# 2002–03 NCAA Division III men's ice hockey season

The 2002–03 NCAA Division III men's ice hockey season began on October 18, 2002, and concluded on March 22, 2003. This was the 30th season of Division III college ice hockey.
The NCAA changed the national tournament format to have all rounds be Single elimination. As a result, the mini-game was eliminated from the Championship.

## Regular season
### Standings

2002–03 ECAC East standingsvte :
| | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall |
| | GP | W | L | T | PTS | GF | GA | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA |
| Division III |||||||||||||||
| Norwich †* | 19 | 16 | 3 | 0 | 32 | 129 | 50 | 30 | 27 | 3 | 0 | 191 | 73 |
| New England College | 19 | 15 | 4 | 0 | 30 | 104 | 55 | 26 | 20 | 6 | 0 | 138 | 76 |
| Babson | 19 | 10 | 6 | 3 | 23 | 83 | 72 | 27 | 17 | 7 | 3 | 143 | 93 |
| Salem State | 19 | 9 | 7 | 3 | 21 | 85 | 79 | 27 | 15 | 9 | 3 | 127 | 103 |
| Skidmore | 19 | 6 | 12 | 1 | 13 | 48 | 75 | 25 | 7 | 17 | 1 | 66 | 103 |
| MCLA | 19 | 3 | 14 | 2 | 8 | 64 | 107 | 23 | 5 | 15 | 3 | 88 | 125 |
| Southern Maine | 19 | 3 | 14 | 2 | 8 | 50 | 101 | 25 | 6 | 17 | 2 | 86 | 135 |
| Massachusetts–Boston | 19 | 0 | 18 | 1 | 1 | 33 | 153 | 24 | 0 | 22 | 2 | 43 | 183 |
| Division II |||||||||||||||
| Saint Anselm | 19 | 5 | 12 | 2 | 12 | 53 | 92 | 26 | 9 | 14 | 3 | 78 | 108 |
| Saint Michael's ~ | 19 | 5 | 12 | 2 | 12 | 71 | 108 | 26 | 11 | 13 | 2 | 117 | 130 |
| Division III Championship: March 8, 2003 Division II Championship: March 8, 2003 † indicates conference regular season champion * indicates conference tournament champion ~ indicates Division II Tournament champion |||||||||||||||
2002–03 ECAC Northeast standingsvte :
| | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall |
| | GP | W | L | T | PTS | GF | GA | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA |
| Division III |||||||||||||||
| Wentworth †* | 16 | 13 | 1 | 2 | 28 | 101 | 26 | 29 | 21 | 5 | 3 | 153 | 58 |
| Lebanon Valley | 16 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 28 | 91 | 31 | 27 | 20 | 6 | 1 | 137 | 66 |
| Curry | 16 | 13 | 3 | 0 | 26 | 98 | 43 | 27 | 18 | 9 | 0 | 150 | 97 |
| Fitchburg State | 16 | 12 | 3 | 1 | 25 | 97 | 60 | 26 | 16 | 8 | 2 | 107 | 86 |
| Johnson & Wales | 16 | 11 | 4 | 1 | 23 | 67 | 52 | 26 | 14 | 11 | 1 | 131 | 116 |
| Massachusetts–Dartmouth | 16 | 9 | 6 | 1 | 19 | 67 | 52 | 25 | 15 | 7 | 3 | 103 | 82 |
| Salve Regina | 16 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 17 | 68 | 57 | 25 | 11 | 13 | 1 | 94 | 99 |
| Worcester State | 16 | 7 | 7 | 2 | 16 | 58 | 68 | 25 | 8 | 14 | 3 | 84 | 121 |
| Suffolk | 16 | 6 | 9 | 1 | 13 | 62 | 67 | 21 | 9 | 10 | 2 | 84 | 91 |
| Plymouth State | 16 | 3 | 9 | 4 | 10 | 54 | 86 | 22 | 5 | 12 | 5 | 75 | 120 |
| Western New England | 16 | 4 | 11 | 1 | 9 | 50 | 77 | 23 | 5 | 16 | 2 | 68 | 107 |
| Nichols | 16 | 3 | 13 | 0 | 6 | 41 | 102 | 23 | 4 | 17 | 2 | 70 | 138 |
| Framingham State | 16 | 2 | 14 | 0 | 4 | 35 | 118 | 24 | 3 | 20 | 1 | 52 | 179 |
| Division II |||||||||||||||
| Southern New Hampshire | 16 | 7 | 7 | 2 | 16 | 66 | 52 | 26 | 12 | 11 | 3 | 110 | 88 |
| Stonehill | 16 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 16 | 78 | 69 | 24 | 11 | 13 | 0 | 111 | 103 |
| Assumption | 16 | 7 | 8 | 1 | 15 | 68 | 58 | 27 | 11 | 15 | 1 | 114 | 110 |
| Franklin Pierce | 16 | 0 | 15 | 1 | 1 | 35 | 123 | 23 | 0 | 22 | 1 | 45 | 184 |
