NCDC Weekend Preview: Unbeaten Clubs Collide As Early Conference Races Take Shape

Fifty-four games across three days will feature a meeting of Colonial Conference unbeatens, an early Atlantic test for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and key series throughout the NCDC.

The opening results are in. This weekend, the races begin to take shape.

The NCDC schedule for Oct. 2-4 includes 54 games, with several early conference leaders facing their strongest tests of the young season. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton puts its perfect Atlantic record on the line twice, Vermont Universel and Syracuse meet in a two-game series between undefeated Colonial clubs, and the defending Dineen Cup champion South Shore Kings face the Metropolitan-leading Boston Jr. Terriers.

Out west, Fresno and Ontario meet twice with first place in the Pacific Division potentially at stake. The South features four series involving early division leaders, while unbeaten Chicago returns to action looking to extend the NCDC’s longest winning streak.

Weekend Games to Watch

 

Colonial Collision: Vermont Universel vs. Syracuse Lightning

Something has to give when Vermont and Syracuse meet Friday and Saturday.

Vermont enters the weekend 3-0 with six points after scoring 15 goals in its opening three games. Syracuse is 2-0 with four points and has allowed only four goals.

The two-game series could put either club in position to challenge Springfield for the Colonial lead. The Pics enter the weekend with seven points from four games and play Red Bank on Saturday and Sunday.

Syracuse then faces another unbeaten opponent Sunday when the 2-0 New York Dynamo come to town. It gives the Lightning three potentially consequential Colonial games in three days.

 

The Atlantic Leader Gets Two Tests

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton opened 3-0 and enters the weekend atop the Atlantic with six points. The Knights visit Mercer on Friday before facing the Jersey Hitmen on Saturday.

Jersey has taken three of a possible four points, while Mercer will be trying to close ground after opening 1-2.

The Rockets Hockey Club also brings a perfect record into a three-game weekend. The 2-0 Rockets visit P.A.L. on Friday, host Mercer on Saturday and travel to Jersey on Sunday.

With WBS idle Sunday, the weekend could either give the Knights some separation or bring several clubs into the early Atlantic race.

 

The Defending Champions Meet the Metro Leaders

The defending Dineen Cup champion South Shore Kings opened their title defense with two wins and 15 goals. On Friday, they host a Boston Jr. Terriers team that has won three straight and sits atop the Metropolitan Conference with six points.

South Shore has played two fewer games, making this an early opportunity for the Kings to close the standings gap against a club that has started 3-1.

Elsewhere in the Metro, the 3-0 Northern Cyclones host Utica on Saturday and Sunday. The Cyclones enter the weekend tied with Boston at six points and have allowed eight goals through three games.

 

Pacific Lead On The Line

Fresno and Ontario split their opening weekend and enter their Friday-Saturday series tied with two points apiece atop the Pacific Division.

The Monsters hold the early standings tiebreaker, but the two meetings give both clubs an immediate opportunity to establish control of the division.

The Pacific also welcomes two teams to their first games of the season. Lake Tahoe plays three straight against McCall, while Ventura opens with a three-game trip through the Mountain Division against Park City, Rock Springs and Vernal.

 

South Division Leaders Face Immediate Pressure

Coral Springs and Charleston both opened 2-0, but neither will get an easy path through the second weekend.

In Florida, Coral Springs plays Tampa Bay on Friday and Sunday. The Jr. Cats have allowed just three goals, while Tampa scored eight times in its most recent victory.

Florida and the Surge meet Saturday and Sunday with both teams sitting at 1-1. Typhoon visits the Florida Jr. Blades in Saturday’s other divisional matchup.

In the Southeast, Charleston and Carolina play a home-and-home set Friday and Saturday. The Colonials enter 2-0, while the Jr. Hurricanes scored 11 goals during a split opening weekend.

Charlotte also puts its 2-0 record on the line with two games at Potomac. The Rush outscored their opening opponents 14-4, giving them the best early goal differential in the division.

