# 1996–97 NCAA Division III men's ice hockey season

The 1996–97 NCAA Division III men's ice hockey season began in November 1996 and concluded on March 22, 1997. This was the 24th season of Division III college ice hockey.

## Regular season
### Season tournaments

| Tournament | Dates | Teams | Champion |
| Blue Devil Invitational | October 25–26 | 4 | Mercyhurst |
| Pepsi Invitational | November 1–2 | 4 | |
| RIT Tournament | November 1–2 | 4 | RIT |
| Canisius Invitational | November 3–4 | 4 | Canisius |
| Cardinal Classic | November 29–30 | 4 | Plattsburgh State |
| Charles Luce Tournament | November 30–December 1 | 4 | Connecticut College |
| Hamot Hockey Classic | December 13–14 | 4 | Mercyhurst |
| Codfish Bowl | December 28–29 | 4 | Norwich |
| Holy Cross Tournament | January 3–4 | 4 | Plattsburgh State |
| Elmira Tournament | January 4–5 | 4 | Niagara |

### Standings

1996–97 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 |
| Middlebury † | 19 | 16 | 1 | 2 | 34 | 120 | 41 | 27 | 22 | 3 | 2 | 154 | 68 |
| Norwich | 19 | 15 | 3 | 1 | 31 | 97 | 41 | 30 | 21 | 7 | 2 | | |
| Williams | 19 | 14 | 4 | 1 | 29 | 80 | 44 | 25 | 16 | 8 | 1 | | |
| Hamilton | 19 | 14 | 4 | 1 | 29 | 95 | 51 | 26 | 19 | 6 | 1 | | |
| Colby * | 19 | 13 | 5 | 1 | 27 | 103 | 62 | 27 | 19 | 7 | 1 | | |
| Amherst | 19 | 11 | 7 | 1 | 23 | 83 | 66 | 25 | 14 | 10 | 1 | | |
| Saint Anselm | 19 | 11 | 8 | 0 | 22 | 69 | 73 | 25 | 16 | 9 | 0 | 99 | 86 |
| Bowdoin | 19 | 11 | 8 | 0 | 22 | 92 | 63 | 27 | 15 | 12 | 0 | | |
| Holy Cross | 19 | 11 | 8 | 0 | 22 | 72 | 57 | 27 | 14 | 13 | 0 | 107 | 84 |
| Babson | 19 | 9 | 9 | 1 | 19 | 54 | 63 | 25 | 11 | 13 | 1 | 76 | 76 |
| Trinity | 19 | 9 | 10 | 0 | 18 | 69 | 75 | 24 | 11 | 13 | 0 | | |
| Salem State | 19 | 8 | 9 | 2 | 18 | 65 | 77 | 24 | 12 | 10 | 2 | | |
| Connecticut | 19 | 8 | 9 | 2 | 18 | 78 | 73 | 25 | 11 | 12 | 2 | 109 | 95 |
| Connecticut College | 19 | 6 | 13 | 0 | 12 | 62 | 73 | 22 | 8 | 14 | 0 | 80 | 93 |
| Massachusetts–Boston | 19 | 6 | 13 | 0 | 12 | 77 | 80 | 22 | 8 | 14 | 0 | 90 | 90 |
| New England College | 19 | 6 | 13 | 0 | 12 | 60 | 113 | 25 | 8 | 17 | 0 | | |
| North Adams State | 19 | 5 | 14 | 0 | 10 | 61 | 119 | 22 | 9 | 12 | 1 | | |
| American International | 19 | 4 | 13 | 2 | 10 | 58 | 83 | 25 | 5 | 18 | 2 | | |
| Southern Maine | 19 | 4 | 15 | 0 | 8 | 43 | 98 | 25 | 4 | 21 | 0 | 62 | 141 |
| Wesleyan | 19 | 2 | 17 | 0 | 4 | 49 | 126 | 24 | 3 | 21 | 0 | 62 | 151 |
| Championship: March 8, 1997 † indicates conference regular season champion * indicates conference tournament champion |||||||||||||||
1996–97 ECAC North/South/Central standingsvte :
| | Division | Division | Division | Division | Division | Division | Division | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall |
| | GP | W | L | T | Pct. | GF | GA | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA |
| Central Division |||||||||||||||
| Bentley ~† | 14 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 24 | 92 | 52 | 28 | 18 | 9 | 1 | 150 | 124 |
| Saint Michael's | 14 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 23 | 92 | 51 | 25 | 17 | 7 | 1 | 127 | 95 |
| Massachusetts–Dartmouth * | 14 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 22 | 90 | 39 | 27 | 21 | 4 | 2 | | |
| Assumption | 14 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 15 | 64 | 62 | 27 | 14 | 12 | 1 | | |
| Stonehill | 14 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 10 | 49 | 81 | 24 | 8 | 16 | 0 | | |
| New Hampshire College | 14 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 8 | 47 | 67 | 23 | 6 | 16 | 1 | 77 | 121 |
| Tufts | 14 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 8 | 39 | 71 | 23 | 8 | 13 | 2 | | |
| Suffolk | 14 | 1 | 13 | 0 | 2 | 34 | 84 | 24 | 5 | 19 | 0 | | |
| North Division |||||||||||||||
| Fitchburg State ~ | 12 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 20 | 93 | 34 | 28 | 18 | 9 | 2 | | |
| Plymouth State | 12 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 17 | 61 | 47 | 22 | 12 | 9 | 1 | | |
| Worcester State | 12 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 15 | 50 | 39 | 25 | 13 | 11 | 1 | | |
| Framingham State | 12 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 14 | 53 | 44 | 26 | 15 | 10 | 1 | | |
| Curry | 12 | 4 | 7 | 1 | 9 | 46 | 68 | 24 | 10 | 13 | 1 | | |
| Nichols | 12 | 3 | 8 | 1 | 7 | 42 | 75 | 20 | 4 | 13 | 3 | 74 | 120 |
| Roger Williams | 12 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 2 | 27 | 66 | | | | | | |
| South Division |||||||||||||||
| Skidmore ~ | 14 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 24 | 63 | 33 | 24 | 15 | 8 | 1 | | |
| Sacred Heart | 14 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 20 | 63 | 43 | 25 | 15 | 10 | 0 | 115 | 98 |
