New England Intercollegiate Hockey League

The New England Intercollegiate Hockey League is a defunct NCAA Division I ice hockey-only conference. The league was an early attempt by second-tier programs to form a conference and stabilize their schedules during the Great Depression. The champion of the league received the Donald Sands Memorial Trophy.[1]

New England Intercollegiate Hockey League
Founded1936
Ceased1954
Sports fielded
No. of teams8 to 11
RegionNortheastern United States

History

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While the upper echelon of college hockey teams had been creating formal leagues for decades, many of the 'lesser' schools were frozen out of these conferences. In the mid-30's, several teams in New England decided to band together and form their own aggregation, the New England Intercollegiate Hockey League.[2] Originally, The league was made up by eight members, however, there were few requirements with regards to participation. All games between league members were counted in the standings, however, teams were not required to play against all of their conference opponents. This loose policy led to an unbalanced schedule and the teams with the superior records not necessarily being the best.

The league continued unaltered until World War II forced several members to suspend operations. In 1942, Hew Hampshire, Colby and Bowdoin were replaced by Tufts and Norwich. The following year, the league was suspended due to most other programs stopping for the duration of the war. The league returned in 1946, once college hockey resumed in full. A year later, the league held its first postseason and became the first unofficial conference to hold a postseason game in over 40 years. In 1949, Boston College became the first league member to win a National Championship.

Unfortunately, despite the successes of some members, the league itself was not in a good position. Because members weren't required to play one another, the better programs could ignore the lower clubs, creating an effective class system within the conference. Additionally, upon the creation of the Tri-State League in 1950, the NEIHL was one of three conferences in the northeast and not the best of the bunch. The conference continued during the early years of the 1950s but, after Boston College didn't bother attending the conference tournament in 1952, the postseason was abandoned. In its place, BC, BU and Northeastern joined with Harvard to found the Beanpot the following year. Largely superfluous by then, the league fizzled and was formally dissolved in 1954.

While the conference's demise was unfortunate, most of the league members would eventually join to help form ECAC Hockey in 1961, a 28-team super-conference.[3] Tufts suspended its program from 1960 to 1986 while Fort Devens State closed its doors in 1949.

Members

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100km
62miles
 
Norwich
 
New Hampshire
 
Middlebury
 
Fort Devens State
 
Colby
 
Bowdoin
 
American International
Locations of member teams
 
 
5km
3miles
 
Tufts
 
Northeastern
 
Middlebury
 
MIT
 
Boston University
 
Boston College
Around Boston
Institution Nickname Location Founded Tenure Current conference Colors
American International College Yellow Jackets Springfield, Massachusetts 1885 1948–1954 Atlantic Hockey      
Boston College Eagles Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts 1863 1936–1954 Hockey East    
Boston University Terriers Boston, Massachusetts 1839 1936–1954 Hockey East    
Bowdoin College Polar Bears Brunswick, Maine 1794 1936–1954 NESCAC    
Colby College Mules Waterville, Maine 1813 1936–1954 NESCAC    
Massachusetts State College–Fort Devens Chiefs Ayer, Massachusetts 1946 1947–1949 College closed    
Massachusetts Institute of Technology Engineers Cambridge, Massachusetts 1861 1936–1954 Program Suspended    
Middlebury College Panthers Middlebury, Vermont 1800 1936–1954 NESCAC    
University of New Hampshire Wildcats Durham, New Hampshire 1866 1936–1954 Hockey East      
Northeastern University Huskies Boston, Massachusetts 1898 1936–1954 Hockey East    
Norwich University Cadets Northfield, Vermont 1819 1936–1954 NEHC    
Tufts University Jumbos Medford, Massachusetts 1852 1942–1954 NESCAC    

Membership timeline

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American International Yellow Jackets men's ice hockeyMassachusetts State College–Fort DevensNorwich CadetsTufts JumbosNortheastern Huskies men's ice hockeyMIT EngineersMiddlebury Panthers men's ice hockeyBoston University Terriers men's ice hockeyBoston College Eagles men's ice hockeyColby MulesBowdoin Polar BearsNew Hampshire Wildcats men's ice hockey

Champions

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Year Champion Record Tournament Champion
1936–37 Boston College 5–1–1 [4]
1937–38 Boston University 5–1–2 [5]
1938–39 Boston University 6–0–0 [5]
1939–40 Boston College 10–0–0 [6]
1940–41 Boston College 8–0–0 [7]
1941–42 Boston College 8–0–0 [8]
1942–43 Northeastern* 7–2–0 [9]
1946–47 Boston University 11–0–1 [5]
1947–48 Boston University 12–1–0 Boston College [5]
1948–49 Boston College 9–0–0 Boston College [5]
1949–50 Boston University 8–1–0 Boston University [5]
1950–51 Boston College 6–1–0 Boston University [5]
1951–52 Boston College 7–2–0 Boston University^ [5]
1952–53 Boston College 5–2–1
1953–54 Boston College 6–0–0

* Boston College defeated Northeastern twice during the season and finished with an undefeated record in league play, however, because the Eagles only played 4 games due to issues from the war, they were ruled to have not played sufficient games to qualify for the championship.
^ Rather than a conference tournament, the NEIHL held an invitational tournament that included non-conference teams.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Hockey Schedule Good". The Heights. March 4, 1949. Retrieved January 12, 2023.
  2. ^ "Hockey Schedule Good". The Heights. December 18, 1936. Retrieved January 12, 2023.
  3. ^ "timeline of ECACH history, ECACHockey.com" (PDF). ecachockey.com.
  4. ^ "Eagle Sextet Takes N. E. Title". The Heights. February 26, 1937. Retrieved January 12, 2023.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h "Boston University Terriers men's ice hockey record book, 2022-23" (PDF). Boston University Terriers. Retrieved January 12, 2023.
  6. ^ "Pucksters Win Hockey Title". The Heights. March 1, 1940. Retrieved January 12, 2023.
  7. ^ "Dynamite Line Booms as Hockey Team Wins Crown". The Heights. February 28, 1941. Retrieved January 12, 2023.
  8. ^ "Eagles Cop Ice Crown". The Heights. March 6, 1942. Retrieved January 12, 2023.
  9. ^ "Successful Season Completed By Eagles". The Heights. March 5, 1943. Retrieved January 12, 2023.