 

Chicago Carries A Five-Game Run Into Sunday

Chicago has created the first substantial advantage in the Great Lakes Division.

The Union enter Sunday’s game at Wisconsin Rapids with a 5-0 record, 10 points and a plus-13 goal differential. No other NCDC club has played more than five games or collected more than seven points entering the weekend.

Most of the Midwest schedule will feature Great Lakes-North crossover games. North leader Hudson visits Columbus on Saturday after hosting Wisconsin Rapids on Friday. Columbus enters the weekend 1-0 after a 9-1 victory in its season opener.

 

Conference Watch

Atlantic Conference

WBS begins the weekend with a two-point lead over the Rockets, but the Rockets play three times and P.A.L. enters its first full weekend 1-0. Saturday’s WBS-Jersey meeting and Sunday’s Rockets-Jersey matchup could make the Hitmen an important factor in the race.

Friday: West Chester Wolves at Connecticut Jr. Rangers, 1 p.m.; Rockets Hockey Club at P.A.L. Jr. Islanders, 2 p.m.; Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights at Mercer Chiefs, 6:30 p.m.
Saturday: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights at Jersey Hitmen, 1 p.m.; P.A.L. Jr. Islanders at West Chester Wolves, 5 p.m.; Mercer Chiefs at Rockets Hockey Club, 5:45 p.m.
Sunday: Rockets Hockey Club at Jersey Hitmen, 1 p.m.; P.A.L. Jr. Islanders at Connecticut Jr. Rangers, 4 p.m.; Mercer Chiefs at West Chester Wolves, 8 p.m.

 

Colonial Conference

The Colonial owns the weekend’s deepest collection of early standings games. Springfield leads with seven points, but Vermont, New York and Syracuse all remain undefeated.

Vermont-Syracuse is the headline series. Red Bank gets two opportunities against Springfield, while New York can apply pressure with games against Connecticut and Syracuse.

Friday: Vermont Universel at Syracuse Lightning, 1:45 p.m.; Connecticut RoughRiders at New York Dynamo, 7:15 p.m.
Saturday: Red Bank Generals at Springfield Pics, 4:30 p.m.; Vermont Universel at Syracuse Lightning, 5:15 p.m.
Sunday: New York Dynamo at Syracuse Lightning, 5:15 p.m.; Red Bank Generals at Springfield Pics, 5:30 p.m.

 

Metropolitan Conference

Boston and Northern enter tied with six points, but neither has room to relax. The Terriers visit the defending champions Friday, while the Cyclones play Utica twice. Connecticut visits Boston Jr. Bruins in Saturday’s other Colonial-Metro crossover.

Friday: Boston Jr. Terriers at South Shore Kings, 1 p.m.
Saturday: Connecticut Chiefs at Boston Jr. Bruins, 1 p.m.; Utica Jr. Comets at Northern Cyclones, 4 p.m.
Sunday: Utica Jr. Comets at Northern Cyclones, 1 p.m.

 

Northeast Conference

Quebec and Woodstock enter tied atop the conference with four points. Quebec plays twice at Lewiston, while undefeated Woodstock faces Perth-Andover on Friday and St. Stephen on Saturday.

Montreal plays three times in three days, giving the Black Vees opportunities against St. Stephen, Northern Maine and Thunder Hockey Club.

Friday: Quebec Universel at Lewiston MAINEiacs, 7 p.m.; Montreal Black Vees at St. Stephen County Moose, 7 p.m.; Perth-Andover Bearcats at Woodstock Warriors, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday: Montreal Black Vees at Northern Maine Pioneers, 3:30 p.m.; Quebec Universel at Lewiston MAINEiacs, 6 p.m.; Woodstock Warriors at St. Stephen County Moose, 7 p.m.
Sunday: Montreal Black Vees at Thunder Hockey Club, 9:40 a.m.; Northern Maine Pioneers at Perth-Andover Bearcats, 1:30 p.m.

