Hockey Picked to Finish Sixth in CCC Preseason Poll

2017-18 CCC Men's Ice Hockey Preseason Poll Video

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – After claiming the inaugural Commonwealth Coast Conference Men's Ice Hockey Tournament Championship last season, Endicott was picked to repeat as champions in 2017-18.

The Gulls earned 99 points and nine of a possible 10 first-place votes in this year's preseason coaches' poll, which was completed last week by the league's 10 men's ice hockey head coaches.

The University of New England, last year's CCC Tournament runner-up, was picked second in the poll. The Nor'easters, who advanced to the CCC Championship as the No. 5 seed, gathered 85 points in the poll. Salve Regina will come into this year slotted in the No. 3 spot. The Seahawks received 78 points and the only remaining first-place vote.

Nichols and Curry landed in the fourth and fifth spots, respectively, with the Bison earning 74 points and the Colonels receiving 55.

Wentworth and Johnson and Wales tied for the sixth spot in the poll with 35 points apiece, while Western New England (32 points), Suffolk (30), and Becker (27) rounded out the table.

With the loss of just two seniors from last season's team, the Wentworth Institute of Technology ice hockey team looks to make a return trip to the postseason after missing the CCC Tournament a season ago. Despite missing out on the postseason, the youthful Leopards were in numerous close games, as 10 of their losses were by a total of 14 goals, including dropping six games by a single goal. With last season behind them, fourth-year head coach Jay Pecora welcomes back four of his top five scorers including junior Angus Johnston (Calgary, Alta.) who tied senior Jake McDonough (Marshfield, Mass.) for the team lead with 13 points. Johnston had five goals and eight assists while McDonough added a team-high eight goals and five assists for 13 points. Junior Matthew Kennedy (Mount Peal, N.L.) had four goals and eight assists for 12 points as a sophomore, while junior Paul Filippone III (Cranston, R.I.) chipped in with 10 points (four goals, six assists) a season ago. All three netminders are expected to return for the Leopards, including sophomore Kenny Graham (Milton, Mass.) who had a 2.89 goals against average and a .905 save percentage.

The Leopards open the 2017-2018 season at UMass Boston on Friday, October 27 and have their home opener a day later (October 28) against Castleton.

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