| Division III Championship: March 8, 2003 Division II Championship: March 8, 2003 † indicates conference regular season champion * indicates conference tournament champions ~ indicates Division II Tournament champion |||||||||||||||
2002–03 ECAC West standingsvte :
| | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall |
| | GP | W | L | T | PTS | GF | GA | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA |
| RIT † | 10 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 17 | 66 | 31 | 25 | 19 | 4 | 2 | 154 | 72 |
| Manhattanville | 10 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 14 | 46 | 31 | 26 | 18 | 6 | 2 | 108 | 64 |
| Elmira * | 10 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 13 | 64 | 39 | 28 | 18 | 8 | 2 | 154 | 104 |
| Hobart | 10 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 9 | 42 | 43 | 26 | 14 | 10 | 2 | 97 | 84 |
| Utica | 10 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 7 | 39 | 43 | 25 | 11 | 13 | 1 | 84 | 96 |
| Neumann | 10 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 83 | 24 | 1 | 22 | 1 | 48 | 173 |
| Championship: March 8, 2003 † indicates conference regular season champion * indicates conference tournament champions |||||||||||||||
2002–03 NCAA Division III Independent ice hockey standingsvte :
| | Overall record | Overall record | Overall record | Overall record | Overall record | Overall record |
| | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA |
| Finlandia | 10 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 34 | 54 |
| Scranton | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 23 |
2002–03 Midwest Collegiate Hockey Association standingsvte :
| | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall |
| | GP | W | L | T | PTS | GF | GA | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA |
| Minnesota–Crookston †* | 16 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 23 | 89 | 48 | 25 | 18 | 4 | 3 | 129 | 75 |
| Marian | 16 | 10 | 4 | 2 | 22 | 75 | 33 | 27 | 14 | 11 | 2 | 104 | 80 |
| Lawrence | 16 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 20 | 72 | 67 | 27 | 12 | 15 | 0 | 97 | 113 |
| MSOE | 16 | 4 | 10 | 2 | 10 | 47 | 77 | 28 | 7 | 18 | 3 | 76 | 129 |
| Northland | 16 | 2 | 13 | 1 | 5 | 33 | 91 | 24 | 3 | 19 | 2 | 53 | 144 |
| Championship: February 23, 2003 † indicates conference regular season champion * indicates conference tournament champions |||||||||||||||
2002–03 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference ice hockey standingsvte :
| | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall |
| | GP | W | L | T | Pts | GF | GA | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA |
| Saint John's †* | 16 | 13 | 2 | 1 | 27 | 76 | 47 | 28 | 20 | 7 | 1 | 116 | 89 |
| St. Thomas | 16 | 10 | 5 | 1 | 21 | 58 | 31 | 27 | 16 | 9 | 2 | 97 | 59 |
| Augsburg | 16 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 20 | 64 | 56 | 26 | 17 | 9 | 0 | 114 | 92 |
| Gustavus Adolphus | 16 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 17 | 67 | 40 | 27 | 14 | 12 | 1 | 114 | 75 |
| Concordia (MN) | 16 | 7 | 7 | 2 | 16 | 55 | 62 | 26 | 13 | 11 | 2 | 92 | 103 |
| Hamline | 16 | 7 | 7 | 2 | 16 | 55 | 70 | 25 | 9 | 13 | 3 | 76 | 106 |
| St. Olaf | 16 | 6 | 9 | 1 | 13 | 59 | 57 | 25 | 10 | 13 | 2 | 90 | 85 |
| Saint Mary's | 16 | 5 | 11 | 0 | 10 | 50 | 67 | 25 | 11 | 13 | 1 | 98 | 94 |
| Bethel | 16 | 2 | 14 | 0 | 4 | 30 | 84 | 24 | 3 | 21 | 0 | 49 | 136 |
| Championship: March 1, 2003 † indicates conference regular season champion * indicates conference tournament champion |||||||||||||||
2002–03 New England Small College Athletic Conference ice hockey standingsvte :
| | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall |
| | GP | W | L | T | PTS | GF | GA | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA |
| Middlebury † | 19 | 16 | 1 | 2 | 34 | 99 | 33 | 29 | 22 | 5 | 2 | 135 | 63 |
| Trinity * | 19 | 15 | 3 | 1 | 31 | 93 | 43 | 27 | 19 | 6 | 2 | 119 | 73 |
| Colby | 19 | 14 | 4 | 1 | 29 | 88 | 48 | 25 | 18 | 6 | 1 | 125 | 60 |
| Bowdoin | 19 | 11 | 3 | 5 | 27 | 86 | 55 | 24 | 13 | 6 | 5 | 116 | 74 |
| Hamilton | 19 | 10 | 7 | 2 | 22 | 93 | 57 | 26 | 14 | 10 | 2 | 122 | 75 |
| Amherst | 19 | 7 | 8 | 4 | 18 | 70 | 76 | 25 | 7 | 13 | 5 | 78 | 116 |
| Williams | 19 | 8 | 9 | 2 | 18 | 89 | 64 | 25 | 8 | 15 | 2 | 104 | 96 |
| Tufts | 19 | 7 | 10 | 2 | 16 | 78 | 85 | 22 | 7 | 11 | 4 | 87 | 100 |
| Wesleyan | 19 | 7 | 11 | 1 | 15 | 49 | 75 | 23 | 7 | 13 | 3 | 56 | 93 |
| Connecticut College | 19 | 3 | 12 | 4 | 10 | 50 | 87 | 24 | 5 | 15 | 4 | 65 | 105 |
| Championship: March 9, 2003 † indicates conference regular season champion * indicates conference tournament champion |||||||||||||||
2002–03 Northern Collegiate Hockey Association standingsvte :
| | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall |
| | GP | W | L | T | Pts | GF | GA | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA |
| St. Norbert †* | 14 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 25 | 67 | 28 | 31 | 27 | 2 | 2 | 164 | 66 |
| Wisconsin–Superior | 14 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 23 | 63 | 26 | 29 | 21 | 6 | 2 | 129 | 65 |
| Wisconsin–River Falls | 14 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 23 | 78 | 26 | 31 | 23 | 7 | 1 | 164 | 63 |
| Wisconsin–Stevens Point | 14 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 16 | 54 | 44 | 29 | 15 | 12 | 2 | 109 | 89 |
| Lake Forest | 14 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 15 | 44 | 46 | 27 | 13 | 9 | 5 | 100 | 77 |
| St. Scholastica | 14 | 2 | 11 | 1 | 5 | 27 | 77 | 26 | 5 | 20 | 1 | 68 | 138 |
| Wisconsin–Stout | 14 | 2 | 12 | 0 | 4 | 33 | 71 | 27 | 6 | 21 | 0 | 66 | 133 |
| Wisconsin–Eau Claire | 14 | 1 | 12 | 1 | 3 | 33 | 81 | 25 | 1 | 22 | 2 | 57 | 153 |
| Championship: March 1, 2003 † indicates conference regular season champion * indicates conference tournament champion |||||||||||||||
2002–03 State University of New York Athletic Conference ice hockey standingsvte :
| | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall |
| | GP | W | L | T | PTS | GF | GA | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA |
| Oswego State †* | 14 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 21 | 77 | 31 | 33 | 25 | 7 | 1 | 171 | 81 |
| Fredonia State | 14 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 20 | 43 | 25 | 26 | 14 | 12 | 0 | 76 | 57 |
| Plattsburgh State | 14 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 19 | 77 | 35 | 32 | 20 | 9 | 3 | 158 | 92 |
| Potsdam State | 14 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 15 | 45 | 45 | 29 | 14 | 13 | 2 | 100 | 95 |
| Geneseo State | 14 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 15 | 37 | 39 | 25 | 9 | 13 | 3 | 79 | 89 |
| Cortland State | 14 | 3 | 9 | 2 | 8 | 40 | 69 | 27 | 5 | 18 | 4 | 80 | 140 |
| Brockport State | 14 | 3 | 9 | 2 | 8 | 29 | 66 | 25 | 9 | 14 | 2 | 72 | 103 |
| Buffalo State | 14 | 3 | 11 | 0 | 6 | 43 | 79 | 25 | 6 | 18 | 1 | 78 | 123 |
| Championship: March 9, 2003 † indicates conference regular season champion * indicates conference tournament champions |||||||||||||||
Note: Mini-game are not included in final standings