 

Midwest Conference — Great Lakes Division

Chicago has established the early pace at 5-0. Columbus and Toledo are also perfect, although each has played three or four fewer games than the Union.

Columbus hosts Northwest on Friday and Hudson on Saturday. Metro welcomes Minnesota Blue Ox and Wisconsin Rapids before Chicago’s Sunday visit to the Riverkings.

Friday: Northwest Express at Columbus Mavericks, 11:15 a.m.; Minnesota Blue Ox at Metro Jets, 1 p.m.
Saturday: Hudson Havoc at Columbus Mavericks, 1:30 p.m.; Wisconsin Rapids Riverkings at Metro Jets, 2 p.m.
Sunday: Wisconsin Rapids Riverkings at Chicago Union, 6 p.m.

 

Midwest Conference — North Division

Hudson leads the North with four points and plays two cross-division games this weekend. The Havoc host Wisconsin Rapids on Friday before visiting unbeaten Columbus on Saturday.

Northwest and Minnesota Blue Ox will also try to gain ground through crossover matchups.

Friday: Wisconsin Rapids Riverkings at Hudson Havoc, 8 p.m.
Saturday: Hudson Havoc at Columbus Mavericks, 1:30 p.m.; Wisconsin Rapids Riverkings at Metro Jets, 2 p.m.
Sunday: Wisconsin Rapids Riverkings at Chicago Union, 6 p.m.

 

South Conference — Florida Division

Coral Springs enters atop the division at 2-0 and faces Tampa Bay twice. The Eels-Surge series gives two 1-1 clubs a chance to begin separating themselves from the pack.

Friday: Coral Springs Jr. Cats at Tampa Bay Juniors, 7:45 p.m.
Saturday: Typhoon Hockey Club at Florida Jr. Blades, 2:45 p.m.; Florida Eels at Florida Surge, 7:45 p.m.
Sunday: Florida Eels at Florida Surge, 1:45 p.m.; Tampa Bay Juniors at Coral Springs Jr. Cats, 5:30 p.m.

 

South Conference — Southeast Division

Charleston and Charlotte enter tied at four points and will each play twice within the division.

The Colonials face Carolina in a home-and-home set. Charlotte visits Potomac twice, while Hampton Roads begins its season with two games against Yorktown.

Friday: Carolina Jr. Hurricanes at Charleston Colonials, 9:20 p.m.
Saturday: Charlotte Rush at Potomac Patriots, 5:15 p.m.; Yorktown Admirals at Hampton Roads Whalers, 7:30 p.m.; Charleston Colonials at Carolina Jr. Hurricanes, 7:45 p.m.
Sunday: Charlotte Rush at Potomac Patriots, 10:45 a.m.; Yorktown Admirals at Hampton Roads Whalers, 12:30 p.m.

 

West Conference — Mountain Division

Park City and Vernal both enter 2-0 with four points. Park City hosts Ventura on Friday, while Vernal faces Casper on Friday and Saturday before welcoming Ventura on Sunday.

Rock Springs plays the first game in club history Saturday against Ventura.

Friday: Ventura Vikings at Park City Outliers, 7:05 p.m.; Casper Warbirds at Vernal Oilers, 8 p.m.
Saturday: Ventura Vikings at Rock Springs Miners, 7 p.m.; Casper Warbirds at Vernal Oilers, 8 p.m.
Sunday: Ventura Vikings at Vernal Oilers, 11 a.m.

 

West Conference — Pacific Division

Fresno and Ontario meet twice with both clubs entering at 1-1. Lake Tahoe and Ventura begin their seasons on the road against Mountain Division opponents.

Friday: Lake Tahoe Lakers at McCall Smokejumpers, 7 p.m.; Fresno Monsters at Ontario Jr. Reign, 8 p.m.
Saturday: Lake Tahoe Lakers at McCall Smokejumpers, 7 p.m.; Fresno Monsters at Ontario Jr. Reign, 8 p.m.
Sunday: Lake Tahoe Lakers at McCall Smokejumpers, 11 a.m.

 

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