The Hamilton College Continentals host the Norwich University Cadets in a 2026 NCAA Division III Men's Hockey Championship quarterfinal at Russell Sage Rink in Clinton, N.Y., on Saturday, March 21 at 7 p.m.
 
Hamilton is playing its second NCAA men's hockey championship event on home ice – the first one was on March 14. The Continentals defeated Norwich 4-1 in the championship game of the 2025 Northfield Savings Bank Holiday Tournament on Jan. 4. The Cadets knocked out Hamilton in the 2017 NCAA quarterfinals in Vermont.
 
Here's a glance at Saturday night's matchup as the Continentals aim to advance to the national semifinals for the first time.
 
Records
Hamilton: 20-5-2 overall (14-3-1 in New England Small College Athletic Conference, first place)
Norwich: 19-5-4 overall (13-2-3 in Little East Conference, first place)
 
Rankings
Hamilton: No. 6 in March 9 USCHO.com Division III Top 15 poll and No. 3 in March 8 NCAA Power Index
Norwich: No. 12 in March 9 USCHO.com Division III Top 15 poll and No. 15 in March 8 NCAA Power Index
 
How They Got Here
Hamilton: Defeated Neumann University 6-2 in NCAA first round on March 14; NCAA at-large bid
Norwich: Defeated Salve Regina University 6-1 in NCAA first round on March 14; Automatic NCAA bid for winning the Little East Conference championship
 
NCAA History
Hamilton: Third appearance (2017, 2025), 3-2 record in NCAA Championship
Norwich: 21st appearance (national titles in 2000, 2003, 2010, 2017), 33-17-2 record in NCAA Championship
 
Head Coaches
Hamilton: Rob Haberbusch, 14th season, 183-135-40 record
Norwich: Dominick Dawes, first season, 19-5-4 record (259-146-47 overall, 17 seasons)
 
Team Stats
Hamilton: 3.8 goals/game; 1.9 goals allowed/game; 35.5 shots/game; 24.1% PP pct. (28-116); 87.3% PK pct. (9-71); 7.0 PIM/game; 52.9% faceoff win pct.
Norwich: 3.7 goals/game; 2.0 goals allowed/game; 36.7 shots/game; 21.6% PP pct. (29-134); 82.3% PK pct. (17-96); 9.8 PIM/game; 53.6% faceoff win pct.
 
Individual Stat Leaders
Hamilton: Luke Tchor '27 (F, 5-10, 180, 16G-14A-30P); Devon de Vries '27 (F, 5-11, 175, 6G-24A-30P); John Wojciechowski '28 (D, 5-11, 180, 5G-19A-24P); Justin Biraben '27 (F, 6-0, 180, 8G-15A-23P); Noah Leibl '27 (F, 6-2, 189, 9G-11A-20P); Jackson Krock '26 (F, 5-11, 188, 7G-13A-20P); Ryan Sordillo '27 (F, 6-0, 180, 7G-13A-20P)
Norwich: Ben van Waterschoot (Jr., F, 6-3, 209, 9G-22A-31P); Nick Cordeiro (Sr., F, 5-11, 197, 9G-19A-28P); Boyd Stahlbaum (Jr., F, 5-9, 181, 11G-15A-26P); Cooper Bertrand (Jr., D, 5-11, 181, 7G-19A-26P); Zach Ophoven (Jr., F, 6-0, 172, 15G-10A-25P); Frank D'Ancona (Fy., F, 5-10, 200, 8G-17A-25P); Colin Elliott (Jr., F, 6-3, 210, 10G-12A-22P)
 
The Goaltenders
Hamilton: Aksel Reid '27 (6-1, 185, 25 starts, 17-5-2 record, 1.88 GAA, .919 save pct., 5 shutouts)
Norwich: Sami Molu (Jr., 6-1, 171, 22 starts, 13-5-4 record, 2.01 GAA, .932 save pct., 2 shutouts)
 
Notes
Hamilton won in the first round and reached the quarterfinals in both of its previous NCAA championship appearances in 2017 and 2025. … The Continentals advanced to the 2026 NESCAC championship semifinals. … Luke Tchor '27 was selected the NESCAC Player of the Year and Rob Haberbusch was voted NESCAC Coach of the Year – both for the second year in a row. … Forwards Tchor, Jackson Krock '26, and Devon de Vries '27, defensemen John Wojciechowski '28 and Connor Thue '29, and goaltender Aksel Reid '27 made the all-NESCAC team. … Tchor made the 2024-25 American Hockey Coaches Association All-America Team. … Hamilton has posted consecutive 20-win seasons for the first time. … The Continentals have been ranked as high as second in the USCHO.com poll and the NCAA Power Index. … Hamilton is fifth in NCAA Division III in scoring defense.
 
Norwich is 9-0-3 in its last 12 games. … The Cadets' last loss was on Jan. 20 at home against Middlebury College. … Norwich is 0-1-1 against NESCAC opponents this season with both games against in-state rival Middlebury. … The Cadets defeated Babson College 4-1 in the inaugural Little East Conference championship game on March 7 for their first conference title since the 2019-20 season. … Norwich leads Hamilton 57-30-3 in a series that dates back to the 1941-42 season, but they have played just twice in the last 15 years. … The Cadets last NCAA appearance was in 2023 when they edged SUNY Plattsburgh in overtime in the first round and were shut out by Endicott College in the quarterfinals. … Sami Molu was selected the Little East Conference Goalie of the Year and was named the conference tournament's Most Valuable Player. … Molu was joined on the all-conference team by defenseman Cooper Bertrand and forward Ben van Waterschoot. … Defenseman Ocean Fancy made the conference's all-rookie team. … Boyd Stahlbaum is tied for fourth in NCAA Division III with eight power-play goals.