HOLLAND, Mich. (3/13/11) – The University of Colorado men’s D-III ice hockey team finished ninth in the nation after competing at the American Collegiate Hockey Association D-III National Championships last week.
Colorado went 2-1 at the tournament, grabbing wins against Robert Morris and Florida Atlantic. The Buffs began the tournament on Wednesday Mar. 9 with a 5-2 win over Robert Morris before picking up a 6-3 victory on Thursday against Florida Atlantic.
On Friday night, Colorado faced Hope College, who was 1-1 in the tournament, in a game to decide the representative of the pool in the national semifinals. In a hard fought game, the Buffs ended up losing 4-3 after the Flying Dutchman scored in overtime, advancing Hope while ending CU’s season.
Hope went on to play for the national championship on Saturday night, but lost 5-3 to College of the Canyons, who finished their season undefeated.
Colorado finished the regular season ranked second in the Pacific Division and earned an automatic bid to nationals, along with the regions first place team and eventual national champions, the COC Cougars. Other teams from the region that went to the national championships include McKendree, who finished 13th, and Colorado State, who finished 14th.
The Buffaloes will now head into the offseason as they begin to prepare for their 2011-12 campaign which will likely begin in late September/early October.
ACHA D-III final rankings: http://achahockey.org/news2.php?news_id=388909&league_id=1063&lang=
Men’s D-III Hockey website: http://uofcd3.goalline.ca/
