The inaugural LEC Hockey gave a new platform for some of New England’s top and middle tier programs to both flex their muscles and spread their wings. The success of the top teams is reason for optimism that the LEC will develop its core members over the next several years to shed some of the NESCAC’s grip on the region, and place multiple members of the conference into the national tournament in future years. While the programs and the women that play the games work up to that, let’s dive into the postseason ahead.

The Byes

1.) Norwich 18-0-0 (23-2-0)

There’s so much to say about what Norwich accomplished in the 2025-26 regular season. First off, regardless of this tournament’s outcome, the Cadets will be one of the top seeds in the national tournament and have shown (2-0 road victory against #2 Amherst) they have the talent to compete for their first national championship since 2018. In the LEC, they went undefeated with an overwhelming goal differential of 103-7 this year, and it would be shocking if they didn’t complete the run.

Madison Brunet has been unreal once again for the Cadets, posting a 0.84 GAA and a 94.3% save percentage this season in 19 starts. Up front, Norwich’s offense was tenacious with 7(!) skaters recording more than 20 points. Livia Brooks (34p) and Olivia Boyer (31p) led the forwards, while Maggie Hunter (24p) led the defense. An additional recognition for this incredible season goes to first year head coach, Justin Simpson, who has done an admirable job after the surprise switch behind the bench this offseason. Overall, I’m just excited to watch what this team does both in the LEC and National tournaments.

2.) UMass Boston 11-6-1 (15-8-2 Overall)

Ranked at 27^th in the NPI, UMass Boston completed a tremendously successful regular season, rising 25 spots from the 2024-25 campaign. Aside from three losses to the unbeaten Cadets, the Beacons managed an 11-3-1 record against the rest, only losing two intraconference games by more than one goal. Despite being mathematically eliminated from the national tournament, the Beacons were able to benchmark themselves against the best consistently in 2025-26, playing hard to the final buzzer against #3 Norwich, 5 Amherst, and #7 Hamline this season. (All rankings NPI at time of writing.

Contrasted to the conference leaders, UMass Boston did their best work on defense. Leah Bosh (92.7%) was an anchor for the team in goal, while Veronika Hadamovsky (91.9%) was great when needed as well. Maggie Lynch (13p), Emily Hansen (11p), and Cassidy Morrison (11p) set the pace on offense. Heading into the playoffs, the Beacons will have the luxury of a first-round bye to keep their legs fresh in the semi-final. A rested defensive team is always a nightmare, and the Beacons will need to use that to their advantage to get to the championship game and try to stun the Cadets.

The Quarterfinals

3. Southern Maine vs 6. Plymouth State

3.) Southern Maine 9-8-1 (10-14-1 OVerall)

Southern Maine will host the first quarterfinal game after a solid season of LEC play. Aside from their three defeats against Norwich, the Huskies were 9-5-1 against the rest of the conference, and only one of those defeats came by more than one goal. USM played a great team defense all season and Maggie Jones will be the key to securing a second-round showdown with UMass Boston, a series split at a perfect 1-1-1.

Jones’ play was incredible down the stretch as she posted a 94.1% save percentage against a 1.61 in her sixteen starts for the Huskies. It was obvious that USM just wasn’t the same team in games where she didn’t get the start. Up front Madison Chagnon’s 20 points set the pace while Jillian Jackson (14p), Gracelyn Koch (14p), and Audrey Donahue (13p) provided significant support. For Southern Maine to challenge for the LEC title, they’ll need Jones to be their best player, and for Chagnon and Jackson to find a way to break through some ironclad defenses.

6.) Plymouth State 6-12-0 (12-13-0 Overall)

This was a big transition year for Plymouth State after their MASCAC Championship winning season in 2024-25. Dropping seven of their first eight LEC contests was not the best start to their time in the conference, but finishing at .500 for their last twelve, which included two losses to Norwich, felt like a key turning point in their season.

Jorja Moore (93.2%) and Karlee Lehner (91.2%) seemed to find their way in net as the season progressed, and after their last victory against Southern Maine, Moore will be their best option for challenging for a spot in the semi-finals. Katy Porrello (17p), Emily Gerrie (17p), and Grace Bonnell (17p) set the pace for the Panthers’ scoring this season, while they had seven total players who recorded double digit points. For Plymouth to challenge for the conference title, they’ll need the best out of this group for as many minutes as they can play in the attacking zone.

Head-to-Head

In the first matchup on November 22^nd, Jillian Jackson’s goal and Maggie Jones’ 16 saves propelled the Huskies to a 2-0 win. The February 13^th matchup was a 5-4 victory for the Panthers where Mylee Serkis recorded 4 points, while Jorja Moore stopped 42 of 6 in the win. In the rematch the following day, Gracelyn Koch’s 2 goals and Megan Gawley’s 22 saves gave USM a 4-2 win to win the season series 2-1-0.

4. VTSU Castleton vs 5 Keene State

4.) VTSU Castleton 7-11-0 (11-14-0 Overall)

Castleton has been the most interesting team in the LEC from a night-to-night basis this season. They’ve had games where they’ve won 10-1, but also games where they’ve lost 5-0. At their best, this team has shown that they can contend with UMass Boston, and beat nationally ranked programs like Oswego, but it’s difficult to predict which Spartans team you will see on any given night.

Their skater group is headlined by Moa Carlsson (22p) and Taylor Adams (17p) who have been quite productive all season, while Meg Aiken (13p), Mikayla Brightman (13p), and Brooke Noble (12p) have been quality support. With eight players with at least ten points, the Spartans are a deep team offensively. In goal, Gianna McCusker (90.9%) has had some great nights where she’s stolen games, but the team’s defense just hasn’t been able to do so consistently. For this team to get on a run in the tournament this season, they’re going to need to figure out how to get the offense rolling, and trust in McCusker to stop anything that gets through,

5.) Keene State 7-11-0 (10-15-0 Overall)

Keene State had a learning curve in their second year as a program. Their structure and defense were consistently sound all season, but they were consistently plagued by games where they couldn’t get the offense rolling. The team did play some of their best hockey in the back half of the season, picking up wins over USM, Castleton, and Plymouth State, while also picking up two necessary head-to-head wins over NEC to qualify for the playoffs.

Up front, Brianna Finke (17p), Elle Patrick (16p), and Ava Iantosca (15p) were the only skaters to eclipse the double-digit point mark. For a team that only scored 28 goals in LEC play, their defense will need to be almost flawless in the playoffs. Luckily, Ai Chung was one of the conference’s best goalies with her 93.3% save percentage. A top end goal peaking at the right time is always a threat to carry a team further than expected in a playoff run.

Head-to-Head

The November 22^nd meeting between these two teams was a 10-1 victory for Castleton. Moa Carlsson and Olivia Carter’s 4 points and Taylor Adams’ hat trick were key parts of the win. On February 13^th, Castleton was victorious once again by the score of 4-2. Meg Aiken recorded two points, while McCusker’s 17 saves were enough for the win. In their final meeting on Valentine’s Day, Brianna Finke delivered Keene State an Overtime win by the score of 2-1. Ai Chung stopped 43 of 44 in the contest to give the Owls the chance to close it out in extra time.

 

• Christian