CLINTON, N.Y. – Hamilton College's Jackson Krock '26 scored 2:44 into the first sudden-victory overtime period and lifted the Continentals to a 2-1 win against the Norwich University Cadets in a 2026 NCAA Division III Men's Hockey Championship quarterfinal inside Hamilton's Russell Sage Rink on Saturday night, March 21.
 

Season Update

• The Continentals (21-5-2 overall) are No. 3 in the NCAA Power Index and No. 6 in the USCHO.com Division III Top 15 poll. Hamilton defeated Neumann University 6-2 in the first round at Sage Rink on March 14. The Continentals' last six games were played on home ice, and four of those went to overtime.
• Norwich (19-6-4) was ranked 15^th in the NPI and 12^th in the USCHO.com poll. The Cadets defeated Salve Regina University 6-1 in the first round on March 14. Norwich's last loss was at home against Middlebury College on Jan. 20. The Cadets had gone 9-0-3 since that Middlebury game.

 

How It Happened

• In overtime Krock helped force a turnover in Norwich's defensive zone. Luke Tchor '27 controlled the loose puck and immediately passed to Krock, who dropped it back off for Tchor in the right faceoff circle. Tchor skated towards the slot and released a wrist shot that goaltender Sami Molu stopped with his left leg. Krock was near the right post and deposited the rebound into the back of the net, touching off a wild celebration as the players on the Hamilton bench spilled out onto the ice and mobbed Krock.
• The Cadets nearly took a 1-0 lead just 50 seconds into the first period when a shot by Frank D'Ancona rang off the crossbar. The Continentals dominated most of the rest of the period as they held a 16-7 advantage in shots on goal after the first 20 minutes.
• Max Bulawka '26 scored the game's first goal 5:50 into the second period. On a rush up ice, Ben Zimmerman '26 brought the puck into Hamilton's offensive zone and zipped a pass over to Bulawka above the right circle. Bulawka went forehand to backhand and tapped the puck under Molu and across the goal line from the low slot.
• Norwich put just four shots on goal in the third period, but Boyd Stahlbaum's shot found the back of the net with 10:11 left. Continentals goaltender Aksel Reid '27 skated behind his goal to play the puck and Stahlbaum intercepted Reid's pass to Connor Thue '29. Stahlbaum scored on a backhand shot from below the left circle as he fell to the ice.

 

Notes

• Krock, who also won 18-of-29 faceoffs, scored his eighth goal this season and the 39^th of his career.
• Bulawka has five goals in four postseason games in 2026. He has 12 this season and 32 for his Hamilton career. Bulawka won 10-of-16 faceoffs.
• Reid finished with 21 saves, including 11 in the second period.
• Tchor picked up his 15^th assist and leads the Continentals with 31 points.
• Zimmerman posted his 41^st career helper.
• Curtiss Sturgeon '29 collected his second assist and third point on the Bulawka goal.
• Hamilton nearly doubled up the Cadets in shots on goal (43-22) and won 42-of-70 faceoffs.
• The Continentals had two power-play chances and Norwich had one.
• Hamilton advanced to the national semifinals for the first time in its third NCAA appearance.
• The Continentals tied the team record of 21 wins in a season that was established in 2024-25.
• Hamilton is fifth in NCAA Division III in scoring defense.

 

Next Game

The Continentals play Aurora University (25-5-1) in an NCAA semifinal at Adirondack Bank Center at the Utica Memorial Auditorium in Utica, N.Y., on Friday, March 27 at 3 p.m.