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BIDDEFORD, Maine -- A pair of goals late in the opening period flipped the advantage to Hamilton College and the Continentals maintained the edge the rest of the way, securing a 4-2 decision against the University of New England in the first round of the 2025 NCAA Division III Men's Ice Hockey Championship on Saturday night (Mar. 15) at the Harold Alfond Forum.

Hamilton (21-6-1), with a new school record for wins, advances to the quarterfinals for the second time in as many trips to the national tournament (previously 2017). Awaiting the Continentals next Saturday is the top team in the NCAA Power Index (NPI), Curry College. [Interactive Bracket]

The result marks the end of the season for the Nor'easters, settling on a record of 18-8-1. The program was competing in its fifth NCAA championship out of the last six contested, which is tied for second in that span, behind only Hobart College (all 6).

UNE got off to a good start when Ryan Kuzmich netted his 21st goal of the year -- unassisted, with a steal at the defensive blue line and breakaway finish -- at 7:13 of the 1st stanza [Watch]. He entered the day ranked third in the country for goals per game, and now has the second-highest season total in Nor'easter scoring records. It was also career tally 56 for the senior, who recently moved into third place in that category.

The hosts killed off Hamilton's only power play of the contest in the middle of the period, improving the nation's second-rated penalty kill to 89.0 percent. But with 2:34 on the clock, Jackson Krock tapped a bouncing puck around a UNE defender to Devon de Vries in the slot to get the visitors on the board. Then, with just 30 ticks left in the frame it was Ryan Sordillo for the Continentals, taking it with speed up the right before cutting to the middle to his forehand and finding space inside the left post for the go-ahead goal (2-1).

Hamilton had a 28-11 cushion in shot attempts during the initial 20 minutes, prompting Nor'easter netminder Joey Stanizzi into 16 saves.

UNE had the better quantity of chances in the 2nd, and Stanizzi made one of his better stops early on [Watch], but the deficit increased to 3-1 at the 14:15 mark when Ryan Brown fed Justin Biraben on the left wing in transition for a near-side wrist shot. The visitors received eight saves in the session from the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Defensive Player of the Year, Charlie Archer, who began the evening ranked third in the country for goals against average (1.37) and fifth in save percentage (.943).

The Nor'easters got a third crack on the power play less than two minutes into the 3rd and made it count with nine seconds left in the advantage to trim the gap to 3-2. The third-best squad in Division III with the extra-man (30.8%) converted off the stick of Jayden Price -- a one-timer from the bottom edge of the right circle -- with the help of Cam Bergeman and Nick Marino [Watch]. Bergeman wrapped his rookie year with at least one point in his last six outings.

Shot attempts in the final period favored UNE by a 17-5 margin, but the hosts could not solve the Hamilton defense again. The only try by the Continentals that found the target was Krock's empty-net score to cap things with 57 seconds remaining. Ben Zimmerman broke up the Nor'easters possession to register his second assist of the night, sending Krock towards a 15th goal of the campaign.

Archer wound up with 21 saves to pick up his 17th positive outcome in 21 starts for Hamilton. William Neault contributed a couple of blocked shots for the visitors, who prevailed despite UNE keeping sophomore forward Luke Tchor -- the NESCAC Player of the Year -- off of the score sheet.

Stanizzi concluded with 19 stops, and received two blocks from both Ike Keller and Tyler Healey in support. The Nor'easters won 38 of 68 faceoffs in the match; Drew Olivieri, Keller, Juraj Elias, and Marino combined to go 35-15.