| Fairfield | 14 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 19 | 61 | 45 | 26 | 13 | 12 | 1 | 103 | 117 |
| Quinnipiac | 14 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 16 | 55 | 31 | 27 | 13 | 12 | 2 | 85 | 80 |
| Western New England | 14 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 15 | 47 | 56 | 22 | 10 | 11 | 1 | | |
| Wentworth | 14 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 8 | 38 | 62 | 24 | 6 | 18 | 0 | 57 | 110 |
| Iona | 14 | 2 | 11 | 1 | 5 | 35 | 72 | 25 | 2 | 20 | 3 | | |
| Villanova | 14 | 2 | 11 | 1 | 5 | 35 | 72 | | | | | | |
| Championship: March 12, 1997 ~ indicates division regular season champions † indicates conference regular season champion * indicates conference tournament champion |||||||||||||||
1996–97 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 | 53 | 31 | 30 | 21 | 7 | 2 | 182 | 111 |
| Niagara ^ | 10 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 14 | 57 | 32 | 27 | 16 | 9 | 2 | 153 | 86 |
| Elmira | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 12 | 44 | 36 | 29 | 15 | 9 | 5 | 127 | 115 |
| Mercyhurst | 10 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 11 | 56 | 40 | 27 | 16 | 9 | 2 | 152 | 89 |
| Canisius | 10 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 37 | 51 | 26 | 13 | 11 | 2 | 111 | 98 |
| Hobart | 10 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 39 | 95 | 25 | 6 | 18 | 1 | 107 | 176 |
| Championship: March 8, 1997 † indicates conference regular season champion * indicates conference tournament champions ^ Niagara was ineligible for postseason play |||||||||||||||
1996–97 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 |
| Lawrence | 7 | 1 | 5 | 1 | | |
| Scranton | 25 | 10 | 14 | 1 | | |
1996–97 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 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 28 | 101 | 47 | 33 | 26 | 6 | 1 | 169 | 96 |
| St. Thomas | 16 | 13 | 3 | 0 | 26 | 102 | 47 | 27 | 18 | 9 | 0 | 152 | 93 |
| Gustavus Adolphus | 16 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 22 | 86 | 45 | 29 | 17 | 12 | 0 | 131 | 101 |
| Saint Mary's | 16 | 10 | 5 | 1 | 21 | 84 | 54 | 27 | 15 | 11 | 1 | 126 | 104 |
| Augsburg | 16 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 18 | 82 | 74 | 25 | 14 | 10 | 1 | 137 | 111 |
| Bethel | 16 | 5 | 10 | 1 | 11 | 59 | 75 | 25 | 7 | 17 | 1 | 89 | 121 |
| Concordia (MN) | 16 | 4 | 10 | 2 | 10 | 67 | 92 | 26 | 7 | 15 | 4 | 118 | 151 |
| St. Olaf | 16 | 3 | 13 | 0 | 6 | 51 | 96 | 25 | 4 | 20 | 1 | 75 | 141 |
| Hamline | 16 | 1 | 15 | 0 | 2 | 42 | 144 | 25 | 2 | 23 | 0 | 69 | 208 |
| Championship: March 9, 1997 † indicates conference regular season champion * indicates conference tournament champion |||||||||||||||
1996–97 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 † | 20 | 16 | 4 | 0 | 32 | 90 | 52 | 31 | 21 | 9 | 1 | 128 | 93 |
| Wisconsin–Stevens Point | 20 | 14 | 5 | 1 | 29 | 88 | 50 | 27 | 17 | 8 | 2 | 119 | 75 |
| Bemidji State | 20 | 14 | 5 | 1 | 29 | 104 | 64 | 34 | 26 | 6 | 2 | 183 | 102 |
| Wisconsin–Superior * | 20 | 13 | 6 | 1 | 27 | 85 | 54 | 34 | 23 | 9 | 2 | 129 | 78 |
| Wisconsin–River Falls | 20 | 13 | 7 | 0 | 26 | 77 | 55 | 31 | 20 | 11 | 0 | 117 | 87 |
| Wisconsin–Eau Claire | 20 | 7 | 12 | 1 | 15 | 76 | 98 | 28 | 10 | 16 | 2 | 111 | 130 |
| Wisconsin–Stout | 20 | 6 | 14 | 0 | 12 | 75 | 103 | 27 | 9 | 18 | 0 | 99 | 127 |
| St. Scholastica | 20 | 3 | 16 | 1 | 7 | 43 | 90 | 25 | 7 | 17 | 1 | 63 | 104 |
| Lake Forest | 20 | 1 | 18 | 1 | 3 | 48 | 117 | 24 | 4 | 19 | 1 | 65 | 127 |
| Championship: March 8, 1997 † indicates conference regular season champion * indicates conference tournament champion Bemidji State was ineligible for Division III tournaments |||||||||||||||
1996–97 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 |
| Fredonia State † | 14 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 22 | 53 | 32 | 29 | 16 | 11 | 2 | 84 | 83 |
| Plattsburgh State * | 14 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 21 | 70 | 35 | 31 | 22 | 6 | 3 | 159 | 84 |
| Potsdam State | 14 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 18 | 62 | 43 | 27 | 13 | 12 | 2 | 115 | 117 |
| Oswego State | 14 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 17 | 63 | 49 | 26 | 13 | 11 | 2 | 116 | 92 |
| Geneseo State | 14 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 14 | 47 | 51 | 24 | 12 | 6 | 6 | 103 | 83 |
| Brockport State | 14 | 4 | 9 | 1 | 9 | 47 | 65 | 26 | 8 | 17 | 1 | 98 | 129 |
| Buffalo State | 14 | 0 | 12 | 2 | 2 | 30 | 80 | 25 | 3 | 20 | 2 | 68 | 140 |
| Cortland State | 14 | 3 | 11 | 1 | 7 | 46 | 63 | 24 | 7 | 16 | 1 | 76 | 121 |
| Championship: March 8, 1997 † indicates conference regular season champion * indicates conference tournament champions |||||||||||||||
Note: Mini-game are not included in final standings

