tallies were power play goals. Junior Dave Lewandowski and freshman Geric Brodt each had 21 points, with Lewandowski scored 10 goals and 11 assists, while Brodt scored nine times and assisted on 12 others.

In between the pipes, sophomore Justin Marriott posted a 9-10-1 record with a 3.33 goals against average and a .908 save percentage in 21 games.

The ECAC Northeast recognized three members of the Leopards with post-season honors. Junior captain Joey Sides was a Second Team All-ECAC Northeast selection, while Brodt and Jeff Fedyk each earned a spot on the all-rookie team.

Looking Ahead

Wentworth graduates a pair of players in Koehler and Jeff Oddleifson. WIth a very talented group of underclassmen, the Leopards hould be poinsed to make a run at conference title number five.

Schedule

The Leopards play a 25-game schedule, including 16 games within the framework of the ECAC Northeast against such teams as Fitchburg State, UMass Dartmouth, Curry, Nichols, and Plymouth State. The non-league schedule is highlighted with games against Hobart, New England College, and Connecticut College.

Wentworth holds all of its practices and plays all of its home games at the oldest arena in the country, Matthews Arena.

History

The Wentworth hockey team was elevated to varsity status beginning with the 1992-93 season. After five straight (1992-97) sub-.500 seasons, Wentworth broke out during the 1997-98 season by winning the ECAC South title and advancing to the semifinals of the ECAC North/Central/South Tournament. The 2000, 2002, 2003, and 2004 squads captured the ECAC Northeast crown and advanced to the NCAA quarterfinals, while in 2001 and 2007, the Leopards were finalists in the ECAC Northeast Tournament. Since the 1997-98 season Wentworth has compiled a 184-105-17 (.629) overall record and a 115-26-12 (.791) mark in conference play.

R.J. Tolan is entering his third season as the Leopards' head ice hockey coach. Tolan, the 2007 ECAC Northeast Co-Coach of the Year, served on the Leopard coaching staff during the 2005-06 season as the associate head coach and has been an assistant coach at both Northeastern and Bentley. He was a four-year defenseman at UMass Lowell, graduating in 2002.