CLINTON, N.Y. – Hamilton College's Max Bulawka '26 scored two goals in a 17-second span in the third period and the Continentals pulled away in a 6-2 win against the Neumann University Knights in a 2026 NCAA Division III Men's Hockey Championship first round game inside Hamilton's Russell Sage Rink on Saturday night, March 14.
 

Season Update

• The sixth-ranked Continentals (20-5-2 overall), who are third in the NCAA Power Index (NPI), had dropped three of their last four going into the NCAA championship.
• Unranked Neumann (17-9-2) was 28^th in the NPI. The Knights had lost just once in their previous nine games.

 

How It Happened

• Hamilton scored four goals in the third period. Bulawka put the Continentals in the lead for good 5:26 into the third when he scored on a scramble just outside the crease.
• Neumann took a delay of game penalty on the ensuing faceoff and it took Hamilton just 13 seconds to make it 4-2. Bulawka tipped a shot by Ryan Sordillo '27 for the power-play goal.
• Connor Thue '29 scored the Continentals' third goal in two minutes, 20 seconds on a one-timer from above the right faceoff circle.
• Curtiss Sturgeon '29 added an empty-net goal on a shot from the neutral zone near the left-side boards with 3:35 left.
• Neumann had three shots bounce off the post or crossbar in the opening eight minutes of the final period.
• The Knights' Jared Coccimiglio opened the scoring 8:11 into the first period. Christian Green stopped all 13 shots he faced and Neumann held a 1-0 edge after the first 20 minutes.
• Hamilton didn't waste much time netting the tying goal in the second period. Devon de Vries '27 sent a short backhand pass to Sordillo and he hammered a slap shot into the back of the net from the high slot at 1:25 of the second.
• Luke Tchor '27 gave the Continentals their first lead on a power-play goal with 7:41 remaining in the period when he smashed a one-timer from the dot in the right faceoff circle on a pass from Sordillo.
• Coccimiglio drew the Knights even 43 seconds later. Hamilton held a slim 9-7 edge in shots on goal in the second period.

 

Notes

• Bulawka posted his third multi-goal game in the last six. He's second on the team with 11 goals.
• Sordillo tied his career high with three points on a goal and two assists.
• Defenseman John Wojciechowski '28 tied his career best with three assists and has eight helpers in the last four contests.
• Alex Danis '26, who was listed as the 19^th skater in the lineup, picked up two assists for his first multi-point game this season.
• Tchor scored his first goal since Jan. 31. He leads Hamilton with 16.
• Thue, a defenseman, notched his second goal with the Continentals.
• Sturgeon registered his first collegiate goal.
• Devon de Vries recorded his 50^th career assist and leads the team with 24. He is tied with Tchor with a team-high 30 points.
• Vincent Gould '27, who had an assist, has at least one point in three of his last four games.
• Aksel Reid '27 made eight of his 17 saves in the first period.
• Coccimiglio scored both Neumann goals and won 10-of-16 faceoffs.
• Hamilton scored on two of its four power plays and killed both of the Knights' chances. The Continentals have 28 power-play tallies and allowed just nine this season.
• Hamilton advanced to the NCAA championship quarterfinals for the second year in a row and the third time in team history.
• The Continentals were playing an NCAA championship game on home ice for the first time.
• Hamilton has posted consecutive 20-win seasons for the first time.
• Saturday night marked the first meeting between the two teams.
• Neumann, which won the 2009 national title, was making its first NCAA appearance in 15 years.

 

Next Game

Hamilton hosts Norwich University (19-5-4) in the NCAA championship quarterfinals on Saturday, March 21 at 7 p.m.