## 1997 NCAA Tournament

| Quarterfinals March 14–15 | Quarterfinals March 14–15 | Quarterfinals March 14–15 | Quarterfinals March 14–15 | Quarterfinals March 14–15 | Semifinals March 21 | Semifinals March 21 | Semifinals March 21 | National championship March 22 | National championship March 22 | National championship March 22 |
| Norwich | Norwich | 3 | 5 | - | | | | | | |
| Plattsburgh State | Plattsburgh State | 3 | 2 | - | | | | | | |
| Plattsburgh State | Plattsburgh State | 3 | 2 | - | Norwich | Norwich | 1 | | | |
| | | | | | Wisconsin–Superior | Wisconsin–Superior | 2** | | | |
| St. Norbert | St. Norbert | 2 | 1 | 0 | Wisconsin–Superior | Wisconsin–Superior | 2** | | | |
| Wisconsin–Superior | Wisconsin–Superior | 0 | 4 | 1 | | | | | | |
| Wisconsin–Superior | Wisconsin–Superior | 0 | 4 | 1 | | | | Wisconsin–Superior | Wisconsin–Superior | 2 |
| | | | | | | | | Middlebury | Middlebury | 3 |
| Saint John's | Saint John's | 2 | 4 | - | | | | | | | Middlebury | Middlebury | 3 |
| Elmira | Elmira | 2 | 2 | - | | | |
| Elmira | Elmira | 2 | 2 | - | Saint John's | Saint John's | 1 | Third-place game | Third-place game | Third-place game |
| | | | | | Middlebury | Middlebury | 4 |
| Middlebury | Middlebury | 6 | 6 | - | Middlebury | Middlebury | 4 | Norwich | Norwich | 3 |
| RIT | RIT | 4 | 3 | - | | | | Saint John's | Saint John's | 4 |
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)