## Player stats
### Scoring leaders

GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes
| Player | Class | Team | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| Brian Yingling | Senior | Lebanon Valley | 27 | 36 | 29 | 65 | 36 |
| Sean Pero | Sophomore | Curry | 25 | 23 | 35 | 58 | 67 |
| Brian Doherty | Sophomore | Curry | 27 | 24 | 32 | 56 | 44 |
| Don Patrick | Senior | Oswego State | 33 | 15 | 41 | 56 | 4 |
| Alex Marinkovich | Junior | Wentworth | 28 | 25 | 28 | 53 | 52 |
| Rob Pascale | Junior | Stonehill | 24 | 27 | 25 | 52 | 8 |
| Manu Mau'u | Sophomore | Johnson & Wales | 25 | 23 | 28 | 51 | 73 |
| Mike Lukajic | Junior | Oswego State | 33 | 33 | 17 | 50 | 14 |
| Travis Banga | Junior | New England College | 25 | 29 | 21 | 50 | 42 |
| Nick Cote | Junior | MCLA | 23 | 33 | 16 | 49 | 22 |

### Leading goaltenders

GP = Games played; Min = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; SV% = Save percentage; GAA = Goals against average
| Player | Class | Team | GP | Min | W | L | T | GA | SO | SV% | GAA |
| Jamie Vanek | Senior | Wentworth | 17 | 973 | 13 | 2 | 1 | 27 | 4 | .941 | 1.66 |
| Cody Brown | Sophomore | Lake Forest | 16 | 949 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 39 | 1 | .932 | 2.46 |
| Zachary Sikich | Sophomore | St. Thomas | 25 | 724 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 23 | 4 | .930 | 1.90 |
| Mike Boudreau | Freshman | Norwich | 10 | 455 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 1 | .929 | 1.84 |
| Dan Meneghin | Freshman | Wisconsin–River Falls | 14 | 839 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 24 | 2 | .927 | 1.72 |
| J.D. Hadiaris | Senior | Colby | 15 | 839 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 22 | 6 | .925 | 1.57 |
| Jacque Vezina | Senior | Wisconsin–River Falls | 17 | 1022 | 10 | 6 | 1 | 34 | 4 | .923 | 1.99 |
| Jay Chrapala | Freshman | Manhattanville | 20 | 1110 | 13 | 5 | 1 | 41 | 1 | .922 | 2.22 |
| Tyson Gajda | Junior | Oswego State | 25 | 1419 | 20 | 5 | 0 | 53 | 4 | .922 | 2.24 |
| Raj Bhangoo | Junior | Wentworth | 13 | 707 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 28 | 2 | .922 | 2.38 |

## 2003 NCAA Tournament

| First Round March 12 | First Round March 12 | First Round March 12 | Quarterfinals March 15 | Quarterfinals March 15 | Quarterfinals March 15 | Semifinals March 21 | Semifinals March 21 | Semifinals March 21 | National Championship March 22 | National Championship March 22 | National Championship March 22 |
| | | | W1 | St. Norbert | 5 | | | | | | |
| W2 | Wisconsin–River Falls | 2 | W2 | Wisconsin–River Falls | 2 | | | | | | |
| W3 | Saint John's | 0 | | | | St. Norbert | St. Norbert | 3 | | | |
| | | | | | | Norwich | Norwich | 6 | | | |
| | | | Norwich | Norwich | 6 | | | | | | |
| | | | Trinity | Trinity | 4 | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | Norwich | Norwich | 2 |
| | | | | | | | | | Oswego State | Oswego State | 1 |
| | | | Middlebury | Middlebury | 5 | | | | | | |
| | | | Elmira | Elmira | 1 | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Middlebury | Middlebury | 0 | | | |
| | | | | | | Oswego State | Oswego State | 6 | | | |
| | | | Oswego State | Oswego State | 4 | | | | | | |
| | | | Wentworth | Wentworth | 3 | | | | | | |
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)